The Empire Report - Friday, December 9, 2022 - Race Analysis
RACE 1 - (5) THE REAL ONE is certainly not nearly as sharp as he was when the 12YO beat the Open
back in Sept. but it's not like he's "bad" right now - he's been finishing just behind the likes of Fortify,
Velocity Komodo, etc. and there's nothing nearly so scary in this NW7500 field - wouldn't bet the ranch at a
short price, but he is the one to beat in tonight's opener. (3) ON THE VIRG had no chance up in class from
Post 8 last week but this level is more to his liking, and the post relief is significant - worth at least a look at
that 15-1 ML price. (4) AIR FORCE HANOVER was no factor from a tough spots vs. the 50s last week but
he picked up a trio of 3rds at this level just prior to that (and just missed in this class on 10/10) - legitimate
threat against these. (1) KERFORD ROAD A hasn't thrived at all since being claimed for $50K back on
10/3 - he was a dullish 4th dropping to this level last week, and will need to be sharper if he hopes to be a
more serious player tonight. (7) MANKAT benefited last week when the big stickout got wiped out early,
and was able to prevail by a game nose - the class jump and Post 7 figure to slow him down tonight,
though. (6) BLUEBIRD RECON drops out of 50s but has looked for some time like he MAY need a bit of
a freshening (he's tailed after a long, hard season) - not sure the drop will help enough. (2) PROVOCATIV
EPRINCEN is another dropper (from 30s) but he does feel like he's gone too far off form to recommend
right now. (8) BECHERS BROOK A missed by a nose in his last pair but those were one level down, from
the rail - this spot is just much tougher!
RACE 2 - (2) FAIRIESDELIGHT A looked super here in a pair of back to back (short priced) blowouts
over cheaper, then was a well bet solid 3rd (cutting the mile) behind EASY TO PLEASE and LUCKY
ARTIST A - took a month off after that and requalified in NJ, but she got brutalized from Post 10 in her
first start after that and backed up badly - her trainer is too sharp to just throw her back in the box if
something was seriously wrong, so perhaps she can just shrug that off and deliver her best back here at YR.
(5) MORNING HAS BROKEN had been sharp for weeks before throwing a dud 2 back- her last is actually
better than it looks, and she'll be very dangerous here with any half decent trip. (1) BABS JANSEN usually
prefers to be in a little cheaper but she was sharp in her last pair, draws best, and may be able to stick
around a long way from this spot. (4) ROCKNROLL ANNIE finally found her form in early Oct. then held
it as she climbed back up the class ladder - gets along great with her talented young pilot, and should be
able to grab a good piece. (6) DRAGONS LUCKY LADY was a bit of a surprise to see in a claimer last
week but she was able to prevail, and didn't get taken - draws outside some tough foes tonight, and may be
looking at only a smaller slice. (3) SHEIKH YABOOTY N was a 28-1 shocker 2 back but did come back to
earth in her last - drops back down, but still not sold that this is really her current level (despite that win)
RACE 3 - (2) CASHNCAM has proven that he can be a tough customer against these types when he lands
on a decent trip and this feels like a spot where that can happen...he also may be the best price of the 3 main
contenders, and that makes him worth a play. (1) KIMANI N is not quite as camera shy as he used to be,
but still needs a relatively easy trip to succeed - that didn't happen last week, but this is definitely a much
better spot for him - legitimate chance for his new connections. (8) CAROLINA MAGIC was one of the
barn's 2 winners last Friday, and they also finished 2nd (from Post 8) with another - he CAN blast from out
here to get himself into the race, but that may leave him a little light at the end - playable if the price is fair.
(4) LINCOLN BOULEVARD hasn't done much with his Yonkers opportunities but he's also been stuck
with a number of bad spots - draws better, lands a hot pilot, and maybe can grab himself a piece tonight. (5)
CARRACCI HANOVER hasn't looked close to his "better self" in some time - would like to see some
better signs before considering him for any top prizes. (7) SNAP CALL finished ok after the fact last week
while adding Lasix for the first time - might have listed him a little higher had he not drawn so poorly. (6)
REYS A RUCKUS dropped to 15s at Chester last week and was still weak - sticking with others. (3) GO
RANDY GO is hard to gauge class-wise off his out of town lines - prefer to just watch, for now.
