Thursday, July 9, 2026, Empire Report

The Empire Report – Thursday, July 9, 2026 – Race Analysis

RACE 1 – NAADA Summer Series, Leg 4: (2) P C FREE WHEELING is used to facing better, and may be able to control the action here with a good getaway…she made an uncharacteristic break last week (at Goshen), but could be tough if she can shrug that off. (4) BRAVE BY DESIGN has several good recent amateur tries, but also a couple of recent miscues – Yogi Sheridan is always dangerous in these events. (5) JESSES DOLL was a close 2nd when driven by Sheridan 3 back, and gets another talented amateur pilot tonight (Adamczyk) – chance to outperform that 20-1 ML price with some trip luck! (6) BACARDI was too far back to do any damage last time – he gets a little better draw tonight, and is another longshot with at least a chance to grab a piece. (1) FATHER MIKE has the ability to be a late player here but he tends to get away poorly for catch drivers, and may get off to another poor start with Krivelin on board. (8) BABY TAO has several efforts that would make him a great fit here but also has to find a way to overcome Post 8. (3) SIX AND STONES has been struggling lately – prefer others. (7) SHOEMAKER HANOV ER had 2 weak starts after a long layoff, and just re-qualified again – pass for now.

RACE 2 - NAADA Summer Series, Leg 4: (4) SHAKE N BAKE jogged the last time he raced here in an amateur race, and ships in off a very good 2nd at Pocono in his last (and lacked room at Monti, the start before) – won’t offer much value, but he’s the one to knock off (2) COMMUNION MONEY gets a better draw than he had for last week’s canceled card and that should make him a very live player, perhaps even the main danger. (5) RADIO LAB made a break in his last but has been doing some good work vs. better since returning from the layoff in April, and could land a piece here with a clean trip. (3) THE LAST CHAPTER got parked in his last pair but should be able to find a better trip tonight– chance to take home a share with a manageable journey. (7) CAL MILES N SHELL was handled a bit overconfidently in his last and it may have cost him a victory – he fits for sure, but faces the possibility of a tough trip starting from Post 7. (1) SEVEN LICK PRISE has been pretty camera shy the last 2 years but the good draw at least puts him in play for a minor share. (8) BONTONI DEGATO S has been off form lately – Post 8 isn’t going to help his cause. (6) ROYALTY STAR won at Monti last start but just seems a bit on the cheaper side.

RACE 3 – Good race! (2) SIMPLY FAST has 6 wins this year, albeit mostly vs. a bit easier – he flew home from an impossible spot (off the claim) last week, and may be the one to benefit most tonight from a pace that MAY get a little feisty! (4) SHAKE IT came up 2nd best to EVER M in his last pair but that one has now taken 7 straight at this $25K level – remains a very live player. (6) KOMODO BEACH gave EVER M all he could handle last week before settling for a dead game 2nd best – he’s been on a long form spree, and the only real knock here is the draw. (5) MO VIN ON UP earned the bump to 25s tonight after a big 7 hole try in 20s last week – he does catch a tough field, but he’d still be worth at least a look at a big price. (8) KARLOO BRADLEY N is clearly back on his best game again, but faces a daunting task moving back up to 25s, while also drawing Post 8. (3) DONTTELLMENOW doesn’t feel like a threat to win vs. some of these but an easy enough trip could at least see him bring home a minor share. (1) ACAPULCO SUNBURN has been racing well lately but debuts tonight for a newcomer on the scene that also handles the training and driving – prefer to just observe, for now. (7) AVENGER FORCE would be a surprise.

RACE 4 – (2) FIGHT NOT FLIGHT raced better than expected vs. the 25s two back so it was no surprise to see her pick up a win dropping back to 20s last week – chance to repeat in this pretty well-matched field. (1) TH SANDRA DEE came up just a little light at the end last week after securing a two hole trip from Post 7 – moves all the way inside and looms a serious threat. (4) DISARONNO HILL hasn’t been to the winner’s circle in some time but she did just miss in 3 of her last 4 starts – it’s only a matter of time before she gets over the top…maybe tonight? (5) PE MBROKE SOUTHIE has a good local history and just picked up her first local victory of the season with a game front end score last week – draws outside a few main foes tonight, but still have to respect her chances. (8) BADDIT UDE was a winner upon arrival from Maryland last week but it’ll be a lot tougher for her to pull that off against this field, from all the way out here. (3) LUCKY LIL LADY raced “ok” in her last couple – chance for minor spoils, with an easy trip. (6) RACEY RACH N makes her first start in 10 months, at a much reduced level – prefer to just watch this week (but will at least glance at the tote board).

