Queens Up Puts In Strong Debut for Classic Empire

In a big day that saw all four Coolmore America freshman sires register winners, Classic Empire joined in on the fun with debutante Queens Up (2f Classic Empire x Text Queen, by Strong Hope) at Arlington Park.

Trained by James DiVito for owner-breeder Curtis Green, Queens Up broke evenly with the field before settling a few lengths of a dueling pair of leaders. With a quarter mile left to go, Queens Up had figured out the game and was racing for the lead.

She spent much of the stretch chasing down the longtime leader and achieved her goal when taking over the lead inside the final sixteenth to win by 2 ½ lengths.

Queens Up is a half-sister to Grade II-placed Xoxo and stakes-placed Everqueen among her four winning half-siblings. Their unraced dam Text Queen is a half-sister to Grade III winner Mountain General, stakes winner Tulira Castle, and Grade III-placed Tulira’s Star.

Champion 2-Year-Old Classic Empire is now the sire of seven winners, the fourth best of any freshman sire this year, and already has one stakes placer to his name.