ANTICIPATION HIGH for EMPIRE MAKER YEARLINGS Lucas Marquardt Chats with Gainesway’S Michael Hernon About Saturday=S G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S
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SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2018 ANTICIPATION HIGH FOR BELMONT ALSO-RANS START SECOND HALF IN JIM DANDY EMPIRE MAKER YEARLINGS Two months ago, Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tenfold (Curlin) came less than a length from upsetting Justify (Scat Daddy)’s bid for history. Saturday, with the undefeated Triple Crown winner now retired from racing, the lightly raced homebred will be one of five sophomore colts looking to forge to the front of their division in the second half of the year starting with the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. A blowout winner on debut Feb. 9 at Oaklawn, Tenfold repeated in an optional claimer there Mar. 18 before running fifth in the GI Arkansas Derby. Undeterred, trainer Steve Asmussen sent his charge to Pimlico for the GI Preakness S., Click here for a video interview with Gainesway’s where he finished up strongly to be third, beaten three-quarters Michael Hernon discussing Empire Maker and his yearlings. of a length. He couldn’t get that close to Justify in the GI Belmont S., however, finishing fifth, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. Multiple Grade I winner Empire Maker (Unbridled) was Cont. p6 (Click here) standing in Japan from 2011 to 2015, but his influence was certainly felt Stateside even during those years. His daughter IN TDN EUROPE TODAY Royal Delta turned in a trio of Eclipse Award-winning seasons from 2011 to 2013; his brilliantly quick Grade I-winning son MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS IN Bodemeister ran a valiant second in the 2012 GI Kentucky Derby KING GEORGE Saturday’s G1 King George VI and Queen before siring his own Derby winner in 2017 hero Always Elizabeth S. at Ascot is expected to provide some answers Dreaming; and, of course, his son Pioneerof the Nile has about the leaders of the middle-distance division. emerged himself as one of the country’s most important Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. stallions thanks to the exploits of 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah and 2016 champion juvenile Classic Empire. Gainesway and Don Alberto Corp. partnered to bring Empire Maker back to Kentucky for the 2016 breeding season, and with his first U.S.-sired yearlings since then set to sell at Saratoga and Kentucky in the coming weeks, TDN’s Lucas Marquardt caught up with Gainesway’s Michael Hernon. LM: You partnered with Don Alberto Corp. to repatriate Empire Maker. Why did you target him? MH: It was a wonderful piece of business to combine with Don Alberto and bring Empire Maker here to Gainesway. His first U.S. crop since his return are now yearlings. He really dominates his mares. They look the part. Of course, he was a three-time Grade I-winning champion himself, and he's become a hugely influential stallion with the likes of Pioneer of the Nile, Bodemeister, and that line which has produced champion Classic Empire and the top young stallion Cairo Prince. Empire Maker has now sired 11 Grade I winners. He's hugely influential. 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Vanderbilt H.-GI, Sar TJCIS PPs TVG/Sar Live International Editor 5:40p Bowling Green S.-GII, Sar TJCIS PPs TVG/Sar Live Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN 6:18p Jim Dandy S.-GII, Sar TJCIS PPs TVG/Sar Live [email protected] European Editor 9:00p Bing Crosby S.-GI, Dmr TJCIS PPs TVG Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 8 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JULY 28, 2018 LM: He had just three weanlings sell from three on offer last year, but they averaged $343,333. That put him as the #5 leading sire by that metric. Are you expecting a similar reception from the market in 2018? MH: I think the market is excited and aware of these first yearlings since Empire Maker's return to stud duty here at Gainesway. There will be quite a few of them, roughly 35 yearlings, at Keeneland in September. There are five cataloged at Saratoga. So, there's plenty of excitement about him...He's been strongly supported from a blend of commercial breeders and breeders who breed to race, so he's got a great opportunity. He has high class mares. We know he's the real deal, and we expect quite a bit of further success here on the racetracks of America for Empire Maker. LM: How have you managed Empire Maker’s books since he’s returned? MH: Based on his age, we limit his numbers. We go for quality mares. He bred the 130 mares in year one. He's highly fertile-- his fertility is well over 90% each year that he's bred here at Gainesway. He is now 18, so he's still a teenager, but we gotta look after him. He's the asset. He's the franchise. We look for him breeding successfully well into his 20s, under this management. LM: Empire Maker has always seemed like a sensible horse. Do you see those traits in his offspring, too? MH: He's kind. He's got a lovely temperament, and we're seeing that passed on to his colts and fillies now, as they mature into yearlings, and I think that equips them well as part of the make- up of top race horses--this very great nature that he had that he passes on. They're competitive when they need be, but they're very kind and tractable horses, and that helps them endure through the rigors of a race career at the highest level. LM: With Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister, Empire Maker’s sons will be held in high regard. But as the broodmare sire of 26 stakes winners, Empire Maker is also making a lasting mark with this daughters, as well. MH: Empire Maker is certainly producing stock in his mold. They're big, rangy horses. They stand over plenty of ground. They're Classic-looking horses, and I think there's a real consistency with them. When you look for an Empire Maker at the sales, you're going to get a replica of him himself, and of course he was a champion, triple Grade I winner--and of course, now hugely influential sire of colts and fillies. It's all right there. TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 8 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JULY 28, 2018 The Davona Dale marked Fly So High’s third-straight win and her first attempt versus stakes company. She earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure that day. “It’s a long way away,” McGaughey replied when asked if he’s begun thinking about potential return targets. “It would be nice if we could get a race into her before we went south [for the FLY SO HIGH GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS winter]. We’ll just have to wait and see.” Fly So High was one of two rare purchases by the historic by Steve Sherack Phipps Stable bringing $675,000 at ‘TDN Rising Star’ Fly So High the 2016 KEESEP Sale. Her dam Quiet (Malibu Moon), vanned off with a Flight (Quiet American), winless in suspensory issue after delivering an four career starts for owner/breeder impressive victory in the one-turn Edward P. Evans, realized $600,000 mile GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream from Mt. Brilliant at the 2011 KEENOV Mar. 3, is on the comeback trail in sale. Fly So High is from the same Florida. female family as a pair of Horses of “She’s still in Ocala and has resumed the Year--Saint Liam (Saint Ballado) exercise--not on the track yet, but in and Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}). “She hasn’t gotten to do yet what the Aquaciser,” Hall of Fame trainer she’ll do best–that’s run around two Shug McGaughey said.