New York Showcase Day newcomers sharp for Classic, Distaff
Last October, trainer Linda Rice won three races in 20 days with the New York-bred filly Princess Fawzia. This October, Rice will try to win three races in 25 days with the 3-year-old colt Curlin’s Wisdom, who could be a smart play in Sunday’s $250,000 Empire Classic on New York Showcase Day at Aqueduct.
The Empire Classic is one of eight stakes worth a total of $1.4 million on a program of 10 races restricted to New York-breds. Sunday’s card also marks the conclusion of the Belmont at the Big A meet with the regular Aqueduct fall meet scheduled to begin on Friday.
Curlin’s Wisdom, a son of Curlin who went winless in his first nine starts, brings a three-race winning streak into the 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic. His first victory came in a maiden turf race at Saratoga on Sept. 2.
Curlin’s Wisdom followed that up with an off-the-turf first-level allowance win going a one-turn mile on Oct. 6, then a second-level allowance win going 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 16.
Rice said it was the distance that prompted her to run Curlin’s Wisdom back in 10 days for that race and it’s why she is wheeling him back in two weeks for the Empire Classic.
“I always felt he wanted to run a mile and an eighth and we got to do that the last race,” said Rice, whose 16 wins entering Friday’s card have her tied for second at the meet, five behind Chad Brown. “If I waited, the next one would probably be a flat mile.”
Rice said that earlier in the year she wouldn’t have been inclined to run Curlin’s Wisdom so frequently “because he was struggling to hold his weight.”
“Now,” she said, “it seems like he’s getting better and better all the time.”
In addition to benefiting from the distance, Curlin’s Wisdom should benefit from what looks to be a solid pace scenario in the Empire Classic.
Sea Foam, who is making his fourth appearance in the Empire Classic, is a need-the-lead type. He is 5 for 11 at 1 1/8 miles, including a front-running score in the Alex M. Robb last December. He is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Polynesian Stakes at Pimlico, a race where he broke poorly, chased the pace of ultimate winner Benevengo and faded to fifth.
“Considering what happened I still think he ran pretty well,” said Michelle Giangiulio, trainer of Sea Foam. “If he could have got the lead, Kendrick [Carmouche] said he thinks he still could have won the race.
“He’s a one-run kind of horse. He hit himself pretty bad coming out of there, he hit himself on the top of both hind pasterns.”
Sunday, Sea Foam will break from post 3 but appears to have other speed to contend with in Dr. Blute, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr, and maybe Montebello, who breaks from the rail.
Barese, trained by Mike Maker, won the New York Derby going 1 1/16 miles at Finger Lakes and finished second to Bossmakinbossmoves in the Albany while attending the early pace.
Brooklyn Strong is seeking his first win since he upset the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct in 2020. He is coming off a third-place finish in the Greenwood Cup going 1 1/2 miles at Parx. Big Bobby, winless in his last six starts, completes the field.
The Empire Classic is carded as the fourth race on a card that begins at 12:35 p.m.
Empire Distaff
Let Her Inspire U just missed winning the $194,000 Fleet Indian Stakes when stretching out from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles for the first time in August at Saratoga. With that race under her belt as well as an allowance win going one mile five weeks ago, Let Her Inspire U may be better equipped to get the nine furlongs of the $250,000 Empire Distaff.
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Let Her Inspire U, a daughter of Practical Joke trained by Todd Pletcher, has gone 3 for 4 this year, her lone loss coming by a half-length to Fingal’s Cave, who had won her first four starts before running second in the Grade 2 Raven Run last Saturday at Keeneland.
“She ran well in the race at Saratoga and it was worth giving it another try,” said Pletcher, who had also considered shortening her up to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Iroquois.
Let Her Inspire U will break from the outside post in this eight-horse field. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides.
In winning the one-mile allowance last out, Let Her Inspire U beat Sunset Louise, who is entered back in this spot and trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time.
“She’s a full sister to The Reds and he gets a mile and an eighth,” said Bruce Levine, the trainer of Sunset Louise.
When Sunset Louise was beaten by Let Her Inspire U she set the pace, and Levine felt “she got a little lost on the lead.”
Brattle House could play out as the primary speed for trainer Bill Mott.
Sharp Starr and Ice Princess are the one-two finishers from last year’s Empire Distaff, though neither is in particularly good form.
Caragate, Sweet Mystery, and Frost Me complete the field.
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