Glorious Empire Could Strike Back at Laurel Park

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Glorious Empire Could Strike Back at Laurel Park
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Fort Lauderdale Stakes winner Glorious Empire is scheduled to return to the races Sept. 21 at Laurel Park

Back from injury, grade 1 winner Glorious Empire is entered for his season debut Sept. 21 in the $200,000 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) on the turf at Laurel Park.

After romping to a front-end victory in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) in December at Gulfstream Park, Matthew Schera's Glorious Empire was poised to match his grade 1 credentials against many of the best turf runners in the world in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1) on the same course six weeks later.


However, the 8-year-old Irish-bred Holy Roman Emperor gelding never got the chance to clash with the likes of the race's winner, Bricks and Mortar, because while preparing for the inaugural running of the event, Glorious Empire sustained a suspensory ligament injury.

"That was our whole goal—running in the Pegasus (Turf)—but he came out of the Fort Lauderdale with the start of a tear in the suspensory," said trainer James Lawrence II, whose gelding underwent treatment that included stem cell therapy. "We've done everything we can to make that 100%. Knock on wood, it's been very good. He hasn't missed a beat."

Glorious Empire is scheduled to make his highly anticipated return in Saturday's one-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and older, one of eight stakes worth $1.3 million on the September to Remember card. Six of those stakes will be contested on the turf.

Lawrence noted a setback forced a move to Plan B after a start at Colonial Downs didn't come together.

"He missed a week of training. I am playing catch-up because of that. The plan was to run at Colonial and this race. This race we're using as a first race back. He's worked really well," Lawrence said. "A mile isn't his best distance. I think he's a lot better at a mile and an eighth or a mile and three eighths, but I think it's a good steppingstone back. He's done everything right in his works. He's eating well, looks tremendous."

Glorious Empire enjoyed a strong season last year, earning a dead-heat win with Channel Maker in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course before claiming the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T), leading all the way on the same Saratoga course to defeat Channel Maker by 1 3/4 lengths.

"It was a rewarding race for all the work I've put in since I was a little kid. I had my whole family, my wife and my kids, there. It was really rewarding. I'd been touting how talented this horse was, and he finally got to show it," Lawrence said. "When you look back on his career, everybody thought he had talent. They couldn't get everything together on it. Nobody tried this horse long. That's why, in my opinion, I think this race is short for him.

"I'm not saying he's not good enough to win it, but I think he's better at a mile and an eighth or further," he added. "I don't have him 100% fit for this race, but with his talent, he could jump up and win it."

Saturday's other stakes on the Laurel turf include:

  • Rising Bella, by Munnings , and Sky Kitten, by Sky Mesa , the second- and third-place finishers from the Sept. 1 Sorority Stakes on the Monmouth Park turf, will meet again in the Selima Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
  • Juveniles will be featured in the Laurel Futurity at 1 1/16 miles where Rick Kanter's Doc Boy, by Into Mischief , will try for a second straight stakes score after delivering a three-quarter-length victory in the Aug. 31 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Kitten's Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs.
  • Jais's Solitude, second in the Aug. 31 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T) at Colonial, will try to secure the first stakes win of his career when he starts in the $150,000 Bald Eagle Derby, a 1 1/2-mile test for 3-year-olds. The son of Afleet Alex  is campaigned by Mike Anderson Racing. A top finish could prove emotional for the connections as Anderson died Sept. 1 at 67. 
  • Ten turf sprinters (3-year-olds and older) are entered in the $100,000 Laurel Dash Stakes where Pewter Stable's Dubini will try to improve on his runner-up finish in this race last year and earn his first stakes win. The 6-year-old son of Gio Ponti  enters off a second-place finish in the Sept. 2 Turf Monster Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing.
  • Fillies and mares will contest the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes where Colts Neck Stables' Goldwood, by Medaglia d'Oro , will look for a fifth straight stakes victory this year.


Entries: Selima S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 3

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Turf
  • $200,000
  • 2 yo Fillies
  • 1:30 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Rising Bella (MD) Jeremy Rose 122 Anthony Pecoraro 8/1
2 2Sunset Promise (KY) Alex Cintron 122 Michael J. Maker 3/1
3 3Midship Lady (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Sheldon Russell 122 Phil Schoenthal 5/1
4 4Love Beach (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Trevor McCarthy 122 Michael Stidham 9/2
5 5Romney Marsh (NJ) Daniel Centeno 122 Cathal A. Lynch 15/1
6 6Sky Kitten (NY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 122 David G. Donk 10/1
7 7Sharing (MD) Manuel Franco 122 H. Graham Motion 9/5




