Spirit of St Louis returns to defend title in Sunday’s Mohawk on Empire Showcase Day. Coglianese Photo.
The biggest day of the year for the New York-bred contingent unfolds Sunday with the annual Empire Showcase Day card.
Ten races worth $1.75 million are on tap for the card, hosted again during the Belmont at the Big A meeting, including eight stakes with total purses of $1.6 million. The Empire Classic and Empire Distaff go as the co-featured events, but there’s plenty of other offerings to keep racing fans and horsemen intrigued. From 2-year-olds to older turf horses, there’s a little bit for everyone’s tastes.
The team at The Saratoga Special put together another Empire Showcase Special to set the stage, with some of the favorites readers crave during our summer publishing schedule. Good luck to all the breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and fans participating. Enjoy.
By the Numbers
5: Entries apiece on Empire Showcase Day for trainers Todd Pletcher, Linda Rice and Rudy Rodriguez.
49: Trainers with runners on Empire Showcase Day.
93: New York-breds entered for the 10-race card, including 10 also-eligibles.
250,000: Dollars in purses for the co-featured Empire Classic and Empire Distaff.
1.6 million: Dollars in stakes purses for Empire Showcase Day.
Tricky Temper, winner of this year’s Union Avenue Handicap at Saratoga, takes on older foes again in the Iroquois. Coglianese Photo.
6: Runners bred or co-bred on the card by Sequel Thoroughbreds – Sacrosanct (Sleepy Hollow), Boston’s Phinest (Maid of the Mist), Tricky Temper and Leeloo (Iroquois), Dakota Gold (Mohawk) and Jackson Heights (Empire Classic).
5: Entrants on the card bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman – Masterof the Tunes (Ticonderoga), Spirit of St Louis (Mohawk), Donegal Surges and Bank Frenzy (Empire Classic) and Pay the Juice (Sleepy Hollow).
4: Runners on the card for Central Banker – Bank Frenzy and General Banker in the Empire Classic, Light Man in the Hudson and Vitalize in the second. Central Banker stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.
3: Runners on the card for Solomini – Smilensaycheese in the Sleepy Hollow, Trail of Gold in the Maid of the Mist and New York Scrappy in the second. Solomini stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.
2: Entries on the card for leading freshman sire Honest Mischief – Sacrosanct in the Sleepy Hollow and Boston’s Phinest in the Maid of the Mist. Honest Mischief stands at Sequel Stallions New York.
2: Entries on the card for second-ranked freshman sire King for a Day – Olivia’s Wish in the Maid of the Mist and Soontobeking in the Sleepy Hollow. King for a Day stands at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions.
918,600: Career earnings in dollars for Empire Distaff contender Venti Valentine, most of any filly or mare on the card.
1,283,870: Career earnings in dollars for City Man, the highest of any runner on Showcase Day.
Worth Repeating
“Empire Showcase Day is the annual marquee Championship event for New York owners, breeders, and horsemen who participate in our program. The day is a full display of the quality, competitiveness, excitement, and financial incentives and awards available to horses who are bred and race in New York. We are proud to partner with NYRA to showcase why the New York-bred program is the best in the country.”
Najja Thompson, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.
As for the races …
Race 1. Maiden special weight, $75,000, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs, turf. Post time 12:40 p.m. The day kicks off with overflow field of juveniles, including the Vekoma gelding Vekinda for owner-breeder-trainer George Weaver. He finished a good third in debut at 14-1 and figures to be shorter price this time around.
Race 2. Maiden special weight, $75,000, 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile, turf. Post time 1:11 p.m. Older maidens take their turn on the grass course. Patronage came from deep in the field last time to finish second off long layoff and should get it done here with Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Todd Pletcher. Don’t sleep on Charles J for Joe Lee and Flavien Prat.
Mo Plex (left) meets Soontobeking again in the Sleepy Hollow. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand
Race 3. Sleepy Hollow Stakes. $200,000, 2-year-olds, 1 mile. Post time 1:42 p.m. The first of eight straight stakes and a good one. Graded stakes winner Mo Plex returns to the New York-bred ranks and takes on Sacrosanct, Pay the Juice and Soontobeking.
Race 4. Maid of the Mist Stakes. $200,000, 2-year-olds, fillies, 1 mile. Post time 2:13 p.m. The fillies take their turn and it’s With the Angels, Valtellina, Carmen’s Candy Jar and Trail of Gold – the first four from last months’ Joseph A. Gimma – back for more.
Race 5. Empire Distaff Stakes. $250,000, 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles. Post time 2:44 p.m. Bill Mott changes course with Sterling Silver, who stretches out to 9 furlongs for the first time. Daughter of Cupid loves the Big A – she’s 4-for-9 with four placings – and meets tough competitor in Venti Valentine in co-featured event.
Race 6. Iroquois Stakes. $150,000, 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 6 1/2 furlongs. Post time 3:15 p.m. Sterling Silver would have been tough here but a solid group remains with Leeloo, Tricky Temper and Security Code all in the mix.
Race 7. Hudson Stakes. $150,000, 3-year-olds and up, 6 1/2 furlongs. Post time 3:46 p.m. Looms Boldly ran lights out to win the John Morrissey in early August at Saratoga and figures to be tough again here against familiar foes Factually Correct and Light Man. Old veteran Rotknee returns to defend his title off useful prep at Finger Lakes, while Sheriff Bianco eyes an upset.
Moonage Daydream, fending off Whatlovelookslike in the John Hettinger, takes on that foe and others in the Ticonderoga. Coglianese Photo.
Race 8. Ticonderoga Stakes. $200,000, 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/16 miles, turf. Post time 4:17 p.m. Switch back to the grass course for another battle. Moonage Daydream asserted herself toward the top of the division with back-to-back victories in the Yaddo and John Hettinger, and looks to make it three straight for Jorge Abreu. She takes on Whatlovelookslike, Caldwell Luvs Gold and last year’s runner-up Silver Skillet, among others.
Race 9. Mohawk Stakes. $200,000, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles, turf. Post time 4:48 p.m. Spirit of St Louis ventured outside the state and state-bred ranks for the first time in his last start, finishing a credible fifth in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland. Now he’s back on more friendly ground to take on familiar group that includes City Man, Dakota Gold, Itsallcomintogetha and Jerry the Nipper. Hush of a Storm asserted himself in the divisional race last time in the Ashley T. Cole and could be tough for Brad Cox and Flavien Prat.
Race 10. Empire Classic Stakes. $250,000, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles. Post time 5:19 p.m. Eclectic group for the co-feature, including Evan Shipman winner Bank Frenzy, Commentator winner Drake’s Passage and last-out winners Donegal Surges, Russian Realm, General Banker and Cicciobello. The winner gets a big leg up on the older New York-bred title.
