New York State, the 11th state to be admitted to the Union, is popularly known as the EMPIRE State. New York has long been a leader in the political, cultural and economic life of the United States. It has been called the Empire State since before 1800, a reference to its wealth and variety of resources, and probably derived from a comment, attributed to George Washington, that predicted that New York would become the seat of the new empire. The Empire State Building stands as a Manhattan skyscraper, located on 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets, which, when it was completed in 1931, was the tallest building in the world, at 1,250 feet.

The EMPIRE STAKES for two year old New York Breds was inaugurated in 1976. Run at Belmont from 1989 to 1991, from 1993 to 1995, and from 1997 to the present; at Saratoga in 1992; at Aqueduct in 1996. Run at 5 1/2 furlongs in 1989. In 1994, the Empire Stakes was re-named as the EMPIRE CLASSIC. It was previously run for two-year-old colts at a distance of six furlongs, from 1976 to 1988 and from 1990 to 1993. Run at the distance of a mile and an eighth from 1994 to the present.