Evaluator Tops Empire Classic Field

A total of 109 New York-breds are entered for a special 11-race card Oct. 24 at Belmont Park to celebrate the best of New York for the annual Empire Showcase Day, featuring eight stakes races worth $1.2 million, topped by the $175,000 Empire Classic and $175,000 Empire Distaff.

Veteran New York-based owner/trainer H. James Bond will saddle Evaluator in the featured 45th running of the Empire Classic and Rinaldi in the $150,000 Mohawk.

"The New York-breds are showing up all over the country and doing very, very well. A day like this, to show the rest of the world how good they are, is important," said Bond. "It's usually full fields, and it's nice to show all our hard work and give the owners and breeders their due acknowledgement for all the good things they do for us."

R and H Stable's Evaluator will square off against multiple stakes winners Mr. Buff, Funny Guy, and Sea Foam in the nine-furlong Empire Classic.

Bred in the Empire State by EKQ Stables, the 5-year-old Overanalyze gelding captured the 2017 Sleepy Hollow Stakes in his first Empire Showcase Day appearance when conditioned by Michael Dilger. After finishing off the board in the 2018 Empire Classic, Evaluator was transferred to Bond's care and picked up his first win in four starts last out with a 13-length score over Empire Classic rival Our Last Buck in a nine-furlong optional claimer on a sloppy Saratoga Race Course strip.

"He's a nice little horse. He's had a few setbacks over the last year but he's pulled through and he's doing very well training-wise," said Bond. "There will be a few tough horses in there to run against, of course, but it's a good spot to run a mile and an eighth with him."

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff will look to defend his title for trainer John Kimmel. A 14-time winner from 39 starts with more than $1.1 million in the bank, Mr. Buff enjoyed a profitable winter at Aqueduct Racetrack, winning the Alex M. Robb Stakes against state-breds in December and the Jazil Stakes Jan. 20 before romping to a 20-length score over state-breds in the Feb. 22 Haynesfield Stakes.

Following a runner-up effort to Empire Classic rival Funny Guy in the June 12 Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park, Mr. Buff has finished off the board in a pair of graded events.

Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, and Swick Stable's Funny Guy was a last-out second to Complexity  in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) Sept. 26 at Belmont Park after finishing fourth in the Forego Stakes Presented by America's Best Racing (G1) Aug. 29 on a sloppy main track at Saratoga.

The John Terranova trainee, a son of Big Brown  bred by Hibiscus Stables, will now stretch out to nine furlongs, a distance at which the four-time New York-bred stakes winner bested Empire Classic rival Bankit in the 2019 Albany at Saratoga.

Waterville Lake Stable homebred Sea Foam captured the 2017 Notebook at Aqueduct, the 2018 New York Derby at Finger Lakes, and the 2018 Albany Stakes at Saratoga for trainer Christophe Clement. The seven-time-winning son of Medaglia d'Oro  who was seventh in last year's Empire Classic enters on a two-race win streak.

Additional Empire Classic contenders include Our Last Buck, Chestertown, Bankit, and Winston's Chance.

Veteran New York-based trainer Jeremiah Englehart will saddle four Empire Showcase Day stakes hopefuls, including Captain Bombastic (Hudson) and Party At Page's (Maid of the Mist), along with Makingcents and Critical Value in the co-featured Empire Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles on Big Sandy in race 6.

Englehart said Empire Showcase Day is circled on his calendar each year.

"It gives us a chance to show off some of our better New York-breds. We focus on buying New York-breds year in and year out, so it's always nice when you have horses that can make these races," said Englehart. "We've been fortunate the last few years to have won some of these races. Hopefully, these horses will represent our team well on Showcase Day."

The stakes-winning Makingcents, a Goldencents  sophomore, ran twice at the Saratoga summer meet, including a last-out win in the Sept. 4 Fleet Indian Stakes going a two-turn nine furlongs.

"I think it will be a little easier for her at Belmont than at Saratoga," Englehart said regarding Saturday's one-turn test. "I don't know if she likes to go that far, but she likes to run and she tries. I just hope she shows up and runs her race. It seems like her best race was at Belmont, even though that was a very nice race she won at Saratoga."

Ten Strike Racing's Critical Value captured the Bouwerie Stakes June 28 at Belmont when sprinting in her season debut ahead of an off-the-board effort in the two-turn Fleet Indian in September at Saratoga.

Last out, the Bodemeister  sophomore was a game third against older fillies and mares in a one-turn mile open allowance Sept. 27 at Belmont.

Two-time stakes winner Ratajkowski will look to repeat in the Empire Distaff. Owned by Gary Broad and trained by Graham Motion, the 6-year-old Drosselmeyer mare won the Critical Eye going one mile June 18 at Belmont in her last appearance on the track and won last year's Empire Distaff when it was contested at one mile.

Other contenders include last-out allowance winner Singular Sensation, Forever Changed, Mrs. Orb, and Lucky Move.

The $150,000 Maid of the Mist kicks off the stakes action in race 2 featuring a field of seven 2-year-old fillies going one mile on the main track.

Englehart, who saddled Critical Value to victory in last year's edition, will be represented by Gold Star Racing Stable and Emcee Stable's Party At Page's.

