TONY MORRIS ON EMPIRE MAKER
World of Breeding: Empire adding lustre to world's greatest
mare
Published: 18/03/2003 (Features) Tony Morris (from the
Racing Post)
IT'S amazing what you can learn in the course of a daily stroll
around Newmarket, though it must be said that some days can be more
productive than others.
On August 19 last year I happened to run into Juddmonte aide John
Chandler in Tindall's, our High Street bookstore, and our
conversation naturally focussed on the events of the last two days,
which Khalid Abdullah had referred to as the best weekend of his
life.
Chandler, the South African-born, Kentucky-based breeder who
oversees Juddmonte's racing interests in the States, had just flown
in from Chicago (where Beat Hollow had won the Arlington Million
and Chiselling the Secretariat Stakes) by way of Deauville (where
Banks Hill had completed a memorable Grade 1/Group 1 treble in the
Prix Jacques le Marois). Twenty-five years into a breeding odyssey
started from scratch, Juddmonte had reached yet another wonderful
landmark.
As Beat Hollow and Banks Hill represented familiar territory, it
was Chiselling and his remarkable dam Toussaud who most aroused my
curiosity. She must be some kind of mare to have produced three
Grade 1 winners (Chester House, Honest Lady and Chiselling) and a
Grade 2 winner (Decarchy) from her first five foals, all by
different sires.
That's when the information was vouchsafed. "It might seem stupid
to say so, seeing that he hasn't run, but I'm convinced that
Toussaud's two-year-old is the best she has yet produced," Chandler
remarked.
I should have taken more notice, perhaps even passed on the news
more expeditiously. On Saturday that latest Toussaud star, Empire
Maker, became her fourth Grade 1 scorer with a runaway triumph in
the Florida Derby that catapulted him to short-priced favouritism
for the Kentucky Derby. It was a performance so overwhelming that
it is not unrealistic to consider him a genuine contender for the
Triple Crown honours that have eluded all since Affirmed in
1978.
Empire Maker did not appear until two months after my chance
encounter with Chandler, when he trotted up in a mile maiden at
Belmont Park. And he ran only once more as a juvenile, finishing
third to the more seasoned Toccet in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at
Aqueduct after a stumble at the start.
Lack of experience told again on his second-season debut in the
Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on February 7, when he idled in the rear
before delivering a challenge that failed by a length against Man
Among Men.
Trainer Bobby Frankel swiftly concluded that the addition of
blinkers would make him more alert for the Florida Derby, and in
the run-up to that race he steadfastly insisted that this colt,
still just a maiden winner, was his number one hope for Churchill
Downs, even after stablemate Peace Rules had scored impressively in
the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.
Empire Maker gave a devastating display at Gulfstream,
trouncing, by ten lengths, a favourite (Trust N Luck) who was
already a Group 1 winner over the track and distance. Jerry Bailey
had him in close touch until the turn for home, asked for
acceleration and promptly got it. Though still green and unable to
switch leads, Empire Maker powered away in an exhibition of sheer
class.
His trainer, remarkably still without a win in any of the Triple
Crown events, must fancy his chances of completing the set with a
colt who is not yet the finished article, but is demonstrably not
far short of it.
If there was one negative aspect to Saturday's experience it was
perhaps the brief hiatus at the start, where Empire Maker was
initially reluctant to enter his stall. But Frankel has time
available to educate his prodigy.
Anyway, Empire Maker's spot of mild eccentricity in Florida was
as nothing compared to the antics that Frankel needed to circumvent
with the colt's dam, on her transfer from John Gosden ten years
ago.
Perhaps influenced by her English upbringing, Toussaud did not
see why she always had to gallop
left-handed, and there were times when her trainer was forced to
wait for the track to be cleared and let her take her exercise
right-handed; she would not even do that unless she started from a
stall. Allowing her such indulgence paid off, as the filly, whose
top performance in England had been at Group 3 level, notched a
Grade 1 win in the Gamely Handicap, finished fourth in a Breeders'
Cup Mile, and added $500,000 to her bankroll.
If Empire Maker is his mother's son - his head displays an
almost identical star - so be it. Her brood are not seriously
quirky, and, with the lone exception of a Gone West colt who
suffered early injuries, they are gifted far beyond the norms.
While it is true that she has not consorted with nonentities, the
fact that she has delivered major winners by Mr Prospector, Seattle
Slew, Distant View, Woodman and Unbridled allows us to believe that
there is something special she bestows on her produce. Not to put
too fine a point on it, she is currently the world's outstanding
broodmare.
