US Gates
EMPIRE MAKER'S FIRST BOOK
Juddmonte Manager Garrett O’Rourke has two big reasons to keep
smiling during the cold, gloomy days of winter.
First, he soon will be overseeing the beginning of Juddmonte’s
homebred Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Empire Maker’s career at stud.
Winner of three Grade 1 races, earner of $1,985,800, and out of
2003 Broodmare of the Year Toussaud, Empire Maker has given
O’Rourke all the reasons he needs to be unabashedly bullish about
the four-year-old’s potential as a stallion. Empire Maker will
stand for $100,000.
And, as he sits in his office, O’Rourke has the privilege of
scanning Empire Maker’s first book of about 110 mares.
“It’s going to be nothing but Grade 1-caliber mares,” he said.
“That was our goal – to get him the very, very best mares.”
Reaching into the deep pool of its own esteemed broodmare band,
Juddmonte plans to support Empire Maker with 24 mares this year.
The farm owned by Saudi Arabian Prince Khalid Abdullah already has
accepted virtually all of the outside mares it will allow to visit
the son of Unbridled, and O’Rourke also can look forward to those
mares generating income of at least $7-million, in breeding
fees.
Flute, a six-year-old daughter of Seattle Slew who won the 2001
Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1), leads the Juddmonte
mares booked to Empire Maker, along with Tates Creek, a
six-year-old daughter of Rahy who triumphed in the ’03 Yellow
Ribbon Stakes (G1) and Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G1) on the
turf.
Other Juddmonte Farms in line for Empire Maker are Dokki, who
has produced Grade 1 winners Sleep Easy and Aptitude; Harpia, a
Grade 3 winner by Danzig who is a full sister to the late
international leading sire Danehill; and Carya, who produced 1997
European and American champion Ryafan.
Among the mares owned by other breeders, two of the best
three-year-old fillies of 2003 are logged into Empire Maker’s book
– Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes (G1) winner Bird Town, by Cape
Town, and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes
(G1) winner Spoken Fur, by Notebook.
Others include Grade 2 winner and $1,819,781-earner Lu Ravi;
Evil Elaine, dam of 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick; Ivory
Idol, dam of ’99 champion juvenile male Anees; Tangled Up in Blue,
who produced Grade 1 winner Exogenous; Desert Queen, dam of Grade 1
winner Marylebone; and Aurora, who produced Grade 1 winner
Arch.
For a look at some of the mares being sent by Juddmonte
click here
Date:
24 February 2004