Classic Empire Daughter Easily Wins Indiana Oaks

Classic Empire daughter Interstatedaydream (3f Classic Empire x Babcock, by Uncle Mo) added to her burgeoning resume on Saturday when the filly won her second straight graded stakes in the Grade III Indiana Oaks.

Racing for Flurry Racing Stables, Interstatedaydream went into the first turn wide before easing in to race next to the pacesetter. That pair raced head-to-head down the backstretch of the 1 1/16 mile race before Interstatedaydream started pulling away at the quarter pole.

Interstatedaydream was soon joined by Runaway Wife and was headed at the top of the stretch but that gave her the motivation she needed to find another burst of speed. The ground Runaway Wife had gained on her disappeared quickly and in the end, Interstatedaydream crossed the line 2 ¼ lengths ahead with the third placed runner 8 ¾ lengths back.

Trained by Brad Cox, Interstatedaydream has two graded stakes wins to her name in addition to a third in the Grade I Ashland Stakes and second in the Grade II Adirondack Stakes. The filly has never finished worse than third with $468,825 in earnings.

Flurry Racing Stable purchased Interstatedaydream last year for $175,000 as a 2-year-old when offered by Wavertree Stables at OBS March her third time through the ring. Bred in Ontario, she had been sold by breeder William D. Graham as a short yearling in Keeneland January the previous year.

Interstatedaydream is one of two stakes performers for her Uncle Mo dam Babcock, who also produced multiple stakes-placed Emmeline. Babcock is a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured and multiple stakes winner Dancing Raven from the family of Grade I-winning Curalina.

A top second crop sire, Classic Empire has six stakes winners and 10 stakes performers, putting him firmly in the top four in each category. The victory also gives Uncle Mo a unique double on the card after his own runner won the Indiana General Assembly Distaff.