The Empire Report – Tuesday, March 5, 2024 – Race Analysis
RACE 1– “Stake Your Claim” Series Final: (4) MC ANGEL is just a nose loss (to the razor sharp GOLDEN
QUEST N) from a 3 race winning streak – she’s been claimed from her last 3 starts and her current connections may
be able to reap quick dividends in this $50K Final, helped by the draw! (7) LA BELLA VITA N just missed in her
first try in for the tag after making a LONG early move to the top – she avenged that loss with last week’s game first
over victory, but will need to find some way to overcome tonight’s very tough draw. (8) ELSIES DELIGHT was
super in her win over #7 two back, then came up 2nd best to that same foe last week – she’s as good as any of the
mares in here, but is another faced with a tall task (thanks to the draw) – still deserves a good look at a big price. (5)
PARADISE ROCK L has done nothing but good work since being claimed for $20K on 1/23 – she may be a notch
below the top ones, but she’s too sharp to simply ignore. (1) ONEDERFULBEACH has a couple of series wins and
draws the pole for our winningest trainer/driver tandem...she could be a bit below a couple of the others, so be
careful about taking a short price (if she’s your choice). (6) PURE SILKY has picked up her game recently and even
raced well from off the pace last start – decent value horse for the bottom of exotics. (2) COMMANDER CATHY N
has been limited to smaller pieces lately and is looking at a similar scenario tonight. (3) CHUPPAH ON his board in
her last pair but just doesn’t feel as sharp as several of the others right now
RACE 2 – (2) ALL ALONE has really elevated his game lately – he’s taken 3 of his last 4 and was terrific in the
lone loss (charging home for 3rd behind a pair of Open horses) – remains the one to beat, but does figure to get some
competition even in this short field. (1) NATURALLY GIFTED A arrived from Down Under with a strong resume,
and seems to be getting sharper in each of his 3 U.S. starts– legitimate threat in his Yonkers debut. (5) BLUE HUNT
can be a lazy/difficult horse to drive but Brennan has some experience with him and the short field at least will keep
him fairly close to the action – he has the ability to do damage if things go his way. (3) IT’S A ME MARIO sprinted
home in :27.2 to romp in his seasonal debut and impressed Bartlett enough to hop off the top choice (from his
primary account) to drive him tonight – we’ll see if that vote of confidence proves correct. (4) HURRIKANE JONN
YBOY is a talented horse but who makes (very) limited starts – tough task after being away since August!
RACE 3 – (1) AINTNOHOLLABACKGRL was re-claimed 2 back then delivered her sharpest mile of the year last
week (2nd to “threepeater” BLUEBIRD GRAF) – maybe she can build off that and get into the win column for 2024
(3) LINCOLNS GIRL N shipped in with some horrific looking Fhd. form but Siegelman drove her like she’d be
very good and sure enough, she was an excellent 2nd – have to respect her after that performance. (7) DREAM DAN
CING has won 3 of her last 4 starts, and can handle a variety of trips – she’s the one to beat, but be careful about
taking a short price from out here. (5) SEZANA N was a decent 4th vs. much better last week but she’s also failed
against THESE types in a bunch of starts as well – make sure to get a good price if using this unreliable mare on top.
