NEWS: RACING

Empire Dreams caps fine campaign with determined Robb victory

Friday, January 1st, 2016
NYRA/Adam Coglianese

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Empire Dreams (Patriot Act) put an exclamation point on a splendid 4-year-old campaign Thursday, when he dueled Saratoga Snacks into submission in late stretch to win the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for New York-breds at 1 1/16 miles on the inner track, Aqueduct’s feature race on the final card of the year.

Trained by Tom Albertrani for West Point, Empire Dreams was making his eighth start of the year in the Robb, all in New York-bred or New York-sired stakes company. He and his connections sought a third black type victory for the year to add to tallies in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park in May and the lucrative Empire Classic on Empire Showcase day at Belmont in the fall.

Bet down to 7-5 favoritism by post time, Empire Dreams settled in midpack in the two path from his rail post, cruising patiently down the back stretch five lengths off the pace as Ostrolenka, prompted by Saratoga Snacks, led the field through early fractions of 24.24, 49.06 and 1:13.65.

As Saratoga Snacks took over the lead from his rival midway on the far turn and showed the way into the stretch, Empire Dreams began his bid four wide.

Empire Dreams advanced with decision into second by midstretch and engaged Saratoga Snacks, but needed all his focus: his tenacious rival proved hard to shake and drifted out in the final stages. Undaunted, the dark bay gelding kept in the battle, just getting a head in front at the wire.

After a mile in 1:38.76, the final time for 1 1/16 miles over the muddy inner track was 1:45.14. Good Luck Gus rallied to finish three lengths back in third, followed across the wire by Full of Mine, Bullheaded Boy, Big Business, West Hills Giant and early pacesetter Ostrolenka. [VIDEO]

Winning jockey Manny Franco said, “It was tough to catch [Saratoga Snacks]; he kept coming back. My horse likes to run on the outside; he’s more comfortable like that, so that’s what I tried. At the half-mile pole, I made my move and did my best with him. I thought I was going to go right by, but [Saratoga Snacks] was a tough customer.”

Tom Bellhouse, Chief Operating Officer of West Point Thoroughbreds, said, “As great as our horse is, occasionally he likes company around him. He always doesn’t put them away, and there’s not a gamer New York-bred than Saratoga Snacks, so the fact that we end the year beating a great horse like him was just a thrill for us and our partners.”

Bellhouse continued, “This was our last runner of the year and what a way to end it. We kind of rode him home with Manny down the lane. It was just a great way to end the year for a New York-bred that has really given us a lot of thrills. He’s won all the big races this year. We were going to put him away after the Empire Classic but [trainer] Tom [Albertrani] thought he was doing well enough to earn him one more chance. It was a brilliant move now for sure.”

First, second or third in seven of eight starts this year, Empire Dreams is now a five-time stakes winner with seven additional stakes placings. In addition to this year’s Robb, Empire Classic and Commentator, he carried off prizes for The Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes series at two and the New York Derby at Finger Lakes as a sophomore. With a career record of six firsts, six seconds and three thirds, Empire Dreams has earned $746,501.

Bred by Pegasus Dream Stable and foaled at Donna Sammons’ Farm in Elizaville, Empire Dreams was purchased by West Point for $35,000 at the 2013 OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. His dam Ascended Dreams, an unraced daughter of Thunder Gulch, has produced four winners from four to start, including stakes-placed Court of Dreams by Powerscourt (GB). Ascended Dreams has a 2-year-old gelding by Pure Prize who has not yet started, a yearling colt by Bluegrass Cat and a weanling by Trinniberg. She is currently in foal to Honorable Dillon.

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