Classier (Empire Maker) kicks off his sophomore season versus four rivals in Sunday's GIII Affirmed S. at Santa Anita.
The $775,000 KEESEP graduate got the 'TDN Rising Star' nod on debut sprinting at Santa Anita Oct. 24, then returned on quick notice with an eighth-place finish after showing speed in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last time Nov. 6. Working bullets for his return, Bob Baffert takes the blinkers off for this.
The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) tackles two turns for the first time here. The Cal-bred was impressive in his last two, capturing the Echo Eddie S. Apr. 3 and GIII Lazaro Barrera S. May 15 with a pair of 90 Beyer Speed Figures.
Mr. Impossible (Munnings) took a big step forward with a maiden win at fifth asking stretching to a mile in Arcadia most recently May 16.
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