Empire Maker Turns in Sharp 6-Furlong Work; Heading For Gold Cup

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Juddmonte Farms' Empire Maker, winner of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), showed he is over the cough that disrupted his training schedule by working 6 furlongs in 1:11 2/5 Monday morning with jockey Edgar Prado aboard.

Trainer Bobby Frankel said if he can get one more good work into the colt, he'll run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) Sep. 27. After missing three days of training with the son of Unbridled, Frankel had briefly considered the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita on Oct. 4 or the Meadowlands Cup (gr. II) the day before, but after this work is sticking to his original plan.

"This was a very good work; we're back on track," Frankel said. "If he works good next week he'll run in the Gold Cup. We scoped him after the work and everything is clean."

Empire Maker has not run since finishing second to Strong Hope in the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II). A subsequent cough prevented him from running in the Travers Stakes (gr. I).

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