Classic Empire

CLASSIC EMPIRE (c, Pioneerof the Nile—Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief)

O-John C. Oxley. B-Steven & Brandi Nicholson (KY). T-Mark E. Casse. Sales History: $475,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 7-5-0-1, $2,120,220.

Last Start: 1st, GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 15

Accomplishments Include: 1st, GI Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, SA, Nov. 5, 1st, GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, KEE, Oct. 8, 1st, GIII Bashford Manor S., CD, July 2.

Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs, Caulfield on Classic Empire

KY Derby Points: 132

If he wins the Derby, Classic Empire will certainly be able to provide an “overcoming adversity” storyline ripe with cinematic arc: The 2-year-old champ, known to be a bit of a head case, falls on hard times early in his 3-year-old season, recovers from a foot abscess only to develop a mysterious back ailment that presumably makes him not want to train, then redeems himself in the very last prep race of the season by storming to victory in impressive fashion. So how will the next chapter–the Kentucky Derby itself–turn out? There's no question where trainer Casse stands on the issue. “His work gave me chills,” Casse said after last Thursday's :49.20 half-mile breeze (47/84) at Churchill Downs. “I said a couple months ago when everyone was giving us a tough time, this is like a baseball game. It doesn't matter how many runs you score, it just matters if you're ahead in the last inning. I feel like we have the bases loaded.” Based solely on the visual aspect of his Arkansas Derby win, Classic Empire looked like he could have run straight over the competition rather than past them if he had wanted to. But when you factor in the quality of who he beat, the prognostication gets murky: The tired 2-3-4 horses that Classic Empire blew by in deep stretch were all double-digit long shots, and the other three horses out of the Arkansas Derby that are advancing to Churchill have won zero races combined in 2017. His company through the lane in Louisville will be far more formidable, but if Classic Empire has truly reverted to the prime form that he displayed in winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he is more than capable of slugging it out with the division's best.

VIDEO PPS