Already proven deadly when allowed a clear lead up front, Glorious Empire earned his third graded tally of 2018 Saturday while defeating a very stellar group in the process.
A well-documented bleeder (see Taking Stock: From Retired Bleeder to Grade I Winner) who had spent time in both Great Britain and Hong Kong, Glorious Empire was claimed by owner Matt Schera and trainer Carlos Martin for $62,500 last May. He was transferred to the Chuck Lawrence barn for his 7-year-old campaign, and scored a convincing Delaware optional claiming victory in June before running away with Saratoga's GII Bowling Green S. in July. Bettors and his competitors dismissed that effort out of hand, and he returned in the GI Sword Dancer S. the following month to do it all over again–that time at 15-1. He was eased after briefly showing the way in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Nov. 3, but showed no signs of stopping here.
Reunited with veteran Edgar Prado for the first time since his Delaware win, posted an opening split of :23.57 over the rain-softened turf before slowing it down from there in :48.13 and 1:12.57. Still going strong as he hit the quarter pole, he never looked for catching, but Qurbaan worked his way into a clear second late.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FT. LAUDERDALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 12-15, 3yo/up,
1 1/8mT, 1:48.44, gd.
1–GLORIOUS EMPIRE (IRE), 123, g, 7, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)&log=">Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
1st Dam: Humble And Proud (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Delauncy (GB), by Machiavellian
3rd Dam: Casey (GB), by Caerleon
(€20,000 Wlg '11 GOFNOV; 90,000gns Ylg '12 TAOCT).
O-Matthew Schera; B-Patrick Grogan (IRE); T-James L.
Lawrence, II; J-Edgar S. Prado. $114,080. Lifetime Record:
GISW, 25-10-0-3, $966,227. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Qurbaan, 123, h, 5, Speightstown–Flip Flop (Fr), by Zieten.
($300,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Justin
Carthy (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin. $36,800.
3–Hi Happy (Arg), 119, h, 6, Pure Prize–Historia (Arg), by French
Deputy. O/B-La Providencia (ARG); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$18,400.
Margins: 2HF, 3/4, 1. Odds: 7.50, 6.40, 5.30.
Also Ran: Inspector Lynley, Divisidero, Almanaar (GB), Zulu Alpha, Doctor Mounty, Projected (GB), Postulation, Blacktype (Fr), Quarteto de Cordas (Brz), Mr Havercamp. Scratched: Zennor, Revved Up, Oscar Nominated. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
“The instructions were very easy,” Hall of Famer Prado said. “The horse loves to be on the lead. My only concern was [Blacktype]. If the horse didn't chase me I was able to take a nice, easy lead and try to slow it down and have something left in the end, and that's exactly what happened in the race. He broke sharp, I was able to put him in a good spot, and he was moving easy all the way around. When I asked him. he really gave me a good kick. He finished running really strong.”
Off the Breeders' Cup no-show, Lawrence said, “Julien said the horse just didn't handle the soft turf and he just took care of him. Physically the horse was fine and came out 100%, so I mapped out a series of races for him, thinking of the [Jan. 26 GI] Pegasus [World Cup Turf] possibly, along with some others. Someone called me and said maybe he'd be in line for an Eclipse Award, so we really targeted this, as the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I think we'll definitely think about the Pegasus World Cup, but it'll all be up to Matt.”
For more on the owner, see Rain or Shine, 'Glorious' Breeders' Cup Forecast for Schera.
Pedigree Notes:
Glorious Empire's 2-year-old full-brother Thebeastfortheeast (Ire) broke his maiden third out over the Dundalk all-weather Nov. 30.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
