After taking a solid swing against open company when second in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby last month, 3-year-old Iron Dome returns to New York-bred competition when he starts as the likely favorite in Saturday’s $250,000 Empire Classic at Aqueduct. The Empire Classic is one of nine stakes and 11 races overall restricted to New York-breds on Empire Showcase Day. The total purses for the stakes – which include the inaugural running of the $200,000 New York Turf Sprint Championship – are $1.9 million. Total purses distributed on the card are $2.01 million. Iron Dome, a son of Into Mischief, is a half-brother to Mr. Buff, who went 17 for 48 and earned $1.4 million in his career. Among his 11 stakes wins were two victories in the Empire Classic (2019-20). Another half-brother, Quick to Accuse, is also in this field, though he is far less accomplished. Chester Broman, who bred and owned Mr. Buff, bred both of his brothers and is part-owner of Iron Dome. Iron Dome, trained by Steve Asmussen, lost his first four starts – three against open company – but came to life this summer at Saratoga with a trio of dominant victories at 1 1/8 miles – the distance of the Empire Classic – including a 6 3/4-length score in the Albany Stakes for 3-year-olds. “We feel the farther the better with him,” said Asmussen, who won this race twice with Haynesfield in 2009 and 2011. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Iron Dome’s victory in the Albany came against just four horses, but the runner-up, Hit the Post, came back to win the Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes, while third-place finisher, King’s Leap, won a restricted allowance, also at Finger Lakes. Meanwhile, Iron Dome came out of the Albany to run in the Oklahoma Derby, where he finished second to Travers Stakes runner-up Bracket Buster, while determinedly running down Mister Omaha for second. Mister Omaha came back to win the Oklahoma Classics Cup at Remington on Oct. 17. “I thought he had a solid run in a solid 3-year-old race,” Asmussen said of Iron Dome’s effort in the Oklahoma Derby. “This is a chance to run him against New York-breds again, but I still feel the best is ahead of Iron Dome.” Ricardo Santana Jr. has the call on Iron Dome from post 2. Bank Frenzy finished second as the favorite in last year’s Empire Classic but has since gone 5 for 7 with two open-company stakes victories and three stakes wins against New York-breds. In June, he won the Commentator at 1 1/8 miles before finishing fifth in the John Morrissey at seven furlongs on July 31. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez gave Bank Frenzy some time off after that race and brings him to this spot off an 86-day layoff. Rodriguez said there was not a race that made sense for Bank Frenzy and he didn’t want to run him in the Grade 2 Woodward just because it was a short field. “He loves to train, that horse, but to run him in the Woodward just because we want to run, it would have been hard for him,” said Rodriguez, who worked Bank Frenzy three furlongs in 36.20 seconds Thursday morning at Belmont. “He’s got to run against Asmussen’s 3-year-old and he’s pretty solid, but this is where [Bank Frenzy] belongs.” Rodriguez also runs Whittington Park, a horse he believes will sit back and make one run and try to pick up a piece of this race. Doc Sullivan, who won the Morrissey, and Dr. Kraft, an allowance/claiming type, round out the field. Empire Distaff The 3-year-old filly Kay Cup heads a trio of horses trained by Jorge Abreu in the field of eight fillies and mares entered in the $250,000 Empire Distaff at 1 1/8 miles. Kay Cup, a daughter of Instagrand, has only made four starts but won the Bouwerie Stakes going seven furlongs by three lengths in June and ran a solid second to a loose-on-the-lead Vehemente in the Fleet Indian Stakes in her first try at 1 1/8 miles. Kay Cup actually broke on top in that race but jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. conceded the lead to Vehemente and could never catch that one while fortunate to hold off Valtellina for second. Both Vehemente and Valtellina are back in the Empire Distaff. “We hadn’t run in three months, we were stretching out from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. I didn’t want to be head and head,” Abreu said of Kay Cup’s tactics in the Fleet Indian. “Irad said he probably should have moved a little sooner but she still ran great. She’s coming into this race 100 percent.” There should be pace with Vehemente, Bernietakescharge, front-running winner of the Critical Eye Stakes, and Fast and Frisky, the latter also trained by Abreu who is in there to ensure pace. Abreu also entered Boxed Wine, who is 2 for 2 since Abreu claimed her for $35,000 and put her on the dirt. “I think she’s going to run a great race,” Abreu said. Midnight Concerto, trained by Kenny McPeek, has made her last nine starts on turf though she did win her maiden on dirt in January 2024. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.