JUDDMONTE JUGGERNAUT ROLLS ON
Was the headline in the TDN of the 9th June following a week-end
that produced two Group 1 winners and broodmare sire success for
RAINBOW QUEST.
EMPIRE MAKER got the weekend off to a fine
start with a ¾ length victory in the Belmont S
Gr.1 and put paid to Funny Cide’s bid for the
Triple Crown. This was EMPIRE MAKER’s third
Gr.1 success in 12 weeks and followed a narrow
defeat in the Kentucky Derby Gr.1. A
phenomenal record for a horse that ran his first race in late
October 2002 and has accumulated 4 wins and 3 places in only 7
starts to date. This is hopefully the first of many Classic
winners in the USA for Juddmonte Farms.
Jerry Bailey said of EMPIRE MAKER, “He’s the
best three-year-old I’ve ever been on.” EMPIRE
MAKER follows Commendable as the only Belmont winners in
the last 50 years to come into the race off a layoff as long as
five weeks.
EMPIRE MAKER and Funny Cide have now met on
three occasions with 2 wins to Empire Maker. Rivalry could be
renewed in the 134th running of the Gr1 $1,000,000 Travers Stakes
on the 23rd August
Sunday was the turn of the fillies when the unbeaten
NEBRASKA TORNADO (right) won the Prix de Diane
Gr1 by a comfortable ¾ length on only her third
start. NEBRASKA TORNADO is the 14th
Juddmonte homebred classic winner and their second Prix de Diane
winner.
Date:
09 July 2003