Empire of Gold, fourth in BC Sprint, gets some time off

Empire of Gold is being freshened following his fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and could see action next year at Oaklawn Park, said trainer Terry Eoff.

Empire of Gold shipped from his Remington Park base in Oklahoma City to Keeneland twice this year, finishing a big second in the Grade 2 Phoenix in October then running a good fourth to Oaklawn regular Whitmore in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 7.

Empire of Gold, who is 3, has since returned to Remington.

“We’re going to give him some time off,” Eoff said Friday. “We’ll wait and see what comes up at Oaklawn.”

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Eoff co-owns Empire of Gold with Johnny Evans. The horse had been considered for the Perryville against his own age group on the same card as the BC Sprint, but ultimately his connections decided to run in the Breeders’ Cup.

“We kind of looked at the numbers of the other horses and looked at that last race he ran in, and he fit,” Eoff said. “So, why not take a shot? He fit that group and we thought we’d take a shot while he was good to go.”

Empire of Gold entered the BC Sprint in peak form, as he had earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95 for his effort in the Phoenix, when finishing in front of Whitmore. Empire of Gold matched the number in the Breeders’ Cup.

“I’m thinking we’ll bring him home and turn him out a month,” said Eoff, who has a farm in Texas. “He needs a little break.”

Eoff will be based this winter at Sam Houston Race Park.