DAMON RUNYON S., $100,000, AQU, 1-15, (S), 3yo, 1m, 1:38.75, ft.
1–EMPIRE LINE, 116, c, 3, by Morning Line
1st Dam: Homecoming Dance, by Vindication
2nd Dam: Autumnal, by Forestry
3rd Dam: Marie J, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ($50,000 Ylg '16 SARAUG; $180,000 2yo
'17 EASMAY). O-West Point Thoroughbreds & RAP Racing;
B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (NY); T-George
Weaver; J-Eric Cancel. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$93,000.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”]2–Evaluator, 122, c, 3, Overanalyze–Show Me the Carats, by
More Than Ready. ($30,000 Ylg '16 SARAUG). O-R & H Stable;
B-EKQ Stables Corp. (NY); T-Michael Dilger. $20,000.[bullet ad=”all-in-line-broken-trained”]3–Morning Breez, 116, c, 3, Morning Line–Tico Breeze, by
Carson City. ($62,000 Wlg '15 FTNMIX; $65,000 Ylg '16
SARAUG). O-John Caputo & Lady DelPo & The Boys Racing LLC;
B-Hart Farm & Rhapsody Farm (NY); T-Carlos F. Martin. $10,000.[bullet ad=”hartfarm-hip228″]Margins: NO, 4 3/4, 6 1/4. Odds: 2.00, 4.80, 6.80.
Also Ran: Battle Station, Smooth Move, Seven Lilies, Jaye Jaye.
Empire Line scored on debut with a very professional performance against fellow state-breds locally Dec. 1. He entered Monday with a bullet five-furlong work in 1:01 flat (1/12) over the Belmont training track Jan. 9.
The favorite traveled in the four path third tracking pacesetter Morning Breez through a :23.25 opening quarter. The dark bay continued to gain while three wide on the far turn and got on even terms with the leader turning for home. Empire Line took command at the eighth pole, but had to hold off a resilient Evaluator in the final strides to get his nose down first in the shadow of the wire to stay unbeaten.
According to David Grening of the Daily Racing Form, West Point Thoroughbreds bought the winner at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale and was contacted by former Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, who also bid on the horse, to buy a piece of Empire Line. Homecoming Dance is a half to the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victor Rushing Fall (More Than Ready). She also has a juvenile filly by Tapizar and visited Paynter last season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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