Racing as a gelding for the first time, Empire Ride broke his maiden by 2 3/4 lengths Thursday at Aqueduct, pulling away in the stretch with a persistent ride from Manny Franco.

Trainer Tom Morley recommended gelding Empire Ride and since that procedure he had noticed that the 3-year-old New York-bred was moving smoother and more comfortably in his training.

Racing evenly in fourth place, Empire Ride answered Franco’s call from four wide in the far turn and kept coming to take control at the sixteenth pole and edge clear.

Tom said, “He has come a long way since being gelded, he has tightened up and is a more athletic individual but he is still very one-paced, very workmanlike about his racing. That was very important to get through to Manny before the race, to not give up on riding the horse because he would try all the way through the line. Not many riders would get him there today, that was a very strong finish from Manny.”

West Point acquired Empire Ride at last year’s OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training.