First Empire, Diabolic win their way into Grade 1 stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - First Empire punched his ticket the Grade 1 Summer Stakes with a determined front-running score in Saturday’s $140,250 Soaring Free Stakes for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
First Empire ($7.80) put away Heaven Street on the lead in the 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint, and then held off a closing Degree of Risk through the stretch to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:15.44 over the firm ground. Heaven Street was a distant third, and favored Silent Farewell trailed in the six-horse field.
Patrick Husbands rode First Empire, a son of freshman sire Classic Empire who banked $90,000 for Harlequin Ranches and trainer Mark Casse.
“When I breezed him in the morning, he’s okay, but on the grass, as he’s shown in the last two races, he’s a different horse,” Husbands said. “I had so much horse swinging for home. I knew it would take a real nice horse to beat him.”
The Soaring Free is a prep for the Sept. 19 Summer.
Saturday’s other 2-year-old stakes was for fillies. The $127,250 Catch A Glimpse, a prep for the Grade 1 Natalma on the same day as the Summer, was won by Diabolic, who’s unbeaten in three starts.
Diabolic ($4.30) was blocked along the rail behind Royal Engagement on the turn and then rallied inside to beat that rival by a length in 1:15.81 for the 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. Mrs. Barbara, a maiden, finished third in the eight-horse field.
Antonio Gallardo rode Diabolic, an Irish-bred daughter of Dark Angel who earned $75,000 for D. J. Stable and Nexus Racing Club. Diabolic and Mrs. Barbara are trained by Casse.
“She’s a nice filly,” said Gallardo. “I only asked her a little bit, and she exploded. She’s improved every race. She’s something. No matter whether it’s five furlongs, or six and a half on the turf. She can do everything all the time.”