Saturday Empire Report

The first Saturday card of the year brings some additional challenges, with Bartlett, Stratton,

Kakaley, and Zeron all missing from the action!

RACE 1 – (1) HELSINKI has been racing well in his last several starts, albeit vs. 15s – he moves to a sharp barn for

tonight, and may be able to get away well enough to control the action – could offer some decent value (6-1 ML)

stepping up a notch, in a race filled with question marks. (5) DELIGHTFUL TERROR has won 3 straight, 4 of his

last 5, and has hit board in 12 of his 13 starts this year – he’s also moving up in class tonight, and moving to a new

barn (and also racing WITHOUT Lasix) – he may still beat these, but tough to take too short a price with a bunch of

new variables. (2) HURRIKANE CHEYENNE displayed incredible gameness in winning his last pair – he’s also

moving to a new barn tonight, and loses Zeron – make sure to get a fair price if he's your choice. (7) TIN ROOF RA

IDER A has been “ok”, but would look a lot more appealing from an inside post – at least the price will be juicy if

you think he could get some racing luck tonight. (3) DANCE ON THE BEACH has 6 starts this year and has been

stuck on smaller pieces, even as he’s dropped in class – needs to be sharper. (4) LYONS BENJAMIN does have a

couple of recent wins but he’s also been plagued with inconsistency – would need a good price to try him tonight.

(6) SHAKE IT has been racing pretty well, but he’s stepping up to 15s and gets a poor draw on top of that. (8) WIC

HITA LINEMAN drops in dull form, loses Jordan and gets stuck all the way outside.

RACE 2 – (3) MIND HUNTER is sharper than he may look on paper, was just quickly reclaimed by his previous

barn and finally gets a good draw – we’ll give him the edge tonight. (1) LAZ has been razor sharp in those last 2

powerful first over victories – he steps up in class for a new (sharp) barn tonight, but deserves plenty of respect in

his current (raging) form. (2) ILIKEMEBETTOR A changed tactics last week and cut the mile, worn down in the

lane by some sharp foes – he has a pair of recent wins from OFF the pace, and could be a threat tonight if the trip

goes his way. (6) TWIG went from “can’t win” a race (0 for 25 locally over the past 2 years) to ripping off a pair of

very sharp victories in his last 2 starts – he’s obviously hitting on all cylinders right now, but he’s also moving up in

class while drawing outside a few tough foes – could be a tough spot. (5) JUST ENUFF STUFF fits ok in this class

but he loses Jordan and seems destined to be hoping to rally for some minor spoils. (7) WHY TOMORROW RAY

drops in for a tag after weakening in his last, gets a brutal draw and loses Bartlett – could be facing an uphill battle.

(4) ALWAYS ROCKIN picked up a well-earned win last week but he’s up in class and could struggle here.

RACE 3 – (6) IM J BEE N gave it a big try last week (off a sick scratch), coming up 2nd best to the very tough

DELIGHTFUL TERROR – he has the speed to overcome the draw, and figures to be the better price in what shapes

up as a 2 horse battle. (1) WAIMAC ATTACK N returned sharp off the long layoff, winning his first 2 starts back

then just missing last week to a perfect trip winner – he goes for a new barn tonight, but the road to the winner’s

circle still goes through him. (3) ON THE VIRG had gone sour for a while but he took all kinds of $$ last, was

handled very aggressively, and did turn in a much better effort (for 3rd) – could be next in line should the top pair

falter. (4) KNOCKIN OUT sometimes has a little late life at the end – possibility for 3rd/4th. (2) GOOD INVESTMENT

has failed to hit board in his 9 starts this year but figures to sit relatively close to the pace, and that may help him

grab a small share. (5) WAR DAN DELIGHT N has been better lately, but figures to be coming from last tonight.

RACE 4 – Good race: (1) FREQUENT IMAGE normally does his best work on the lead/in the pocket so it was very

encouraging to see him rallying nicely for 3rd last week – he faces a few legitimate threats in this short field, but may

be sharp enough to pull off an aggressive try right now. (3) JACKS LEGEND N finished very well to be a close 3rd

four starts back – gets a pass for his next (away last) then was a dead game first over winner on 4/17 – he held nicely

for 3rd after a tough trip last week, and the million dollar earner can be very dangerous tonight if things go his way.

(4) UP THE CREEK seemed totally empty to the final turn last week then found life in the lane to somehow grab 4th

– may be a spot where Brennan can handle him aggressively, and a live trip could make him dangerous.

(5) HURRIKANEKINGJAMES is a rock solid performer week after week, and has been for the last couple of years – he came

up 2nd best to sharp winners in his last pair, and would be no surprise here at all. (6) ALWAYSCUTTINSCHOOL

has done good work since arriving recently from Dover but he loses Gingras, lands outside, and that could slow him

down a bit. (2) BIG DREAM FELLA is probably the only one in here that is NOT sharp right now.

RACE 5 – (8) ROCKMYSTER N was well-backed and aggressively driven for a couple of starts before finally

putting it all together and grabbing a (blowout) win last week – he steps up in class, loses Bartlett and lands outside

again, but he may be worth sticking with IF the price drifts up tonight. (3) I DRAINTHESWAMP A has held his

own with better for much of the year – he was an ok 3rd off the class drop last week, but can be a bigger threat here if

he can find one of his top efforts. (2) POP IT has done some good work since returning as a 4YO, and should really

appreciate his first good draw in ages – logical player. (6) ALADDIN was handled very aggressively with the class

drop last week and responded with the very game victory – tougher assignment now, but the right trip could make

him a player. (5) TWIN B RISENSHINE was an “ok” 3rd three back, a good 2nd in his next and right there 3rd last

week – good one to consider underneath. (4) ON ACCIDENT is winless in 12 starts this year but hit board in 8 of

them – another possibility for a piece. (1) EUPHORIA N would be a threat here on his best effort but just isn’t

clicking right now. (7) PRINTVILLE figures to be coming from too far back to be a serious player tonight.

