The Empire Report - Tuesday, July 13, 2021 - Race Analysis
RACE 1 - (7) DESIRES CAPTAIN landed Post 8 vs. much better upon arrival at YR (debuting for the
"Dynamic Duo") - wasn't really beaten that badly, and now lands in a much easier spot as he drops in for
the bottom claiming price - worth a play, even from Post 7. (2) DEERFIELD BEACH squandered a perfect
trip last week but he's never been a particularly reliable commodity - goes for another new barn tonight and
he's eligible to just perk up and deliver on of his better efforts this week...and the price will be better if you
want to give him another chance. (1) NOBLES FINESSE finished pretty well from far back last week,
returning to Yonkers after a long local absence - used to enjoy racing here, and tonight's inside draw could
put him in play for a good piece of this. (4) CARTERS CAPER shows several Monti lines that would make
him a live player against these too....especially with the switch to Kakaley - would definitely use in exotics.
(3) WILD WEST was a surprising claim, knowing his horrific local slate - he does grab pieces, though, so
we'll see how he does for his new connections. (8) BARGAIN SHOPPER was caught in a blindswitch 2
back in a wild race before rallying for 2nd - disappointed off an easy trip in last, however, and now lands
Post 8 - would want a pretty good price to use on top tonight. (5) ART HISTORY gave it a big try last
week, hounded a LONG way by the scary sharp winner yet still holding 2nd - may be overbet off that mile,
and he's not nearly as good (usually) when he doesn't draw inside. (6) HAYMITCH beat cheaper at Monti
6/17 but shows little else - he is trained by a high % barn, so perhaps he's a good one for longshot fans?
RACE 2 - NYSS, 3YO C & G; (4) AMBASSADOR HANOVER won his first 4 starts at 2 before tailing
in his next couple then going on the shelf for the winter - has come back very good at 3, winning a NYSS at
VD in a lifetime best 1:53, before finishing 2nd to the very talented AHUNDREDDOLLARBILL in the
EBC, then finishing 2nd in the Yonkers Trot Elim. and Final to his barnmate, Johan Palema -- stands out
against these. (1) DEES RED DELICIOUS won 6 races and over $250K as a 2YO, but has been struggling
to find that form so far at 3 - adds Lasix for tonight, so perhaps that explains some of his struggles....maybe
we'll see a much better effort tonight? (2) CREDIT CON sports a 9-2-5-0 record this year and made breaks
in those 2 off-the-board starts - ships in off a narrow loss at Goshen to the sharp DEWEY ARNOLD, and
can grab a big piece of this if he continues to mind his manners. (3) STEEL was an upset winner in last
year's 2YO NYSS Final (got a bit lucky) but also raced well in a few other legs - shows a mixed bag of
efforts so far at 3, and will need to bring his best if he hopes to grab a good chunk tonight. (5)
SEVENSHADESOFGREY was sent off at 1/10 in an overnight race here last week and wasn't looking all
that strong even before he made a very costly miscue - can never discount these connections, but others
look more appealing right now
RACE 3 - NYSS, 3YO C&G: (4) AHUNDREDDOLLARBILL showed plenty of talent at 2, but was prone
to miscues - changed barns for his 3YO season and has been "break free", while also exhibiting the talent
we knew was there - landed on a brutal trip in the Yonkers Trot Final (thanks to a little "tag teaming" by the
winner and his barnmate) but still raced super for 4th - definitely the one to beat tonight. (1) DEWEY
ARNOLD rattled off six straight impressive wins in April/May then was a solid 3rd in a NYSS event at VD
(behind #4, and #5) - made an uncharacteristic miscue in his next but rebounded with a career best 1:53 win
in the Pocono slop, then held on at Goshen last week over CREDIT CON- his barn is having an outstanding
2021 season so far (they also have Racine Bell, and sister Surreal Feeling)! (5) INCOMMUNICADO ended
his 2YO season strong ($201K) and was off to a fast start in 2021, jogging in his Dexter Cup elim. and final
- finished 2nd and 3rd in the NYSS and EBC, but did disappoint a bit in his Yonkers Trot elim. weakening
from the pocket and missing the Final - guessing he'll bounce back tonight with a sharper try. (3) LATIN
LOVER won his first 2 career starts at Hoosier in May, then was a crisp rallying 3rd in a NYS at VD -
shipped back to the midwest and raced well in a couple of overnight events, and now is back to take on the
NY breds again....he'll be rallying late...but will it be too late? (2) SEVEN NATION ARMY is being
"picked last", but not because he's been racing poorly - he just seems a notch below the top ones...but it
would hardly be a surprise to see him grab a decent piece with the right trip
RACE 4 - Excelsior A, 3YO C & G: (1A) BARN HALL was a solid 2nd in this class at VD the last time
Macdonald was on board and he gets his favorite pilot back for tonight - not a great post (and certainly no
value as that senseless 4/5 ML price), but he IS the one to beat. (1) CHAPOLIER adds some additional
insurance to the entry - adds hopples tonight after a dull try and a break but IF they help, he does have the
ability to be a player from start to finish with the rail draw. (4) BEANTOWN MADNESS did his best work
last year at the Excelsior B level, but made some miscues along the way and was really hurt by breaks in
his last 2 starts of the years (MaSS elimination and Final) - he's still making some breaks at 3 but did get
along well with Bartlett at Goshen last week, and will be a threat here if he continues to mind his manners.
