Soaring Empire to take on a tough field in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park
Soaring Empire came back to the races after an absence of 5 months, and straight away went against the dangerous Jackson Bend, in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope Stakes, and finished fourth on 14 January, 2012.
His last race of the 2011 season was the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park on 31 July, 2011, and he won that race convincingly.
Ol Memorial Stable and C. E. Glasscock owned 5-year-old, Soaring Empire, is now going for his second start of the season, and the Empire Maker son is pointed towards the 1 1/8 mile long Donn Handicap, to be held at Gulfstream Park on 11 February, 2012,
Ahead of the Donn Handicap, Soaring Empire turned in five furlongs in a good time of 1 minute and 1 second flat, on 3 February, 2012, at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Cam Gambolati confirmed after the breeze that Soaring Empire will run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap.
“We had two options with him -- the Donn or the seven-eighths race (grade II Gulfstream Sprint Championship Feb. 18) where you would run against horses that finished second and third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I),” said Gambolati, referring to Force Freeze and Jackson Bend.
“We think he’ll handle the longer distance now and we’ve had a race over the track. The timing is right to try some of these horses.”
Cam Gambolati was convinced that he wants Soaring Empire to run in the Donn Handicap, after the gelding’s drill was recorded as the fastest out of 11 workouts over the same distance at Gulfstream Park on 3 February, 2012.
The Donn Handicap wouldn’t be a cake walk for Soaring Empire as the horse will be up against the likes of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes' winner, Shackleford, and the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes' winner, Ruler on Ice.
The probable list doesn’t look too good for Soaring Empire, as it contains the likes of Flat Out, Hymn Book, Mission Impazible, Where’s Sterling, Trickmeister, Sangaree and Redeemed.
Another Empire Maker filly, My Miss Aurelia, is getting ready to make her 2012 debut in the Grade 2, $250,000 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on 25 February, 2012.
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