Empire Classic tops Saturday card for New York-breds

Empire Classic tops Saturday card for New York-breds 
By the NY Hot List Staff // Friday, October 23

It may not be Tiz the Law and Authentic versus Improbable and Maximum Security, but there’s an interesting battle between the young and the old taking shape in Saturday’s Empire Classic at Belmont Park. The richest of a full card of races for New York State-breds, the 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic features the 6-year-old Mr. Buff facing seven rivals including the 3-year-old Chestertown, who cost $2 million as a 2-year-old and won the Albany Stakes in his last start. Funny Guy, who was second in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Vosburgh in his last start, adds to the competitive nature of a well-matched field.

Here’s the Hot List picks for the Empire Classic:

The $175,000 Empire Classic, Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 10.

(2) Mr. Buff returns to New York-bred company after facing graded stakes competition in his last two starts. The $1 million earner won this race in 2019 and is very hard to beat going nine-furlongs with nine wins from 14 starts at that distance. Regular rider Junior Alvarado stays on board. (3) Funny Guy also moves back to face state-breds after two tries in graded stakes. He did finish second last time while sprinting in the Vosburgh (G2). He won both of his starts in NY-bred stakes races this year which includes a victory over the top choice. He will have to stretch out to the mile and an eighth where he has one win from two starts. (7) Sea Foam is in fine right now with two wins in his last two starts in allowance races with the most recent one against open company. (1) Our Last Buck has three wins and two seconds in his last five starts including two wins at Belmont. He is listed in the morning line as the longshot but could bring some big odds into the trifecta.

The Empire Classic will be leg 4 of Saturday’s Cross-Country Pick 5 which features races from Belmont, Keeneland, Monmouth Park, and Woodbine. Analysis of the other New York Hot List races and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.