Wednesday Empire Report

The Empire Report – Wednesday, September 10, 2025 – Race Analysis

RACE 1 – (4) TIN ROOF RAIDER A finishes with good pace every week, and was gaining late on DELIGHTFUL

TERROR in his last – he’ll be a fair price, and maybe he can turn the tables tonight. (3) DELIGHTFUL TERROR

won 5 of 16 here last year and is already 9 for 23 in 2025 (including last week’s sharp score over #4) – remains the

one to knock off. (2) IM A POWERPLAY faltered on the lead 2 back (with no real excuses) but was a sharp winner

in his last, utilizing a crisp brush to 3/4s – leaning more to the top pair, but he’d hardly be a surprise. (7) BILL

HALEY N took a surprise drop to 20s two back but rallied for 2 nd that night, and was a solid 3 rd last week – terrible

draw, but he does get reunited with Bartlett...willing to use underneath. (5) HOOSIER CELEBRITY rattled off 3

straight not long ago but does seem to have fallen off his best form recently – minor share. (6) SAWYERS DESIRE

rallied a bit in 2 of his last 3 starts – tough spot, but chance for 3 rd/4 th . (1) DIAMONDBEACH is still hoping for a

form reversal

RACE 2 – (1) EBONY LADY is a different mare when she draws inside and she’ll get to pick out her trip tonight –

she hasn’t won in a while, but this is a spot where she may be able to get her picture taken. (3) NUTTINBUTHEBE

ST is notoriously unreliable, but anything close to her best would make her dangerous in this modest field of 20s –

hard to take too short a price, though! (5) HARPER SEELSTER goes through some bad streaks but usually bounces

back before too long – she feels like she’s back on the upswing, and she’s beaten these types enough times in the

past to at least merit a look in here. (2) LE BIC FIN would appear solidly overmatched arriving from Delaware BUT

her trainer is notorious for taking “hopeless” horses, and transforming them instantly into winners (see ROCKINBIL

LYSDREAM, just last Thursday)– impossible to dismiss, but also hard to take a very short price! (6) SALE EL SOL

will be rallying late, but may be coming from too far back to have a major impact. (4) IRIS SEELSTER has failed to

hit board in 11 straight starts, with 8 th place finishes in her last 3 outings

RACE 3 – (4) SHANGRI LA HANOVER has held her own in some tougher stakes races and now drops in to a

much easier NW2-4PM...the type of class where she’s done very well, out of town – she gets Bartlett for her local

debut, and seems the one to knock off. (5) BEQUEATH was actually very good in her only local try, parked every

step from Post 8 and only weakening for good at the top of the lane – she jogged in her next at Chester, and can’t be

taken lightly tonight. (2) DOCS LOVE feels cheaper on paper but she was racing well in KY, and gets a big barn

change for her local debut – we’ll find out quickly how well she fits. (6) MYSTIC MOMENT was handled very

aggressively (at 35-1) in her only local try and came up short in the final 1/8 th of a mile – would have liked her

chances a bit more had she not drawn so poorly. (7) ACT CLASSY is another that probably fits ok with these, but

lands a brutal draw for her Yonkers debut. (1) LONELY GHOST is just 1 for 23 lifetime, with a pair of 2nds – not

sure the rail draw is enough to make her a player. (3) GRACEFUL GALA has a pair of 3rds from her 8 local tries

and will need to be better for a chance at a decent piece here.

RACE 4 – (4) JOHNNY CHIP showed speed in all 4 local tries, picking up a pair of 3rds (and small checks in the

other 2 starts) – he gets Kakaley tonight, catches a short, modest field and may have found a winning spot. (5) ON

THE VIRG actually “won” that “no contest” race 2 back, and did finish with pace last week – would definitely

consider using him on a few tickets at that 20-1 ML price. (6) VESPA N can be somewhat in and out, and is

definitely camera shy...he’s also a good fit with these, can can race a variety of ways...not impossible. (1) D A

WICKED SHINE is looking at a good trip tonight and looms a live player vs. this crew...he also figures to be

significantly overbet with Bartlett at the line tonight. (3) LUCKISONTHEWAY arrives from Mont with some pretty

mediocre lines and while he may be a good fit with these, that 9/5 ML price seems WAY too low! (2) DEEDENUTO

A picked up a 2 nd two back thanks to an easy trip in a slow mile...but is otherwise 24-0-0-1 here at The Hilltop

RACE 5 – (2) YOU BEDA ROCK was a very sharp winner from off the pace 2 back then followed that up with a

sharp front end score last week– goes for the “hat trick” tonight, and has a very legitimate chance to make it happen.

(7) NORTHERN HALO turned in an eye-popping effort last week, crushing her rivals effortlessly by 6 lengths,

establishing a new lifetime mark and giving her (hot) barn their third winner that night – she lands all the way

outside tonight (and Bartlett does opt to go with #1), but it would be hard NOT to use her on some tickets at that

10-1 ML price! (1) WHOS PERFECT draws the pole and was Bartlett’s choice...but she hasn’t been on her best

game lately, and could be overbet from this spot – possible, but be careful about accepting too short a price. (3)

FIGHT NOT FLIGHT bottomed out chasing last week’s sizzling clip and may prefer things down at the $20K level-

her barn has also gone ice cold, just 34-1-1-3 over the past month. (4) ELISES DELIGHT won off the claim on

11/26 but has been on the shelf ever since – her qualifier looks ok, and perhaps the tote board will offer more clues

to her readiness. (6) TESLA POWER has a few “ok” recent tries but tonight’s draw does figure to limit her output.

