Like Father, Like Son: Mr. Buff Wins Empire Classic

Emulating sire Friend Or Foe, Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff prevailed in the $306,450 Empire Classic Handicap Oct. 19 at Belmont Park on Empire Showcase Day, a full-card program for New York-breds that featured eight stakes worth $1.75 million.

The richest of these was the Empire Classic, a race Friend Or Foe won by five lengths in 2010. Though Mr. Buff did not win by that large a margin, he was a clear-cut winner of the 1 1/8-mile race. Three lengths ahead with a furlong to run, he crossed the wire a length in front of late-running Dynamax Prime, who was two lengths ahead of favorite and third-place finisher Pat On the Back.

"He's as good a New York-bred as there is," winning trainer John Kimmel said. "I think this horse is going to have a chance to do something bigger against open (company) down the road."

Mr. Buff has already ventured outside the New York-bred ranks, winning the open Jazil Stakes over the winter at Aqueduct Racetrack. He was seventh in the Aug. 31 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) in his previous start, beaten 6 1/2 lengths by Preservationist  after setting the early fractions.

On Saturday, he pressed the pace for the opening quarter-mile after stumbling at the start. In second after a quarter-mile set by Not That Brady in :23.91, he took the lead with a half-mile in :47.38 before extending his advantage with three-quarters in 1:11.03. Although he did not switch leads down the stretch, he stopped the clock in 1:48.65 over a fast track, paying $5 as the second choice in the field of five.

"When he gets in front, he gets into a cruise control there. He just carried me along the way," said winning rider Junior Alvarado.

Dynamax Prime was the only runner to trim into the winner's lead down the stretch, pleasing jockey Manny Franco. "He responded really well when I asked him, but the speed didn't come back at all," he said.

The Bromans and Kimmel also raced Friend Or Foe, whom Mr. Buff has already surpassed in earnings. The $173,250 winner's share increased Mr. Buff's bankroll to $869,536, over a half-million ahead of Friend Or Foe's $349,134. Mr. Buff, a 5-year-old gelding out of the Speightstown  mare Speightful Affair, is related to three other winners, including stakes-placed Organic Gemini.

Video: Empire Classic H. (BT)

Saturday's card at Belmont included races for nearly every stakes class among New York-breds, including a pair of stakes for juveniles. Critical Value won the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes, and Captain Bombastic took the $252,500 Sleepy Hollow Stakes.

Captain Bombastic's victory gave his sire, Forty Tales , his first black-type winner. Forty Tales entered stud in 2014 and stood for $3,000 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Among other dirt stakes on the card, Build to Suit scored in the $150,000 Hudson Handicap, Pauseforthecause took the 6 1/2-furlong Iroquois Stakes in a swift time of 1:15.62, and Ratajkowski took the $260,125 Empire Distaff Handicap.

The turf stakes, contested on a firm course, went to Gucci Factor, who edged Voodoo Song in a stretch battle to win the $195,800 Mohawk Stakes under Joel Rosario, and Fifty Five, who became a millionaire in winning the $210,700 Ticonderoga Stakes with Javier Castellano up.

"She's been super consistent for us. What a pleasure to have in the barn," said trainer Chad Brown of Fifty Five, a 5-year-old daughter of Get Stormy  owned by Peter Brant. "I can't think of a horse who deserves to be a millionaire more than her, because she's earned it the hard way—a lot of starts and a very consistent record."

Jockey Jose Ortiz won three of the eight stakes aboard Pauseforthecause, Captain Bombastic, and Ratajkowski. Alvarado had two stakes-winning rides, piloting Critical Value in addition to Mr. Buff.