(6) ROYSONS PUNCH went a couple of solid starts here in June before a miscue at Goshen last week -
drawing Post 7 won't make things any easier for him tonight. (3) YUCATAN PARTY MAN has been a
steady performer, picking up a lot of 2nds and 3rds this year - would obviously look a lot better with a
catch driver, but his current pilot knows him well, and may be able to help him grab a share of this. (7)
BLACK TIE BASH has the ability to hang with these but draws Post 8 and comes off a miscue in his last -
willing to use him for 3rd/4th. (2) DUCKDODGENDIVE and (5) TORREY PINES both seems just a little
cheaper than the others (maybe the switch to Stratton can help #2 a bit?)
RACE 5 - (3) ROSE RUN WOODROW made up a ton of ground in the 3rd quarter last week just to get
close to contention, and had license to flatten after that - this is a much better spot, and he definitely has a
shot to hit the top and never look back against this very modest field. (1) IDEAL BEACH was well backed
for his YR debut (off a win at Chester) but was never a factor at all - may have disliked the off going, and
probably deserves another shot...just not worth using on top at a short price. (5) SPINNAKER HANOVER
doesn't have the most exciting lines but he does own a victory over this class here at YR back in May - not
impossible. (7) HURRICANEKINGCARLO was an ok 3rd at Goshen last week off a bad date - probably
fits well with these, but will likely be hampered a bit by the outside draw. (6) PINEBUSH LIFESAVER is
just 1 for 17, but he's hit board in 6 of 10 upstate this year - chance he can grab a share vs. the locals as
well. (2) KEEPAMERICAGREAT is 1 for 26 and showed little in a pair of local starts - may be able to beat
the weaker ones, though. (4) TAPESTRY showed little up in Canada and never got close in his only local
try - needs to be a lot better. (8) HAPPY CAMPER draws Post 8 after being totally empty in his last
RACE 6 - (6) CAPTAIN ROMANCE started his career at Chester this spring with a nice rallying 3rd
followed by an easy win - landed in tough for a couple of starts, was scratched sick, but came back to
quickly find his form and ships in tonight showing a pair of blowout wins at Pocono - has been away 3
weeks, but still worth a play at what figures to be a fair price. (2) SHAKESPEARE has hit board in 12 of
18 career starts but shows just ONE win....and has burned a ton of $$ along the way - very logical threat to
take this, but hard to keep backing at way-too-short prices! (3) SOLID ALIBI was handled aggressively
shipping in from NJ last week and raced very well for 2nd - he'll attract more support tonight, but is still
worth including on your tickets. (5) DANCE IT OUT beat this class last week but was also helped by a
perfect trip - absolutely can win again...but will need more of that same trip luck to do so. (1) MAJOR
SHOW has been picking up a bunch of smaller pieces out of town, and seems destined for a similar fate
tonight. (4) WHAT ABOUT BOB is just 1 for 15, and has failed to hit board in all 5 Yonkers starts -
perhaps at some point, his owner/trainer can send this guy to the same barn he sent EFFRONTE A to... and
hope for similarly remarkable results! (8) MIKI U SO FINE added Lasix last week and was an ok 4th -
can't really see him reaching from out here, though. (7) DILLINGER is just 1 for 20 lifetime, and not too
sharp right now - hard to endorse from Post 7
RACE 7 - (3) WATER SPORTS TEEN drew Post 8 for his local debut but the "Dynamic Duo" had him on
his "A Game" for his first start in the barn, and he wired the field in a lifetime best 1:51 mile - this happens
to be a strong NW6 division...but it's still hard to go past this guy after seeing that last effort! (1) CRUNCH
