Angel of Empire

Angel of Empire won at first asking in his 2-year-old career debut in a one-mile race at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Aug. 9, 2022. He won again two starts later in a Horseshoe Indianapolis allowance race on Nov. 14, again at one mile, this time crushing the field by 6 1/4 lengths. The effort was enough to earn Angel of Empire a trip to Oaklawn Park for his subsequent start in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 1, 2023.

In his 3-year-old debut in the Smarty Jones, Angel of Empire settled for second but continued his pattern of improvement as he embarked upon his sophomore campaign. The Smarty Jones was a road to the Kentucky Derby points race, and the runner-up finish earned Angel of Empire four points if he continues on the path to the run for the roses.

Angel of Empire's next race came in the Grade 2 $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, which was a 50-points-to-the-winner race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, all but ensuring a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May to the winner. Sent off at 13-1 odds on the tote board in a full field of 14 hopefuls, Angel of Empire raced near the back of the pack in the early stages of te race and sustained a closing move to get up in the stretch to win by a length in a time of 1:51.47 for the 1 1/8 miles under jockey Luis Saez for trainer Brad Cox.

Angel of Empire had his final pre-Kentucky Derby tune-up in the Grade 1 $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on April 1 at Oaklawn Park. Sent off as the 9-2 fourth choice in the tote board in a field of 10, Angel of Empire at off the pace and made a big move on the turn to take charge at the top of the stretch and roll to victory by 4 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:49.68 for the 1 1/8 miles. 

Angel of Empire had the distinction of going off as the post time favorite in the Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023 at Churchill Downs. Sent off at 4-1 odds on the tote board in a field of 18 runners, Angel of Empire raced far off a fast pace and launched his bid from near the rear of the big field. He closed strongly on the turn and in the stretch and got up to finish third, beaten a total of 1 1/2 lengths.

Angel of Empire was bred in Pennsylvania by the sire Classic Empire out of the mare Armony's Angel by To Honor and Serve.