In the summer of 2014, Toast of New York was sent to the United States, making his American debut in the Grade I Belmont Derby (formerly the Jamaica Handicap) over ten furlongs on turf at Belmont Park on 5 July. The 9/2 third favourite behind Adelaide and Bobby's Kitten, he started poorly before making progress a quarter of a mile from the finish but faded in the closing stages to finish sixth of the ten runners behind the 23.5/1 outsider Mr Speaker. In the following month, he was sent to California and matched against older horses for the first time when he contested the Grade I Pacific Classic on the Polytrack surface at Del Mar. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, he was third choice in the betting behind the undefeated three-year-old gelding Shared Belief and the multiple Grade I-winning veteran Game On Dude. After racing just behind the leaders, the colt moved into second place behind Game On Dude approaching the final turn. At the entrance to the straight, he moved up to challenge the leader but was overtaken by Shared Belief and appeared to be hampered when the new leader cut in to the left. He finished second, two and three quarter lengths behind Shared Belief and two and a quarter lengths clear of the other eight runners. After the race, Osborne said, "He ran a great race, the race of his life. No hard feelings. The first two horses were the best. The winner may be the best three-year-old anywhere. My horse stepped up quite a bit from his win in the UAE Derby".
