Friday Empire Report

soaofny • November 18, 2022

The Empire Report - Friday, November 18, 2022 - Race Analysis

RACE 1 - Tough opener: (2) BORN DESIRE raced better than expected when a good 3rd in his local debut

- was no factor at all in his next, but he may have struggled with the off going...as good a stab as any in this

hard to decipher opening race. (4) KIMANI N doesn't win all that often but he's a good fit with these types

- gets a pass for his last (tough trip), but should be able to have a good say from this spot. (8) LETTUCERI

PRITAA never thrived after being claimed on 9/10 but did perk right back up after another barn change on

10/28, winning last week as the odds on choice - would likely have been the top choice in here if not for the

horrible draw (3) UNICO LEGEND N has been a little in and out but at least he's finally racing every week

- could be a legitimate threat if the trip goes his way. (7) CARRACCI HANOVER is pretty unreliable these

days but he's the type that likes to win races when "feeling good", and is never a bad stab at a big price. (1)

SNAP CALL generally disappoints, but the rail draw at least gives him a chance for a piece IF he shows up

in a good mood. (5) YS SUNSHINE struggled all the way returning from Monti 2 back - appeared to be

empty last week too, but then did find enough late to somehow grab 2nd....this seems like a tougher spot.

(6) SPORTSKEEPER has just one 2nd from 18 local starts this year - sticking with others.


RACE 2 - (6) MORNING HAS BROKEN gets to drop a bit after turning in a pair of excellent tries in the

FM Open - she ends up with the worst post, but just seems sharp enough right now to overcome it. (1)

ROCKNROLL ANNIE took a while to get rolling this year but has been sharp returning from a layoff in

September - she should end up with a very nice trip here, and is definitely good enough right now to turn

that into a good piece. (2) BEST HEAD WEST was heavily backed last week, ended up the only leaver and

was able to prevail after fending off a serious test from DRAGONS LUCKY LADY - she figures to have a

tougher trip tonight, but can still take home a good chunk of this. (5) JIVE DANCING A got sharp in PA

and brought that good form with her back to Yonkers - more than good enough right now to be a player, but

her trip does seem a little iffy from this spot. (4) ANDRA DAY will appreciate the drop from the Open but

she still may need to be in a little cheaper to contend for a top spot - leaning a bit more towards others. (3)

SHEIKH YABOOTY N has some good recent miles, but may struggle a bit vs. these tougher foes.


RACE 3 - (1) SWEET HEAVEN drew Post 8 for her YR return and understandably just toured the oval -

she's certainly a good fit with these, and it's logical to assume she'll be ready for a much bigger effort

tonight - that 9/5 ML price is a bit of a turnoff, however! (2) BABS JANSEN had no prayer last week

racing from the back into a very fast final half - she's a proven player against this type, and figures to be a

serious threat from this better spot. (3) BETTERB CHEVRON N doesn't always bring her best, but she can

be a very live player at this level when she does - worth a look if the price is right (and certainly playable in

exotics). (6) ROBYN CAMDEN wasn't bad off the long layoff 10/20 then raced ok last week, going for a

new barn after missing 3 weeks - she'll need some hot action up front to help her late rally pay off, however

(4) NADINA HANOVER has been holding her own since jumping up to face solid older mares - chance

for another small share tonight. (7) COMMANDER CATHY N finally got her first local win 4 back and

has been in good form since then - faces a long haul from out here, though. (8) EDGE OF ETERNITY has

been racing very well lately, and that last effort is better than it may look (she was shuffled back, and never

clear) - hard to see a way into the race for her from out here, but she instantly becomes a longshot threat if

things somehow go her way. (5) ALWAYS B MIMI got sharp right off the 9/15 claim but has really leveled

off lately - needs a wake up call to be a player here.


