Monday, June 29, 2026, Empire Report

The Empire Report – Monday, June 29, 2026 – Race Analysis

RACE 1 – (6) STELLAR YANKEE was racing ok vs. much better here not long ago so it’s no surprise to see that he just had a successful short stint at Plainridge – he returns at a winning level, but does face a somewhat uncertain trip starting from Post 6 – worth using, as long as the price is fair. (4) TOPVILLE SOMBEACH has been super lately vs. the age-restricted 30s but should have no trouble doing as well vs. these – moves from one top barn to another, and looms a very dangerous threat. (3) ROLLING WITH SAM has been camera shy at Yonkers the past 3 years but fits perfectly with these, and has a solid chance to land somewhere on the ticket. (1) MIND HUNTER is also a good fit at this $30K level but he missed 3 weeks since the claim (scratched sick), making him at least a bit questionable. (5) CAVIART SARGENT isn’t usually a threat to win but he goes enough decent efforts to at least consider for the bottom of exotics, at a decent price. (8) EVER HOPING A raced for a new barn last week but turned in a similar effort (too lazy for too long, then rallied for a piece) – was claimed once more, but faces a long haul trying to get in play from out here. (2) SOUTHBEACH HANOVER’s only good recent (Ohio) efforts came vs. much cheaper – not ready to hop on his team. (7) DONTTELLMENOW draws poorly after backing up from the pocket last week

RACE 2 – NY Excelsior, 2YO Filly Pace: (3) HUNTSVILLES HONEY qualified sharply for an excellent barn and gets Kakaley to hop off his main client’s filly (#1) – good enough for us! (4) LILLY ROCKS was in a slowish qualifier at Stga. but finished nicely and gets Bartlett for her debut – may be able to have a say here. (1) PROP BET hails from top shelf connections but as noted, Kakaley opts to steer #3 – still a chance to grab a piece. (2) PLEASA NT DREAMS didn’t stand out in her preps but does get a catch driver for tonight and may show a bit more. (5) MA XINA finished well back in her prep and the homebred may still be in need of some seasoning. (6) FLIRTSVILLE showed little in either qualifier.

RACE 3 - NY Excelsior, 2YO Filly Pace: (2) CHEESE sat last (5th) in her Gaitway qualifier but finished up with plenty of pace, and not much room to stretch her legs…her trainer knows how to have one ready, and she may have an edge on these right now. (4) AZIDEAL AS IT GETS sat well back in 5th in her PcD baby race, swung wide on the final bend and did finish up nicely for 2nd – seems headed in the right direction. (6) COWBOYSNCAVIAR went evenly in her 2 preps but hails from a top barn and was a $100K yearling – may show a bit more tonight. (1) COUR TLY LADY finished well back in her only qualifier and may still be a work in progress. (3) LIVING COLOR went off at 42-1 in her lone Canadian start and was no factor – leaning elsewhere. (5) SPIDER CLAIRE made progress from her first Monti qualifier to her 2nd but still may be a bit below some of the other fillies in here.

RACE 4 - NY Excelsior, 2YO Filly Pace: (2) CLEAR CHOICE kicked home nicely to win her qualifier up North and that was a 9 horse field – her connections are more than capable on this circuit, and we’ll give her the edge in her pari-mutuel debut. (4) SHADOW OF A GIRL was handled very patiently in her last qualifier and did respond with a good finish up the cones– sharp barn may have her ready right out of the box (3) THE WOMAN WITH YOU demolished the field in both VD preps but it’s hard to be sure how she’ll fit with these – hard to leave her off your tickets, though. (1) ENCHANTE hails from winning connections and draws the pole with Bartlett – that means she probably has a solid chance, but it also means she’ll probably end up way overbet! Both (5) OUR CANDY GIRL and (6) MOJARRAS JEANNIE will need to improve off their qualifiers to be players tonight.

RACE 5 – NYSS 2YO Filly Pace: (3) ANNIE O just missed in her first qualifier then paced much faster in her next, coming up 2nd best to LINDY BELIEVER (who was just 2nd, at 3/5, in a KySS race) – could offer some value in a race with some promising fillies! (2) TOO PINK TO PASS was a $77K yearling, and a sister to BOOKEM DANNO – hard to fault her very sharp Monti prep, and her connections certainly know how to have one ready! (5) HOLLYS CHOICE was a very modest $10K yearling but she’s certainly been a quick learner, and would be hard to ignore off that 1:55.2 romp (as the odds-on choice) in the Pocono slop! (1) COWBOY CANDY qualified right behind the very promising POSITIVE PROCESS then finished 2nd to favored TREACHEROUS BET in her pari-mutuel debut – should be an excellent fit with these. (8) WIN ME OVER is a sister to WATCH EM WIN, who has done excellent work for these same connections– the draw may be tough to overcome, however. (6) HUNTRIX and (7) COUNTRY MONEY finished on the wire together in their last PcD prep but both draw poorly tonight, and are facing some good looking fillies – leaning elsewhere. (4) ODDS ON NUMERO UNO feels like a work in progress.

RACE 6 - NYSS 2YO Filly Pace: (4, PP3) WHERE IS THE LOVE qualified nicely on the lead at Gaitway and the winner has come to qualify sharply since then – one of a few in here that would seem to have a legitimate chance. (5, PP5) WINE DOWN WENSDAY won both of her Pocono preps, and is out of the great racemare TEQUILA MO NDAY – she was handled conservatively both starts, so we’ll see if Buter is more aggressive with $77K on the line. Both (1, PP4) SINFUL CINDLY TOO and (1A, PP6) looked good in their PA preps, and either could have a big say tonight – not a bad “two for one” proposition in a 7 horse field. (3, PP2) FENDILICIOUS qualified behind 3 of the fillies in tonight’s first division, and gets a good draw with Bartlett for her career debut – would be no shock at all. (2, PP1) HURRIKANE SCHMAZY won her local qualifier by 14 lengths but still may find herself a notch below a few of the others. (6, PP7) SEAFOOD DELIGHT won her Stga. prep but may also be a notch below right now.