RACE 5 – (1) JAS BLUESTONE had a tough draw when the card was canceled last week but ends with the pole tonight, for his (sharp) new connections – he’ll be blasting hard, with a real chance to take these wire to wire. (6) B NICKING was VERY wide on the first turn before making his way to the lead last week, and had every right to be a little tired at the end – his overall recent form has been very good, and he has a chance to be a big player tonight for his 4th barn in 4 weeks! (2) HAT TRICK MARLEAU steps back up to 40s after feasting on the 20s at PcD last start – he draws inside, and can stay close from start to finish – ok for a piece. (5) WARRAWEE WHISPER throws miles that could beat these for sure, but also prone to very disappointing efforts – he failed to thrive with Lachance on board last week, and would have to be a pretty good price to consider on top tonight. (3) WHISKEY PEDDLER is a little hard to gauge class-wise but he draws well and may be able to grab a slice, with a good trip. (4) CACTUSTOT HECLOUDS has been grabbing lots of minor spoils lately and may be able to do that here too. (7) SEA CAN drops in for $40K after a sick scratch and weak effort – red flags? (8) P L OSCAR lands all the way outside after running out to 3/4s and tiring last week – sticking with others tonight

RACE 6 – Tough race: (2) WHEELZABLAZIN gets a confident move up in class after charging by the 40s last week – he doesn’t always show up, but can deliver some big rallies when he does…one of several with a chance to take this. (8) FULL OF MUSCLES has been doing very good work for some time, against better than these – he faces a tall task trying to win from out here, but a quick start would give him a real chance – consider if the price is fair. (4) BLOCKCHAIN was 7-4-2-1 here in 2025 – he returned recently for his 2026 campaign and ships in from Ohio with 3 wins from his 7 starts – have to respect his chances, but he may end up overbet. (1) STREET GOSSIP hit board in 5 straight before landing Post 8 last week – he moves all the way inside, and surely belongs in your exotics. (6) BJMS LIL MAN had no chance vs. runaway TORRONE last week but raced very well to take home the place spot– a hot pace enhances his chances significantly. (5) MY MAN PETER has taken 2 in a row and continues to move up the ladder – hard to say how he’ll fare in this tougher spot. (3) THEOBALD returned sharp from Scioto and continued to thrive in his last 2 starts – he moves to a new barn tonight, steps up in class and loses Yannick - and all three of those factors could slow him down a bit. (7) RITSON draws poorly, up in class, off a month.

RACE 7 – (1) BARBADOS BABE stopped badly in her first local try but was MUCH better in her last, putting in a big brush and battling a long way before weakening late to 3rd – maybe she can trip out and get it done tonight. (3) TWO BEAN DREAM was a winner here 3 back, and ok 4th in her next (bad trip with Petter Engblom driving) then rallied nicely for 2nd last week – very logical threat! (4) WHOS PERFECT had two horrible draws after the claim but now moves inside and a much more serious effort can be expected – would be no surprise at all. (5) SP DANCIN WITHSTARZ is the tough call in here– she had been struggling for some time (overall) but turned in an eye opening performance with that last victory – just a fluke, or ready to go on a real form spree? (6) SPIRIT OF PEARL A was 2nd to a beastly winner 2 back (dropping to her preferred $20K level) but then made a break before the start last week – new barn, tough draw, and another wild card in this race. (2) DUCK INTO THE NITE has been finishing up her miles pretty well recently – not a bad bomb for the bottom of tris and supers. (7) SWEET SANDY has been solid overall since arriving at Yonkers and is only listed this far down because of the draw. (8) MS FRANCES ASSISI was a solid front end winner last week but moves all the way outside and loses Bongiorno.

