Northlands: Broadway Empire dominates Ky Alta

Broadway Empire romped by 7 1/4 lengths in the $50,000 Ky Alta at Northlands Park on Saturday. Sent off as the heavy favorite in one-mile race for 3-year-olds that drew six horses, Broadway Empire paid $3.80

Broadway Empire was coming off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Affirmed at Betfair Hollywood Park, where he appeared to be rank while stalking the pace in the 1 1/16-mile race. He had a different attitude in the Ky Alta, however. With Rico Walcott aboard, Broadway Empire looked very comfortable sitting a few lengths off Najran Breeze and Risky Call, who dueled through sprint-like fractions of 23.00 and :46.40 seconds. He moved up to engage the leaders approaching the quarter pole and was gone. Just Win Baby rallied to finish second but was never in contact with the winner. For Cash passed tiring horses to finish third.

The final time was 1:38.20.

Broadway Empire and Najran Breeze are trained by Robertino Diodoro.

“I was a bit nervous going into the race because both of my horses have speed and I wasn’t sure how the race would develop,” he said. “It obviously worked out for one of them.”

* Walcott, who is dominating the current meet, won the $50,000 R. K. “Red” Smith Handicap for 3-year-old fillies with Ten Thirty on Friday night. Trained by Greg Tracy, Ten Thirty was the favorite in the seven-horse field and paid $5.10 for her six-length win over Portofappeal in the one-mile race.