RACE 6 – (6) ROCKINBILLYSDREAM gave THRASHER all he could handle last week and that one came back

to beat the 25s the other night (and 2nd place finisher PRETTY HANDSOME came back to win this week as well) –

we’ll try him on top vs. this somewhat softer field. (4) DONTTELLMENOW has been a steady performer against

these types, and comes off a near miss last week (after a win 3 back) – logical player, and perhaps HE can help Dube

finally pick up his first local victory of the year. (3) ON DAYBOO has been solid lately, and did just miss to #4 2

back – on the flip side, he’s 0 for 8 this year after going just 3 for 33 in 2024. (2) JOHN THE BAPTIST had been

struggling to finish his miles so it was encouraging to see him hit the wire much better last week – ok for exotics. (8)

CONTACT ZONE gets the worst of the draw for his new connections but he’s rallied for small pieces from bad

spots in the past – maybe 3rd/4th? (5) MONACO HANOVER can throw a decent effort from time to time – probably

just minor spoils in here, though. (1) SHOCK TROOPER still seems a little bit on the cheaper side – we’ll see if the

rail draw can help his cause. (7) METAL MAN has burned quite a bit of $$ the last 2 years, going 0 for 13 along the

way – bad draw, and loses Kakaley.

RACE 7 – (4) GINGER TREE PETE can be a tough horse to drive (especially for a new pilot) so just give him a

pass for last week – Holland knows how to press his buttons, and we’ll look for a bounce-back effort tonight (though

obviously not a fan of that 8/5 ML price). (2) VESPA N wasn’t bad 2 back so it was no surprise to see him able to

capitalize on a dream trip last week, charging by the heavy favorite late to win it – chance he could take another. (5)

MEMPHISTENNESSEE N used a good trip last week to pick up a 2nd behind the front end winner – he hasn’t been

able to really get into any kind of consistent groove this year, so insist on a good price if considering him on top. (6)

ARTIST BEST had some better life 2 back, and raced ok again last week – reasonable stab for longshot fans. (3) SQ

UADRON SEELSTER hasn’t hit board in any of his 9 starts this year but his 2 local tries weren’t terrible – ok for a

small piece. (1) SAILBOAT HANOVER now has 10 starts this year and though he’s taken some $$ in a few of

them, he still hasn’t been able to be any kind of serious threat. (7) OLLIES ZTAM used an easy trip to pick up a 3rd

last week but may have a tougher time replicating that from Post 7.

RACE 8 – (4) SHES A SHOE IN was impressive right from the start of her 2YO campaign, finishing 2nd (in 1:56!)

in her career debut, followed by a PaSS jogburger – before the year was out she’s also take the PaSS Final, and bank

nearly $200K – her return qualifier may not look great at first, but consider that she was facing PACERS and caught

a 1:53.4 mile...she figures to be pretty tough in her 3YO return, but does catch one suddenly impressive foe. (3) MA

ISABELLE continued to improve after arriving here from Canada, and rolled by a softish NW2-4PM field on 4/16

in a 2:00.3 mile...it was hard to imagine that just a week later she’d be knocking off some classy OLDER trotters at

PcD, scoring in a lifetime best 1:55 mile (over an off track) – can she be good enough right now to give #4 a tussle?

(5) MEETMEATTHEBAR is back on short rest after going down as the 1/5 favorite on Wed. night (after cutting a

slow pace) – maybe she can do better rallying from the back? (2) SHES SPICY disappointed in her first 2 starts as a

4YO – maybe she can perk up a bit tonight? (6) CHASING CRYSTALS will sit back and hope to pick off a couple

for a small piece. (1) MICHELONS TITAN is still trying to get her act together in 2025.

RACE 9 – (6) JUST ROSAS LUCK (claimed from her last six starts!) got hung out to dry on a failed quarter move

attempt last week and probably deserves a full pass – most of her other recent efforts would make her pretty tough in

here, and we’ll give her top billing. (4) TYRA MAKES BANK figures to be handled aggressively here though she’s

shown that she can race ok from a bit off the pace as well – logical contender for her new barn. (5) DISARONNO

HILL was hurt by poor cover last week or may have been closer at the end – her form has been less than stellar

overall, but she can at least be a threat in this field with the right trip. (2) DWS DARLENE lasted for 3rd last week,

and while she does seem a bit cheap, she did win 15 races last year (out of town) – not a terrible stab if not thrilled

with the favorites in here. (7) LINE EM UP seemed to be coming back around until throwing an absolute clunker

last week – the move outside makes it tough to like her chances for a rebound effort. (3) KAIROKICONFIDNTL N

would be a big threat on her “best effort”, but she’s been way off form for a long time – she’s missed 3 weeks, and

hard to endorse as the ML favorite! (1) SMOOTH DEBATE N has the pole, but has offered little in her 10 starts this

year. (8) DASH N CACHE can come to life at times, but even her best effort could leave her short coming from way

back here.