(6) ODDS ON DELTA ships in sharp from Fhd., gets Bartlett, and a good price makes her worth at least
considering. (2) EVAS SPORTS CZECH was an afterthought for a while but she’s put in a few decent moves in
recent weeks and has to at least be considered for a piece. (4) WESTERN ROSIE hit board in her last pair but was
really helped by easy trips – hard to say if she’ll be as fortunate tonight
RACE 4 – (2) TRAIN STATION was underachieving for some time but really turned things around from Post 8 on
2/6, and has won two more times since then – he faces a few very good foes tonight, but the draw (and his current
form) still stamps him the one to knock off. (5) VICI willingly let #2 cut the mile last week, coming up just a little
short at the wire into a sizzling final quarter – the “good news” for him is that it allowed him to remain eligible to
this same class...remains a major threat! (4) HUNTERS HERO may have some issues (no starts at 2, rough patch
last summer during a 14 start 3YO campaign) but he DOES have legitimate ability – qualified in blowout fashion for
his top connections, and we’ll see if he’s able to deliver his best after 4 months off. (6) VENTURESOME ARDEN
N has shown some major ability at times but he was a no-threat 3rd behind the top pair in his last, and is stuck on the
outside tonight – playable IF the price is juicy. Both (1) RAY RAY and (3) FULL HORSE seem quite a bit below
the top 4, and will need some good fortune just to take home a decent piece
RACE 5 – (5) LEONIDAS A is used to facing (and beating) fields MUCH better than this one and it would be hard
not to list him on top – that being said, he was in a similar situation LAST week, and faltered on the lead as the 1/10
favorite – you may hold off on betting the rent money on him tonight. (1) BLANK STARE finished full of pace last
week but unfortunately for him, so did the two that were in front him turning for home – he’ll be right in the hunt
once more, and hoping that LEONIDAS A fails to bring his best once again. (2) NIGHT HAWK has looked good in
his 3 starts this year, gets major post relief, and is another hoping for a chance to cash in IF #5 falters once more. (3)
CYRUS N has been solid since returning in 2024, but will be facing even tougher tonight – he’ll likely look to save
ground, and finish up well enough for a piece of this. (6) VINTAGE CHEDDAR N rallied sharply to win here on
1/30 then was cut loose a little too late in his next start, a half length shy in 2nd – returns from a no chance spot at
Stga. and will look to rally late for a piece tonight. (8) NAUTICAL HANOVER is sharp right now but likely
coming from too far out of this for more than a minor share. (4) ULTIMAROCA was a winner returning from
Canada but was running out badly in the lane– he failed badly in his next, and moves up in class off that dull try –
needs a major wake up here. (7) LAYTON HANOVER has taken 5 of his 17 Yonkers starts but has been away since
November, and lands in a brutal spot for his 2024 return
RACE 6 – (7) STATESIDE DEUCE GB was 3rd in a fast mile in his U.S. debut (behind a couple of good ones) so it
was no surprise to see him win easily as the odds-on choice last week – faces a similar bunch tonight, and looms a
repeat short-priced winner, despite the tougher draw. (2) AYR BALMORAL GB qualified very nicely for his U.S.
debut then came up to 2nd best to the top choice in a solid try – remains the biggest threat, and seems likely to
complete the “all UK” exacta once more. (4) OLYMPIC BLAZE finished 3rd behind the top pair in his last and may very well complete the identical trifecta yet again. (3) FANTOME EN JOIE was a decent 4 th in his YR debut, racing off a 4 month layoff – he’s eligible to be even better tonight, but will need to improve significantly to be a real threat to the top pair. (1) MAN RAY makes his 3YO debut after failing to hit board in 8 tries at 2– we’ll see if he’s matured over the winter. (6) HURRIKANE JUSTIN made 5 starts at 2 and was up the track in both local attempts – will just observe as he returns here at 3. (5) BEST BETTOR and (8) VALENTINE HUNTER would be major surprises, to
say the least
RACE 7 – (2) CAPTAIN MAX HENRY picked up a couple of wins here vs. easier at the end of 2023 – wasn’t quite
as effective facing (much) tougher to start off ’24, but he looked very good last week when changing up tactics, and
finishing full of pace from behind – faces a much (overall) easier field tonight, and it feels like a winning spot. (5)
TWO FACED has been a bit camera shy in his career (just 4 for 43, but hit board in 18 of the losses), but does feel
like the main threat – he’s held his own with tougher in the past, and his best effort could make him dangerous in
this spot. (4) COTTON ON N is a bit of a guessing game tonight – he was a solid 4 th in his stateside debut but never
lifted a hoof last week – hard to know which version we’ll see tonight. (3) ALLBETSONFRITZ picked up 3rds in
the 2 starts that he drew inside – chance for another minor share tonight. (1) CHIEF CORLEONE raced ok in his 5
local starts last year –he’s been away since December, and his qualifier doesn’t really offer any clues to his readiness
(6) PINE BUSH ITALIANO has 18 starts here over the last 2 years and has just one 3rd place finish
RACE 8 – (7) SHEIKH YABOOTY N was just “ok” when 3rd off the class drop last week but she catches a pretty
modest field tonight, and probably has the speed to overcome the bad draw – gets the narrow vote. (4) DANDYS
SHOWTIME struggled in her local debut but was quickly claimed by our leading barn and we may very well see a
quick reversal of fortune tonight – she does figure to be overbet, however. (2) CHARMING VIXEN acts like she
wants to do it, but has been plagued by getting rough during the mile and has been a hard horse to drive – chance to
upset these IF she’s smoother tonight. (1) BROOKDALE JESSIE hasn’t won in eons but she’s often competitive,
and a small piece is within reach. (5) FLIP THE SCRIPT has some better life when 2nd two back but flopped badly
in her last – many of her barnmates have been good lately...maybe she can turn it around again one of these nights?
