Sterling Silver experienced fleeting success in graded stakes company in her most recent out, but the performance will make her a strong favorite Sunday, when she returns to racing with restricted rivals in the $150,000 Iroquois at Aqueduct. The race is one of eight New York-bred stakes worth a cumulative $1.6 million on the annual Empire Classics Day card. The Iroquois, which is for fillies and mares over 6 1/2 furlongs, is the female counterpart to the $150,000 Hudson. Sterling Silver was a four-length winner of the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom on Oct. 1 at Aqueduct. But the moment in which she nailed down her first graded stakes victory was short-lived. Sterling Silver was disqualified and placed second for interference in the stretch – but did earn a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98. “I’d like to see her run the same race – and not get disqualified,” said trainer Tom Albertrani. “It really was disappointing. We have to move on to the next one. “She’s been training very well. I mean, she’s probably training as well as she did before her last start. Hopefully, we get the same performance out of her.” Sterling Silver raced over the Iroquois distance in the Gallant Bloom. She stalked the pace in fourth before moving to the fore in the stretch under Javier Castellano, who again has the mount for owner Mark Anderson. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. “She likes to just hang back and make one big surge at the end like she did last time,” Albertrani said. “Hopefully, it sets up this time. We’ll see.” Sterling Silver, a top New York-bred sprinter who leads the Iroquois field in earnings with $570,488, will break from post 5 in the eight-horse race Sunday. “Going into her last race, she just looked the part,” Albertrani said. “We were very confident going into that race. I feel she’s going into this race just as well.” The stakes winner Bank On Anna could show speed as a fresh horse making her first start since August, and the multiple stakes-placed Security Code could add to the tempo. Cairo Sugar is cutting back in distance after winning a two-other-than allowance at a mile at Delaware Park. She showed speed in the race and is now seeking her second stakes win. Manny Franco has the mount on the daughter of Cairo Prince and the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Spun Sugar. Funny How is returning to Aqueduct, where she has registered all five of her career wins. Funny How is a stakes winner and Grade 3 placed and brings a strong pedigree to the table. Her dam, Heavenly Humor, was a multiple stakes winner and has produced a five-time stakes winner in Funny Guy. Rematch in Hudson Today’s Flavor and Thin White Duke will get a rematch in the Hudson after finishing one-two last out in the Belmont Turf Sprint that was moved to a wet main track Oct. 7 at Aqueduct. The horses were separated by a half-length. Today’s Flavor set the pace and was able to just hold off a charging Thin White Duke over six furlongs. It was the second straight win for Today’s Flavor, who won his maiden at the Hudson distance of 6 1/2 furlongs last November at Aqueduct. Castellano has the mount on the two-time stakes winner for Reddam Racing and trainer George Weaver. Thin White Duke has established himself as a turf sprinter of note, and the last time he raced at a distance similar to the Hudson he was second over seven furlongs on turf in July at Aqueduct. John Velazquez has the mount on the four-time stakes winner for trainer David Donk. Thin White Duke races for Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, Phil Gleaves, and Bryan Hilliard. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Today’s Flavor and Thin White Duke are both moving back into the New York-bred ranks after facing open company and are part of a deep field. Ny Traffic won his comeback from an extended layoff in an Aqueduct allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 15. He is a three-time stakes winner, as is Rotknee. Amundson won for a $45,000 claiming price last out at Saratoga and two horses he defeated came back to win in their next starts, including Aggregation, the sixth-place finisher who returned to account for a second-level allowance at Aqueduct with a Beyer Speed Figure of 89. Win for Gold is seeking his fourth straight win Sunday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.