Empire Maker's sire, Unbridled, was himself a top-class runner -
winner of the Florida-Kentucky Derby double and a Breeders' Cup
Classic - and a sire of major consequence, albeit one with whom
there tended to be soundness issues. The charge of inconsistency
was frequently levelled against him, and with some justification,
but when his stock have been good, they have tended to be very
good.
From eight crops aged three or over, totalling 457 foals,
Unbridled has 15 individual Graded Stakes winners. There is nothing
outstanding about that, but nine of them have collected at Grade 1
level, and their haul includes a Kentucky Derby (Grindstone), a
Preakness (Red Bullet), a Travers (Unshaded), a CCA Oaks (Banshee
Breeze) and two editions of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Unbridled's
Song and Anees).
Unbridled, who was put down after a colic in October 2001, could
always supply class if his mates could add the necessary toughness.
His liaison with Toussaud, featuring duplications of In Reality and
Buckpasser, has assuredly added more class to the blend.
Pedigree Assessment
Sire: Unbridled
Bred by Tartan Farms Corporation in Florida. $70,000 Tartan Farms
Dispersal foal. Won 8 of 24 races, viz. 2 out of 6 at 2 years, 4
(inc. Florida Derby-Gr1, Kentucky Derby-G1, Breeders' Cup
Classic-Gr1) out of 11 at 3 years, 2 out of 7 at 4 years. Champion
3-y-o colt. Earned $4,489,475.
Big (16.3hh), strong, well-made, ideally suited by 10f on dirt, but
Gr1-placed only start on grass.
Well-bred, by one of the best stallion sons of an exceptional
sire. Brother to Gr1 winner Cahill Road. Out of a 6-time winner who
is half-sister to Gr3-placed stakes-winner Pentelicus.
Died October 2001. Stood at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Kentucky; last
advertised fee (1999) $50,000. Sire of 9 crops of racing age, inc.
notable winners: Grindstone (Kentucky Derby-Gr1), Unbridled's Song
(Breeders' Cup Juvenile S.-Gr1, Florida Derby-Gr1), Unbridled Hope
(Gr3), Banshee Breeze (Coaching Club American Oaks-Gr1, Alabama
S.-Gr1, Spinster S.-Gr1, Apple Blossom H.-Gr1, Go for Wand H.-Gr1),
Manistique (Santa Margarita H.-Gr1, Vanity H.-Gr1, Santa Maria
H.-Gr1), Anees (Breeders' Cup Juvenile S.-Gr1), Broken Vow (Gr2),
Malabar Gold (Gr3), Red Bullet (Preakness S.-Gr1), Unshaded
(Travers S.-Gr1), Exogenous (Gazelle H.-Gr1, Beldame S.-Gr1), Surya
(Gr2), Belterra (Gr1), Saarland (Gr2), Empire Maker (Florida
Derby-Gr1).
Dam: Toussaud
Bred by Juddmonte Farms in Kentucky. Won 7 (6-9f) of 15 starts,
viz. 0 out of 1 at 2yo, 3 (inc. Criterion S.-Gr3) out of 6 at 3yo,
4 (inc. Wilshire H.-Gr2, Gamely H.-Gr1, American H.-Gr2) out of 8
at 4yo. Earned $552,450. Timeform 75p at 2, 110 at 3.
Quite well-made, showed progressive form throughout her career with
J. Gosden and R. Frankel, finally top-class.
Very well-bred. By an outstanding miler who also won an Irish
Derby and who proved an excellent sire, limited in influence by
poor fertility. Sister to a Gr3 turf winner in US, half-sister to
Canadian stakes-winner Image Of Class (by Codex), and Irish
Gr3-placed winner Projection (by Topsider). Dam Gr2 winner,
Gr1-placed, also Gr2-placed on grass.
Grand-dam minor winner of 3 from 12 starts. Family of high-class
Irish/American 10-12f performer Hail The Pirates.
To stud at 5 years and dam of: Chester House (1995 c by Mr
Prospector; Gr1 winner), Honest Lady (1996 f by Seattle Slew; Gr1
winner), Decarchy (1997 c by Distant View; Gr2 winner),
Civilisation (1998 c by Gone West; unplaced), Chiselling
(1999 c by Woodman; Gr1 winner), Empire Maker (2000 c by Unbridled;
Gr1 winner). Has yearling filly by Seeking The Gold, a foal by
Kingmambo and will be covered by AP Indy.
Conclusion
The talking horse screamed his class at Gulfstream, suggesting
superstar quality. The obvious Kentucky Derby favourite, with
genuine Triple Crown potential.
Date:
19 March 2003