Classic Empire has fine pedigree
Likely Belmont favorite’s sire also produced American Pharoah
Classic Empire was bred to be a champion, an honor he captured last year as the nation’s top juvenile male.
His pedigree may again come to the fore in next Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown that is often called “The Test of the Champion.”
Classic Empire is likely to be favored in the Belmont.
After the Kentucky Derby at 1 ¼ miles and the Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles in just two weeks, the Belmont actually increases the pressure, asking its contestants to finish the series at 1 ½ miles.
Classic Empire is a son of Pioneerof the Nile, who is the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
No further proof of his sire power is necessary, although as a son of the genetically rich Empire Maker, winner of the Belmont Stakes, and grandson of Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled you’ve got all the evidence you need.
Classic Empire is out of Sambuca Classica, a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Cat Thief.
Her mother, In Her Glory, was third in the Acorn Stakes to Hall of Fame great Sky Beauty.
Third dam Forever Waving, by the brilliant Hoist the Flag, is a half-sister to champion Revidere, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks at 1 ½ miles.
And fourth dam Quillesian is a sister to Princessnesian, who defeated males in the Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles.
If the Belmont Stakes was at 2 miles, Classic Empire could handle it.
The top two challengers to Classic Empire in the Belmont, at this writing, are Irish War Cry, winner of the Wood Memorial, and Gormley, winner of the Santa Anita Derby.
Irish War Cry is a son of Curlin, the two-time Horse of the Year who won the Preakness, Jockey Club Gold
Cup, Dubai World Cup, and Breeders’ Cup Classic during his career.
He is a major source of stamina, and in his still young stallion career has already sired Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, Preakness winner Exaggerator, and Travers winner Keen Ice.
Irish War Cry’s female family is less impressive in terms of the accomplishments of the broodmares.
However, they are all by sires with major stamina.
His mother, Irish Sovereign, is by Polish Numbers, a son of the great sire Danzig out of the champion filly and top mare Numbered Account from the Phipps family.
Second dam Irish Genius is a daughter of Irish Trip, who is by Saint Crespin III, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at 1 ½ miles.
Fourth dam Tabebuia II is by Tambourine, winner of the Irish Derby at 1 ¼ miles, while fifth dam Nectandria is a half-sister to Epsom Derby winner Psidium.
Gormley completes the trio, and he is a son of Malibu Moon, whose sire A.P. Indy won the Belmont Stakes and is himself a son of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.
Malibu Moon is the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Coaching Club American Oaks winner Funny Moon.
Gormley is out of Race to Urga, a winner on turf by Bernstein.
Her grandmother, Troika, is by the longwinded Strawberry Road.
Fourth dam Estrapade, is a daughter of Vaguely Noble, also a winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Estrapade was the champion female turf horse of 1986, when she defeated males in the Arlington Million at 1 ¼ miles, and in the Oak Tree Invitational at 1 ½ miles.
Classic Empire, Irish War Cry and Gormley are the “Big Three” of the Belmont Stakes in terms of pedigree, and it will be interesting to see how they perform next weekend. Michael Veitch writes about horse racing Wednesdays in The Saratogian and The Record. He may be reached at patelin@nycap.rr.com.