RACE 4 - (3) STATE SENATOR definitely benefited from being last week's total "fall apart race", but he
still rallied from last to 2nd from the final turn, and his prior out of town form was sharp as well - moves
inside, lands in a very shaky field and may be able to get to the winner's circle (7) POSH ON THE BEACH
A has been holding his own in 30s so the drop back down to 25s tonight should benefit him - Stratton has
left with him from outside posts in the past, and the guess is he'll try to do the same tonight - good value
play. (1) AMERICAN WIGGLE is a complete guessing game - he just outran his rivals 3 and 4 starts back
but was invisible the night he was claimed, and wasn't too impressive in his last (even if used hard early) -
the "good" version would be very dangerous from this spot....but will we see it? (2) CLASSIFIEDMATER
IAL had some good recent efforts so it was disappointing to see him squander a perfect trip for his new
barn last week - if he rebounds with one of his better efforts he can grab a piece of this (8) TWIN B SPEED
DIAL is the "x factor" tonight - he was on a LONG form spree before finally getting claimed 2 back - his
last was ok (in that "fall apart race") but that was from Post 2 - he's stuck all the way outside tonight and
MAY be looking at a very tough here - mixed feelings about his chances this week. (5) SHARK PLAY was
in the right place/right time last week when the race just feel apart, and was able to swoop by in the lane to
score the 87-1 shocker - of course he CAN do it again, but the price will be much lower and it's hard to
imagine the trip working out anywhere near as favorably. (4) FOX VALLEY INFERNO can be
unpredictable from week to week but his better efforts definitely come with the help of good trips - if you
think he might get one here, he'll be a good enough price to consider. (6) SUNSETBOOZECRUISE is 0 for
20 here over the last 3 years, and tonight's draw definitely figures to hurt his chances even more
RACE 5 - (4) LETTUCERIPRITAA was a pocket winner 3 back off the claim - tired in his next after
blasting to the top from Post 8 but rebounded with a much better effort last week, rallying for 4th despite
following poor cover from well back - gets Bartlett now, draws better, and we'll give him a narrow edge. (1)
YS SUNSHINE had been racing well so it was a little surprising to see him repelled by the pacesetter last
week (#7) after he popped out of the pocket, then outbattled to the wire while ending up 3rd - wouldn't
write him off too quickly, though, as he lands another good spot, and Boyd may just try to wait longer this
time. (7) PICARD A blasted right to the top from Post 8 last week (despite racing off a sick scratch), was
able to fight off an early test from #1, then remained dead game to the end, though collared late by #3 -
barn had two other winners that night, and deserves a lot of respect right now. (3) ACES ROCK was able to
beat both #7 and #1 last week, offering the best late kick of all to surprise at 12-1 (his first Yonkers win) -
had only been considering him for minor shares for weeks, but that last win has moved him up considerably
(2) WINDSONG JACK had a nice series of starts here before a pair of total duds across the river - pretty
hard to know if he's just gone south for now, or if he'll bounce right back returning to Yonkers (5) MARTY
MONKHOUSER A finally dropped in class last week, worked out a beautiful two hole trip but really
weakened near the end - drops again in hopes of finding a better level, but he just may not be sharp enough
right now to take advantage. (6) OHIO VINTAGE had been sharp for weeks so it was a surprise to see him
come off the gate last start - ended up with no offer at all, so it's possible that he's heading in the wrong
direction right now. (8) UNICO LEGEND N has been "ok", but faces an uphill climb from out here
RACE 6 - (5) TECHYS ANGEL drew Post 8 off a sick scratch last week so don't put too much stock into
what looks like a weak effort - she drops right back in the box, has battled even better than these all year,
and could easily perk up with a good one tonight...maybe enough to pull off the upset (4) DRAGON ROLL
is definitely NOT on her best game right now, but she did find a way to dig in last week and preserve the
front end score - gets a free ride in the class and remains the one to beat....but seems a bit vulnerable (at a
short price). (2) SOUTHWIND JAVA really wasn't travelling smoothly in her first local start (off the recent
purchase) - she was much better last week, however, dropping in 3rd then rallying up the cones to finish
right behind #4 - eligible to be even better this week, and deserves consideration. (7) THINK OF GALAXI
ES raced well here a few times but the speedy 4YO is now winless in 9 local starts - obviously the poor
draw doesn't help but she IS pretty good right now, and does merit at least look at that 12-1 ML price
(though trip luck will be needed). (1) ASHTINI had been underachieving a bit recently so it wasn't a big
surprise to see her squander a beautiful trip last week - maybe she can save ground from this spot and take
home a small share? (6) SOUND IDEA struggled for a long time but turned things around with wins 2 and
3 back (vs. cheaper), then a solid 3rd up at this level last week - would have listed her higher had she had a
better draw. (3) HEAVENISSOFARAWAY was way overbet 2 back and an unlucky trip didn't help her
cause - bounced back to beat cheaper in PA last week, but this crew does seem a bit tougher than she'd like
to be facing. (8) LINCOLNS GIRL N really outraced her odds when 2nd at 44-1 last week but she'll have a
hard time matching that performance in this field, from this spot.