RACE 7 – Good race! (1) BRUTALLY HANDSOME A drops back down to his preferred $50K level and while he doesn’t have a ton of gate speed, he usually can get away pretty well from the pole – a good trip makes him one of the more dangerous players in this well-matched group. (6) KEAYANG TACO A was a bit of a question mark arriving from Hoosier but he’s raced well in all 4 local starts, including a pair of 2nds and a win at this level – goes for a new barn tonight, and remains a legitimate threat, despite the bad draw. (2) BET ON BIG JOE never got in the hunt last week but he has a pair of recent wins in this class, and his new barn seems able to succeed with fresh stock no matter who they take it from – could land on a winning trip from this spot. (5) SOHO SANTORINI A has a pair of 3rds since returning from PcD, hails from a very high % barn BUT his 0 for 13 Yonkers record is hard to ignore – ok to use on top IF he’s a good price. (8) BETTOR BY SEASIDE has earned a bump up to the $50K level after a pair of excellent wins vs. the 40s – wouldn’t toss him too quickly, especially at a big price! (7) INVISIBLE N got away to a clean start last week and gave #6 a good tussle – he fits for sure, but hard to say if he can get in play from Post 7. (3) THIRSTY THURSDAY was scratched sick last week after surprisingly dropping in for a tag – red flag? (4) MUSIC HALL has had a lot of excuses at this $50K level but still would be hard to endorse in this good field

RACE 8 – (4) MOSSDALE BEN N had license to be less than 100% in his last (coming off his 1:48.4 victory in the Battle of Lake Erie) but he raced just as hard in the overnight event, parked to the quarter in :26.2 then fighting a razor-sharp SWEET BEACH LIFE tooth and nail from 3/4s before giving way grudgingly to finish 2nd – the one to beat tonight, after winning the 4-8 draw. (5) DONEGAL LUTHER N took a conservative approach last week but was pacing ok in the back as he came through the wire – he’s much better than his last few efforts might suggest, and we may see his “better” version tonight. (6) CAPTAINHAMMERHEAD A quickly established himself as the latest top find for connections that have enjoyed incredible success with these types the last couple of years – won’t be easy to overcome tonight’s terrible draw, but it’s also not impossible. (3) SOHO FIRESTONE A races well almost every start but he hasn’t won in a while and that trend may continue tonight. (1) JOEMIKIYOURSOFINE doesn’t have a great local win profile but he was more than good enough to handle last week’s softer spot – probably back to smaller pieces vs. these, even from the pole. (7) CELTIC SPIRIT N’s local tries have been mixed, the best miles coming when he’s worked out easy trips – probably not going to find one from out here though, returning from a brief freshening. (8) VERDUN has a license to beat these types at any time, but it’s likely that he’ll be sitting way too far back to threaten tonight. (20 MY ULTIMATE BYRON A is razor sharp, but moving way up in class here

RACE 9 – (4) HIMSELF N put in a good first over bid two back (off the claim) before weakening a bit in the lane – he dropped back down to 40s last week, but was simply too far back to have any impact – much better draw tonight, and worth a look for sure. (1) ROCKIN JUKEBOX was a no threat 3rd for $50K last week but drops to 40s tonight, lands another rail and could have a much bigger impact vs. this somewhat easier bunch. (8) HAMMERING HANK has been sharp for a long time and as good as any in here right now – Post 8 will make things tough for sure, but it also means a much better price – couldn’t blame anybody looking to give him a shot. (2) BONDI SHAKE N has been racing very well for a while but he’s a tough one to use on top…as he’s 0 for 25 at Yonkers over the last 3 years (3) PEACE OUT POSSE is clearly more effective at the $30K level but the good draw at least puts him in play for a small slice. (5) QUOTE ME NOT N rarely misses a check but rarely is a threat to win – minor spoils? (6) OURMAT EMENKO N has shown that he can beat these with the right trip, but he’s unlikely to get that trip from this spot. (7) YOROKOBI N puts in a solid effort week after week but is another that just seems post compromised for tonight.

RACE 10 – (1) SAILBOAT HANOVER hasn’t been “great” but he did finish 2nd in his last pair (after dropping to this level), and he draws the pole in a modest field – enough to give him the narrow edge. (5) ALABAMAJAMMA raced well in 3 NJ starts after being claimed for $20K but then took a month off, re-qualified, and drops down into a $15K claimer locally – red flag, or just looking for a spot to pick up a victory? (2) BLACK HAWK JOE A is capable at this level, but has been stuck on smaller pieces since the most recent claim – maybe the switch to Zeron will help his game a bit. (8) GOTHIC ROCK picked up a win 2 back and that’s sandwiched between a pair of 2nds – he does have the ability to spring off the car if he wants to, and he’ll have a chance tonight if Stratton takes that approach. (3) CELLMATE won 5 of 8 starts here last year but is 9-0-0-3 at Yonkers in 2026 – he also made breaks in his last pair, and took 7 weeks off before re-qualifying. (4) SMOOTH LOU just hasn’t been sharp lately – needs a major wake up call. (6) CRUNCH HANOVER arrives from Canada sporting a 14-0-0-2 record this year – watch mode only, for now. (7) FRANCO NANDOR N throws a decent effort at times but would be a big surprise from out here.