HANOVER got away in the winner's pocket last week and chased as best he could in that blazing mile -
with the rail draw tonight, there's a good chance he can complete the exacta once again. (2) SHINY
BLACK BEAMER has been sharp in all his local tries compiling a 5-1-3-1 record - figures to be close once
again, but not sure he can handle the top choice. (4) DEAN B HANOVER is 10-5-3-0 to start off his career,
and 2 for since a recent barn change - would normally be the favorite in this class, but he catches a very
tough bunch for his YR debut, and may have to settle for a smaller piece. (7) TELL THEM LOU really saw
his game improve since adding Lasix on 6/1, but has had the misfortune of catching rivals like Blank Stare,
Gray Dragon, etc, in his recent PA starts - catches a brutally tough field for his YR return AND draws post
7 - can race big here and still only take home a minor share! (5) BETTOR AT HIGHTIDE is a steady NW6
performer but there are just too many in here that are very sharp right now - wait for an easier spot. (8)
GAMBLINGTERROR has been sharp for weeks, but will have a hard time getting close to the action
tonight. (6) SALT LIFE has been having a solid 4YO season, but figures to struggle a bit tonight.
RACE 8 - (6) THISJETSABOOKIN hasn't won since the April claim, and is winless at Yonkers over the
past 2 years - that being said, this just feels like a spot where Bongiorno may be able to put this guy on the
front end...and horses from this barn become pretty hard to beat when left alone on the lead - maybe he can
get off the schneid tonight? (2) GRIFFON HANOVER drew 8 holes in his first 2 starts for a new barn but
has picked up a 2nd and a 3rd since shipping in, and drawing better - very logical threat from this spot. (1)
WHITTAKER N is 9-0-0-0 here over the last 3 seasons but actually raced pretty well 2 back (impossible
trip), and is looking at a pretty decent journey tonight - certainly worth using in exotics. (3) P H KENNY
really hasn't been sharp lately but maybe this weaker field is a spot where he can perk up a bit - when on his
game, he'd be a big threat in here. (8) ROCK N TONY has enjoyed some success here in the past but is
hard to gauge off his recent midwest form...and he lands Post 8. (4) KILLER MARTINI wins once a year
these days, and it's tough to guess when that week will be - usually willing to just let him beat us. (5)
WINNING LINC throws way more duds than good ones - another that's tough to play HOPING he'll show
up that night. (7) MAJESTIC KIWI N just seems too far out to really threaten.
RACE 9 - (3) MISTER SPOT A moves back to his former trainer and that barn did well with him for a
while - assuming he's a fair price tonight, he's worth a shot in a pretty wide open race. (5) OUR CORELLI
N had some sneaky life from impossible spots here 2 and 3 starts back, then caught a sizzling mile up at
Stga. last week - another worth a look if the price is right. (1) BAKERSFIELD is hard to like "on paper",
but the 10YO still pops off some big miles when in the right mood, and this is definitely a logical spot to at
least look for a wake up call. (4) WAIMAC ATTACK N is just 1 for 26 at Yonkers but he's pretty good
right now, and may be able to grab a decent slice here. (6) VILLIAM seems to race well everywhere except
Yonkers...where he sports a 9-0-0-1 record - not ready to hop on his team until he starts delivering at YR.
(2) ZIGGY SKY has been racing well but he's moving up in class off a sick scratch (away 25 days) and just
seems a little iffy for tonight. (7) TEXICAN N still tries hard at age 13, but doesn't figure to be able to have
much of a say from out here. (8) BLOOD BROTHER drops next week, and will look more appealing at
that time (hopefully from a much better post)!
