Casse-Trained First Empire Shines for Classic Empire
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Photo: Michael Burns
First Empire wins the Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine
Harlequin Ranches' First Empire took charge around the final turn in the CA$140,250 Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine and held off Degree of Risk to score by 1 3/4 lengths. In doing so, the juvenile colt became the first black-type winner for Ashford Stud's Classic Empire .
Like his sire, First Empire is also trained by Mark Casse. Classic Empire was the 2016 champion juvenile male after winning the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) and Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). At 3 he won the Arkansas Derby (G1) and was second in the Preakness Stakes (G1). The son of Pioneerof the Nile stood the 2021 season for an advertised fee of $17,500.
First Empire finished fifth when debuting on Woodbine's Tapeta track July 4, but then was a game front-running winner over six furlongs of turf Aug. 1 at the Toronto oval.
He stretched to 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf for the Soaring Free and had returning rider Patrick Husbands in the irons.
"When I breezed him in the morning, he's OK, but on the grass, as he's shown in his last two races, he's a different horse," said Husbands. "I had so much horse swinging for home. I knew it would take a real nice horse to beat him."
First Empire pressed Heaven Street while racing just outside through an opening quarter in :22.49 and led that one by a length as he got the half in :44.37. Degree of Risk, making his turf debut, finished second, despite racing greenly through the lane. Heaven Street wound up third, 7 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up.
The final time on the firm ground was 1:15.44. First Empire paid $7.80 for a $2 win ticket.
First Empire was bred in Ontario by Saintsbury Farms out of the grade 3-winning Macho Uno mare Silsita . He was purchased by Dick Bonnycastle's Harlequin Ranches for $60,000 from Cara Bloodstock's consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. His earnings stand at $122,207.
Silsita has since produced a West Coast yearling colt and foaled an Uncle Mo colt in February. She was bred to Good Magic for 2022.
Video: Soaring Free S. (BT)
Casse Again in Catch a Glimpse
Casse captured another victory Saturday at Woodbine when D. J. Stable and Nexus Racing Club's Diabolic remained undefeated with a rallying score in the CA$127,250 Catch a Glimpse Stakes.
Diabolic rallies to victory in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes at Woodbine
The race is named for the multiple grade 1-winning Casse trainee that was honored as Canada's Horses of the Year, champion 2-year-old filly, and champion turf female in 2015.
Diabolic, under a patient Antonio Gallardo, found daylight along the rail and took off in the stretch to win the 6 1/2-furlong contest for juvenile fillies. The daughter of Dark Angel won Woodbine's My Dear Stakes one start earlier July 31, following a debut win May 20 at Gulfstream Park.
Despite acting up in the gate, Diabolic, at even-money, settled down and was an unhurried seventh of eight in the early going. Silver Magnatized and Curlin Candy dueled for the lead, setting an opening quarter in :23.19. After Silver Magnatized took the field through a half-mile in :46.29, Gallardo roused Diabolic, and as the field straightened for home, the pair took aim at the frontrunners, steadily gaining along the inside to grab a one-length lead at the stretch call.
Diabolic crossed the finish line in front by that same margin in a time of 1:15.81, paying $4.30. Royal Engagement was second, while Miss Barbara , also a Casse trainee, finished third.
"She ran pretty good off the pace," Gallardo said of the winner. "I saw a couple of horses with speed today going a little longer distance than last time, so I settled down; tried to save some ground. She's a nice filly. I saw the inside hole and I only asked her a little bit and she just rolled."
Diabolic upped her career earnings to $142,637.
"She's improved," said Gallardo. "Every race, she tells you she's something, no matter if it's five furlongs, 6 1/2 (on synthetic), 6 1/2 on the turf… she's classy. She can do everything all the time."
Yeomanstown Stud bred Diabolic in Ireland out of the group 3-placed Foxwedge mare Seafront whose first foal, the 3-year-old Dark Angel colt McManaman , was stakes-placed in England as a juvenile. D. J. Stables purchased her for the equivalent of $116,317 from Yeomanstown's consignment to the 2020 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale.