Spite the Devil rallies for Empire Classic

Spite the Devil rallies for Empire

Classic

Belmont Park's New York Showcase Fall Festival featured seven

stakes worth a combined $1 million in purses for New York-breds

on Saturday, and the main event, the $250,000 Empire

Classic,

went to Hardwicke Stable's SPITE THE DEVIL (Devil His Due), who

withstood West Virginia (Tomorrows Cat) for a thrilling head

decision.

Last of 14 after a half-mile in the nine-furlong event, the

Allen Jerkens-trained four-year-old gelding rallied to the lead

past eventual fourth-place finisher Everydayissaturday (Storm

Cat) in deep stretch before repulsing the late charge of the

runner-up. Sent off at 15-1, Spite the Devil was good for payouts

of $32, $11.40 and $9.10. West Virginia, the 2-1 favorite, took

second by three parts of a length over 47-1 outsider Mr.

Determined (Raja's Revenge).

Winner of the 2003 Withers S. (G3), Spite the Devil also

captured the Evan Shipman S. in July. He now owns a 30-6-5-6

record with earnings of $599,661.

The $150,000 Mohawk H. went to Blue Sky Farm and Fred Martin's

IRISH COLONIAL (Colonial Affair), who raced close to the pace

before getting up in deep stretch for a half-length win. Ridden

by John Velazquez, the Randy Schulhofer trainee was favored at

9-5 over 11 rivals in the 1 1/8-mile grassy affair and stopped

the teletimer over the good turf 1:48 4/5.

The five-year-old, who finished an excellent third against

open company in the Bernard Baruch H. (G2) in August, notched his

second career stakes win on Saturday and was worth $5.70, $3.30

and $2.70 to his supporters. Pacesetter Certifiably Crazy (Fit to

Fight) held for the place, a neck better than third-placer No

Parole (Lit de Justice).

Irish Colonial is headed to the Red Smith H. (G2) on November

20, according to Schulhofer.

Ken & Sarah Ramsey's ON THE BUS (Ghazi) proved best in the

1 1/8-mile turf race for distaffers, the $150,000 Ticonderoga

H.,

by two lengths. The four-year-old rallied to the lead leaving the

far turn under Pablo Fragoso and quickly drew clear over her

rivals. She finished in 1:50.

On the Bus earned her first stakes win after placing in the

Yaddo H. and Mount Vernon H. in her two previous starts.

Conditioned by Dale Romans, she was favored at 5-2 on Saturday

and posted payoffs of $7.20, $3.80 and $2.70. Sabellina

(Langfuhr) closed ground for runner-up honors, one length ahead

of Little Buttercup (Labeeb [GB]) in third.

Velazquez recorded his third and final stakes victory of the

day when guiding Anstu Stables' FRIENDLY ISLAND (Crafty Friend)

to a 3 1/4-length score in the $125,000 Hudson H. The

three-year-old colt broke on top and was never seriously

threatened on the front end while covering six furlongs in 1:09

2/5. The Todd Pletcher pulpit earned his first stakes victory and

has now won five of six career starts.

The winner gave back $8.10, $3.50 and $2.80 and was followed

under the wire by 6-5 favorite Clever Electrician (Clever Trick),

who edged Papua (Louis Quatorze) by three parts of a length.

Pletcher said he would look at open stakes races for Friendly

Island.

SUGAR PUNCH (K. O. Punch) proved too good for her rivals in the

seven-furlong, $125,000 Iroquois

H., recording a 3 3/4-length

score at 3-5 odds under Edgar Prado. Trained by Richard Dutrow

Jr., the three-year-old lass returned $3.30, $2.50 and $2.30

after finishing in 1:23.

Beautiful America (Dixie Brass) took second and Distinctive

Kitten (Distinctive Pro) rounded out the trifecta.

Winner of the Schenectady H. and Union Avenue S. in her

previous two starts, Sugar Punch now owns a 7-6-1-0 record. She

is co-owned by New York Yankees manager Joe Torre.

"It is so exciting watching outside and in person. I got

goose bumps when she turned into the stretch," Torre said.

"This is the first race I have had a chance to see her in

person. We've been working every time she's run. Unfortunately, I

should have been working today (in the World Series), too."

The $100,000 Sleepy Hollow S. has produced dual classic winner

and champion Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) and Florida Derby (G1)

hero Friends Lake the last two years, and another impressive New

York-bred two-year-old was on display Saturday when Robert

Rosenthal and Bernice Waldbaum's homebred GALLOPING GROCER (A. P

Jet) romped to a 7 1/2-length score. Velazquez guided the

unbeaten gelding, who remained perfect from three starts.

Favored at 1-9, Galloping Grocer made his stakes bow in the

Sleepy Hollow for trainer Dominick Schettino and went right to

the lead when the gates opened. He completed the mile test in

1:37 1/5. Naughty New Yorker (Quiet American) finished a clear

second and Carminooch (Tomorrows Cat) came next under the wire.

There was no show betting in the six-horse field, and

Galloping Grocer, who returned $2.30 and $2.10, generated a

negative place pool of $11,221. Schettino said the November 27

Remsen S. (G2) is likely next for the chestnut.

Eveyn Pollard's PELHAM BAY (Smart Strike) closely tracked the

early pace in the $100,000 Maid of the Mist S. for juvenile

fillies and advanced three wide to the lead on the far turn. The

Pat Kelly-trained dark bay opened up on her rivals through the

stretch under Shaun Bridgmohan, crossing the finish line 4 1/2

lengths the best.

Off at 9-2, Pelham Bay paid $11, $6.10 and $4 for her first

stakes win and traveled a mile in 1:39 2/5. Karakorum Splendor

(A. P Jet) closed for the place at 8-1, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of

Social Virtue (Elusive Quality).

Kelly said Pelham Bay would be pointed toward the East View S.

at Aqueduct on December 5.