RACE 10 - (3) SIX DEGREES just missed at 18-1 in his first local try then got it done the next week at a
huge 28-1 price - finished right behind Mullinax at Goshen last week, and just seems sharpest of these right
now - price will be a LOT shorter now, however. (7) KEYSTONE NOLAN handled the jump to NW4 very
nicely last week when 2nd to the talented Town Gossip - he fits very well here and can have a legit chance -
but only if Lachance handles him aggressively. (1) CAPTIVATE HANOVER is a logical threat from the
pole but he did make a break last week, and is just 1 for 29 over the last 2 seasons - just don't take a very
short price if he's your choice. (5) ROLLING WITH SAM was no good at all 2 and 3 back but definitely a
bit better in his last - he's 0 for 15 at Yonkers, so he's another that would need to be a decent price to be
considered on top. (2) HAGGARD has been just "ok" in a pair of local starts - ok for a small piece, but will
need to improve to contend for a bigger slice. (8) AQUAMAN HANOVER was a sharp front end winner 3
back but failed to menace in this class from outside posts in his last 2 - facing same situation tonight. (4)
MAKE AMERICA GREAT just doesn't seem sharp right now - waiting for better signs before looking his
way. (6) ELITE RETREAT feels overmatched against most of these
RACE 11 - (6) OSTRO HANOVER got beat as the even money choice last week but the front end
probably isn't his favorite place to be these days (and he did lose to a pair of very sharp rivals) - he'll be a
much better price tonight, and CAN beat these with a bit of trip luck. (5) MACS JACKPOT is still winless
on the year but it's not like he's been racing terribly - he'll get his picture taken soon...possibly even tonight.
(3) TYGA HANOVER was a solid 3rd 2 back but lacked the late pop he needed in last - on his best effort,
he'd have a chance to land in the exotics. (4) TOOKADIVEOFFDIPPER should have been a winner 2 back
but was done in by a horrific drive - made up for it in last with an easy front end score, but he'll be facing
considerably tougher tonight...still a decent chance to pick up a nice piece of this. (1) WINDSONG JACK
has suddenly come to life in a big way since joining his current barn 3 starts back...and several of his stable
mates have been thriving upstate as well - he just seems a bit overmatched against a few of these - no
matter how good he looks on paper right now. (2) ONE OFF DELIGHT A usually does very well when he
draws inside...but usually against easier competition - not sure how much damage he can do against some
of these. (7) TALBOTCREEKWHISKEY has some recent excuses but unfortunately, he'll probably have
another one tonight (as he draws too far outside to have any real chance against these) - he WILL pop when
he lands in the right spot, though. (8) KEY ADVISOR needs a better post in an easier field - pass for now
RACE 12 - (3) FUNATTHEBEACH N won from a spot last week that hardly any horses win from - he
steps up in class to face tougher tonight, but that move he made last start stamps him as the one to beat in
the finale. (2) IM SOME GRADUATE hasn't been nearly as good as we've come to expect from him, but
he's still a very solid performer at these levels - may end up with a nice trip from this spot, and that would
make him a legit threat for a big piece. (4) MISTER DONALD A has been loving Yonkers so far, a wire to
wire (easy) winner in back to back starts since shipping in - we'll see if he can keep the form spree going
against this tougher crew. (5) ORILLIA JOE had no prayer in his last start here but then scored off the
pocket trip in PA - in just one year, his trainer has established herself as one of the sharpest conditioners in
the area, and she continues to get solid miles out of this 11YO - include in exotics. (7) SPEED MAN N was
able to work out a beautiful trip last week but lacked the zip at the end for a bigger piece - seems like a
terrible spot, but he's scored at BIG prices in the past - good longshot for those looking for a "last race
escape". (6) BRAEVIEW BONDI N was better than his line looks last week, but lands in another terrible
spot - maybe 3rd/4th? (1) MARCO BEACH made just 8 starts in 2021, and he's been slow to come around
since returning to the races in June - prefer others, even with his inside post. (8) DARK ENERGY N
doesn't figure to have any way into contention from out here.