Graded stakes winner Soaring Empire retired
Graded stakes winner Soaring Empire, a son of leading sire Empire Maker and a half brother to multiple Grade 2 winner and recent Grade 1-placed Hungry Island, has been retired from racing following a distinguished career in which he earned $386,393. Stud plans for the five-year-old are pending.
Racing for Ol Memorial Stable and C. E. Glasscock, Soaring Empire competed against the top runners of his era over three seasons and displayed outstanding versatility. He won his debut as a two-year-old at Monmouth Park and finished third in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in his only other start that season.
At three, the handsome dark bay won the six-furlong Rutgers Stakes at Monmouth in time of 1:08.27 and he finished third in the Pegasus Stakes (G3) won by eventual Travers Stakes (G1) winner Afleet Express.
In his first start at four, Soaring Empire won the one-mile Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, defeating a trio of millionaires: subsequent Grade 1 winner Morning Line, multiple graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Rule, and multiple Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Caixa Eletronica. He finished second to Tackleberry in his next two starts, the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) and the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), missing the win by just a neck in the latter event while finishing ahead of such outstanding competitors as eventual Metropolitan (G1) and Whitney (G1) Handicap winner Tizway and multiple Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend.
Soaring Empire went on to win the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth and he finished second in the Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) for trainer Cam Gambolati. Overall, he retires with five wins and five placings—eight of those in stakes races—in 16 starts.
“He showed so much versatility—running against the best and winning from 5 ½ furlongs to 1 1/16 miles,” said co-owner Clinton Glasscock. “He’s a very exciting prospect, being by leading sire Empire Maker, who has been sold to Japan and is no longer available to American breeders yet continues to exert strong influence over our racing, with offspring such as champion Royal Delta and dual classic runner-up Bodemeister.”
Bred by Emory Hamilton and sold for $190,000 as a yearling at Keeneland, Soaring Empire is out of the A.P. Indy mare Flying Passage. His second dam is Grade 1 winner Chic Shirine and his third dam is Grade 1 winner Too Chic, dam of champion Queena. This rich family has produced such outstanding runners as Grade 1 winners Serra Lake and Brahms and other graded winners El Padrino, Al Khali, Somali Lemonade, Coal Play and Tara Roma.
