Empire Maker
Empire Maker | |
---|---|
Sire | Unbridled |
Grandsire | Fappiano |
Dam | Toussaud |
Damsire | El Gran Senor |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | April 27, 2000 |
Country | United States |
Colour | Dark Bay |
Breeder | Juddmonte Farms |
Owner | Juddmonte Farms |
Trainer | Robert J. Frankel |
Record | 8: 4-3-1 |
Earnings | $1,985,800 |
Major wins | |
Florida Derby (2003) Wood Memorial Stakes (2003) Triple Crown race wins: Belmont Stakes (2003) | |
Last updated on August 23, 2007 |
Empire Maker (April 27, 2000 - January 18, 2020)[1] was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes and is the grandsire of the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
Background
Owned and bred by Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, Empire Maker 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 (including Chester House) from five different stallions.
Racing career
2002: two-year-old season
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 Toccet. As a three-year-old, he would make six starts, winning three and finishing second three times.
2003: three-year-old season
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 nine and three quarter length win in the 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.
Under his regular rider, the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Jerry Bailey, Empire Maker ran second in the Kentucky Derby to Funny Cide whom he had beaten by a half-length in the Wood Memorial. Trainer Bobby Frankel believed that if he did not go light on Empire Maker's training before the Derby because of his feet issues, then Empire Maker would have won the Derby. His handlers then chose to rest the colt and did not run him in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, which has become a common racing tactic when a horse does not win the first leg. Funny Cide won the Preakness Stakes by more than nine lengths and headed to New York's Belmont Park favored to become the first Triple Crown champion in twenty-five years.
Heavy rains left the racetrack at Belmont Park officially rated as sloppy for the 2003 Belmont Stakes. In an attempt to control the pace, Funny Cide's handlers changed his racing tactics and he took the lead early. Empire Maker was running a length back to the outside when at the mile mark, jockey Jerry Bailey made his move. The fresh Empire Maker won the race with Ten Most Wanted a strong second and Funny Cide finishing third, more than five lengths back.
In what would be Empire Maker's final race, as a 3-10 favorite he ran second by a neck in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Stud career
Empire Maker was retired to stand at stud beginning in 2004 at his owner's Juddmonte Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. His American-bred offspring include Bodemeister and Royal Delta.[2] Through Pioneerof the Nile, he is the grand-sire of American Pharoah, 2015 U.S. Triple Crown winner.[3] Through Bodemeister he is the grandsire of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.
In November 2010 Empire Maker was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association and stood at the Shizunai Stallion Station.[4] In September 2015, it was announced that Empire Maker would be returning to the U.S.[5] to stand at Gainesway Farm starting in 2016. Gainesway announced in October that Empire Maker's 2016 stud fee would be $100,000. In 2019 it was $85,000.
Notable progeny
Empire Maker sired 12 individual Grade 1 winners:
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Foaled | Name | Sex | Major wins |
2005 | Acoma | f | Spinster Stakes |
2005 | Country Star | f | Alcibiades Stakes, Hollywood Starlet Stakes |
2005 | Icon Project | f | Personal Ensign Stakes |
2005 | Mushka | f | Spinster Stakes |
2006 | Pioneerof the Nile | c | Cash Call Futurity, Santa Anita Derby |
2008 | Last Full Measure | f | Madison Stakes |
2008 | Royal Delta | f | Alabama Stakes, Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic x 2, Beldame Stakes, Delaware Handicap, Personal Ensign Handicap |
2009 | Bodemeister | c | Arkansas Derby |
