Glorious Empire likely to go in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer James Lawrence II, or Chuck, as everyone calls him, said Sunday morning that Glorious Empire had emerged from his 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Saturday in good shape and could start next in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park before his ultimate fall goal, the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs.

“He seems great,” Lawrence said. “We took him out, gave him a nice graze this morning. I’m proud of him. He’s a lovely horse to train, but he can be a little funny in the paddock, and he handled himself very well yesterday.”

The Sword Dancer was the first Grade 1 win as a trainer for Lawrence and the first for owner Matt Schera.

Glorious Empire, a 7-year-old gelding who has won races in Britain, Hong Kong, and the United States, earned a fees-paid berth in the BC Turf on Saturday since the Sword Dancer is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

“We’re going to definitely consider the Joe Hirsch and then go to the Breeders’ Cup,” Lawrence said. “The races are all spaced a month apart, and he’s been doing very well on that schedule.”

The $500,000 Joe Hirsch is a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 29. The Breeders’ Cup Turf is Nov. 3.

In late June, Glorious Empire stretched out in distance to 1 1/8 miles while entered for a $65,000 tag in a high-level optional-claiming race at Delaware Park. He won by four lengths.

On July 28, he tried a longer distance still in the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green at Saratoga. He set all of the pace and hung on for a dead heat with Channel Maker, who finished second to him Saturday.

With Julien Leparoux back aboard in the Sword Dancer, Glorious Empire simply galloped his competition into the ground, leading the entire 1 1/2-mile race.

“When he came by the first time, I said, ‘Look at him, Matt. He’s got his ears up, and he’s just having fun,’ ” Lawrence said. “And that’s the name of the game.”

Schera claimed Glorious Empire for $62,500 in May 2017 at Belmont Park. He won a $50,000 claiming race at Saratoga for trainer Carlos Martin but bled in the Baltimore-Washington Turf Cup at Laurel Park in September and was turned out for a rest in Pennsylvania. He was then legged up for his return in South Carolina.

“This horse had never had a break,” Schera said. “When he was ready to come back, I sent him to Chuck.”

If Glorious Empire makes it to the Breeders’ Cup, this would be Lawrence and Schera’s second try in the Turf. They ran Cage Fighter in the race in 2015.

Schera claimed Cage Fighter for $40,000 at Saratoga in 2014 and won a stakes at Parx prior to his BC try.

“Cage Fighter didn’t do very well, but now it’s good we did it because that is a dress rehearsal for now,” Lawrence said. “It helps to have been there, done it, because it is different.”