A Bold move by Mike Harrington to send Empire Way to CashCall Futurity after a maiden special race
A full brother to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner, Royal Delta, Empire Way after his flashy maiden breaking race at Hollywood Park on 13 November, 2011, at six and a half furlongs, trainer Mike Harrington has made a bold decision of sending the
inexperienced colt to the Grade 1 $750,000 CashCall Futurity Stakes at Hollywood Park’s synthetic surface at about 1 1/16 miles on 17 December, 2011.
It was Empire Way’s style of winning which made Mike Harrington made this decision. The son of Empire Maker, out of mare Delta Princess by A.P. Indy, Empire Maker under jockey Joel Rosario came back from behind in a field of five closed into last.
There was minimal urging in the race as Empire Maker edged out Holy Candy in the dying moments of the race to win it by half a length, completing the six and a half furlong distance in 1 minute and 17.93 seconds.
The CashCall Futurity has reeled in three Breeders’ Cup runners. All ran in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile including the race winner son of Eddington, Secret Circle. The Bob Baffert trained Breeders’ Cup winner Secret Circle will be accompanied by another
Bob Baffert trainee, the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity winner Drill.
Royal Delta on the other hand helped his brother, Empire Way in soaring up his value, because by the time owner Heinz Steinmann acquired him Royal Delta had won her first stakes race, and everybody knows what happened after that.
“It’s one of those things you see other people fall into, but seldom does it happen to you,” Harrington said.
Mike Harrington is possesses not one but two real good juvenile runners, and the other is the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes winner Creative Cause whose running style is completely different to what of Empire Way.
It wouldn’t surprise racing fans if Mike Harrington decides to race these two together, because Creative Cause likes to get on with things and be in the front through and through in stark contrast of Empire Way’s way of running, who takes his time before
his engine reaches up to its full potential.
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