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The Empire Strikes Back! Empire Wins the Preakness Stakes
Original article written by Sarah Chase posted 17 years 2 weeks agoTwo weeks ago, Susie Raisher watched anxiously as her colt, Empire, dueled down the stretch in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) only to have the win snatched from him by Coup D'etat. Today, in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Empire got his revenge with a gutsy win over the lone filly, Wonder.
Raisher is no stranger to the big time. Back in Year 7, she won the Preakness with superstar and eventual Champion Older Male Gotham City. Her barn also includes champions Runaway, Riddle Me This, Whileaworldsleeps, and Wild Island Twist, Faith Unwavering, Royal Moment, Three of a Kind, and Pageantry. However, she may best be known for her stunning upsets in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) with Birthday Candles and Duskinthemeadow. Unlike Birthday and Dusk, however, Empire was no surprise. The tough bay colt hails from a family famous for its Breeders' Cup and classic winners.
Empire's dam, Royalty, was Champion 3yo Filly after winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) and later was voted Broodmare of the Year. All five of her foals are graded stakes winners, with her three fillies' consecutive Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) wins making a definite point on Royalty's resume. Empire's half sister, Crown, is the dam of recent Dubai World Cup (gr. I) victor Throne, while Cloak is best known for producing Edict, last year's Preakness and this week's Pimlico Special (gr. I) winner. Champion Tiara has a multiple stakes winner in Majesty.
The Preakness marked the return of Lane's End (gr. III) dominator California. The Laura Ferguson trainee was kept out of the Derby by a hoof abcess, or as it's informally known on the backside, "a zit on his foot." The A.P. Indy colt placed third today. Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Image was a troubled eighth, trailing the field, while Coup D'etat found himself a close fourth behind the dueling Empire and Wonder and game California. Excursion, after impressively taking the UAE 2000 Guineas (gr. I) and Derby (gr. I), failed to menace after a slow start.
Yes, it was a very good week to be Susie Raisher. As Empire battled it out for the classic win, on the opposite coast the highly regarded Majesty (a "newphew" of Empire) smashed home in the Snow Chief Stakes (gr. III). Raisher said, beaming as she patted Empire on the neck, "I'm really just incredibly proud of this horse. He's been a total pro from day one and has never disappointed me. He just does absolutely everything right and I'm so privileged to have him in my barn. Congratulations to Dave Shields and Laura Ferguson as well… their horses ran huge! I also want to thank his breeder, Alysse Jacobs, who gave me a few incredibly talented individuals and whose influence is stamped all over Empire's pedigree."
Raisher has not yet decided whether her colt will go on to contest the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), planning to rest Empire in New York and adopt a "wait and see" attitude.