(6) TUAPEKA JESSIE N had some issues (especially late in miles) when racing for our leading trainer – she seems
to be going in the wrong direction since a recent claim. (8) SHOWMEMAGIC was 0 for 15 here last year, finishing
3rd six times – she drops in for a tag in her 3 rd start of ’24 and the horrible draw may leave her waiting for a better
spot to strut her best stuff. (3) TIGERS WATCHING N hasn’t clicked yet since returning (for a new barn) in ‘24
RACE 9 – (1) NUTTINBUTHEBEST was just 2 for 37 here in 2022-23 but she made her 2024 return a winning
one, then raced very well when 2nd in her last (despite being used very hard to get the lead) – they’ll have her to
catch and beat tonight. (6) PLEASURE SEEKER came up 2nd best to a pair of oft-winning rivals 3 and 4 starts back
then picked up victories of her own the last 2 weeks – chance for the threepeat here, and that 6-1 ML price is surely
appealing. (8) BLUEBIRD GRAF is a perfect 3 for 3 since returning from Dover but that streak will be put to the
test from Post 8 tonight – make sure to get a good price if using on top. (2) BETTOR B SAWYER has been solid in
all 3 local starts this year – she may end up with a nice trip (if the top choice just goes right down the road) and that
20-1 ML listing makes her worth at least a look. (7) ITTY BITTY was wildly overbet off the barn change last week
but was able to use all of a perfect trip to get the job done – won’t be nearly as easy to find that kind of trip from
Post 7, however. (5) UNITY was able to “steal” one on the lead 2 back then used a rail skimming trip to grab 3rd lastweek – another that may not land as good a journey tonight. (3) SUNSET SOPH made a perfectly timed move to
beat a very weak field 2 back, but did race ok with another good trip last week – wouldn’t be surprised if she
grabbed another piece (with the right trip). (4) SHORTYS GIRL is 0 for 22 at YR – sticking with others
RACE 10 – (3) CALLMEQUEENBEE A has been hurt by bad posts facing better – she’s finally in a reasonable
spot, and maybe it’s an opportunity to pick up her first local victory of the season. (1) ALWAYS B MIMI has been
bouncing around between the 20s and 50s with mixed results in BOTH classes – she’s definitely unreliable, but her
best effort would make her a threat from this spot. (7) WHATINEEDISAMAN has taken 2 of 4 local starts this year,
and been overmatched in the 2 losses – she does fit with these, but will still need to find a manageable trip from Post
7. (4) ON THE MONEY GB will use her speed to grab a good trip in here...it’s her less than stellar finishes that
have been the issue – definitely one for exotics. (2) ACEFOURTYFOUR ALEX had a useful tightener last week
when an easy trip 4th – she may be able to build off that and have an even bigger say in her 2nd start off the layoff. (6)
ROLL WITH SHORTY struggled in her first 3 starts here this year but returned from a Monti win to be an ok 4th last
week – ok bomb for 3 rd/4th . (8) ROCKNROLL ANNIE can go with these when on her game but faces an uphill task
starting from Post 8. (5) CORAL BELLA drops, but may be too far off form to capitalize