Preakness 2017: Classic Empire may still prove best
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When the horses go to the post a week from Saturday for Preakness 2017, look for Classic Empire to be the one horse which bettors and fans alike point to as the main threat to get in the way of Always Dreaming from heading to New York with two-thirds of the Triple Crown in tow. And for good reason, the Juvenile Champion of 2016 has proven himself topnotch time and time again. For such an excellent racehorse, though, the young career of the son of Pioneerof The Nile and Sambuca Classica has certainly been complicated.
Bred in Kentucky by Steve and Brandi Nicholson, the $475,000 yearling purchase by John Oxley began his racing career on Kentucky Derby week of last year, and faced adversity right away. Sent off at 1-2 for his 4 1/2-furlong debut, Classic Empire needed to overcome a slow start and a sloppy track right off the bat. As a forerunner for things to come, the young colt split horses and rallied wide to win going away on the off track.
Next came the Grade 3 Bashford Manor, again at Churchill Downs, and eight weeks later for the Mark Casse trained bay. He got a fast track for start #2, but this time ran into one of the quickest juveniles in the nation. Recruiting Ready looked absolutely home free at the eighth pole, but Classic Empire, demonstrating his extreme class, found a superior gear late, and inhaled the big leader in the final fifty yards to win in 1:09 1/5. After the race, his rider, Julien Leparoux, spoke of the talented colt's distracted nature. "We were down inside and he’s still a baby so when he broke slow he was kind of looking at all of the horses outside of him so he was a little green but after that he was very professional." That effort sent him off to Saratoga to be favored in the Grade 1 Hopeful.
Continuing the theme of complications, Classic Empire wheeled soon after the start, and dropped rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. The strange result remains the only race in which he was not ridden by Julien Leparoux.
Suddenly the promising career of Classic Empire was in disarray. Obviously full of talent, we were left to wonder whether his mental game would prevent him from taking things to the next level. Training well for his next race, we would soon see what this colt could really do. Stretched out to two-turns, and wearing blinkers for the first time, he kept his mind on his business and the result was his first Grade 1 win. His decisive victory in the Breeders' Futurity came over a host of good horses like, Lookin At Lee, Wild Shot, and Gunnevera.
"This is a very, very talented horse," remarked assistant trainer, Norm Casse after the win. "The day after the Hopeful (G1) (when he wheeled at the start and lost his rider), we got right to work on him. We put blinkers on him; we breezed him out of the gate several times. It paid dividends today. We’ll more forward from here. You’ve got to think this horse has plenty of room to improve."
Back on track, Classic Empire would head to California as one of the colts to beat in the biggest race of the year for two-year-olds. Sent off at 9-2 at Santa Anita, everything went smoothly for the Oxley owned star. In fact, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile was his best race yet. He fired big and held off Not This Time, in what was a terrific race by both.
With an Eclipse Award secured, Classic Empire headed into the 2017 Kentucky Derby trail as the horse to beat. While his juvenile season ended perfectly, nothing seemed to go right for him early in his three-year-old season.
First he acted up before his seasonal debut, the Grade 2 Holy Bull, and then when the real running began, he showed little as the 1-2 favorite, while Irish War Cry and Gunnevera ran away from him. Soon after the third-place disappointment, a hoof abscess was discovered, explaining his puzzling behavior and result.
Given time to get over that, Classic Empire then refused to train upon his return to the racetrack. The early Kentucky Derby favorite was treated for back pain, and it was loudly wondered if he would even make it to the Run for the Roses.
His patient team finally got him to train again by taking him to Winding Oaks Farm. Seemingly happy once again, the champion got in enough work to be ready to run in the final big Kentucky Derby prep on the schedule. The resulting run was just a little bit magical.
After everything he had been through the past few months, he probably should not have been able to win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, but he did. The champ was back, and was installed as the morning line favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Still, doubts lingered whether he could be truly 100% for the Derby after such a disorderly trail. The bettors decided on Always Dreaming as the favorite over Classic Empire, and they turned out to be right.
Of course, while all the accolades deserve to be heaped upon the impressive winner, it's quite natural to wonder what might have been if the 2yo champ had a good trip in the Derby. After repeated bumping, being shuffled well back, and a wide trip around the worst part of the track, Classic Empire beat 16 out of 19 in the Kentucky Derby. It was further proof of his class, but for his connections, the result was disappointing. Disappointment could not keep down the pride they felt for their horse, though.
"We’re so proud of Classic Empire,” said Norm Casse. "We don’t want to give any excuses for the trip but he ran very well with everything that happened this winter."
Now it's on to Baltimore. All eyes will be on the Derby winner, Always Dreaming, but to forget about Classic Empire would be a big mistake. He may be complicated, but he also could still be the best three-year-old out there.
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