Entries: Laurel Futurity

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 5

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Turf
  • $200,000
  • 2 yo
  • 2:30 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Torres Del Paine (NY) Weston Hamilton 124 H. Graham Motion 8/1
2 2Fair Haired Boy (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 124 Steve Klesaris 15/1
3 3The Quantico Kid (MD) Daniel Centeno 124 Michael J. Trombetta 12/1
4 4Field Pass (MD) Alex Cintron 124 Michael J. Maker 2/1
5 5Jack the Ripper (FR) Sheldon Russell 124 Michael Stidham 10/1
6 6Irish Mias (NJ) Manuel Franco 119 H. Graham Motion 3/1
7 7Doc Boy (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Feargal Lynch 124 Michael Stidham 6/1
8 8Benny Havens (MD) Xavier Perez 124 Anthony Aguirre, Jr. 30/1
9 9Mischevious Alex (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Trevor McCarthy 124 John C. Servis 6/1




Entries: Bald Eagle Derby

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 6

  • STK
  • 1 1/2m
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo
  • 3:00 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Inclusive (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 H. Graham Motion 8/1
2 2Hanalei's Houdini (MD) Julio Correa 120 Hamilton A. Smith 10/1
3 3Thomond Park (KY) Alex Cintron 120 Michael J. Maker 20/1
4 4Jais's Solitude (FL)Keeneland Sales Graduate Feargal Lynch 120 Eddie Kenneally 5/2
5 5Zonda (MD) Victor R. Carrasco 117 James L. Lawrence, II 15/1
6 6Channel Island (KY) Manuel Franco 120 Michael J. Maker 6/1
7 7He's No Lemon (KY) Trevor McCarthy 120 H. Graham Motion 2/1
8 8Critical Data (IRE) Sheldon Russell 120 Richard L. Valentine 12/1
9 9Changi (LA) Forest Boyce 120 Jeanne Marie Dolan 20/1
10 10Another Mystery (IL) Julian Pimentel 120 Chris M. Block 15/1




Entries: Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. (G3T)

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 7

  • Grade IIIT
  • 1m
  • Turf
  • $200,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 3:30 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Golden Brown (NJ) UNKNOWN 120 Patrick B. McBurney 10/1
2 2Up the Ante (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Manuel Franco 120 Christophe Clement 6/1
3 3Just Howard (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate Trevor McCarthy 120 H. Graham Motion 9/2
4 4Cullum Road (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alex Cintron 120 Michael J. Maker 12/1
5 5Macagone (NY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 Jason Servis 5/1
6 6Frontier Market (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Julian Pimentel 120 Chad C. Brown 6/1
7 7Caribou Club (FL) Feargal Lynch 120 Thomas F. Proctor 4/1
8 8Glorious Empire (IRE) Daniel Centeno 120 James L. Lawrence, II 3/1




Entries: Laurel Dash S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 9

  • STK
  • 5 1/2f
  • Turf
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 4:30 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Oldies But Goodies (MD) Alex Cintron 120 Michael J. Trombetta 4/1
2 2Pool Winner (KY) Horacio Karamanos 120 Jorge Duarte, Jr. 15/1
3 3Square Shooter (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 Jeremiah C. Englehart 5/1
4 4Clever Triad (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Sheldon Russell 120 Ann W. Merryman 12/1
5 5Smokin Nitro (PA) UNKNOWN 120 Jamie Ness 15/1
6 6Nice Tune (IL) Adam Bowman 120 Herold O. Whylie 30/1
7 7Dr. Shane (NY) Trevor McCarthy 120 Danny Gargan 8/1
8 8Dubini (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Daniel Centeno 120 Kathleen A. Demasi 9/2
9 9Dirty (MD) Manuel Franco 122 Jeremiah C. Englehart 3/1
10 10Fielder (PA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Julian Pimentel 120 Marya K. Montoya 8/1




Entries: Sensible Lady Turf Dash S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, September 21, 2019, Race 10

  • STK
  • 5 1/2f
  • Turf
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 5:00 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Escapade (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Sheldon Russell 120 Jonathan Thomas 10/1
2 2Mr. Al's Gal (LA) Alex Cintron 120 Jose M. Camejo 30/1
3 3Unaquoi (WV) Horacio Karamanos 120 Ollie L. Figgins, III 15/1
4 4Dance Or Stroll (MD) Jorge Ruiz 120 Gerald E. Brooks 20/1
5 5Rocky Policy (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate Daniel Centeno 120 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 10/1
6 6She's All Skeet (KY) UNKNOWN 120 Joe Sharp 15/1
7 7Goldwood (KY) Jose C. Ferrer 120 Jorge Duarte, Jr. 3/1
8 8Souper Echo (FL) Victor R. Carrasco 120 Michael J. Trombetta 15/1
9 9Originator (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Feargal Lynch 120 Ian R. Wilkes 12/1
10 10La Dame Blanche (KY) Trevor McCarthy 120 Ian R. Wilkes 10/1
11 11Fire Key (NY) Julian Pimentel 122 James T. Ryerson 4/1
12 12Fear No Evil (MD) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 Thomas Albertrani 6/1
13 13Fame Feather (LA) Kent J. Desormeaux 120 Ron Faucheux 12/1