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PEDIGREE HANDICAPPING NOVEMBER 22, 2008 Empire Maker by Tim Holland The impressive win earlier this month by Acoma in the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) at Churchill, which followed her victory in Valley View S. (G3) at Keeneland, reinforced the notion that the filly has a bright future as a serious turf runner. It also emphasized that runners by her sire, Empire Maker, are improving with time, longer distances and turf. After finishing third in her main track debut in February at Fair Grounds, the David Carroll-trained Acoma easily broke her maiden over Keeneland’s Polytrack. This was followed by two dirt victories at Churchill, including the Dogwood S. (G3), and then her big test came in New York in the CCA Oaks (G1). However, she proved no match that afternoon for Music Note (A.P. Indy) and Little Belle (A.P. Indy), and her next start was perhaps even more disappointing when she could not catch the front-running, but not top class, Maren's Meadow (Meadowlake). Freshened and re-grouped prior to Keeneland, the filly, who is a half-sister to the Super Derby (G1) winner Arch (Kris S.) as well as Godolphin Mile (UAE-G3) hero Festival of Light (A.P. Indy), posted her lifetime best BRIS Speed figure when rallying from off the pace to beat a competitive field. At first impression, Empire Maker's seventh-place finish in the Leading First-Crop Sires list of 2007, with just eight winners, or 9 percent of his 91 registered two-year-olds, might have seemed a touch disappointing. However, the son of Unbridled was a late developer himself, not making his debut until late October, and was still improving when he finished second to Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and then thwarted his rival's Triple Crown bid in the Belmont S. (G1) a month later. Thus, it may stand to reason that his offspring will improve with time and it is in fact encouraging that he was responsible for three stakes winners -- Country Star, Mushka and Miss Red Delicious -- in his initial crop. In fact, from 179 named foals so far, 34, or 19 percent, are winners, and Empire Maker is also proving to be a talented turf sire. Trainer Bobby Frankel owned enough faith in Country Star to run her as a maiden in the Alciabides S. (G1) over the Polytrack in just her second career start. She did not disappoint and followed it up with a victory in the Hollywood Starlet (G1) over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track. Returned to Keeneland this year, she was made the favorite for the Ashland S. (G1) but could do no better than fifth. Having not raced for more than 100 days, Country Star could be forgiven for that race, and she was made the second favorite for her next start, the Kentucky Oaks (G1). However, similar to Acoma's CCA Oaks effort, she was put in her place by some of the top North American dirt fillies, including Proud Spell (Proud Citizen) and Little Belle. After her sixth-place finish, Country Star was rested and returned more than three months later to win an allowance/optional claiming event on the grass at Saratoga. While she has not raced since that mid-August outing, she is working well in California and a return to the races should not be far away. Like Acoma, it is hoped that she will be kept in training next year since we may not have seen the best of her, especially as a grass runner. A look at the past performances for the Bill Mott-trained filly Mushka reveals remarkable similarities to Acoma and Country Star. Third in her debut on the turf at Belmont, she then broke her maiden on the main track at the same location before looking like a filly with a big future on the dirt when she easily won the Demoiselle S. (G2). However, she was exposed this year by the likes of Proud Spell and Music Note at Saratoga in the Alabama S. (G1), and she was subsequently switched to the turf. Her first try, in the strangely run Pucker Up S. (G3) over soft ground, can be an excused. In her second attempt, Mushka showed plenty of promise on the sod when winning a competitive allowance at Keeneland. Empire Maker's second leading earner on the turf behind Acoma is the colt Deal Making. Trained by Graham Motion, Deal Making has run exclusively on the grass with three wins from seven starts. These wins include the Stanton S. at Delaware Park last July, and the colt finished a good third in the National Museum Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) after being blocked in the stretch. Deal Making's worst effort came in the Kent S. (G3) when he finished sixth as the favorite, but he may have been compromised by the softish turf. The majority of Empire Maker's best runners so far seem to have been fillies, but another promising colt is Pioneerof the Nile. Trained by Mott, the colt broke his maiden on the grass at Saratoga before being switched to the Polytrack at Keeneland in the Breeders' Futurity (G1). Pioneerof the Nile was not disgraced in that spot, finishing third, and then acquitted himself well when running fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). However, being out of a mare by the mostly turf influence Lord at War (Arg), it may pay to watch out for Pioneerof the Nile if he returns to race on that surface. Others that may be worth taking extra notice of if they switch surface include Miss Red Delicious, who became Empire Maker's first stakes winner when taking the Anna M. Fisher Debutante S. at Ellis Park. She finished a closing third in her lone turf start, a 5 1/2-furlong event at Colonial Downs on yielding conditions this summer, and has not had the opportunity to stretch out on the grass on firmer footing yet. Meanwhile, Turn Away, who finished third in the Golden Rod S. (G2) and won on the main track at Belmont recently, could be even more effective on the grass since she is out of a mare by English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) winner Known Fact. On pedigree, one has every right to expect Empire Maker to be a successful stallion. By Unbridled, who already has the successful sons Unbridled's Song and Broken Vow at stud, Empire Maker is out of Grade 1 turf winner Toussaud (El Gran Senor), who has also produced the Grade 1 winners Chester House (Mr. Prospector), Honest Lady (Seattle Slew) and Chiselling (Woodman) as well as the Grade 2-wining Decarchy (Distant View). Chester House, who sadly died after just a few seasons at stud, is similar to Empire Maker, starting his stud career slowly when finishing 24th on the Freshman Sire list of 2004 with nine winners and just one stakes winner. In 2005, he improved to 16th in the second-crop sires list and was ranked as the eighth leading third-crop sire the following season. This year has been Chester House's best as he is currently 11th in the overall sire list by earnings and is ranked first on the turf sires list. Runners from the last crop to represent Chester House are now four-year-olds, so his name will soon fade away from the sire lists, but it is highly likely that his half-brother, Empire Maker, will take over the baton.
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