Gallant second in last bodes well for Iron Dome in Empire Classic

Iron Dome may have lost his last start in allowance company, but trainer Steve Asmussen didn’t walk away from the race disappointed. And it’s not just because he won the race with his other entrant, Preside.

Asmussen thought Iron Dome ran a particularly strong race considering, not only the competition, but the fact Iron Dome was three to four wide throughout and in chase mode and had the lead in midstretch before being run down by Preside. That effort is what gives Asmussen hope when he runs Iron Dome back against New York-breds in the $250,000 Empire Classic at Belmont Park.

“I actually liked his last race off of it not going exactly as it has when he had success and still running a very good number,” Asmussen said.

The nine-furlong Empire Classic is one of 10 stakes and 11 races overall exclusively for New York-breds on Empire Showcase Day. Purses for the card total $2.175 million. First post is 12:05 p.m.

The Empire Classic drew 10, but trainer Ray Handal said Ez Roll would scratch for an allowance race.

Iron Dome finished sixth as the favorite in last year’s Empire Classic, that race being the ninth of his 3-year-old season which included a trio of wins at Saratoga and a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in a span of three months.

Iron Dome is winless in four starts this year, with three runner-up finishes, all in open-company allowance races.

Ricardo Santana Jr. rides Iron Dome from post 7 in a 10-horse field.

Bank Frenzy beat Doc Sullivan by a neck in this race last year, and both are back, albeit with different trainers, on Saturday.

Bank Frenzy, who won four stakes in 2025 when in the care of Rudy Rodriguez, will now go out for Linda Rice first time. Earlier this year, Bank Frenzy ran fourth in the Commentator and seventh in an open allowance.

Despite Doc Sullivan’s big run in this race last year, when the Empire Classic was run around two turns, most of his success has come in one-turn events. Amelia Green, who took over the training of Doc Sullivan this year, has wanted to stretch him out in distance.

“The races haven’t fell that way. I feel like a mile and a mile and a sixteenth would be good for him and this race is one turn, which I like,” Green said. “He’s training great. I’m excited to stretch him out.”

Samuel Marin rides Doc Sullivan from post 9.

Donegal Surges has run races good enough to win a stakes race, he just hasn’t done so yet. Trainer Todd Pletcher said Donegal Surges is better when he can keep his face clean, something that may be difficult breaking from the rail.

Wynstock beat Doc Sullivan a nose in a one-mile allowance race at Saratoga and is back for this race.

Empire Distaff

Valtellina and Bernietakescharge have split decisions in stakes over the last year, with Valtellina besting Bernietakescharge in last October’s Empire Distaff at Aqueduct and Bernietakeschrage defeating Valtellina in this year’s Critical Eye at Saratoga.

The rubber match occurs in Saturday’s $250,000 Empire Distaff at Belmont, where the 1 1/8-mile race will be run around one turn.

The Empire Distaff drew six, but there will be a key scratch as three-time New York-bred winner Iron Orchard will come out of the race, according to Asmussen. Iron Orchard “jumped out of the feed tub at the wrong time,” Asmussen said.

Valtellina got a nice prep win four weeks ago in second-level allowance going a one-turn mile at Belmont. It was her second consecutive allowance win, both coming on Lasix, medication she will not be permitted to use Saturday.

“She’s better going a mile and an eighth,” trainer Ray Handal said. “She ran a career-best Beyer last time. I’m hoping she likes this track and I’m feeling very optimistic, especially at a mile and an eighth.”

Bernietakescharge was a front-running winner of the Critical Eye in June and then didn’t race again until the Yaddo, her connections wanting to give her another try on turf. Bernietakescharge was only beaten two lengths in that Aug. 30 race but now returns to dirt. She figures to be on the lead under Kendrick Carmouche.

Grazie, trained by Todd Pletcher, has come off a lengthy layoff with two solid New York-bred allowance wins, one at 6 1/2 furlongs, another at a mile. Both of those wins have come on Lasix and the latter came in front-running fashion.

Pletcher said he was torn between running Grazie in this race or the Iroquois at seven furlongs.

“Usually when I’m torn, I go longer,” Pletcher said. “She ran well at six and a half and came back and ran well going a mile. I always felt like she wanted a little more ground.”

Boxed Wine has bounced around the claiming ranks and now goes first off the claim for $55,000 by Linda Rice.

Racing Colors returns to dirt, her preferred surface, after two duds on turf that made her 0 for 10 on that surface.