Empire Dreams True in Empire Classic Victory

West Point Thoroughbreds' Empire Dreams rallied coming out of the turn and held off a game Royal Posse to score a three-quarter-length victory in the $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap for New York-breds Oct. 24 at Belmont Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic was the feature race on a Belmont card that included eight stakes for New York-breds worth a total of $1.75 million and saw multiple grade II winner La Verdad and grade I winner Palace   deliver easy wins in their respective races early on the card.

In the Empire Classic, Empire Dreams rated in fifth while Warrioroftheroses and 5-2 favorite Saratoga Snacks dueled through a too-fast half-mile in :45.65. As those two faded, Empire Dreams hit his top gear in the turn, rallying six wide as the 4-year-old son of Patriot Act would complete the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.35 to secure the fourth stakes win of his career and first career win beyond 1 1/16 miles.

"We always thought that the 1 1/8 miles might've been a little out of his realm, but he was so much the best today. It worked out perfectly," said winning trainer Tom Albertrani. "He came into the race doing really well, a little time off helped him as well. Manny (Franco) gave him a perfect ride, just nice and patient. There was a good pace in front of us and he just reeled them in. He's always run well at Belmont and we got what we needed today. We got the right pace. He loves this track, so it just worked out."

Franco said he tried to wait as long as he could to launch his move.

"At the three-eighths pole I tried to follow (Royal Posse) because I knew he could win, too," Franco said. "I waited a little bit more because (the race was) a mile and an eighth. When I made my move, I knew I had a lot of horse."

Trainer Linda Rice saddled La Verdad and Palace to their victories Saturday. Lady Sheila Stable's La Verdad easily extended her win streak to six races but did encounter something new as the daughter of Yes It's True   raced in fourth early in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes after leading at every point of call during her win streak. But she easily cleared that hurdle, taking command in the stretch of the 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares and drawing off to a 3 3/4-length win.

Sent off at 4-5 in the $150,000 Hudson Handicap, Antonio Miuccio's Palace ended a five-race losing streak when the son of City Zip   rallied from sixth to score a half-length win over a determined Captain Serious. Palace completed the 6 1/2-furlong test in 1:15.68 on a fast track.

Rice said she will consider both for starts in the Breeders' Cup World Championships but said it's more likely that Palace will target the Fall Highweight Handicap (gr. III) Nov. 26 at Aqueduct Racetrack and La Verdad will take on males in the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes Nov. 14 at Laurel Park. La Verdad is pre-entered in the six-furlong Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) and Palace is pre-entered in the Sprint.

"It was a tough week; they weren't easy decisions. But one thing I know about horse racing, it's not easy to win (especially) if you don't take what's right in front of you," Rice said. "What we do from here, I'm sure the next couple of days will help us decide. We have several options. We might take one or both of them to the Breeders' Cup but more than likely we'll go to the Fall Highweight with one and the de Francis Dash with the other. There's nothing wrong with winning. We have the time to think things over."

Jockey Jose Ortiz said La Verdad handled coming off the pace well, completing her 6 1/2-furlong race in 1:15.96.

"I didn't think I would have to come from off the pace with this kind of filly. She always goes to the lead. I didn't break very fast, so I put her in the race and let her be comfortable, wherever she wanted to be," Ortiz said. "I think she was much the best, so it worked out very well. I sat there and asked a little bit, and by the three-eighths pole she responded well. I knew I was going to pass (the two leaders), so I just had to worry about one behind me."

Ortiz noted that Saturday's race didn't take much out of La Verdad if the connections opt to race her at Breeders' Cup.

"Linda will have to decide what she wants to do with her, but it was pretty easy today. I tried to take care of her as best I could," Ortiz said.

Palace won Saturday despite spotting the field four to 12 pounds.

"I think he's capable of winning the (Breeders' Cup) Sprint on a given day, but we just haven't had a smooth ride this year," Rice said. "He's a great horse, and I love him, and it's time to move onto a new career (at Spendthrift Farm). Most likely he'll be pointed to the Fall Highweight (grade III, Nov. 26 at Aqueduct), which he won two years ago, and then on to Kentucky."  

—In the $250,000 Empire Distaff Handicap for fillies and mares, grade I-placed Wonder Gal drew off in the stretch for a 2 1/2-length score. Treadway Racing Stable's 3-year-old daughter of Tiz Wonderful completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:42.31 under Jose Lezcano.

Winning trainer Leah Gyarmati said Wonder Gal has bounced back from her eighth-place finish in the Longines Test Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

"She bled in her last race, which was unusual for her. We gave her time afterwards and brought her back slowly," Gyarmati said. "She was doing really, really well and this was a good spot for her, obviously. She's showed up every time, other than the Test when she had a good excuse, which is what made you keep trying. I'm sure it was appreciated by her to run back with New York-breds."

—In the first stakes of the day, Team D's Get Jets rallied from sixth to score a clear victory in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes, a one-mile race for 2-year-olds. Get Jets entered off a narrow loss in the Sept. 27 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at seven furlongs and on Saturday turned the tables on the winner of that race, Sudden Surprise, who finished fourth.

"I'm really happy. His pedigree says he'd stretch out, and to watch him stretch out today was very gratifying and hopeful for him in his upcoming 3-year-old year," said winning trainer Anthony Dutrow. 'He got some pace today; he didn't last time. There was no plan, (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) was just going to play it as it happened. I have to be very happy with today's performance, and with the way he finished up."

—In the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Repole Stables' Super Surprise and John Velazquez rallied from eighth to secure the first stakes win of her career. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the daughter of Giant Surprise   completed the one-mile race in 1:37.76.

—In the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes for 3-year-olds and older going 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf, Aliyu Ben J Stables' Lubash edged frequent rival Kharafa by a head to secure the 11th stakes win of his career. Trained by Christophe Clement, Lubash had finished second in three previous editions of the Mohawk before his win this year. The 8-year-old son of Freud   was guided to victory by Junior Alvarado.

—In the day's final stakes, Bloodlines Racing Partnerships' saw its full sisters Invading Humor and Distorted Beauty (Invasor  —Very Funny by Distorted Humor  ) finish first and second in the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes. With Jose Lezcano showing the way, 5-year-old Invading Humor completed the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares in 1:40.09 to secure the third stakes win of her career, all on the grass at Belmont. Both fillies are trained by Bruce Levine.