Pennsylvania Derby in Play for Classic Empire

There's one constant to champion Classic Empire's roller coaster 3-year-old season: his connections have to be ready with a backup plan to the backup plan.

With the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes (G1) looming and his presence on the work tab still unaccounted for since arriving at Saratoga Race Course, a start in the Sept. 23 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) is a "Plan B" that could become a reality for the Pioneerof the Nile   colt, trainer Mark Casse said this week.

While John Oxley's runner has been galloping regularly, Casse said Classic Empire has been plagued by what he jokingly calls "Tepin Saratoga syndrome," a reference to his former two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainee, who notoriously did not thrive in the Spa environment.

Casse said there is nothing physically amiss with Classic Empire—who was declared out of the June 10 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) due to a foot abscess—but that the multiple grade 1 winner hasn't shown consistent enthusiasm in his morning outings.

Having already bypassed the Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), Classic Empire has been pointing to the Travers, in what would be his first start since running second in the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1). Getting the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner ready to go 10 furlongs over a deep Saratoga surface in just a few weeks, however, is something Casse says is becoming increasingly less likely.

"There is nothing wrong. He's just not been himself and we are just kind of being really patient with him," Casse said from Saratoga. "I told Mr. Oxley after (Classic Empire) hurt himself at Belmont, with the foot, that we're just going to let him tell us when he wants to start running and wanting to do things. That's kind of where we're at.

"If he wants to make the Travers, he needs to pick it up and do it soon. Realistically, more than likely, that is not going to happen. So if that doesn't happen, we'll aim for the Pennsylvania Derby. Not only do we have to get ready to go 1 1/4 miles, we have to get ready to go 1 1/4 miles on a deep, tiring track where the Pennsylvania Derby is only nine furlongs."

Classic Empire's last official workout came June 2 at Churchill Downs, though Casse said the colt posted a July 10 drill there that was not registered by the clockers. The Canadian Hall of Fame conditioner was hesitant to say for sure when the bay runner will return to breezing but indicated it could be this weekend, "if he gives us a few good days in a row."

The Casse shedrow has accepted they need to adapt to Classic Empire's way of doing things, not the other way around. After missing training time earlier in the year because of an abscess that manfiested following his third-place finish in the Feb. 4 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2), they sent Classic Empire to Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Fla., following a couple instances when he refused to train. They got him right enough for him to take the April 15 Arkansas Derby (G1) prior to his fourth-place run after a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

"Instead of us telling him what we want him to do, we're going to let him tell us what he wants to do," Casse said.