Mr. Buff will try Pat On the Back again in Empire Classic

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mr. Buff has won six of his last 10 starts going back a year. Two of those losses have come to Pat On the Back. As fate would have it, Mr. Buff will have to face Pat On the Back again Saturday in the $300,000 Empire Classic at Belmont Park.

The Empire Classic, at 1 1/8 miles, is the richest of eight stakes on an 11-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m. The Empire Classic drew a field of only five and will be run as the fifth race on the program.

Pat On the Back won last year’s Empire Classic with Mr. Buff finishing third. Mr. Buff proceeded to win his next four starts, including a pair of stakes, before a non-effort in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds in March.

Mr. Buff finished third again to Pat On the Back in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont in May before winning his next two races – the Saginaw and Evan Shipman against New York-breds. Mr. Buff again took a swing against open company, finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga.

Pat On the Back, meanwhile, has gone 3 for 4 this year and is coming off a half-length victory in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap here on Sept. 21.

Pat On the Back will break from post 3 while Mr. Buff has post 4 in the Empire Classic.

Completing the field are Dynamax Prime, second twice to Mr. Buff; Blugrascat’s Smile, sixth at 50-1 in last year’s Empire Classic; and Not That Brady, winless in seven starts this year.