By Jill Williams
Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse was coming off his first two Breeders' Cup wins just the year before when he entered Classic Empire in the Juvenile. Second choice on the board, Classic Empire made back-to-back Grade Is look easy following a powerful victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. Casse indicated looks can be deceiving.
“Any hair I had left, he made sure it was gone,” said Casse recently with a laugh. “He was a pistol. A lot of people didn't know this, but six days before the Breeders' Cup–right before we were going to ship–he came up with a foot abscess and couldn't walk. We weren't even sure we were going to get him on the plane.
“We put a three-quarter shoe on him and he won. I have that shoe in my office with the win photo.
“That just showed how truly good he was, a testament to him and his ability. It was wonderful to win it for the Oxleys. They have always been big supporters of ours and they were there, so it was special to win.”
Classic Empire (2014 bay horse, Pioneerof the Nile–Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief)
Lifetime record: Ch. 2yo colt, MGISW, 9-5-1-1, $2,520,220
Breeders' Cup connections: B-Steven Nicholson & Brandi Nicholson (KY); O-John C. Oxley; T-Mark Casse; J-Julien Leparoux.
Location photographed: Coolmore America/Ashford Stud, Versailles, Ky.
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