Friday Empire Report

soaofny • October 27, 2023

The Empire Report - Friday, October 27, 2023 - Race Analysis

RACE 1 - (6) COWGIRL LILLY struggled (vs. better) after being claimed for $50K on 8/15 but has

started to come back around lately, and her last was actually very good - tough spot, but a good price makes

her worth a look in tonight's opener. (1) JODY figures to be very heavily backed from this spot and will

likely get to control the action - maybe she'll just prove to tough for these but she's just 1 for 32 here over

the last 2 years, and has burned plenty of $$ along the way - don't fall in love at a very short price. (3)

CHUPPAH ON drops out of 50s, moves inside and figures to be handled aggressively - would be no

surprise at all. (5) OURLITTLEMIRACLE has looked better in her last couple since dropping out of

claimers - certainly a chance for another good piece tonight. (4) LIGHTNING LEIA returns from out of

town showing some mixed recent form - she's never been the most reliable Yonkers performer, and that has

us leaning a bit more towards others. (2) ALWAYS B ROYALTY has picked up some minor spoils and is

probably looking at similar tonight. (8) ALEXAS FANTASY is having a rough year (15-1-2-0) and draws

poorly - pass for now. (7) AMERICAN TICKET was driven poorly last week and finished way back as a

result - hard to endorse from another tough spot tonight.


RACE 2 - (6) GOTHIC ROCK sat a two hole trip last week but being so close to the hot pace probably

didn't help his cause (finished 3rd) - his overall recent form is solid and IF there's at least some battling up

front, he may be able to use his one good move to beat these. (2) FLOW WITH JOE can be prone to poor

starts/early miscues and that's what happened last week - he's also been known to shrug it off and bounce

right back, and he COULD be a big threat here if that happens. (4) MACHIAVELLI returned to YR last

week for familiar connections, was sent off favored despite moving up to 40s but just threw a total dud -

drops back down and will be very dangerous if he brings his best....but 7/5 ML?? (1) ON THE VIRG was

sent off at 36-1 from the pole last week and failed to beat a single horse - drops now, has that start under his

belt, and may be able to produce a better effort. (3) DELIGHTFUL TERROR hasn't been particularly sharp

and loses Jordan tonight - maybe a minor share? (5) LUCIANO N has been camera shy for the last few

seasons, and sits at 1 for 30 here this year - tough spot tonight.


RACE 3 - (3) TONYS MOM had a bunch of sharp tries here (vs. better) throughout the spring and summer

- took some time off, showed speed before tiring in her first start back then landed on a horror trip the next

week - turned in a big on in NJ last start, and lands in a great spot returning to YR- major threat tonight. (4)

DARBY HANOVER has a good local history, and ships in from Delaware off a pair of wins (vs. cheaper) -

Bartlett opts for the top choice, but this mare should still be able to have a say here. (6) BETTER WATCH

IT made a break last week but may have disliked the off going - she has WAY too many strong efforts to be

listed at 20-1 ML, and is worth including in exotics. (8) DELITFULCATHERIN N took no $$ last week

and the classy mare didn't even pretend to be interested from Post 8 - lands out here again, so check the tote

board for a better guess as to her intentions tonight. (1) LOOKATMYART exited our leading barn and

landed with a trainer that's just 2 for 61 this meet...but has held her form nicely, and may be able to grab a

piece here too. (7) TWIN B SUNKISSED has been solid for a while, but may be facing a very difficult trip

from out here - will need some racing luck to make her presence felt tonight. (2) CENTURY JAMILA had

a nice OnSS season but the 3YO will have to take on solid older foes tonight, and also hasn't raced in a

month - prefer to just watch this week. (4) ROCKNROLL ANNIE wants to be on the lead vs. cheaper.