The Gemologist  bay, bred by T/C Stable, graduated at second asking in an off-the-turf sprint at Saratoga and followed with a head score in the Lady Finger Stakes Oct.5 traveling six furlongs at Finger Lakes that garnered a field-best 67 Beyer.

"She's doing well. It's a little quick back for her, but we thought she wouldn't have any issue with stretching out, so we're going to give her a shot and go from there," said Englehart. "I think a lot will depend on how the race shapes up. I think she's pretty versatile and we can ask her to do different things."

Other contenders include impressive maiden winner Frost Me, Mashnee Girl, Infringement, Chasing Cara, Cara's Dreamer, and Laobanonaprayer for owner/trainer Danny Velazquez.

The Terranova-trained Breadman was an impressive debut winner Sept. 26 at Belmont, and the $340,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearlings sale will step up to stakes company in the $150,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes for juveniles going one mile on the main track in race 3.

Breadman, a son of Constitution , will face stakes winner Hold the Salsa, the Richard Lugovich-trained victor of the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes Oct. 2 going seven furlongs at Belmont. The Hold Me Back colt won his debut at Belmont on July 12 before running ninth in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Aug. 7.

Eagle Orb, Let's Workout, Brooklyn Strong, Boss Bear, and Masked Marauder complete the field for the Sleepy Hollow.

Myhartblongstodady will put her three-race winning streak dating to November 2019 on the line in the $150,000 Ticonderoga Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles on the turf in race 4.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the 5-year-old Scat Daddy mare won the Sept. 4 Yaddo Stakes last out going the Ticonderoga distance on the Saratoga turf.

Clement will send out the Yaddo runner-up, Wegetsdamunnys, who was second on grass labeled good that day and also ran third in the Dayatthespa Stakes July 29 on firm going.

"She's been very consistent at the level," Clement said. "She still hasn't won a stakes yet, but she's always been in the frame."

War Canoe, Niko's Dream, Short Pour, and Pecatonica complete the field.

Team Hanley's multiple stakes winner Captain Bombastic will represent Englehart in the 43rd running of the $125,000 Hudson going 6 1/2 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up in race 7.

The sophomore Forty Tales chestnut, bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, will look to add to a stakes ledger that includes wins this year in the Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont and the NYSSS Times Square Stakes at Saratoga along with a second-out score in the Sleepy Hollow last year at Belmont. He finished sixth last out in the Oct. 1 Chick Lang Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.

He posted a sharp half-mile breeze in :49.41 on Big Sandy Oct.16.

"The breeze was good. His exercise rider said he finished up very strong against the bridle," said Englehart. "He's a horse that always shows up. You're confident in him when you bring him over there because he always shows up."

A loaded Hudson field includes Arthur's Hope, Big Engine, Foolish Ghost, Dugout, My Boy Tate, T Loves a Fight, Morning Breez, and Tribecca.

Maker will send out a pair of formidable contenders in graded stakes winners Somelikeithotbrown and Cross Border in the $150,000 Mohawk for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course in race 8.

Somelikeithotbrown has registered triple-digit Beyers in three of his past four starts, including a career-high 105 when second on a yielding Pimlico turf course in the Dinner Party Stakes (G2) Oct. 3. His last New York appearance was a victory in the July 26 Bernard Baruch Stakes (G2) on firm Saratoga turf, while stablemate Cross Border also enjoyed success at the Spa, crossing the wire second in the Aug. 1 Bowling Green Stakes (G2) before being elevated to first after Sadler's Joy was disqualified for interference.

Cross Border then ran second to Channel Maker in the Aug. 29 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1) going a marathon 1 1/2 miles.

Rinaldi, owned and trained by Bond, enters off two wins, including a 2 1/2-length score in the West Point Sept. 4 at Saratoga.

"The waters are going to get deeper and deeper every time, but we'll just keep marching forward and keep our fingers crossed that he keeps getting better," Bond said.

Seven-time stakes winner Therapist, third in the West Point Stakes, last ran at Belmont with a victory in the First Defence June 7. Clement said the son of Freud  hasn't changed his demeanor much since he started his career 3-for-3 as a juvenile in 2017.

Rounding out the field are Dot Matrix, Opt, and Sanctuary City. Yankee Division is entered for the main track only.

The $125,000 Iroquois at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares 3 and up, set for race 9, has been won by owners Chester and Mary Broman the past two years with Highway Star (2018) and Pauseforthecause (2019).

The popular owner/breeders will be represented by homebred Spin a Yarn, a five-time winner from six starts for trainer Christopher Progno. A sophomore daughter of Forty Tales out of the Elusive Quality mare Satin Sheeks, Spin a Yarn was a game second to Iroquois rival Officer Hutchy in the NYSSS Park Avenue Stakes when making her stakes debut Sept. 3 at the Spa. Last out, she toppled a state-bred allowance field at Finger Lakes by 11 lengths Sept. 23.

Iroquois contenders include Newly Minted, Prairie Fire, Espresso Shot, Timely Tradition, Fair Regis, Officer Hutchy, Collegeville Girl, Bertranda, and My Roxy Girl.