RACE 4 - (2) BARON MICHAEL had been racing better than his lines suggested for a while - he was well

backed on 10/25 (dropping to this level) but was used harder early on than he probably liked and tired -

rebounded with a win the next week at Fhd., and he returns at a level where he CAN get the job done -

worth a shot as long as the price is fair. (3) AIR FORCE HANOVER hasn't been "great", but he's been "ok"

- this could be a spot when he hits the top, and just outruns these. (5) SHANWAY N was a (DH) winner the

last time he was down at this level, but he also lost 3 straight in this class before grabbing that win - has a

real chance here on his best, but don't accept too short a price if using on top. (1) VIRGIN STORM is now

0 for 19 here this year and often seems to just be going through the motions - does have a reasonable shot to

tow along closely enough for a piece, however. (6) ON THE VIRG was shuffled 2 back but didn't seem

overly loaded regardless - couldn't sustain his bid last week, but really didn't tire all that badly either -

maybe he can grab a small piece? (4) AINTNOBETTOR A is just 1 for 28 here this year and 2 for 32

overall (with that other win coming last week at Fhd.) - wouldn't shock, but still leaning towards others. (7)

SOUTHWIND MOROCCAN is 0 for 14 here this year and 1 for 33 over the last 2 seasons - he lands a bad

post, and will likely need to wait for a better spot for even a piece. (8) AMERICAN WAY is 2nd time

Lasix, but another bad post figures to hurt his chances significantly.


RACE 5 - (4) TAKE A GAMBLE raced super (from Post 7) in his local debut, looking like a winner into

the stretch only to get outbattled late by a sharp, recent import - he faces a couple of very live players to his

inside, but we'll still give him the narrow edge. (1) RHODENA ROAD drops all the way down to the

bottom level while also moving from Post 8 to the pole - this stamps him as a major threat, but also

guarantees that he'll be very heavily backed - won't offer much value, but it would also be hard to leave him

off your tickets. (2) EXPLOIT was very well meant returning from Hoosier and a much lower level than

he'd been used to facing here - he was sitting a beautiful pocket trip when he was completely wiped out off

turn three by the breaking leader, losing all chance - would be no surprise at all. (3) PINEBUSH LIFESAV

ER continues to race respectably every week - seems a bit below the top 3, but an easy trip could help take

home a decent share. (5) OUR MAJORDAN A raced well in his last 2 local starts but then threw a dud at

PcD - chance for a minor share if he can bounce back to one of those better efforts. (7) MOHAWK WARRI

OR was unable to get involved from similar spots in his last 2 starts and figures to suffer the same fate

tonight, even with the class drop. (8) WHITE BELLY raced much better in his 2nd local try but the outside

draw figures to leave him waiting for a better spot. (6) ZACH MAGUIRE N has managed just ONE second

place finish from his last 39 local starts yet his drivers continue to pull him off the cones - why??.


RACE 6 - (4) ROCK N TONY is hard to like off his current "form", but he's also had no chance at all with

3 straight 8 holes since returning from the layoff - at last Boyd can TRY to race him from this spot, and he

wouldn't have to be all that great to beat this shaky bunch - worth a stab IF the price is decent. (6) QUATR

AIN BLUE CHIP didn't make his first start of 2022 until late August, and he does seem to be sharpening

out of town lately- a good trip could make him a legitimate player in his YR return. (1) DAVIDS COMING

HOME is 1 for 29 on the year, and 0 for 22 at Yonkers - that being said, this is a spot where he MAY be

able to just keep on grinding and eventually find a way to beat these...but not one to take a short price with!

(2) GIVENUPDREAMING picked up a 3rd and a 2nd after the recent claim but really laid an egg last week

- suppose he has a chance on his best effort, but he's another that doesn't really get his picture taken all that

often. (3) BETTER UP (like the top choice) gets long overdue post relief but this guy is 0 for 24 at YR this

year - not impossible, but leaning towards others. (5) BAMSKI has been struggling - we'll see if some class

relief helps his cause. (8) GOTAFOOLISHDESIRE hasn't been "bad", but he still seems likely to beat only

the weaker ones from out here. (7) TIDAL SHARK has struggled in virtually every start for months.


