Late-blossoming Empire Sky in fine form for allowance
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Though he’s nearing the end of his 6-year-old season, Empire Sky is in the best form of his career. He’s won two of his last three starts, winning on turf at Monmouth Park and dirt at Parx Racing.
On Wednesday, Empire Sky will give Tampa Bay Downs – and seven furlongs – a try in a seemingly competitive first-level allowance that goes as last of nine races on the card.
Trainer Reynado Yanez claimed Empire Sky for $16,000 on July 13 out of a turf sprint at Monmouth Park, a race in which he finished fourth. Yanez wheeled him back a week later in another turf sprint, this one with a $40,000 claiming tag, where he finished second.
Three weeks after that, Yanez dropped Empire Sky back in for $16,000, and he won a turf sprint at Monmouth by 2 3/4 lengths. Yanez then tried him in a starter allowance on dirt at Parx, and Empire Sky stormed from off the pace to win by 6 1/2 lengths, earning a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure.
Empire Sky, a New York-bred gelding by Klimt, came to Aqueduct for a statebred allowance on dirt in October and finished a respectable third behind Man in Finance.
“He’s a horse that has adapted very well to my stable and to my type of training,” Yanez said in a text. “Since I’ve had him, he’s been a horse that does everything well, and his last two races have reflected the condition he has been in his training. He is fine for his commitment on Wednesday, and I think he will handle the seven furlongs very well.”
Leading jockey Samuel Marin, aboard for those wins at Monmouth and Park, has the call Wednesday.
Empire Sky will face several 3-year-olds in this field, including La Frost, who won his only start, a six-furlong race on Aug. 31 at Monmouth, by a neck.
“There was no place to run him. I didn’t want to run him at the Meadowlands, so we decided to give him a little time,” trainer Terri Pompay said. “He’s been training really, really good. I expect him to run well. I’m looking forward to running him. He could need the race and he’s running against more seasoned horses, but his breezes have been good.”
Sonny Leon rides La Frost from post 4.
Kathleen O’Connell, last year’s leading trainer, has gotten off to a frustrating 0 for 24 start at the meet, with five seconds and four thirds. She sends out King Gerald in this spot. King Gerald won his debut sprinting here on March 30 but was pulled up and walked off the track in his subsequent start on April 30. This is his first start since then.
Icelander ships over from Gulfstream Park, where on Nov. 2 he won a starter allowance. Gianluca Be Lucky successfully went turf to dirt winning a $25,000 claiming race on Nov. 26 at Tampa in his first start for trainer Juan Avila, who is off to a 4-for-12 start at the meet.
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