New York-breds in the spotlight on Empire Showcase Day

A total of 92 New York-breds, including reigning NYTB Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze, are entered for a special 11-race card on Saturday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to celebrate the best of New York for the annual Empire Showcase Day.
“Empire Showcase Day is the premier fall championship event for New York breeding and racing,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “With nine New York-bred stakes on the card, including the addition of the New York Turf Sprint Championship, the day highlights the remarkable depth, talent, and competitiveness of horses bred in the Empire State. We’re proud to partner with NYRA and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund to showcase our leading horses, breeders, owners, and connections who continue to elevate our program each year.”
The lucrative card features nine state-bred stakes races worth a combined $1.9 million, highlighted by two nine-furlong events for 3-year-olds and up worth $250,000 each in the Empire Classic and its filly and mare counterpart, the Empire Distaff. First post on Saturday is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.
LSU Stables’ multiple stakes-winner Bank Frenzy headlines the Empire Classic [Race 10], having taken three stakes from five starts this year for trainer Rudy Rodriguez.
The 5-year-old son of 2024 NYTB Sire of the Year Central Banker, bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman, finished second to Mama’s Gold as the favorite in this event last year. His current campaign features scores here traveling a one-turn mile in the Listed Stymie versus open company in March, the state-bred Haynesfield in April and the nine-furlong state-bred Commentator on June 4 at Saratoga Race Course. He was last seen finishing fifth in the state-bred John Morrissey going seven furlongs on July 31 at the Spa.
“He’s doing great,” Rodriguez said of the 2024 NYTB Champion Older Dirt Male. “I’m just very pleased the owners gave me the chance to back off a little bit [and target this race]. Day by day, we just keep him happy and healthy and hopefully everything goes good. He’s very happy.”
Manny Franco, 2024 NYTB Jockey of the Year, has the call from post 5.
A robust field includes Doc Sullivan [post 1, Joel Rosario], Iron Dome [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Dr. Kraft [post 3, Jaime Rodriguez], Quick to Accuse [post 4, Dylan Davis], Whittington Park [post 6, Jose Lezcano] and Chief Liam [post 7, Christopher Elliott].
International Equine’s stakes-winning sophomore filly Vehemente [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] will look to prove her mettle in the Empire Distaff [Race 7].
Trained by Joe Sharp, the Vekoma chestnut sports a perfect in-the-money record of 8-4-1-3 this year, including a frontrunning 1 1/4-length score in the nine-furlong state-bred Fleet Indian over returning rivals Kay Cup and Valtellina on August 21 at the Spa.
Bred by Hibiscus Stables, her current campaign featured a three-race win streak from April through June that included sprint scores here in an open starter optional-claimer in April and a state-bred allowance versus elders in May before a powerful allowance score over state-bred elders on June 6 at the Spa.
Steep opposition will be provided by Sweetest Princess [post 1, Jose Lezcano], Bernietakescharge [post 2, Romero Maragh], Valtellina [post 3, Dylan Davis], Kay Cup [post 4, Manny Franco], Boxed Wine [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Fast and Frisky [post 7, Jaime Rodriguez] and Midnight Concerto [post 8, Christopher Elliott].
The stakes action kicks off in Race 1 with Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, AWC Stables and Team Stallion Racing Stable’s Gaming Wizard [post 6, Christopher Elliott], who makes his stakes debut off a 13 1/2-length maiden romp and takes on five rivals in the $200,000 Sleepy Hollow [Race 1], a one-turn mile for juveniles.
Trained by Ken McPeek, the Game Winner dark bay was a deep-closing fourth in his 1 1/16-mile debut over the Saratoga turf on August 30, and found his best stride last out when changing up tactics and setting a pressured pace in an off-the-turf one-turn mile on September 26 here. He dispatched his rivals approaching the turn and drew off with authority to post the dominant victory over the fast footing in a final time of 1:37.23. He was bred by Sandra Schultz.
Completing the field are Bravaro [post 1, Dylan Davis], Fourth and One [post 2, Manny Franco], Time to Roll [post 3, Jaime Rodriguez], Max Money [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and Froutien [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche].
David Staudacher and Paradise Farms Corp.’s The Wine Steward [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] returns to state-bred company in the $200,000 Hudson [Race 2], a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up.
Conditioned by 2024 NYTB Trainer of the Year Mike Maker, the 4-year-old Vino Rosso bay finished sixth versus open company last out in the Presque Isle Mile over the all-weather on September 19 there. The Wine Steward previously was nailed for a head defeat to Doc Sullivan in the state-bred John Morrissey on July 31 at Saratoga, which was one of four career seconds, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity as a juvenile at Keeneland. He was bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker.
The field also includes Hit the Post [post 1, Christopher Elliott], Locke and Key [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Caldo Candy [post 3, Luis Rivera, Jr.], Vettriano [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], Jackson Heights [post 6, Jaime Rodriguez], Grand Opening [post 7, Junior Alvarado] and Acoustic Ave [post 8, Dylan Davis].
Roger Cimbora, Jr.’s homebred Twenty Six Black [post 1, Joel Rosario] will look to stake his claim to the inaugural running of the $200,000 New York Turf Sprint Championship [Race 3], a six-furlong dash over the outer turf course for 3-year-olds and up.
Trained by Horacio De Paz, the 5-year-old War Dancer bay has won 3-of-6 starts over course and distance. He found top form over the summer at Saratoga, earning matching 100 Beyer Speed Figures for a 1 1/2-length second in the Grade 2 Troy on August 3 and a 2 1/4-length score over returning rival Bold Journey in the restricted Disco Partner on August 31.
