Classic Empire (horse)

Classic Empire
Classic Empire before the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Sire	Pioneerof the Nile
Grandsire	Empire Maker
Dam	Sambuca Classica
Damsire	Cat Thief
Sex	Colt
Foaled	March 21st, 2014
Country	United States
Color	Bay
Breeder	Steven & Brandi Nicholson
Owner	John C. Oxley
Trainer	Mark Casse
Record	5: 4-0-0 (1 DNF)
Earnings	$1,485,920[1]
Major wins
Bashford Manor Stakes (2016) Breeders' Futurity Stakes (2016) Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2016)

Classic Empire (foaled March 21, 2014, in Kentucky)^[2] is an American Thoroughbred race horse who, as a two-year-old, won the Breeders' Futurity Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Background

Classic Empire is a bay colt with a star, stripe, and snip, and one sock on his left hind leg. He was bred by Steven and Brandi Nicholson.^[1] He is by Pioneerof the Nile, best known as the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.^[3] Classic Empire's dam, Sambuca Classica, had previously produced three foals, all of them winners.^[4]

Classic Empire was purchased at the Keeneland September 2015 sale as a yearling for $475,000 by John C. Oxley.^[1] He is trained by Mark Casse.

2016: two-year-old season

Classic Empire debuted May 4 in a Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs. Sent off as the 1-2 favorite and ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux, he broke slowly and had to rally from the back of the field, but went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths, on a track rated as sloppy.^[5]

He then started in the Grade III Bashford Manor Stakes on July 2. He was the second choice behind the 1-2 favorite, Recruiting Ready. After getting another poor start, he stayed at the back for most of the race, and moved into contention at the head of the stretch. He then steadily closed ground on Recruiting Ready, and won by 3/4 of a length. Recruiting Ready was nine lengths ahead of the third place-finisher, Tip Tap Tapizar.^[6] Classic Empire's assistant trainer, Norman Casse, (son of trainer Mark Casse) stated after the race: “The way that he breezes and trains in the morning, he's much more effective when he's able to go out and relax and settle into stride. Sprinting is obviously not something where you get to do that. So going forward, I think he's definitely going to be much more effective around two turns. He’s still a little shy, and you could tell when he broke, he broke in a little bit.” ^[7]

Due to his Bashford Manor Stakes win, he was made the favorite for the Grade I Hopeful Stakes on September 5. He was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., as Leparoux was sidelined with a broken wrist.^[8] Classic Empire began slowly again, and shortly after the start, wheeled sharply to the right, unseating Ortiz, before stopping at the outside rail.^[9] He was vanned off the track for mild lameness, but was reported to be in good shape shortly after the race.^[10]

Classic Empire wearing blinkers for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

His connections then announced that he would start in the Grade I Breeders' Futurity Stakes at Keeneland on October 10, where they also said he would wear blinkers for the first time. Classic Empire was made the favorite, and Leparoux was back aboard him. Classic Empire broke quickly this time, and stalked the early front runners before making a strong move around the turn, pulling away to win by three lengths.^[11] After the win, Leparoux said; “Today he broke sharp and was all business. He ran a big race. I was a bit surprised to be where I was, but he did it easy and he was happy where he was. He got a little bit tired at the end, but he hasn’t been running for a while, so we expected that.”^[12]

Classic Empire was then entered in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5, which was run at Santa Anita, in a race that was considered wide open. Classic Empire was ridden by Leparoux again, and he was the second choice behind Not This Time, who had won the Iroquois Stakes by over 8 lengths in his previous start. The field also included Grade I winners Klimt (Del Mar Futurity), Gormley (FrontRunner Stakes), and Practical Joke (Hopeful Stakes and Champagne Stakes). Classic Empire broke cleanly and settled half a length behind Syndergaard, who set a fast pace, and continued to press the pace until the far turn, when he took the lead and pulled clear to lead by three lengths. As they entered the stretch, Classic Empire had to withstand a late charge from Not This Time, but he prevailed to win by a neck, with a time of 1:42.60. Practical Joke was more than seven lengths back in third. "He broke sharp and I put him in the race right away," Leparoux said. "I tried to open up coming to the quarter pole, which he did and held off Not This Time. We really love him and we knew he was going to run good, so I'm glad we got the win."^[13] Casse said: “I thought at the top of the lane he was going to win easily. Then it got pretty close, but Dale Romans (trainer of Not This Time) said all along it was going to be us two and it was quite a deal. I have been been doing this (training) for 37 years and I thought his race in the Bashford Manor was as good as any two-year-old I’ve ever trained. But what amazes me is this horse's ability to have such a high cruising speed. And maybe that's another thing that makes this so special. He's an extremely, extremely smart horse, and he tends to see things that maybe others don't, and you never know what he's going to do."^[14]

The close finish made Classic Empire and Not This Time the early co-favorites in the Kentucky Derby future wagering.^[15]

Race Record

Source: Equibase charts^[16]

Pedigree

Classic Empire is inbred 4 x 5 to Mr. Prospector, meaning Mr. Prospector appears once in the fourth generation and once in the fifth generation of Classic Empire's pedigree. He is also inbred 5 x 5 to Raise a Native, and 5 x 5 to Northern Dancer.

References