RACE 7- (1) EHRMANTROUT finds himself at the bottom level after banging heads weekly in NW20000
just recently - pretty hard to go past from this spot, even at what figures to be a very short price. (5) DEAL
THE CARDS rattled off 5 in a row here last year before finishing last on 9/7 - ended up going on the shelf
for a year after that, and he's been a little slow to find his form since returning - the last start (in NJ) does
look better, so perhaps he's ready to be competitive again - ok for exotics tonight. (2) BETTER B SWIFT
seemed to appreciate that month off as his qualifier looks pretty solid - good spot to sit close, and take
home a good piece. (3) TOPVILLE OLYMPIAN is having a tough year (1 for 24, 0 for 17 at YR) but he's
finished up decently in his last couple, and may be able to rally his way for a share tonight. (4) SOUTHWI
ND MOROCCAN has a few respectable tries lately but he also sports a concerning 23-1-1-5 slate this year
- ok for a small share. (7) DA GHETTO WIZARD shows a sneaky good qualifier at Fhd. for his new barn,
and did win a race here last year - he may need a start but if the tote board suggests that he's "live" tonight,
you may want to include him in some exotics. (6) MOHAWK WARRIOR is just 1 for 27 here this year and
the "good" efforts have been few and far between - tough spot, for sure. (8) KAUAI KING can do damage
at this bottom level, but maybe not from out here - he's also 0 for 29 at Yonkers, so we'll wait for a better
scenario before considering him
RACE 8 - (3) LIT DE ROSE was somehow assigned an inside post last week and as expected, made the
other others pay...stealing a half in :57.4 then easily pacing away from them in the lane with a :27.4 kicker -
she "wins" the 3-8 draw tonight and has an opportunity to hit the top and steal another...and that just may
help her make it 4 in a row. (4) LUCKY ARTIST A has been sharp for some time, but just couldn't
overcome a bad trip last week - she's usually a fair price, and is worth considering tonight. (5) UPTOWN
HANOVER has really elevated her game recently and the 4Y) has become a legitimate player in the
weekly Open - had no real room in the stretch last time, but a better trip tonight could land her somewhere
on the ticket. (6) DELITFULCATHERIN N definitely had a less than stellar trip last week but it's also
possible that she's just not quite on her best game right now - she's won way too many of these to ever just
ignore at that 8-1 ML price. (8) HOT MESS EXPRESS was very good at 2 then outstanding at 3, winning
$631K last year - it took her a while to get rolling as a 4YO (happens often), but she's been hitting on all
cylinders lately and ships in to town razor sharp - would need a pretty good price to use her from Post 8,
trying the half miler, though. (1) VIOLETS RAINBOW has enjoyed an excellent 4YO campaign, although
she's still unproven at this top level - may be sharp enough to bring home a piece IF the trip is favorable. (2)
ANDRA DAY picked up a 2nd last week but generally finds herself a bit overmatched in these fields - not
sure she can be as fortunate this time. (7) INCASEYOUDIDNTKNOW gets to take on the local Open after
doing plenty of damage in Delaware - would have liked her chances a lot more had she drawn inside!
RACE 9 - (7) BEST HEAD WEST is good right now, and Bartlett has been able to push her buttons in the
past - she'll need some trip luck to find a good trip from out here, but she's still worth a play (assuming
she's a decent price). (5) VILLAGE JADE was flying late in her first local start (9/13) then just missed to
VIOLETS RAINBOW in her other Yonkers try - should fit nicely here, and that 8-1 ML price does look
tempting. (2) MAN DONTFORGET ME was well backed dropping to this level last week and delivered
the (DH) victory - stays in the same class (while drawing inside her main rivals) and that makes her a
serious threat to repeat. (4) DISARONNO HILL was a solid front end winner getting some class relief last
week - steps up to face tougher now, and will probably looking at a small piece against these. (3) SWEET
HEAVEN trailed all the way from Post 7 last week but still was less than 3 lengths back at the wire - moves
inside, and has a chance to grab a decent slice if the trip goes her way. (1) ALTA MADEIRA N has been a
solid Yonkers performer but is definitely unproven against this type - the rail can help her chances... but
we'll see if it's enough to make her a serious player. (6) LARJON LEAH has been doing much better the
past few starts but may be pushing her luck a bit against these - Post 6 won't help her cause. (8) DC
BATGIRL isn't at her best right now - the move outside figures to have her too far back to have much say
RACE 10 - Tough finale: (1) SWEET N FAST N hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire but at least
he's been relatively competitive - may be able to control the action against a weak bunch and pick up a win
that way. (3) MISTER HAT finally dropped back down to 20s last week and did have some pace finishing -
maybe he can build off that and land somewhere on the ticket tonight. (2) JOJOS PLACE was able to brush
past a quitting leader last week but then finished poorly himself, tiring in the lane to 7th - no value, but he
does have a chance from this spot if he finds one of his better efforts. (4) VEL LARRY finished ok in his
local debut off the barn change - hard to say if he fits here, but we'll find out tonight. (7) HEART ON MY
SLEEVE is definitely cheap, but he's also been sharp (at Fhd.) - would consider for exotics if the price is
big. (8) ROCKINMYSHOE is winless in 8 local starts but does finish well at times - long way to come
from out here, but maybe 3rd/4th? (6) DAVIDS COMING HOME is a total "sluggo" that figures ti be
dealing with traffic coming from the back - tough spot. (5) BAMSKI was terrible off the barn change