Broadway Empire upsets Oklahoma Derby

Broadway Empire was sent off the near 7-2 second choice in Sunday's Grade 3,

$400,000

Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, but ran like everyone expected 1-5

favorite Departing to when pulling off for a four-length win on the wire. The

Robertino Diodoro-trained bay led from gate-to-wire in the 1 1/8-mile contest

and stopped the clock in 1:49 2/5 over the fast track.

Broadway Empire paid $8.80 to his backers for the win after setting all the

pace through splits :23 1/5, :46 3/5, 1:11 and 1:35 4/5 under jockey Rico

Walcott. Campaigned by Randy Howg, Bob Butz, Fouad El Kardy and Rick Running

Rabbit, the gelded son of Empire Maker boosted his career earnings to $405,745.

Cameo Appearance tracked Broadway Empire all the way around the backstretch

and finished a half-length in front of third-placer Carve on the wire. Super

Derby and West Virginia Derby hero Departing was another three parts of a length

back in fourth, while Braveman, Holiday Mischief, Texas Bling and He Has Bling

completed the order of finish.

Broadway Empire earned his third straight stakes victory in this spot after

taking the Canadian Derby and Ky Alta Handicap at Northlands Park in Alberta,

Canada. The bay broke his maiden by 16 lengths in March at Turf Paradise before

shipping to Hollywood Park to run second in the Came Home and sixth in the

Affirmed.

Bred in Kentucky by Mercedes Stable, Broadway Empire now boasts a 6-4-1-0

career mark. He is out of the unraced Belong to Me mare Broadway Hoofer, making

him a half-brother to Grade 2-placed stakes victress Cinderella's Dream.

Broadway Hoofer is herself a half-sibling to Grade 3-placed multiple stakes hero

Broadway's Top Gun, dual stakes scorer Broadway Chief and Grade 3 runner-up

Celtic Warrior.

Broadway Empire's fourth dam is Aesthetic, who placed in the 1959 running of

the Kentucky Oaks. This is the same female family as English Horse of the Year

Sir Ivor

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