Joe Labozzetta Photo

Empire Line impresses guys and dolls alike in Monday's Damon Runyon win

by Brian Bohl and Najja Thompson

West Point Thoroughbreds and RAP Racing's Empire Line overtook Morning Breez in the stretch and fended off Evaluator's late charge at the wire to win the 39th running of the $100,000 Damon Runyon for 3-year-old New York-breds  Monday at Aqueduct Racetrack on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Empire Line, who won his debut at six furlongs on December 1, handled his first stakes appearance and first route in impressive fashion, staying off the early pace as Morning Breez went the opening quarter-mile in 23.25 seconds and the half in in 47.24.

Morning Breez maintained the lead out of the turn and into the stretch before jockey Eric Cancel set Empire Line down and took the lead nearing the final furlong. Evaluator, who went three-wide, surged from the outside to challenge for supremacy, but Empire Line held on by a nose, completing one mile in 1:38.75 on the fast main track.

"I had been working the horse and we were able to figure some things out to help him improve his racing," Cancel said. "He ran huge. I give him credit and I give credit to [trainer] George Weaver's team for doing a great job with the horse. Today, he kept on going for me.

"I wanted to be on the outside on the trip because he feels a little more comfortable," Cancel said. "He gives me a little more, so everything worked out. When the other horse [Evaluator] came right next to me, I thought I was going to get beat. But he felt it and just kept on trying and never gave up and the other horse didn't get there in time."

Off as the 2-1 favorite, Empire Line paid $6 on a $2 win wager. The Morning Line colt improved to 2-for-2 and increased his career bankroll to $93,000.

"We always liked the horse. From Saratoga to now he always slowly progressed and got better, fitter, stronger," said Blair Golen, assistant to Weaver. "He always worked with a very nice horse of ours Forty Winds, a nice turf horse. And when he breezed last time I was very impressed. So, I was pretty confident going into this spot."

Evaluator placed in stakes for the second consecutive start after winning the Notebook on November 26 at Aqueduct for trainer Michael Dilger. Morning Breez, trained by Carlos Martin, ran third in his first race at a mile.

Battle Station, Smooth Move, Seven Lilies and Jaye Jaye completed the order of finish.

The Damon Runyon was originally scheduled for 2-year-olds on December 30 before inclement weather forced the race's postponement into the new calendar year.

In Race 8, Corms Racing Stable's Divine Miss Grey earned her first stakes win in the 97th running of the $100,000 Interborough for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up.

Divine Miss Grey broke alertly from post 4 with jockey Kendrick Carmouche, battling up front with Lucy N Ethel as the pair completed the opening quarter-mile in 23.25 seconds with the half in 46.70.

At the quarter-pole, Divine Miss Grey, trained by Danny Gargan, took command, edging away in the upper stretch to hit the wire 3 ¼ lengths in front of Boule, completing seven furlongs in 1:23.30.

"Danny told me they had a couple of speed horses in the race on the outside of her and we just played the break," Carmouche said. "My filly, she broke really sharp today and no one wanted to take the lead. [No one was] aggressive enough. So, I just let my filly run out of there and just make the lead and by the time I got to the quarter pole, she was running so easy. I was just waiting on a challenge."

The Divine Park filly was sent off as the 2-1 second choice and returned $6.40 for a $2 win bet. The victory boosted her career earnings to $293,672.

"We've been waiting to run her," Gargan said. "The only time we've been able to run her in a stakes was the Test [August 5 at Saratoga] and she had a troubled trip that day, she got in a lot of trouble.

"She's been training really forward and doing really good," he added. "She's obviously been a really, really good horse for my barn. It wasn't a surprise to win but it's always nice to win, because sometimes they disappoint you."

Following Boule in second was Going for Broke, Inconclusive, Lucy N Ethel, Kalabaka, Heavenly Score, Alpine Sky, Littlemissbusiness, and Come Dancing.