WINMANWIN
03-30-2003, 05:33 PM
'Empire' in the making
Jeannine Edwards | Special to NTRA.com
Maybe this time all the hype regarding a talented 3-year-old will be justified. Maybe this year we will see superlative bloodlines and years of training, pampering, and management come to fruition in the form of a win in our sport's most prestigious event: the Kentucky Derby. After all, this 3-year-old has been heralded since the day he took his first breath. Now 3 years later, Empire Maker is finally living up to some of the hype and attention that have followed him from Juddmonte Farm in Kentucky, where he was born, raised and broken to the California barn of 4-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bobby Frankel.
The bloodlines are definitely classic material: by Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Unbridled, who prior to his untimely death had sired over 30 stakes winners including Unbridled's Song, Banshee Breeze, Red Bullet, and Grindstone (who also won the Kentucky Derby), out of one of the most prolific broodmares this generation has known; Grade 1 winner Toussaud. Toussaud has quietly made a name for herself as the modern Blue Hen of Juddmonte. In producing 6 foals up to and including Empire Maker, 5 of them are Graded stakes winners, with 4 posting Grade 1 wins: Chester House, Honest Lady, Chiselling, and now Empire Maker. The other, Decarchy, is a Grade 2 winner. So even before Empire Maker came into this world, aspirations for him were extremely high.
Toussaud herself was a handful and head case while in training. She began her career in Europe but was sent to Bobby Frankel in California partly because she was so difficult to handle. Many a morning the veteran horseman would see his blood pressure skyrocket because of Toussaud's antics on the track and refusal to train. Managing her stubborn, unruly and temperamental nature was a daily chore. But Frankel's patience and careful training did pay off with a Grade 1 win by Toussaud in the Gamely Handicap at Hollywood. All in all she won 4 of 9 starts for Frankel, and nearly $500,000. But having such a high-maintenance pupil takes a toll on any trainer; a sigh of relief could be heard all the way to the East Coast on the day Toussaud left the Frankel barn for the broodmare band at Juddmonte.
Immediately she proved to be worth her weight in gold as a producer; her very first foal was Gr.1 Arlington Million winner Chester House. Grade 1 winner Honest Lady was her second foal, and the stakes wins continued to pile up. Unfortunately, while her foals have obviously inherited her talent and ability, they have also been on the receiving end of the “eccentric” gene. Most of Toussaud's offspring have demonstrated the stubborn, willful behavior she became known for while at the racetrack. Fortunately, no one knows better how to handle those personality quirks than Frankel, who says so far while her offspring have been difficult to handle at times; none of her foals have come close to expressing the mulish temperament Mom possessed.
Empire Maker was a grand-looking, handsome individual from Day One. He was big, had an intelligent eye, confident air, and effortless way of moving. There was no doubt early on that he was special. His early training only affirmed that he had talent and his October 20, 2002 debut was smashing, winning under a hand ride by a widening margin. Frankel and jockey Jerry Bailey had a sneaking suspicion Empire Maker would need blinkers at some point because in the Gr.2 Remsen and subsequent Sham Stakes, (his 2nd and 3rd career starts) they felt the colt was not focusing 100%. Adding blinkers was something Frankel had been kicking around since last fall. After his 2nd place finish to Man Among Men in the Sham, Frankel decided the time had come. The rest, as they say, is history.
Empire Maker's Gr.1 Florida Derby effort was truly outstanding. He was sweating profusely in the warm and humid South Florida climate. His quirky disposition was on display when he balked several times before loading into the starting gate. Once the gate opened, Empire Maker sat much closer to the pace than in any of his previous races, evidently the blinkers making him a little “keener”. The pace was swift, a half in :46.1, the three-quarters in 1:10.3. While frontrunner Trust N Luck (the Fountain of Youth winner) held on gamely for second, he was left in the dust of Empire Maker, who drew away impressively to a near-10 length score. It finally appeared as though the heralding of a “superstar” had been vindicated.
Frankel is excited about Empire Maker for one simple reason: he feels his impeccably-bred colt is the most talented of this year's sophomore class. Whether or not his impressive Florida Derby win was a fluke will most likely be determined in New York on April 12, when Empire Maker ships east once again to run in the Wood Memorial. Frankel will gate-school his gifted pupil several times prior to the Wood, to ensure we don't see a repeat of the antics witnessed in Florida. The trainer knows Empire Maker can't be manhandled; his delicate disposition must be managed with kid gloves. However obstinate or temperamental he chooses to be, this colt can run and his connections have waited 3 years to see him carry their dreams from the pastures of Juddmonte to that infield winner's circle at Churchill Downs. It appears as though their dreams may be taking wing.
