Classic Empire Filly Wins G3 Royal Delta

Classy Edition (4f Classic Empire x Newbie, by Bernardini) won her third career stakes race on Saturday with a 1 ¾ length victory in the Grade III Royal Delta Stakes.

The Classic Empire daughter raced in a heavily restrained second place throughout much of the running just about a length off the pacemaker. Once the field entered the turn, Classy Edition was let out a notch by Irad Ortiz Jr. and while another horse stuck by her throughout that section of the race, she quickly shook the rival off.

Only a late closing Kathleen O. got within nearly six lengths of the Todd Pletcher trainee in the end.

It was the fifth victory in seven starts for Classy Edition, who is now two-from-two this season. The winner of her first three starts, Classy Edition finished second in the Grade II Davona Dale last year as well.

The Chester and Mary Broman-bred races for Robert and Lawana Low, who bought her for $550,000 as 2 -year-old from the Sequel Bloodstock consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.

Classy Edition is one of three stakes performers out of Newbie alongside multiple stakes winner Newly Minted and stakes placed New Girl In Town. Each of her first five dams have either earned blacktype or produced a stakes winner.

Newbie has an American Pharoah 2-year-old named Pharoah Lake as well.

Classic Empire’s three stakes performers in 2023 is second best of all third crop sires with seven stakes winners and 14 stakes performers overall from his two crops of racing age.