Twenty Six Black will look to make amends for a 1 1/4-length third in the local Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint on September 27 where he went off as the mutuel favorite, but failed to fire his best shot late in the lane.
The field includes Waralo [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Run Curtis Run [post 3, Dylan Davis], Dancing Buck [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], Bold Journey [post 5, Junior Alvarado], Twisted Filigree [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and Senbei [post 7, Manny Franco].
Paradise Farms Corp., JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher and Zilla Racing Stables’ Letmecounttheways [post 8, Joel Rosario] brings a field-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure to the $200,000 Maid of the Mist [Race 4], a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies.
Trained by Mike Maker, the Yaupon dark bay was a wire-to-wire winner of her six-furlong debut on September 27 here, drawing off to the 5 1/2-length victory over 11 rivals and completing the course in 1:09.67. Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, she was a $190,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Dialed In mare Draft, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Time’s Mistress.
Steep opposition will be provided by Victory Hall [post 5, Junior Alvarado], who enters off back-to-back wins for trainer Carlos David, most recently taking a six-furlong optional claimer against open company on September 27 at Delaware Park. Campaigned by Twin Sports Racing, Cypresshead Racing and Let’s Go Racing, the Independence Hall bay was bred by Stonegate Stables and Everythings Cricket Racing and graduated at second asking in a six-furlong state-bred maiden on August 16 at Saratoga Race Course.
Completing the field are Belloro [post 1, Manny Franco], Mobelladream [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Angel Gift [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche], Rina’s Revenge [post 4, Christopher Elliott], Liberty’s Advance [post 6, Dylan Davis] and Grazie [post 7, Eric Cancel].
Peter Brant’s homebred George Briggs [post 2, Dylan Davis] will return to the lawn when taking on elders in the $200,000 Mohawk [Race 6], a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for 3-year-olds and up.
Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the sophomore Fog of War bay captured the off-the-turf $150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, for eligible New York-sired sophomores, last out on August 14 at Saratoga. He went off favored despite never having raced on dirt and an over-five month layoff dating to a closing third in the one-mile turf Listed Colonel Liam in March at Gulfstream Park which followed a state-bred debut graduation going 1 1/16 miles on turf last November here.
Also vying for victory are Be of Courage [post 1, Ruben Silvera], Itsallcomintogetha [post 3, Jose Gomez], Conman [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez], Slapintheface [post 5, Manny Franco], Clear Conscience [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche], Outsource [post 7, Jose Lezcano], Sounds Like a Plan [post 8, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and main track-only entrant Leftembehind.
The $200,000 Iroquois [Race 8] will see a competitive renewal as reigning NYTB Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and evergreen multiple graded stakes-placed mare Sterling Silver [post 8, Junior Alvarado] square off in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
2024 NYTB Breeder of the Year William J. Butler’s dual graded stakes-winning homebred My Mane Squeeze, co-owned by WinStar Farm, looks to rebound from a troubled start in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina on August 23 at the Spa where she tracked in sixth-of-7 before being eased and walked off.
Her last effort against state-breds was a 6 1/4-length trouncing of the Johnstone on July 30 at the Spa, which garnered a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure. My Mane Squeeze, who is out of 2024 NYTB Broodmare of the Year In Spite of Mama, also took NYTB honors last year as both Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Champion Female Sprinter.
Mark T. Anderson’s 6-year-old Sterling Silver was a last-out third in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom over course and distance, the fourth consecutive year she has hit the board in that event. The Cupid gray seeks her first win since the one-mile state-bred Biogio’s Rose in April over a muddy and sealed Big A main track, but she has hit the board in 4-of-5 starts since, including a three-quarter-length second to Jody’s Pride in the Grade 2 Ruffian here. Bred by Mallory Mort and Karen Mort, Sterling Silver boasts over $1.1 million in earnings from a 34-9-7-7- record, and she is a half-sister to Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile-winner Rhetorical.
Completing the competitive field are a quintet of stakes-winners, including Storm Changer [post 2, Christopher Elliott], Stone Smuggler [post 4, Manny Franco], Cara’s Time [post 5, Jose Lezcano], Stonewall Star [post 6, Dylan Davis] and Sunday Girl [post 7, Katie Davis], as well as four-time winner Cupid’s Heart [post 1, Jaime Rodriguez] and 11-time winner Khali Magic [post 9, Ruben Silvera].
Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred Awesome Czech [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] hasn’t missed the board in five starts this year and brings solid form to the $200,000 Ticonderoga [Race 9], a 1 1/16-mile outer turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
Trained by Horacio De Paz, the 4-year-old Mendelssohn bay won the state-bred Yaddo presented by STIHL two starts back by a half-length over returning rivals Moonage Daydream [2024 NYTB Champion Turf Female] and Spinning Colors on August 22 at Belmont at the Big A. Awesome Czech exited to post a strong third versus open company in the Listed Athenia on September 14 here.
The field also offers Spinning Colors [post 1, Dylan Davis], Can’t Fool Me [post 2, Luis Rivera, Jr.], Racing Colors [post 3, Jose Gomez], Moonage Daydream [post 5, Manny Franco], Bobby M’s Girl [post 6, Katie Davis], Gallant Greta [post 7, Joel Rosario], Golden Rocket [post 8, Jaime Rodriguez], Brocknardini [post 9, Jose Lezcano] and main track-only entrant Amanda’s Folly.
America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.
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