RACE 4 - (4) DEWITT FOR JOSIE was off a month to her last start so we'll forgive her for just touring

the Harrington oval from Post 7 - she had been a weekly threat in the Open at The Meadows for weeks

before that, and really doesn't meet anything too scary in her YR debut...worth a look at that 10-1 ML price.

(1) EASY TO PLEASE is having a rough year, winning just 1 of 14 starts - Cory S. did happen to be on

board for that victory, and will no doubt be handling her aggressively from the pole tonight - would

consider if the price was good enough. (5) MORNING HAS BROKEN hasn't won since taking a couple of

months off this summer but she's hit board a bunch of times, and can surely make her presence felt tonight -

may end up a bit overbet, however. (8) DOUGS BABE A certainly hasn't been looking like the mare that

was a serious Matchmaker player here this spring, but she may be regaining some confidence after wins in

her last pair - she does face an uncertain trip tonight from Post 8, though. (2) MCMARKLE SPARKLE has

only one recent win and it came vs. cheaper, using every bit of her pocket trip - hard to ever discount her

trainer/driver tandem, but it's also hard to endorse her on top as the 2-1 ML favorite. (3) FORTUNADA had

a terrific year at 2 (11-7-1-2 $202K) but wasn't able to be as successful in Indiana at 3 - moves to a sharp

local barn, but the 3YO will be taken on solid older foes and may struggle a bit. (6) VILLAGE JADE has

held form nicely in her climb back up the classes but could be in for a tough trip from Post 6 here. (7)

FADE OUT wired cheaper 2 and 3 back but was no threat in NW15000 last week (and moves up again).


RACE 5 - (6) WARRIOR ONE was struggling mightily after returning from a 3 month layoff but was able

to easily wire a basement field last week and that may be a signal that he's ready to go back on the upswing

- giving him the tepid nod tonight, but wouldn't bet the rent money on him. (2) ROSALINE is 2 for 2 since

joining our leading barn, gets a good draw and has to be seen as a very legitimate threat to make it 3 in a

row. (5) CHARLIE BAR is hard to gauge class-wise off his Canadian lines but that start at Monti last week

(with his trainer on board) is definitely promising....worth at least a look for exotics at that 20-1 ML price.

(4) EZRA looked overmatched in his 2 local starts but he drops 2 classes tonight, and his barn has done

good work since arriving here a few weeks back - potential wake up spot? (3) LINDSEYS PRIDE hasn't

been close to top form for a while - needs a serious wake up call if he hopes to be a player. (7) FULL RIGH

TS has been struggling for a while before a pair of back to back big efforts for 2nds - the issue tonight is the

speed to his inside, as he generally isn't at his best racing from behind. (1) THE LAST CHAPTER has been

away since 8/5 and those qualifiers aren't inspiring a lot of confidence - prefer to just watch for tonight. (8)

MYCROWNMYKINGDOM picked up his first local win of the season with the help of a good trip last

week - he adds hopples tonight, but is also up in class from Post 8 - sticking with others.


RACE 6 - (3) UPTOWN HANOVER has raced very well in a bunch of recent Opens, knocking on the

door several times - she drops down a notch for tonight and while she still faces a couple of OTHER Open

mares in here, we'll give her a chance at the mild upset. (6) RACINE BELL looked like she might be

vulnerable headed into last week but she hit the lead very easily, had things all her own way and was able to

hold off the tripsitter to win it - she's beaten better way too many times to ever take her lightly in here. (1)

MAN DONTFORGET ME has been sharp virtually all year long, compiling an outstanding 35-8-7-9

$208K slate - she gets major post relief, and is a legitimate threat to trip out and take this. (2) OUR LADY

LARA A had generally looked a bit cheaper in her previous local starts but was actually VERY sharp in

last week's Open, kicking home right behind the classy top pair - maybe she's good enough to beat these

right now? (4) OKINAWA BEACH A is razor sharp right now, gets post relief, but will also be facing

tougher- she'll be finishing strong, but the question is from how far back! (7) HEAVENS SHOWGIRL A

was FAVORED against RACINE BELL last week but just couldn't run her down out of the pocket - she's

been on her game for a long time, but may find herself too far back to threaten tonight. (8) SILENT

CROSSING is very good now, but moves WAY up in class while drawing Post 8.


