Classic Empire tops the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday but he sure didn’t scare anybody away. Classic Empire has eight rivals in the $350,000 Grade 2 mile and a sixteenth feature with 62% of the purse going to the winning owner.
This race is named for a true superstar. Holy Bull was the 1994 Horse of the Year and he only lost three times in sixteen starts.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ Classic Empire is also looking to earn 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.
Javier Castellano will be aboard the rail horse Gunnevera Saturday and this $16,000 purchase flattered Classic Empire in his last win. Gunnervera was beaten easily by the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and then won the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs next out.
Perro Rojo beat six rivals to graduate at Delaware last year but has been in a major funk since. He has been beaten double digits in his last four starts.
Classic Empire goes from post 3. The Eclipse Award winner trained forwardly last month with this engagement in mind. Trained by Mark Casse, note that the seventh finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile won the Grade 3 Sham next out and the ninth finisher also took a Grade 3 next out. Classic Empire will be trying to follow in the footsteps of Barbaro, who won the Holy Bull eleven years ago and went on to win the Kentucky Derby.
Talk Logistics must show he can go this far. The son of High Cotton won sprinting in his debut but has only been in the money in the last pair. The colt seems to be feeling his oats as he drilled a fast half-mile last Saturday and seems to be coming to the race in the right manner.
Irish War Cry puts his unbeaten record on the line Saturday. Bred in New Jersey, the Graham Motion trainee won his 2016 finale on New Year’s Eve but the win was just by a nose in the seven-furlong Marylander Stakes. Coming out of the sprints, one would expect him to be forwardly spotted this time.
Fact Finding looms the major threat to Classic Empire. The Todd Pletcher trainee has speed but doesn’t seem to be speed crazy. He has not missed a beat in the mornings since winning his Gulfstream debut in the $75,000 Smooth Air takes.
Shamsaan lost his first three starts but took to the sloppy surface last time and reveled in the off going. The Kiaran McLaughlin runner has a nice turn of late foot but he will need help up front to have his best chance. McLaughlin has won this race in two of the last three years including in 2016 with Mohaymen.
Cavil, also trained by McLaughlin, was dueled into submission last time. He is bred to run all day long and he brings tactical speed to the table.
Fire for Effect will have to overcome the outside slot. Trained by Dale Romans, the youngster is bred to be a nice horse as he cost $250,000. He was dismissed on the tote board in his debut and then was mugged right out of the gate. He stretched out successfully January 7 at Gulfstream and he flashed a solid late kick.
Here is how the pace could unfold for the Holy Bull. The inside two horses are speed challenged and figure to be far back early on. Talk Logistic also will have to come from off the early pace. Perro Rojo has zero speed and will be far back as will Shamsaan and Fire for Effect.
Classic Empire could very well fall into a solid stalk and pounce kind of a journey while that leaves Fact Finding, Cavil and maybe Irish War Cry duking it out to make the lead.
The splits of the race should be legit. One could easily see the pace being something like :47 for the half-mile and 1:11 and change for six furlongs.
As far as Beyer Speed Figures are concerned, Classic Empire towers over this field. He earned a 102 Beyer winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and no other Holy Bull entrant has been able to manage an 89 Beyer or higher.
Classic Empire figures to be breathing down the necks of his rivals at the top of the lane before inhaling them in the final sixteenth of a mile.