RACE 7 - (3) TWIN B SPEED DIAL was used hard almost all the way last week but still only gave way to

one rival late (#1), while finishing way ahead of the others - he's been on an amazing roll for weeks, and

we'll give him a shot to reverse that decision tonight. (1) UPTOWN FUNK had the fresh legs in the stretch

last week and was able to reel in the top choice, finally getting to the winner's circle in his 7th attempt after

the long layoff - obvious threat to repeat starting from the pole. (2) APEX SEELSTER ended up with a

horrible trip last week and tired to 5th (behind the top pair) - could easily be a bigger threat tonight with a

much easier journey. (7) AMERICAN WIGGLE comes into this off a pair of front end blowouts - those

miles suggest that he CAN handle tonight's class hike but he does draw well outside a trio of tough foes,

and also gets a driver change - couldn't blame anybody for staying on his team....if the price is good enough

(6) CLASSIFIED MATERIAL picked up a 2nd and a win in his last pair but was helped by good posts and

good trips - he's likely looking at a much smaller piece from out here. (5) MISTER DAYTONA N was a

solid player here in years past, but he's lost a few steps since last seen in these parts and may struggle a bit

tonight....even coming off that win (over cheaper) at PcD. (4) SUNSETBOOZECRUISE used an easy trip

to grab a 2nd last week but seems unlikely to have that same luck against these....and the class jump seems

overly ambitious. (8) JOJOS PLACE gets stuck behind the 8 ball once again - wait for a better spot.


RACE 8 - (2) LUCKY ARTIST A was used a little harder than she might have liked to reach the top last

week, and that may have left her a little short (from the pocket) at the end of the mile - she's been very

sharp for weeks, and may be able top spring a mild upset in this short, but tough to predict field. (3) CLAS

SICIST was used very hard throughout last week's Open and only gave way at the very end - a similarly

sharp effort would make her a big threat tonight. (4) MCMARKLE SPARKLE would normally be very

dangerous in a short field like this but the powerful closer wasn't at her best 2 back, then really came up

uncharacteristically empty last week - it feels like she may be tailing (after a long, successful season), but

it's also possible that she can bounce right back tonight - mixed feelings. (5) UPTOWN HANOVER had

lost to cheaper a few times here already so last week's BIG winning effort in the Open was certainly a

surprise...especially the short price - have to respect her chances to repeat, but still inclined to try a couple

of the others in this well matched group. (1) MAN DONTFORGET ME was no factor the least 2 weeks but

she figures to be closer to the action tonight - may be able to land a piece.


RACE 9 - (2) LIT DE ROSE gets another crack at the class she wired effortlessly as the 1/5 favorite last

week - pretty hard to make a case against her tonight! (1) VIOLETS RAINBOW was pacing well late for

4th last week from a tougher spot - could be looking at a pocket trip tonight, and may complete a very short

exacta. (5) REACHTHRUTHESKY AS got her favorite pilot back last week but definitely didn't get the

(fast) surface she wanted - could be sharper here, and she does figure to be a pretty nice price. (3) TECHYS

ANGEL A rattled off a trio of 2nds at this level before a couple of lesser efforts at the end of October - she

did bounce back with a good try in PA last week, and her best effort could land her a spot in the exotics

tonight. (6) JODY was able to pick up 2nd behind the top choice last week but was helped by an easy trip -

may have a tough time replicating that success from this much tougher spot. (7) FADE OUT shipped down

sharp from Canada, won at Chester for her new connections then jogged in her first local start as well -

she's clearly a talented filly, but the big class hike (and Post 7) may derail her progress just a bit tonight. (4)

DC BATGIRL generally needs to be in a little softer to be a serious player.


RACE 10 - (7) LOVE THE BLUES N circled the field at 25-1 last week and while that type of result

usually happens as a result of the race just "falling apart", this was actually a case of a horse just racing

SUPER, and doing it all on his own - he'll still be a decent price here, and we'll stay on board. (3) CASHN

CAM has become a very reliable commodity at this $15K level and he's looking at another good trip from

this spot - should be a very live player once again. (1) CAROLINA MAGIC failed at 4/5 trying to make it 3

in a row last week but he's right back in the box and it would be hard to leave him out of your exotics. (5)

FARMERS TAN left well from the outside to grab a 3 hole trip but he tired badly after earning that good

spot - he won the week before, and he's another that could easily bounce back with a better effort. (2)

BLUEBERRY HEAVEN should get a way at least a little closer than usual - maybe that can help him

squeak out a small piece? (4) MINGO JOEL raced better 2 back when he rallied for 3rd but then failed to

get involved last week- the better draw gives him a chance for a minor share (8) LINCOLN BOULEVARD

picked up 4ths from tough spots in his last pair but he gets no luck once again at the draw - keep an eye on

him, and consider when he finally lands inside. (6) ATLANTIS just went into reverse last week in his first

try off the claim - we'll just observe this time around.

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