Empire Maker

Описание

Empire Maker (foaled April 27, 2000 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, he was sired by champion Unbridled, winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. Empire Maker's dam, Toussaud, was the daughter of British champion and Classic Race winner El Gran Senor, who in turn was a son of the great Northern Dancer. Toussaud was a multiple stakes winner in England and a Blue Hen broodmare who would produce five Grade I winners from five different stallions. At age two, Empire Maker made two starts, winning his maiden debut in October 2002 at Belmont Park then taking third in the Remsen Stakes, some 5½ lengths back of the winner. As a three-year-old, he would make six starts, winning three and finishing second three times. In February 2003, Empire Maker began his three-year-old season with a second-place finish in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park in California. For his next start, trainer Bobby Frankel put blinkers on the colt in an effort to make him concentrate and he responded with a win in the important Grade I Florida Derby. He followed this up with another important win in the Grade I Wood Memorial Stakes. These two performances resulted in Empire Maker being made the solid betting favorite in the 2003 Kentucky Derby.