Leparoux's ride leads Glorious Empire to Sword Dancer win

Jockey Julien Leparoux allowed Glorious Empire to run fast early, then managed to save for a late run to win Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer Stakes in wire-to-wire fashion.

Off at 15-1, the last-out dead heat winner of Saratoga's Grade 2 Bowling Green again battled with Channel Maker, the horse he hit the wire even with back on July 28. But this time, the challenger couldn't keep up as they upped the distance from 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2.

Glorious Empire finished in 2:24.41.

"When he slowed it down, I was pretty happy and I just kept yelling throughout the turn, 'Julien, let him go, let him go,'" said trainer William Lawrence, who scored his first Grade 1 win. "I knew he was fit. It was just a matter of getting the wire to come fast enough. He responded at the top of the lane. That was really special."

"He traveled very good for me, and he's got that kick, you know, and at the end he just exploded," the jockey said.

The 7-year-old by Holy Roman Emperor -- a former claimer -- dashed from the gate, opening with a 23.16-seconds quarter mile. Setting an easier pace the rest of the way, the mile went in 1:38.82, still swift, but not at the rate where the pace collapsed.

Another stakes win earned James Lawrence-trained Glorious Empire an expenses-paid trip to the Breeders' Cup Turf.