The Empire Report - Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - Race Analysis
RACE 1 - (3) SOFIA LOLITA was 0 for 26 as a 4YO but really started to click this summer up in Canada
before shipping down to her current barn - qualified very impressively in NJ on 7/23 then finished 2nd in
her first start after that (as the favorite) against CHASE LOUNGE.....who just a couple of weeks later was
finishing 3rd in the Open, right behind MAJORCA N and DRAMAACT - have to give her the nod in her
local debut, despite missing 3 weeks. (4) CHERYLS SHADOW is 2 for 2 since arriving at Yonkers, using
very fast final quarters to pick up each of those wins - would have been the clear choice here if not for the
good looking invader. (2) LIGHTNING LEIA was in the midst of a solid first over bid last week when she
got a bit steppy into the lane, and had to settle for 3rd - seems next in line should either of the top 2 falter.
(5) MISS DOTTIE MAE didn't fire in the lane last week but may have been hurt by the bad date - seems
better than most of the others, and should be able to pick up a small piece tonight. (1) LOUD BRAZILIAN
hasn't done much in her 13 Yonkers starts (one 2nd) but she ships in sharp from Monti, gets Bartlett, and
may be able to use the draw to help her pick up a minor share. (6) RAISE THE ANTE hasn't been bad,
picking up a few smaller pieces recently - the outside draw won't help her chances, however. (7) TAVA has
been racing ok but she was unable to do too much from her outside post last week, and faces the same
dilemma tonight. (8) ROBMOTION BLUECHIP ships down showing some good Stga. form but she's 12
for 23 here at Yonkers, and lands all the way outside
RACE 2 - Excelsior A, 2YO C&G: (6) DALEY REP has been knocking on the door, finishing a close 2nd
in his last 3 starts - he gets Marohn, Jr. in the bike tonight, and that may be enough to get him over the
hump - decent value play here. (2) KALEUN hails from extremely successful connections and has taken 3
of his 4 starts....he did make a break at Monti, however, and he'll likely be the prohibitive favorite tonight -
maybe a chance to take a shot against him? (1) SOUTHWIND BUD has hit board in all 6 career starts but
has yet to get his picture taken - the barn has won a LOT of races with Bartlett on board, and he'll be
driving the gelding tonight....another with a chance at the upset? (3) TITAN EXPRESS is 6-0-1-4 this year,
and competitive each week - add him to the list of possible upsetters if #2 fails to deliver. (5) SEVEN
BEADS broke at Monti in his career debut, but showed some talent rallying for 4th last week - gets Stratton
tonight, and can't be dismissed too quickly. (4) BURLSWORTH has behaved all 3X since adding hopples
and has a chance to pick up a piece with the right trip
RACE 3 - (5) WINDY MICKI has been 1st or 2nd in 5 of her 9 career starts, and has raced well for two
different barns - goes from "Irish Joe" training and driving to "Nifty" and Jason, and that clearly stamps her
as the one to beat tonight. (4) ARTEMIDA had Post 8 off the qualifier last week and really wasn't bad -
tighter now, moves inside, and may be handled a lot more aggressively - could land on the ticket,
somewhere. (2) AMARETTO HANOVER debuted for her new barn at Pocono last week but drew Post 8
off the layoff - another that may be ready to come up with a much better try tonight. (6) NOT SO EVIL has
a lot of $$ in the bank thanks to being one of the only NJ breds from her crop - showed last week that she's
just another face in THIS crowd, however, and figures to be overbet once again - ok to use underneath. (3)
CRAZY LUCKY hasn't clicked in a pair of starts since the barn change but she's definitely better than she's
shown - she'll be a nice price if you think she may put it all together tonight. (8) ASHLEES SUPREME
qualified nicely then raced well after a recent barn change - would have rated her higher tonight had she not
been stuck with the extreme outside. (1) MAJOR LOVER is 1 for 21 in her career, and 0 for 13 here at YR
