Belmont at Big A: Bank Frenzy wins by neck in Empire Classic
Multiple stakes winner Bank Frenzy staved off a late bid from Doc Sullivan to capture the $250,000 Empire Classic, a 1 1/8-mile race on Saturday’s annual Empire showcase day at the Belmont at Aqueduct fall meet.
“It’s special. The New York-breds have been good to me,” said Bank Frenzy’s jockey Manny Franco, who won two stakes on the card. “I’m just happy to be in New York, doing well and getting good opportunities from the owners and trainers.”
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Owned by LSU Stables and trained by Rudy Rodríguez, Bank Frenzy earned his sixth career stakes victory, all in New York. The 5-year-old Central Banker chestnut inched that much closer to millionaire status. The gelding opened his 2025 season with consecutive state-bred wins in the Stymie and Haynesfield at Aqueduct and also annexed the state-bred Commentator at Saratoga in June.
Bank Frenzy added to his banner season Saturday when he traveled three wide in the early going, moving up to press pacesetter Iron Dome through the opening quarter-mile in 24.80 seconds. Bank Frenzy stayed at Iron Dome’s flank up the backstretch through fractions of 49.35 and 1:13.83 before inching his way to the lead in the middle of the homestretch despite drifting out.
Just as Bank Frenzy gained his advantage, Doc Sullivan came with a surge of his own in the final sixteenth, rallying along the rail and briefly sticking a head in front only to have Bank Frenzy find more and ultimately prevail by a neck.
“My horse likes to wait when he makes the front, but I knew that he had more under him and when (Doc Sullivan) engaged him to the inside, he gave me the effort that he has,” Franco said.
Doc Sullivan was 1 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Whittington Park. Quick to Accuse, Dr. Kraft and Iron Dome completed the order of finish. Chief Liam was scratched.
Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Bank Frenzy was the 2024 New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ champion older dirt male. He earned his 10th career victory from 20 career starts. He is out of Tiznow mare Storm Now, who is a full sister to multiple graded-stakes winner American Lion.