Trained by John Kimmel, the popular 7-year-old Friend Or Foe chestnut went six furlongs in 1:14.01 under jockey Junior Alvarado over the Belmont main track.

Mr. Buff, an earner of more than $1.4 million, has won the last two editions of the Empire Classic. A victory would make him the first horse to win three straight runnings of the race as he seeks his first trip to the winner's circle since capturing the Stymie on February 27 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“We've had him on a weekly work schedule and today was probably the most major thing he'll do before the Empire Classic,” Kimmel said. “The track was a little wet and we were running into a pretty big headwind but we had it all set up. Junior came out and I gave them a horse to chase. I thought he worked really well. He galloped out in 1:27 and came back fine. It's kind of the same schedule we had him on last year off the layoff.”

Mr. Buff, who last raced when fifth in the Evan Shipman on August 11 at the Spa, arrived off his previous Empire Classic coups following unplaced efforts at Grade 1 level at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Kimmel added that recent allowance winner Call Me Harry could target the $200,000 Mohawk, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for state-breds 3-years-old and up on Empire Showcase Day.

Empire Showcase Day, which offers eight stakes for New York-breds, includes a trio of $250,000 events in the Empire Distaff, Sleepy Hollow, and Maid of the Mist. Also on tap will be the $200,000 Ticonderoga, along with a pair of $150,000 stakes in the Iroquois and Hudson.

The post Mr. Buff Works Ahead Of Try For Third Empire Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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