- barn just hasn't been as good as usual this year. (7) LADY ELECTRA is just 9-0-1-0 this year, draws
poorly and is racing off a bad date - sticking with others
RACE 4 - (4) TRENDY TEEN responded to his new trainer/driver team in a big way here on 7/26, going
from 50-1 (in his previous start) to 4/5 favorite....and crushing the field -- won again the next week but was
DQ'd for a brief back side miscue....endured a brutal trip at Chester last week but was still 2nd, losing only
to a rival with a very easy journey -- the one to beat returning to Yonkers. (2) DILLINGER was sent off at
an absurd 35-1 last week and easily outraced those odds, finishing a very close 3rd - shorter price tonight,
but still a solid chance for another good chunk. (6) AINT HE SPECIAL had to go wide on the final turn
around a drifting HP LIS SHADOW and just never got his momentum back in the lane - he's better than
that, and could add some value to the exotics tonight. (1) JMS ROLLIN moves inside and will be handled
more aggressively tonight....giving him a chance for a nice slice of the purse. (7) HP LIS SHADOW was
home free on the final turn last week when he went offstride - was able to land quickly (after drifting out
badly for a bit), then dug in tenaciously through the lane to preserve the victory (which the judges allowed
to stand) - it's hard to see him listed at 20-1 ML off that win, and he's worth using on some tickets if the
price is indeed that juicy. (8) JK STANDINGOVATION went a bit of a strange mile in his (heavily bet)
local debut, seemingly on and off the bit during the mile before ending up in a DH for 2nd - won't get any
easier from Post 8 tonight. Both (3) PBR STREET GANG and (5) GOTAFOOLISHDESIRE seem like
major outsiders off their recent current form
RACE 5 - (1) FORTIFY won his first 2 starts for a new barn and his connections thought highly enough of
him to ship him to Indiana for a shot at the Dan Patch - returns tonight at the same level he beat on 8/2, and
the draw makes him the one to beat once more. (2) BETTERROCK wasn't at his best last week (off a bad
date) but still finished 3rd) - should end up with a good trip from this spot, and looms a big threat to land
somewhere on the ticket. (3) IMSTAYNALIVE is one of a few sharp horses from this barn right now, and
raced well at this level (in a hot mile) last week - may be able to add some value to the exotics. (6) DINA
BOLT N drew Post 8 off 3 weeks last start and wasn't involved (for the first time in a long time) - draws
another tough post tonight but can grab a piece if Marohn is willing to handle him a little aggressively. (4)
GENIUS MAN has been using a good form spree to climb his way back up the class ladder - another with a
chance to land in the exotics....with the right trip. (5) PACE N PRIDE N had been doing good things before
throwing a dullish try last week - we'll see if he can bounce right back, or if he may prefer to be in a little
cheaper. (7) SON OF A TIGER N is good right now, but figures to be compromised by the outside draw (in
a pretty solid field). (8) CAN B PERFECT drops wins off the bottom of his card the next 2 starts - start
looking for him with the class drops after that.
RACE 6 - Excelsior A, 2YO C&G: (6) MAXIMUM EXPRESS has shown ability from day one for his low
profile connections, and put in a big move to win at Tioga the first time Sears hopped on board (subbing for
his owner/trainer) - he'll be tough again tonight if he continues to mind his manners! (2) CITY OF HOPE
has been plagued by miscues, broken equipment, etc. but has shown some ability when he has a "clean"
week - was a nice 3rd the one time Bartlett drove him, and the pair get to team back up tonight - live player.
(1) SEVENATCHI hasn't won yet this year, but he's been just behind a few better ones on several occasions
- fits well here, and should be a close up threat from start to finish. (4) SWIFT JUSTICE won his debut at
VD but then broke in his last pair - goes with hopples tonight, and we'll see if that helps keep him trotting.
