Constitution’s Americanrevolution romps in Empire Classic

Constitution’s Americanrevolution, owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, defeated older horses by a visually impressive 11 ¾ lengths in the $300,000 Empire Classic Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 30. With Luis Saez aboard, Americanrevolution pursued the early pace four wide before taking over command nearing the quarter pole. He swung wide in the stretch and drove clear in the lane, ultimately powering away from his rivals as the odds-on favorite to win the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:49.11 over a track labeled sloppy (sealed). The talented 3-year-old chestnut entered the Empire Classic off a third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 25 at PARX. Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar, said, “He’s a very nice horse. I think he’s probably the ninth or tenth best 3-year-old in the country right now. Some of the better ones are retiring after this year, so if he comes back well, who knows how it goes next year. He’s certainly done nothing wrong and I’m very excited of what’s ahead of him.” Pletcher echoed Walden’s comments, saying, “He’s come a long way in a short period of time. He’s a talented horse and showed last time that he belongs with some of the better 3-year-olds in the country, so it was great to have an opportunity like he had today.” All told, Americanrevoultion, who was bred in New York by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, has won four of six starts and banked $532,035. Prior to his placing in the Pennsylvania Derby, Americanrevolution captured the Albany Stakes at Saratoga and the New York Derby at Finger Lakes. He was a $275,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. He is produced from the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze.