Classic Empire

WSS Racing's undefeated Brightwork (Outwork) completed her major preparations for next Friday's GI Darley Alcibiades by working a half-mile in :48.60 over a fast track Friday morning. With Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard, Brightwork produced fractions of :24.60, :48.60 and galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:01.40. Last Friday here, Brightwork produced a best-of-20 half-mile in :47. "That was very perfect, and I am grateful that Ricardo made the drive over from Louisville both times to work her," trainer John Ortiz said. "Last week was a good drill for speed, and this...

Crown Imperial (f, 2, Classic Empire--Mi Fiori, by Congrats), beaten just a nose by the streaking Amidst Waves (Midshipman) in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 20, delivered a 13-1 upset in Wednesday's $500,000 Pepsi Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs. She was outsprinted in eighth through scorching early fractions of :20.79 and :44.32, and, after diving toward an inviting opening toward the inside beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the stretch, came alive to get the money by 1 1/4 lengths. Copper Em (Copper Bullet) was second; Buttercream Babe (Twirling Candy) was...

It's been more than four years since Saratoga socialite Marylou Whitney passed away, but thanks to her husband John Hendrickson and trainer Norm Casse, her memory is never far away when it comes to the Saratoga season. Marylou Whitney Stables, now operated by Hendrickson, won with its first starter at the meet when homebred Empire Island (Classic Empire) won the day's sixth race by three-quarters of a length over Lady Moscato (Quality Road). A six-furlong maiden race for 2-year-old fillies that was run at six furlongs, it had a purse...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - TDN Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get their 'Early Impressions.' Albaugh Family Stables purchased a total of nine yearlings either alone or in partnership out of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale for a total of $3.37 million. Two of them have made the 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby and a third will need a scratch to draw into the body of the field. Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) punched his ticket to Louisville following...

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after a wild, final weekend of 100-point preps. The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut.   1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2,...

7th-Fair Grounds, $50,000, Msw, 3-19, 3yo, 1 1/16m (off turf), 1:45.25, ft, 4 1/4 lengths. PROMISE ME A RIDE (c, 3, Mastery--Promise Me More {SW & GSP, $171,866}, by More Than Ready), Triple Crown-nominated and sporting many of the same owners as his stablemate one race prior, 'TDN Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), raced from the second flight in this off-turf unveiling and rode the rail going into the first turn. Angled out into the four path and pulling for his head to take command, Promise Me a Ride...

Saturday's running of the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds seems unlikely to produce a colt of the caliber of the race's namesake. In 1988, Risen Star captivated New Orleans as the hometown horse owned by charismatic connections, parlaying a win in the then-GIII Louisiana Derby to Grade I scores in both the Preakness S. and Belmont S. before being voted 3-year-old champion colt at year's end. But $29.40 upset winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) at least fits the bill as a hard-trying underdog you can root for....

Represented by a trio of well-meant sophomores in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds--including the top two favorites--trainer Brad Cox's march to the first Saturday in May continued with an upset victory by the Albaugh Family Stable's Angel of Empire (Classic Empire). Second by three lengths behind his re-opposing and favored stablemate Victory Formation (Tapwrit) in the one-mile Smarty Jones S. Jan. 1, Angel of Empire raced in a ground-saving eighth as the field of 14 rounded the clubhouse turn beneath the lights. The 13-1 chance began to...

Saturday's GIII Royal Delta S. looked like a rematch of last March's local GII Davona Dale S., with New York-bred Classy Edition turning the tables on favored foe Kathleen O. after enjoying a decided tactical advantage early. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off her dominant Saratoga debut at two, Classy Edition dominated in a pair of restricted stakes downstate that fall before suffering her first defeat at the hooves of Kathleen O. She was subsequently fourth in the GIII Gazelle S. at the Big A in April, but resurfaced to...

On the first page of the New Year, Brad Cox bolded his claim in the race for spots on the Kentucky Derby-points leaderboard when his undefeated colt Victory Formation cruised home the easiest of winners in the Smart Jones S. to pick up ten of them, while his stablemate Angel of Empire gave their shared conditioner the exacta. Christened a 'TDN Rising Star' after he stylishly devastated a deep Keeneland maiden field Oct. 21 last year by over four lengths, the good-looking son of Tapwrit showed he had heart to...

Uncle Mo will once again top the Coolmore America roster at $150,000 for the 2023 breeding season, the same fee at which he stood in 2022, according to a press release from Coolmore Wednesday morning. The 14-year-old stallion was the sire of 10 black-type winners in 2022, including the GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal. Justify, who had four black-type winners from his first crop in 2022, will stand for the farm's second highest-fee, at $100,000, the same as in 2022. He is currently the third-leading first-crop sire by earnings....

8th-Keeneland, $110,000, Alw, 10-14, (NW2L), 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.46, ft, 6 lengths. STROBE (c, 3, Into Mischief--Flashing {MGISW, $633,226}, by A.P. Indy) hoisted his 'TDN Rising Star'-dom even higher for all to see with this monster return off the layoff after needing some more time to overcome minor issues. Sporting an eye-catching 99 Beyer for his unveiling May 7 on the Derby Day undercard--a race where he dominated a field which included eventual GSW Elite Power (Curlin), currently on a four-race win streak--the Godolphin homebred was hammered down to overwhelming 1-5...