2009 | Grace Hall | f | Spinaway Stakes |
2009 | In Lingerie | f | Spinster Stakes |
2010 | Emollient | f | Ashland Stakes, American Oaks, Spinster Stakes, Rodeo Drive Stakes |
2013 | Empire Pegasus | c | Seiran Sho |
2017 | Eight Rings | c | American Pharoah Stakes |
References
- ^ Star US stallion Empire Maker dies aged 20 at Gainesway in Kentucky, by Tom Peacock, in Racing Post; published January 20, 2020; retrieved January 20, 2020
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ "Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Lineage: American Pharoah Horse Pedigree". Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ Bailey, Steve (November 12, 2010). "Empire Maker sold to Japan". Thoroughbred Times. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ "Empire Maker Coming Home to Kentucky". Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- Empire Maker at Gainesway Farms
- v
- t
- e
- 1867 Ruthless ♥
- 1868 General Duke
- 1869 Fenian
- 1870 Kingfisher
- 1871 Harry Bassett
- 1872 Joe Daniels
- 1873 Springbok
- 1874 Saxon
- 1875 Calvin
- 1876 Algerine
- 1877 Cloverbrook
- 1878 Duke Of Magenta
- 1879 Spendthrift
- 1880 Grenada
- 1881 Saunterer
- 1882 Forester
- 1883 George Kinney
- 1884 Panique
- 1885 Tyrant
- 1886 Inspector B
- 1887 Hanover
- 1888 Sir Dixon
- 1889 Eric
- 1890 Burlington
- 1891 Foxford
- 1892 Patron
- 1893 Commanche
- 1894 Henry of Navarre
- 1895 Belmar
- 1896 Hastings
- 1897 Scottish Chieftain
- 1898 Bowling Brook
- 1899 Jean Bereaud
- 1900 Ildrim
- 1901 Commando
- 1902 Masterman
- 1903 Africander
- 1904 Delhi
- 1905 Tanya ♥
- 1906 Burgomaster
- 1907 Peter Pan
- 1908 Colin
- 1909 Joe Madden
- 1910 Sweep
- 1913 Prince Eugene
- 1914 Luke McLuke
- 1915 The Finn
- 1916 Friar Rock
- 1917 Hourless
- 1918 Johren
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Man o' War
- 1921 Grey Lag
- 1922 Pillory
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Mad Play
- 1925 American Flag
- 1926 Crusader
- 1927 Chance Shot
- 1928 Vito
- 1929 Blue Larkspur
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Faireno
- 1933 Hurryoff
- 1934 Peace Chance
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Granville
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Pasteurized
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Bimelech
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Bounding Home
- 1945 Pavot
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Phalanx
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Capot
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Counterpoint
- 1952 One Count
- 1953 Native Dancer
- 1954 High Gun
- 1955 Nashua
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Gallant Man
- 1958 Cavan
- 1959 Sword Dancer
- 1960 Celtic Ash
- 1961 Sherluck
- 1962 Jaipur
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Quadrangle
- 1965 Hail To All
- 1966 Amberoid
- 1967 Damascus
- 1968 Stage Door Johnny
- 1969 Arts and Letters
- 1970 High Echelon
- 1971 Pass Catcher
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Little Current
- 1975 Avatar
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Coastal
- 1980 Temperence Hill
- 1981 Summing
- 1982 Conquistador Cielo
- 1983 Caveat
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Creme Fraiche
- 1986 Danzig Connection
- 1987 Bet Twice
- 1988 Risen Star
- 1989 Easy Goer
- 1990 Go and Go
- 1991 Hansel
- 1992 A.P. Indy
- 1993 Colonial Affair
- 1994 Tabasco Cat
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Editor's Note
- 1997 Touch Gold
- 1998 Victory Gallop
- 1999 Lemon Drop Kid
- 2000 Commendable
- 2001 Point Given
- 2002 Sarava
- 2003 Empire Maker
- 2004 Birdstone
- 2005 Afleet Alex
- 2006 Jazil
- 2007 Rags to Riches ♥
- 2008 Da' Tara
- 2009 Summer Bird
- 2010 Drosselmeyer
- 2011 Ruler on Ice
- 2012 Union Rags
- 2013 Palace Malice
- 2014 Tonalist
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Creator
- 2017 Tapwrit
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Sir Winston
- 2020 Tiz the Law
- 2021 Essential Quality
- 2022 Mo Donegal
- 2023 Arcangelo
- 2024 Dornoch
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly