New York-breds in the spotlight on Empire Showcase Day
At 0h02, on October 22, 2025 • By Belmont
A total of 92 New York-breds, including reigning NYTB Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze, are entered for a special 11-race card on Saturday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to celebrate the best of New York for the annual Empire Showcase Day.
“Empire Showcase Day is the premier fall championship event for New York breeding and racing,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “With nine New York-bred stakes on the card, including the addition of the New York Turf Sprint Championship, the day highlights the remarkable depth, talent, and competitiveness of horses bred in the Empire State. We’re proud to partner with NYRA and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund to showcase our leading horses, breeders, owners, and connections who continue to elevate our program each year.”
The lucrative card features nine state-bred stakes races worth a combined $1.9 million, highlighted by two nine-furlong events for 3-year-olds and up worth $250,000 each in the Empire Classic and its filly and mare counterpart, the Empire Distaff. First post on Saturday is 12:10 p.m.