(5) CASHIER picked up a 2nd at VD but has otherwise struggled in his starts - he does stay flat, so that
always gives him a chance for a piece. (3) DISRUPTIVE IMPACT is a work in progress, but getting
Stratton at the lines can't hurt - still a bit of a reach in here, though. (7) HEART OF A TITAN draws all the
way outside after having to re-qualify - we'll just observe for tonight
RACE 7 - NYSS, 2YO C&G: (1) CROWN is 3 for 3 to start his career for one of the most successful
trotting barns around, and also draws the rail with Sears - won't offer any value, but it would be pretty hard
to go against him! (5) THE STRAWBOSS was handled conservatively last start at Tioga after weakening a
bit at Monti (after a two move 8 hole try) - can only be helped by the addition of Bartlett tonight. (2) UNIQ
UE STYLE had to requalify after a couple of miscues but looked good demolishing a NW2 field at PcD -
can grab a good piece here IF she behaves. (3) KIERKEGAARD K weakened a bit from the pocket at
Tioga but was still 3rd - has speed, stays flat, and that gives him a chance to land somewhere in the exotics.
(1A) ONION GUM is hard to gauge after missing nearly a month but he's shown promise in 2 career start,
and is a useful entrymate for #1. (4) KENNEBAGO won his first career start (NYSS at Buffalo) but hasn't
really developed much since then - certainly a chance at a small piece. (6) SEVEN OVER tired at VD then
broke in his last - prefer others right now. (7) MET YOUR REQUEST is another that started the season
strong, but has recently gone in the wrong direction
RACE 8 - NYSS, 2YO C&G - good race: (4) THE GRUFFALO was handled conservatively last week (he
broke the week before) but still raced very well to be 2nd behind the undefeated CROWN - should be a
solid player again tonight, but also may find himself a bit overbet. (8) TILLIOS ACTION couldn't have
been any more impressive in his career debut at Tioga last week, delivering a powerful first over jogburger
for his veteran Yonkers trainer - has to be respected, even from Post 8. (5) WILD BILL KELSO weakened
last week after being used quite a bit to make the front end - his overall body of work has been very solid,
and his best effort makes him a threat tonight. (1) SOME KINDA CRAZY showed ability early on, but had
to just re-qualify after a couple of miscues - his best effort puts him right in the thick of this. (2) SEVECHE
ETAH shows a 2nd and pair of 3rds from his 5 NYSS starts, and can be a player here with the right trip -
that 15-1 ML price makes him an intriguing one for exotics. (3) BARNEY GOLDSTEIN is 3-0-2-1 to start
his career but us racing off a bad date here (after a sick scratch) - wouldn't shock, but we're still sticking
with others. (6) CECIL HANOVER seems a notch below a couple of these and draws poorly - his barn
always deserves respect, however. (7) JAX SPRATT has a couple of good tries this year, but this just feels
like too tough a spot for him
RACE 9 - (3) LAURIE LEE was making her 2nd move last week when she took bad steps on turn three
and was basically out of it after that - if she can get back to her best form tonight, she's in a spot (and field)
where she'd have a decent chance to come out on top. (5) LOOKATMYART beat this class 3 back, and has
a couple of recent 2nds as well- logical player in a field where most of these aren't actual "50s". (6) POPPY
DRAYTON N just didn't fire off a beautiful trip last week, but her overall recent form has been solid - not a
bad one to consider, if you think she might bring her "A Game" tonight. (1) ALKIPPE seems to be a bit
cheap, but she has some good recent tries across the river, draws best, and might fit ok....at least for a piece.
(4) GREENHILL HANOVER faces easier this week, and does have a couple of wins here this season - not
a bad bomb to consider if you think the favorites could be a bit vulnerable. (2) CORAL BELLA just hasn't
been any good in some time, so that 2-1 ML price is a bit puzzling - could wake up at any time, but hard to
take a short price right now. (7) THUNDRA got pretty good for a while but was no threat in her last couple
- this field could be more to her liking, but the outside draw figures to really hurt. (8) LAALWAYS AMA
RTINI is just 1 for 32 here (last 3 years) and that win came in the bottom class - hard to endorse from out
here