Entries: Maid of the Mist S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 2

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 12:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cara's Dreamer (NY)	Manuel Franco	118	Mitchell E. Friedman	10/1
2	2Infringement (NY)	Jose Lezcano	120	Mark A. Hennig	6/1
3	3Party At Page's (NY)	Luis Saez	122	Jeremiah C. Englehart	9/5
4	4Chasing Cara (NY)	Dylan Davis	118	Mitchell E. Friedman	5/1
5	5Frost Me (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	John C. Kimmel	5/2
6	6Laobanonaprayer (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Daniel Velazquez	10/1
7	7Mashnee Girl (NY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Mark A. Hennig	6/1

Entries: Sleepy Hollow S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 3

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 2 yo
• 1:15 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Let's Workout (NY)	Benjamin Hernandez	120	Rudy R. Rodriguez	20/1
2	2Hold the Salsa (NY)	Junior Alvarado	122	Richard J. Lugovich	5/2
3	3Masked Marauder (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Rob Atras	4/1
4	4Breadman (NY)	John R. Velazquez	120	John P. Terranova II	3/1
5	5Boss Bear (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Michael J. Maker	12/1
6	6Brooklyn Strong (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Daniel Velazquez	7/2
7	7Eagle Orb (NY)	Manuel Franco	120	Rudy R. Rodriguez	4/1

Entries: Ticonderoga S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 4

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Inner turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 1:49 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1War Canoe (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	121	Chad C. Brown	2/1
2	2Short Pour (NY)	Joel Rosario	121	Mark A. Hennig	10/1
3	3Wegetsdamunnys (NY)	Junior Alvarado	121	Christophe Clement	5/2
4	4Myhartblongstodady (NY)	Jose Lezcano	125	Jorge R. Abreu	7/5
5	5Pecatonica (NY)	Javier Castellano	121	Thomas M. Bush	20/1
6	6Niko's Dream (NY)	Dylan Davis	121	Barclay Tagg	8/1

Entries: Empire Distaff H.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 6

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $175,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:53 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Forever Changed (NY)	Manuel Franco	117	Charlton Baker	15/1
2	2Ratajkowski (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	H. Graham Motion	2/1
3	3Makingcents (NY)	Luis Saez	118	Jeremiah C. Englehart	6/1
4	4Singular Sensation (NY)	Jose Lezcano	116	Mark A. Hennig	8/1
5	5Critical Value (NY)	Junior Alvarado	117	Jeremiah C. Englehart	7/2
6	6Lucky Move (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Juan Carlos Guerrero	3/1
7	7Mrs. Orb (NY)	Dylan Davis	121	Michael Miceli	5/1

Entries: Hudson H.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 7

• STK
• 6 1/2f
• Dirt
• $125,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:26 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Tribecca (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Chris J. Englehart	8/1
2	2Captain Bombastic (NY)	Luis Saez	119	Jeremiah C. Englehart	6/1
3	3Arthur's Hope (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Marco P. Salazar	4/1
4	4Dugout (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Larry Rivelli	10/1
5	5Foolish Ghost (NY)	Dylan Davis	117	Raymond Handal	12/1
6	6Big Engine (NY)	Jose Lezcano	120	Linda Rice	5/1
7	7My Boy Tate (NY)	Manuel Franco	122	Michelle Nevin	3/1
8	8T Loves a Fight (NY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Orlando Noda	4/1
9	9Morning Breez (NY)	John R. Velazquez	117	Robert P. Klesaris	20/1

Entries: Mohawk S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 8

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Inner turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:59 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Yankee Division (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Rudy R. Rodriguez	2/1
2	2Opt (NY)	Eric Cancel	121	Robert Ribaudo	20/1
3	3Dot Matrix (NY)	Jose Lezcano	126	Brad H. Cox	9/2
4	4Sanctuary City (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	James W. Ferraro	50/1
5	5Therapist (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Christophe Clement	6/1
6	6Rinaldi (NY)	Luis Saez	126	H. James Bond	3/1
7	7Somelikeithotbrown (NY)	Javier Castellano	126	Michael J. Maker	9/5
8	8Cross Border (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	126	Michael J. Maker	5/2

Entries: Iroquois S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, October 24, 2020, Race 9

• STK
• 6 1/2f
• Dirt
• $125,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:31 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Newly Minted (NY)	Jose Lezcano	126	Linda Rice	5/2
2	2Officer Hutchy (NY)	Manuel Franco	124	Rob Atras	6/1
3	3Fair Regis (NY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Rob Atras	9/2
4	4Espresso Shot (NY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Jorge R. Abreu	15/1
5	5Prairie Fire (NY)	Eric Cancel	122	Linda Rice	8/1
6	6Collegeville Girl (NY)	Joel Rosario	122	Richard Vega	15/1
7	7Spin a Yarn (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	122	Christopher Progno	8/1
8	8Bertranda (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Orlando Noda	10/1
9	9Timely Tradition (NY)	Dylan Davis	122	Raymond Handal	5/1
10	10My Roxy Girl (NY)	Luis Saez	120	Charlton Baker	15/1