Empire Dreams had the WPT team and Partners in a “New York State of Mind” Saturday afternoon following a decisive win in the $150,000 Great White Way Division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct.

One happy Partner sent us a note after the race saying, “I had one of the very best days of my life today. Strange as it may seem, it equalled the days my kids were born. I didn’t sleep last night because I had the premonition he might win.”

Empire Dreams had the WPT team and Partners in a “New York State of Mind” Saturday afternoon following a decisive win in the $150,000 Great White Way Division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct.

One happy Partner sent us a note after the race saying, “I had one of the very best days of my life today. Strange as it may seem, it equalled the days my kids were born. I didn’t sleep last night because I had the premonition he might win.”

After breaking from post one as the 4-5 favorite, Empire Dreams was pinned down along the fence while sitting fourth down the backstretch. Jockey Irad Ortiz was then faced with the critical decision to sneak up the rail or swing very wide. Believing he was on the best horse, Ortiz chose the latter, guiding the son of Patriot Act four wide and wearing his foes down.

“When I put him on the outside – the farther I put him on the outside – he picked it up,” Ortiz said. “I just hit him one time and my feeling was I was going to pass the other horses. Much the best in the race.”

Trainer Tom Albertrani said, “He broke a little flat-footed. I don’t think he cared to be in there like that. He does get a little claustrophobic, even in the paddock. When he’s in tight quarters, he just doesn’t like it. Once he got clear, you knew [Irad] had a lot of horse to make up the difference turning for home.”

WPT president Terry Finley purchased Empire Dreams at the 2013 OBS April 2-Year-Old in Training Sale. A New York-bred, he now has earnings of $173,500.

“He flew under the radar at the sale because Patriot Act isn’t an overly commercial sire, despite being regally bred.” said Finley. “I was really struck with how athletic and agile he was, and he jumped through all of our hoops. Patriot Act is by A.P. Indy and this colt is out of a Thunder Gulch mare, so we think he’ll get even better going longer.”

What’s up next for Empire Dreams? He’s under consideration for either the $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes (NYB) or December 15 or the $200,000 Jerome (G2) on January 4.