Jeannine Edwards | Special to NTRA.com
Maybe this time all the hype regarding a talented 3-year-old will be justified. Maybe this year we will see superlative bloodlines and years of training, pampering, and management come to fruition in the form of a win in our sport's most prestigious event: the Kentucky Derby. After all, this 3-year-old has been heralded since the day he took his first breath. Now 3 years later, Empire Maker is finally living up to some of the hype and attention that have followed him from Juddmonte Farm in Kentucky, where he was born, raised and broken to the California barn of 4-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bobby Frankel.
The bloodlines are definitely classic material: by Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Unbridled, who prior to his untimely death had sired over 30 stakes winners including Unbridled's Song, Banshee Breeze, Red Bullet, and Grindstone (who also won the Kentucky Derby), out of one of the most prolific broodmares this generation has known; Grade 1 winner Toussaud. Toussaud has quietly made a name for herself as the modern Blue Hen of Juddmonte. In producing 6 foals up to and including Empire Maker, 5 of them are Graded stakes winners, with 4 posting Grade 1 wins: Chester House, Honest Lady, Chiselling, and now Empire Maker. The other, Decarchy, is a Grade 2 winner. So even before Empire Maker came into this world, aspirations for him were extremely high.
Toussaud herself was a handful and head case while in training. She began her career in Europe but was sent to Bobby Frankel in California partly because she was so difficult to handle. Many a morning the veteran horseman would see his blood pressure skyrocket because of Toussaud's antics on the track and refusal to train. Managing her stubborn, unruly and temperamental nature was a daily chore. But Frankel's patience and careful training did pay off with a Grade 1 win by Toussaud in the Gamely Handicap at Hollywood. All in all she won 4 of 9 starts for Frankel, and nearly $500,000. But having such a high-maintenance pupil takes a toll on any trainer; a sigh of relief could be heard all the way to the East Coast on the day Toussaud left the Frankel barn for the broodmare band at Juddmonte.
Immediately she proved to be worth her weight in gold as a producer; her very first foal was Gr.1 Arlington Million winner Chester House. Grade 1 winner Honest Lady was her second foal, and the stakes wins continued to pile up. Unfortunately, while her foals have obviously inherited her talent and ability, they have also been on the receiving end of the “eccentric” gene. Most of Toussaud's offspring have demonstrated the stubborn, willful behavior she became known for while at the racetrack. Fortunately, no one knows better how to handle those personality quirks than Frankel, who says so far while her offspring have been difficult to handle at times; none of her foals have come close to expressing the mulish temperament Mom possessed.
Empire Maker was a grand-looking, handsome individual from Day One. He was big, had an intelligent eye, confident air, and effortless way of moving. There was no doubt early on that he was special. His early training only affirmed that he had talent and his October 20, 2002 debut was smashing, winning under a hand ride by a widening margin. Frankel and jockey Jerry Bailey had a sneaking suspicion Empire Maker would need blinkers at some point because in the Gr.2 Remsen and subsequent Sham Stakes, (his 2nd and 3rd career starts) they felt the colt was not focusing 100%. Adding blinkers was something Frankel had been kicking around since last fall. After his 2nd place finish to Man Among Men in the Sham, Frankel decided the time had come. The rest, as they say, is history.
Empire Maker's Gr.1 Florida Derby effort was truly outstanding. He was sweating profusely in the warm and humid South Florida climate. His quirky disposition was on display when he balked several times before loading into the starting gate. Once the gate opened, Empire Maker sat much closer to the pace than in any of his previous races, evidently the blinkers making him a little “keener”. The pace was swift, a half in :46.1, the three-quarters in 1:10.3. While frontrunner Trust N Luck (the Fountain of Youth winner) held on gamely for second, he was left in the dust of Empire Maker, who drew away impressively to a near-10 length score. It finally appeared as though the heralding of a “superstar” had been vindicated.
Frankel is excited about Empire Maker for one simple reason: he feels his impeccably-bred colt is the most talented of this year's sophomore class. Whether or not his impressive Florida Derby win was a fluke will most likely be determined in New York on April 12, when Empire Maker ships east once again to run in the Wood Memorial. Frankel will gate-school his gifted pupil several times prior to the Wood, to ensure we don't see a repeat of the antics witnessed in Florida. The trainer knows Empire Maker can't be manhandled; his delicate disposition must be managed with kid gloves. However obstinate or temperamental he chooses to be, this colt can run and his connections have waited 3 years to see him carry their dreams from the pastures of Juddmonte to that infield winner's circle at Churchill Downs. It appears as though their dreams may be taking wing.