TONY MORRIS - EMPIRE MAKER ARTICLE
World of Breeding: Empire adding lustre to world's
greatest mare
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.
Published: 18/03/2003 (Racing Post - Features) Tony
Morris
Date: 19 March 2003