Dr. V pulls off magical upset in Empire

Majesty Stud's DR. V'S MAGIC (Raffie's Majesty) overcame at troubled

beginning with a strong finish to capture the $250,000

Empire Classic H. on New

York Showcase Day at Belmont Park on Saturday. Trained by Dominic Galluscio, the

three-year-old colt stumbled at the start and was off the pace in midpack after

the opening six panels, but rallied courageously under Kent Desormeaux to take

over in the stretch and gamely hold off a stubborn Who What Win (Dance Brightly)

to the wire. The bay completed the nine-furlong test on the fast main track in

1:48 3/5 to pay $32.80, $12.20 and $6.30 at 15-1.

Who What Win split rivals entering the lane and ran a big one to finish

second, 2 3/4 lengths clear of his nearest foe. The 5-1 third choice gave out $6

and $4.40 while completing the $272.50 exacta. Run Red Run (Afternoon Deelites)

was always prominent to midstretch but couldn't keep pace late, retaining the

third spot by a neck. Show was worth $7.60, and the 9-2-3 trifecta gave back a healthy

$2,361 with the 10-1 shot on the bottom. Naughty New Yorker (Quiet American),

the 6-5 favorite, was well back to the stretch and left with too much to do

late, finishing fourth. Lord Langfuhr (Langfuhr) was next and followed by Indian

Hawke (Indian Charlie), pacesetter Storm Boot Gold (Storm Boot), Building New

Era (Wheaton) and French Transition (Giant's Causeway), who never factored.

Dr. V's Magic improved his mark to 9-3-1-3, $273,520, which includes a win in

the Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion S. earlier in the year. The colt was also second in the

Albany S. and third in the Mike Lee S.

The winner was produced from the unraced Summer Squall mare Treasure Always,

making him a full brother to 2006 Empire Classic hero Organizer, who was also

second in this race in the previous year. Dr. V's Magic has a pair of unraced

full sisters, a two-year-old named Raffie's Treasure and an unnamed yearling.

In the $150,000

Mohawk H.,

the Angel Penna Jr.-conditioned AL BASHA (Aljabr)

was last after the opening half-mile but closed furiously while widest of all to

eclipse this one under Rafael Bejarano. The sophomore colt pulled clear by a

half-length at the wire to record his first stakes win, clocking 1 1/8 miles

over the soft turf in 1:53 3/5. The gray colt now owns a 9-4-2-1 career mark,

with $220,660 in lifetime earnings for Bembridge Farm.

Amherst Stable's homebred REWRITE (Editor's Note) swung four wide into the

stretch and got up by a neck to take the $150,000

Ticonderoga H. over

the soft lawn. Trained by Christophe Clement and guided by Garrett Gomez, the

four-year-old filly notched her third career stakes win and was exiting a solid

second in the Dynamic Lisa S. most recently. The final time of the nine-furlong

contest was 1:53 2/5, and the winner pushed her lifetime line to 12-6-1-2,

$291,155. 

Karakorum Farm's KARAKORUM STARLET (Skip Away) led from the start and won a

stretch-long duel with longshot Mama Theresa (Carson City) to annex the $125,000

Iroquois H. The Jeff Odintz trainee set splits of :22 4/5, :46 1/5 and 1:11,

prior to getting the seven-eighths over the good going in 1:24 beneath Gomez. The four-year-old lass now sports a 20-6-6-1 mark with $307,324 in

bankroll.

Breeder Sanford Goldfarb et al's FEROCIOUS FIRES (Lite the Fuse) fell just

short by a neck at the wire of the $125,000

Hudson H., but

was moved up after being

impeded by pacesetter and first under the line Stormin Normandy (Stormin Fever) in the lane to remain

unbeaten in six career races. Conditioned by Tony Dutrow and ridden by Ramon

Dominguez, the four-year-old colt recorded his second straight black-type

score, followed by a tally in the Mr. Leader S. most recently. The chestnut

upped his earnings to $229,350 with the winner's share of the six-furlong, fast

dirt test, which was completed in 1:09 2/5.

IEAH's EXPECT THE END (Precise End) led at every call in posting a

dominant, 5 3/4-length score in the $100,000

Maid of the Mist S. for Richard

Dutrow. Breaking alertly under Bejarano, the freshman filly was never

seriously challenged in earning her third stakes win in succession, traveling

one mile in 1:38 on the good dirt. Claimed for $30,000 out of her debut, the talented filly

boasts $198,379 in earnings from her near-spotless 5-4-1-0 record.

Albert Fried Jr.'s homebred GIANT MOON (Giant's Causeway) took over following

a half-mile and gamely held off a pair of challengers en route to a head victory

in the $100,000

Sleepy Hollow S. The Richard Schosberg pupil, who captured his

debut at Belmont last out, clocked one mile over the good main oval in 1:38 2/5

as the nearly 4-1 second choice. Desormeaux booted home the colt, who has now

bankrolled $87,600 while perfect from two outings. Big Truck (Hook and Ladder),

the prohibitive 1-5 favorite, was in good position throughout but finished a

head and a neck back in third.

In the $78,000

Office Miss S., Parting Glass Stable homebred CUTE COGNAC

(Hennessy) rallied into the lane and pulled clear to a commanding two-length win

for trainer Barclay Tagg and jockey Eibar Coa. Never worse than second in five

career tries, the three-year-old bay clocked the one mile over the soft grass in

1:39 3/5 in bagging her initial stakes triumph. The filly shows $121,800 in

lifetime earnings from her 5-3-2-0 record.