Tin Cup Chalice, the leading candidate as the New York-bred Horse of the Year, will be heading to Hanshin Racecourse in Japan for the $2.8 million Japan Cup Dirt on December 7.

His story just keeps getting bigger.

Owned by Michael LeCesse and Scott Vanlaer and trained by LeCesse, Tin Cup Chalice romped in the Mike Lee at Belmont Park in the spring, and then went back to his home base at Finger Lakes to win the New York Derby. Finally, he went to Saratoga Race Course and won the Albany Stakes to become first horse to win the OTB’s Big Apple Triple and a $250,000 bonus.

On October 4, “The Finger Lakes Phenom” won the Grade 2 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park, defeating Pyro by a length and proving that he is not a home-state fluke. Shortly thereafter, LeCesse got a call from the Japan Racing Association and his invite to join the party, along with fellow Americans Frost Giant, upset winner of Belmont Park’s Grade 1 Suburban Handicap, and Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track.

“Our original plan was to run back in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct (Grade 1, $300,000, Saturday, November 29),” LeCesse said. “And then we got the invitation. My initial thought was `Will he be able to go the wrong way?’ That was my main concern, but we have worked him twice in that direction and the second time was better than the first.”

The magnitude of what Tin Cup Chalice is trying to accomplish is not lost on LeCesse. His father, Raymond, owned and bred Fio Rito, who scored one of the first Grade 1 upsets by a New York-bred when he won the 1981 Whitney at Saratoga. This coming trip to Japan is the most ambitious undertaking for a New York-bred since 1991 when Fourstars Allstar became the first American horse to win a European classic when he won Irish 2000 Guineas for owner Richard Bomze, trainer Leo O’Brien and jockey Mike Smith.

It is a credit to LeCesse that he has managed the 3-year-old Crusader Sword gelding to this position, namely a record of 8-1-0 from nine career starts, with his only loss by a neck to Famous Patriot in Belmont Park’s one-mile Step Nicely. Victory in Japan would make Tin Cup Chalice a legend and the poster boy for the New York Breeding & Racing Program.

“We’ve always felt that this horse would bring attention to the New York breeding program,” LeCesse said. “But there are so many good New York-breds out there now like J’Ray, Commentator and Bustin Stones (retired). But I think Tin Cup Chalice has held up his end, too.”

The Japan Cup Dirt was originally run at at mile and five-sixteenths over the left-handed Tokyo course. It has now been changed to the right-handed course at Hanshin and the distance cut to nine furlongs. Tin Cup Chalice has only raced once at nine furlongs, and that resulted in his head victory over That’srightofficer in the Albany on August 20.

According to the JRA’s Japan Autumn International guide, “the race starts from the homestretch, about 280m from the winning post. Traveling flat for 80m, there is a 1.2m (0.9%) rise for 130m. It is flat leading to the first turn, and although there are slight ups and downs of 30 cm, it is generally flat up to the middle of the backstretch. Then, there is a 1.2m (0.2 %) gradual slope going down for 600m and after traveling flat for 140m, there is a slight slope of 20cm (0.02%) for 100m leading to the homestretch. The homestretch is 353m long, the first 200m being flat, followed by a rise of 1.2m (0.92%) for 130m and the final 70m flat to the winning post.”

Jockey Pedro Rodriguez has the mount on Tin Cup Chalice, who will leave for Japan on Wednesday, November 19. Following quarantine, he will be sent to Hanshin on December 3.

“I guess it is always a worry when you start changing training, like going in the wrong direction,” LeCesse said. “But this may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us. I have never been overseas; I’ve been to Canada and the Bahamas, but nothing like going to Japan. This horse has been doing well, and we’re hoping he can do well over there.

“He has already done enough to make us proud.”