Drake's Passage Favored in 10-Horse Empire Classic

Eight stakes are part of Empire Showcase Day featuring New York-breds on Oct. 29, the closing day of the Belmont of the Big A meet, anchored by the $250,000 Empire Classic Stakes.

Robert Evans' Drake's Passage  is favored at 3-1 on the morning line in the 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic, having won three of his last four starts. The 3-year-old son of Tonalist   was recently a close third in an open allowance during the current meet after romping in the Albany Stakes this summer at Saratoga Race Course. Manny Franco is aboard the Christophe Clement trainee.

Other contenders include Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's multiple stakes winner Barese , trained by Mike Maker, and a trio of runners from the barn of trainer Linda Rice. They include last year's runner-up Curlin's Wisdom , graded stakes winner Un Ojo  and the consistent Sheriff Bianco .

The co-featured Empire Distaff Stakes, the fifth race on Sunday, is headed by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes-placed Venti Valentine . That race is also 1 1/8 miles on dirt.

Other Highlights of EMPIRE SHOWCASE DAY

• Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Patty Searles and Peter Searles' City Man  will attempt a second consecutive victory for Clement in the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
• A field of 2-year-old fillies races a mile in the $200,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes, including Richard Greeley's Cara's Time .
• Mark Anderson's multiple graded stakes-placed Sterling Silver  is favored to score her third career stakes win in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes for older female sprinters.