RACE 8 – (8) MON AMOUR has done plenty of damage in this class, even from some tough spots like this one – he was a dead game in his last (after being parked a long way), and he has a chance to pull off an upset here with a bit of trip luck. (2) KAYS IN CHARGE was surprisingly off the gate last week but that led to a golden trip (in a very hotly contested race), and an easy victory – solid threat to repeat, but won’t be offering any value. (3) BULLY BOY HILL was caught up in the hot action last week and probably deserves a pass – chance to grab a decent piece with a more comfortable trip. (1) BEACON BEACH moves to a barn that typically improves fresh stock but also exits a Western NY barn that wins at a very high rate – hard to gauge his current form (due to some recent bad posts), but that 5/2 ML price still feels on the low side. (4) NOVEL was a no threat 4th in his local debut and the jury is still out as to how well he fits at this level. (6) FOR A DREAMER lands a bad post off a sick scratch – prefer to just watch this week. (7) SEVENSHADESOFGREY has missed 3 weeks and draws a terrible post after a total dud in his last – another on the “watch only” list for tonight. (5) SONCANDO seems ambitiously placed arriving from Pocono.

RACE 9 – (1) MY DEGENERATE earned over a quarter of a million at 3, and has been doing excellent work so far at 4, right there week after week in tough KYSS races – he gets a switch from Tyler to Andy as he makes his Hilltop debut, and we’ll give him a narrow edge in a very solid field. (3) SUNDAY SHOES finished with good trot from an impossible spot last week, and has won 4 of his 8 local starts – could be a much bigger player with the move inside. (4) MASSIVE DESIRE made an uncharacteristic miscue 2 back but otherwise has 3 wins and a 2nd from his 4 other Yonkers starts – goes for a new barn tonight, but we’ll look for him to continue racing in top form. (6) MAHONE SEELSTER had a few rough outings but his last was a big step back in the right direction – chance to outperform his 20-1 ML price here. (7) HIGH SPEED SWAN was a very short priced winner in this class last week and his overall Yonkers form has been excellent – he’s also moving outside with some very tough foes to his inside, and that may leave him looking at a much smaller slice tonight. (5) THE BRODSTER has been a solid performer but may find tonight’s field a bit stronger than he’d prefer. (2) SEVEN LAYER has won 7 of 13 this year and is finally forced to move up in class after last week’s victory (his 4th in 5 starts) – he’ll have to prove he can hold his own vs. these tougher ones. (8) TORRONE blasted to the top and never looked back in his last, obliterating softer at nearly 20-1 – he’s unlikely to catch THIS field sleeping, however.

RACE 10 – (4) LAST BEACH won back to back starts in this class back in March but took some time off after a sick scratch at the end of that month – resurfaced in Minnesota, and his 2 starts out there should have him tight for his YR return – worth a look in a race with some vulnerable favorites. (2) TWO FACED almost always takes $$, usually races well, but still hasn’t WON a race since 2024 – make sure to get a fair price if considering on top. (5) SOUTHBEACH HANOVER tried the 30s returning from Ohio and did stay close for a hot 3/4s before (understandably) tiring in a sizzling 1:51.2 – takes a plunge to 15s, and had to have a decent chance with these… as long as a wheel didn’t fall off! (7) DECISION DAY rallied nicely for back to back 2nds behind runaway SHINE A LIGHT – he’ll be coming hard late again tonight, but possibly from TOO far back for a chance at the top slot. (3) CAMOUFLAGE MONEY wasn’t able to capitalize at all on the drop back to 20s last week but tonight’s drop to 15s may help his cause – wouldn’t be any big shock, but still would need a decent price to try him on top. (6) BLOCKB USTER TRADE does good work at this level but may be too far back for more than minor spoils tonight. (1) ADVA NCE MAN can make his presence felt from the rail but does seem to need a bit easier to be a more serious threat. (8) CELLMATE is struggling here in 2026 after going 5 for 8 in 2025…and now lands behind the 8 ball.