Empressive Humor Faces Winners in Adirondack

Third choice in a field of six, the chestnut daughter of Distorted Humor saved ground behind favored pacesetter Overspending into the stretch before swinging to the outside for a duel down the lane that ended with Empressive Humor a neck in front at the wire.

Trained by Steve Asmussen for owner-breeder Jerry Durant, Empressive Humor ran five furlongs in 58.31 seconds under jockey Rosie Napravnik. Joel Rosario takes the reins for the 6 ½-furlong Adirondack from outside post seven.

"She's a mature-minded, physically mature filly that did everything extremely right in her first race," said Asmussen. "She came out of it in very good shape."

In 2011, Asmussen won the Adirondack with My Miss Aurelia in her second start. She went on to win the Grade 1 Frizette and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies en route to Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors.

"It's a huge jump from a maiden race to a graded stake at Saratoga," said Asmussen, "but she has given us all indications that she deserves the opportunity."