RACE 7 - (6) SLAY had Post 8 off 3 weeks to his last with a driver currently 1 for 48 this year - drops

right back in the box, gets a little better post and also gets Buter back in the bike - could offer decent value

in a pretty wide open affair. (2) BRIDGE TO VICTORY is 0 for 7 here at Yonkers but raced well in most of

those starts- returns from a brief stint at Pocono (where he also raced very well), and should be a live player

tonight. (4) KASHA V is a steady sort that is capable of big miles when things go his way - another

contender. (5) B NICKING gets a class drop but has come up a bit short at the end of his last couple of

miles - would want a decent price if using him on top. (7) PINEWOOD HANOVER did his best work here

with cheaper but his Chester lines suggest he has come back sharp after a brief freshening - not often we

see our leading trainer/driver team listed at 15-1 ML....maybe a small piece? (1) BARRY BLACK moves

up TWO classes after tiring to 4th after the cutting the mile in NW7500 - still may be able to tow along for

a small piece. (3) WILLY WALTON had some issue on 9/30 and had to re-qualify - wasn't at his best last

week, and may not be in the greatest spot for tonight, (8) CREATIVE VENTURE drops one notch but that

will likely be offset by Post 8.


RACE 8 - Short field, but a little uncertain as to how this race will play out: (6) COACHELLABOUND N

went from beating the "NWPM" fields week after week to beating older mares at the NW20000 level, beat

a NW30000 field the next week the won the OPEN in her first try at that level, with a big-time first over

victory - saw her long YR winning streak snapped the next start when 2nd best to a scary good DRAMA

ACT, then raced well for 4th last week off an impossible trip - she'll be her longest price in ages tonight,

and just may be able to pull it off with some trip luck. (4) LIT DE ROSE has taken her last 2 starts and it

would probably would have been 3 in a row if not for a poor drive on 9/29 - she's a threat any time she's in

to go, but it's always a bit of a guessing game as to what trip she'll get - big threat no matter the journey. (5)

KARMA SEELSTER carved it out last week then came up 2nd best to the pocket sitting LIT DE ROSE -

another mare that's a legitimate threat every week, and extra tough any time she's on the lead. (1) ROCKN

PHILLY does her best work with a bit easier, and seems a bit below the top trio - rail draw helps. (3) SILK

CLOUD A was a sharp front end winner in her last pair but steps up in class after missing 3 weeks- leaning

towards others tonight. (2) BETTERB CHEVRON N is a streaky mare (in BOTH directions) but may be

biting off a little more than she can chew at this level.


RACE 9 - (3) X O X O won 3 of 8 starts here last year and beat better than these - adds Lasix as he returns

from Canada and looms the one to beat in the finale....and don't expect anything close to that 12-1 ML price

(1) STICK WITH ME KID stays in this class via the optional claiming tag and has hit board in 6 straight -

big chance he'll do so again tonight. (6) PERRON was really struggling vs. the 50s - finished ok from an

impossible spot last week after dropping to NW7500 and drops another peg for tonight - use underneath.

(2) VELVET STYLE got Chindano's best drive of the night last week and was able to save ground to pick

up 4th - he's having a rough year, but does have a chance at a decent chunk from this spot. (5) GEMOLOGI

ST failed to benefit from the class drop last week but may have disliked the off going - getting harder to

keep making excuses for him. (4) REIGN OF HONOR has a few small pieces at this level and there's

always a chance that he could pick up another with an easy enough trip. (7) CREDARENA draws Post 7

after missing 2 months - pass for tonight. (8) TORKIL is up to 0 for 30 on the year with just one 2nd.

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