Classic Empire a Pro in Four-Furlong Move

The smile that came across Mark Casse's face under the cool darkness April 28 was one part enjoyment, one part pure relief.

It wasn't that the Canadian Hall of Fame trainer didn't think John Oxley's champion Classic Empire was going to be anything but on the muscle for his final move in preparation for the most important race of his career. But too many things can go sideways with any horse in the blink of an eye, something the son of Pioneerof the Nile   has reinforced to his connections in his march toward the first leg of the Triple Crown.

There was palpable tension in the Casse shedrow just before 6 a.m. EDT, as the reigning juvenile champion prepared to head out for his four-furlong breeze in advance of the May 6 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). But standing alongside his son and top assistant, Norman Casse, Mark Casse watched his best ever hope for a classic victory stride out down the Churchill Downs stretch—and finally, deeply exhaled.

"He was on his game today," the elder Casse said. "I don't know that he could go much better than that."

In his first work since putting himself back in the forefront of the 3-year-old male division with his victory in the April 15 Arkansas Derby (G1), Classic Empire had his major tune up for next weekend's test when he went a half-mile in company outside stablemate Perfect Partner in :49 1/5 beneath the Twin Spires.

With exercise rider Martin Rivera in the irons, the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner was very strong heading down the backstretch, giving Rivera all he could handle heading to the five-eighths pole. He remained on fairly even terms with his stablemate throughout, and put in a good gallop out, getting five furlongs in 1:03.

"Yeah, no pressure," Rivera said with a smile after the move. "He got really tough at the five-eighths pole, but he finished up really good."

Getting in that final work in is a key hurdle for any Derby hopeful. It was especially crucial for Classic Empire given his star-crossed winter and spring.

The first setback came when he finished third during his seasonal bow in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) Feb. 4 and then was found with a foot abscess in the days after.

Then there were the much publicized incidents when the atheltic bay colt refused to break off for his workouts, something that ultimately prompted Casse to send Classic Empire to Winding Oaks Farm near Ocala—the same place he was broken—in an attempt to get him on track for his final Derby prep.

Given the colt's quirks, the crew holds their breath that much more during crucial tasks. The more Mark Casse watched his charge walk the shedrow after his move, cool as could be and not even winded, the more he began to enjoy that particular moment.

"Every day is a relief. Every day when you can get closer is a relief," Mark Casse said. "Look at him, he's not even taking a deep breath. The nice part is (during the workout), he was wanting to do it. (Jockey) Julien (Leparoux) said in the Arkansas Derby that going down the backside, he knew he was sitting on the real Classic Empire. Because in the Holy Bull, there was nothing there."

Casse said Classic Empire "wouldn't have to do a whole lot" this week following the move, but will likely have some schooling sessions in the gate and paddock. 

Later on Friday morning, Classic Empire's decidedly less scrutinized stablemate State of Honor turned in one of the better moves of the slew of Derby contenders that hit the worktab. The "other" horse in Casse's Derby arsenal clocked four furlongs solo in :48 4/5.

The sizable son of To Honor and Serve   has only a maiden win in 10 starts, but is coming off back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1). In his third move since the Florida Derby, State of Honor clicked off splits of :25 1/5 and :36 4/5 with a gallop out in 1:02.

"He worked spectacular this morning," Casse said of State of Honor. "People are talking about (Florida Derby winner) Always Dreaming and I thought in that race, we kind of got hung up on the rail. By the time he got out, Always Dreaming had kind of left him a little bit—and he's not an easy horse to run down.

"Maybe becaue of Classic Empire, people aren't really paying attention to (State of Honor). But he has some speed. And I don't think there is a lot of speed in the Derby this year. So I think he's going to be pretty close."