(5) MC ANGEL was at least somewhat competitive last week, but has struggled for too long to get a real look right

now

RACE 6 – (1) DELIGHTFUL DUDE lost his first 18 starts this year but hasn’t lost since, winning 3 in a row and

looking super each time – he’ll be hard to deny from this spot if he brings the same kind of effort tonight! (3) BLAC

K HAWK JOE A was sent off favored last week off a pair of very good local tries but lost all chance with a break

before the start – he moves from one sharp barn to another tonight, and can be a dangerous player if he can shrug off

last week. (2) MAXIMUS RED A chased the winner from the pocket last week and was a clear 2 nd best – could be

some déjà vu tonight. (4) SPINDOCTOR HANOVER was racing well in 20s before the recent claim and has done

good work in 25s in his last 3 starts – playable underneath. (6) MOVIN ON UP reversed form in that sharp win 3

back then followed that up with a nice 2 nd the next week (vs. 30s) – he was no threat in his last, however, and gets a

tough draw as he drops back down to 25s. (5) TUFFENUFFTOWEARPINK has enjoyed success here in the past but

is hard to gauge (class-wise) off his current out of town form – suppose he’s worth a look if the price is juicy enough

(7) SAILBOAT HANOVER threw an unexpected dud last week after a long form spree – we’ll see if that was just a

one time blip, or if it was a sign that he’s finally starting to tail off.

RACE 7 – Good race: (5) WOODMERE HARRIET was no factor at all off the claim last week but she was also

racing in 25s and landed in a scary 1:52.4 mile – there could be some action up front in here, and that may help her

take advantage from off the pace. (6) ON THE MONEY GB has enjoyed success here in the past, but was struggling

when she left for PA this summer – her form definitely picked up, and she may be ready to do some damage tonight,

even with the outside draw. (3) I LOVED HER FIRST tired in the pocket off the claim, but that was in the same hot

race that #5 came out of – she drops and will likely get to call the shots...but could be overbet! (2) GOT BEACH

BODY had no prayer from Post 8 last week but has otherwise outraced her odds every week – she’s listed at 20-1

ML, and does deserve a look! (1) JIVE DANCING A gets her first good post in ages and figures to be aggressively

driven – she’s also off her game, and is another that could be overbet tonight. (4) NITE TIME DEAL threw a few

duds but did race better last week – ok bomb for exotics.

RACE 8 – (1) KNEEDEEP N CUSTARD draws the pole for his Yonkers debut, catches a very modest field and

gets reunited with Brett Beckwith...for whom he went 2 for 2 at Stga. (including a wire to wire win from the 8 hole)

– we’ll hop on board. (3) RECORD YEAR never seems to win “pretty”, but he’s had his picture taken 8X already

this year and has to be seen as a very serious threat. (7) MAJOR POCKET A hasn’t been finishing well enough

lately but he has the speed to grab a trip (if Kelly leaves) and he’s worth including underneath at that 20-1 ML price.

(2) SKY WAY HOUDINI hasn’t been on his game lately but he gets a good draw, and may be able to at least tow

along for a small slice. (5) LAZ hasn’t worked out at all since being claimed for $30K on 6/9 and tonight’s drop to

15s (after a sick scratch) is screaming with red flags – sticking with others. (6) GINGER TREE PETE was terrible

for a long stretch, started to deliver some better efforts but was back in clunker mode last week – hard to get excited

about his chance starting from Post 6. (4) VIVA LAS VEGAS N never wins, but can sometimes rally for minor

spoils

RACE 9 – (4) THE GREEK FREAK has been having a tough year so far in Canada but he did bank $85K in 2024

and has earned nearly $500K for his career – he does show a few good recent efforts, and lands in a barn that can get

one sharp in a hurry – worth a stab in his local debut. (2) FIZZING N was handled aggressively last week and not up

to the task – he’ll get an easier trip tonight, and that may help him grab a good piece at a nice price. (8) POP IT may

just elect to retreat to last and wait for a better spot but IF MacDonald does look to put him in play, he’s definitely

good enough to have a big say vs. these, especially after a solid effort last week (off the short layoff) (1) COVERED

BRIDGE was struggling even BEFORE the barn change this summer, and the $1.4M earner has just fallen apart

badly since then – he’s listed at 4/5 ML despite getting beat by 13 lengths last start, and missing a month...and that

makes him a very tough horse to use on top here. (3) MARLBANK ROAD may have shown a little better effort last

time – willing to include him underneath. (7) VICI did try to leave from Post 7 last week but ended up weakly

parked...that may discourage Marohn from trying to leave tonight. (5) CHANTEE seemed to be coming around but

reverted to “clunker mode” last week – leaning elsewhere. (6) KOMODO BEACH is struggling to get going in

2025, and currently 4-0-0-0 at Yonkers this year – leaning elsewhere.