Loyal Lass defeated males for the second time in her career in stakes

company Saturday at Belmont Park, as she came home the winner by

one length, in the $200.000 Empire Classic Handicap for NY Breds, age

three and up.

Her win in the Empire Classic Handicap, gives the four-year-old filly trained

by Team Furey, her 4th NY Bred Stakes win, the 3rd at 1 1/8 over the dirt,

and despite the fact she was assigned four to six more pounds than her rivals,

the weight proved no problem for this very talented filly. Loyal Lass got the

perfect trip; and was never rushed, as she methodically made her way to the

front, taking the lead at the mile pole, to draw off a length in front at the wire.

Loyal Lass, a daughter of Live From New York finished the 1 1/8 over the 

fast Belmont dirt in a final time of 1:49.01, earning $120.000 for the win.

She now has career earnings of $564.970, and an impressive race record

of 23-16-2-2.

Cannonball, trained by Maxmillion Farm finished 2nd, earning $40.000,

while Bozo Speed was 3rd, taking home $32.000 for Dynark Stables.

Official Order of Finish:

Scratched: Beachy Keen

How the race was run:

3   Loyal Lass: Won by one length. Ran 3rd early, four

     lengths off the lead. Around the 1/2 mile pole, began

     to make a move, and passed the 1 horse to take 2nd,

     at the 3/4 mile mark. At the mile pole, began to really

     pick up speed, passing the 4 horse for the lead, and

     pulling away to be a length in front at the wire.

    -This filly just continues to dominate in the 1 1/8 dirt

     NY Bred Stakes. Beat males for the second time here

     and her 3rd stakes win at this distance on dirt. Keep

     an eye on Loyal Lass who looks like she is getting

     even better with age and experience.

4   Cannonball: Finished 2nd, one length behind the

     winner. After the break was sent out right to the lead

     where he led early by three lengths. Was in front by

     two lengths around the 1/2 mile pole, and began to

     slow a bit at the mile mark, when Loyal Lass passed

     him, and was able to pull a length in front.

    -Ran well here, just couldn't hold off the winner. The

     1 1/8 distance looked like it may have been a little

     long for Cannonball, and had the race been just a

     bit shorter, it looked like he may have won. His best

     races have been in sprints, so likely we will see him

     cut back in distance next time out.

1   Bozo Speed: Finished in 3rd, two lengths back from

     the winner. Ran in 2nd early, two lengths from the lead,

     and was beginning to slow around the 3/4 mark, as the

     eventual winner passed him, leaving him to run 3rd, two

     lengths back, where he continued to run until the wire.

    -This was the first in the money finish for Bozo Speed,

     since February of this year, and despite dropping here

     from Graded Stakes to face state bred company, just

     looked a bit flat, and tired early. Has not been able to

     find the winner's circle since last November at age three,

     so not sure where he will go from here.

2   Wasted Days: Finished 4th, eleven lengths behind the

     winner. After the break began to drop back immediately,

     and was already trailing the lead by seven lengths at the

     quarter pole. At the 1/2 mile pole he was nine lengths

     off the lead, and made a mild bid to move within eight

     lengths of the leader, before tiring at the mile pole and

     running ten lengths back, before finishing eleven lengths

     behind at the wire.

    -Was just outrun badly here. Having last run in an $8.000

     Claiming Race, he was in over his head here. Distance

     looked like it was also a bit long for him. He is just a 

     three-year-old, so Wasted Days could improve as he

     matures, but expect we will see him drop back down to

     run in an allowance race next time out.