Welcome back Empire Maker

The year was 2003, I a girl who was just starting to follow horse racing was excited that a fellow NY bred Funny Cide was going for the Triple Crown. Of course he was spoiled by Empire Maker. While Funny Cide would win a race in every year he ran with the exception of his 5 year old season, Empire Maker was retired shortly after his 2nd place finish in the Jim Dandy.

The expectations at stud where high as he was a son of a Derby winner (Unbridled) out of a mare who already had success with 2 foals (Chester House and Honest Lady). He started off great with G1 winners Country Star, Bodemiester (like his dad runner up in the 2011 Derby, as well as Preakness) and a colt who won the 09 SA Derby and was runner up in the 09 KY Derby, Pioneerof the Nile. However he didn't have the superstar for his owners Juddmonte. Thus he was sold to Japan in order to continue his stud career. Meanwhile Juddmonte would have a superstar in a horse named after Empire Maker's trainer Frankel.

Fast forward to 2015. Just months after his grandson American Pharoah wins the Triple Crown, it is announced that Gainesway (which ironcally stands 2 grandsons of Unbridled in Tapit and fellow TC spoiler Birdstone) has acquired the now 15 year old. Obviously the success of American Pharoah fast tracked this, but this was likely in the works for awhile.

I didn't care for EM as a racer, but have loved him as a sire. I guess Bobby Frankel's trainees have that effect on me as I'm bit Medaglia d' Oro fan as a stud, but then I again there was part of me that thought he was going to be a failure. Of course wrong I was.

(Note: I actually heard about this on Twitter about a week and a half ago, but was waiting for an official article before posting anything about it. Now that it's official here is the post)

Edit: Here is a picture of his most famous foal 2 time Delaware Handicap winner Royal Delta. (she's in the white silks)