Friday Empire Report

RACE 1 – (3) TRUE BLUE HANOVER took a while to find her form this year but she comes into tonight off a pair

of solid tries, gets a good draw with Gingras and may have found a spot where she can pick up her first win of 2025.

(6) HUNTING HULA earned $75K at 2 followed by a $114K season at 3 (which included a NYSS victory here at

Yonkers) – she’s been sharpening recently in KY, and lands in a very hot barn for her local return (coincidentally, her

breeder!) – not a bad value horse to consider. (2) RESURRECTION DAWN perked up with a big try last week,

almost pulling off the 12-1 upset – she can be part of the equation here too, with a similar effort. (5) UPTOWN HA

NOVER was life and death to get there at 1/5 last week – she’s too classy to ever just dismiss, but she also seems

vulnerable as the ML favorite. (4) KATIES UP is 0 for 8 on the season and disappointed in her last pair – leaning to

others. (1) IM A BELIEVER seems considerably overmatched, even from the pole.

RACE 2 – (1) TALENT TO SPARE A has been sharp for a while, and held her own vs. better (from tough spots) in

her last pair – figures to be a serious threat tonight with class drop, and the rail. (4) KISS MY CHEEK had a dull try

2 back but rebounded with one of her typically sharp miles last week, coming up 2nd best to a razor sharp winner –

anything close to her best makes her dangerous here. (2) CRUISE ALERT struggled for a long time but recently

found her better form and is definitely clicking right now – her last few are much sharper than they may look, and

she’s definitely a good value option to consider. (3) BLUE POINT disappointed in her only local try this year (5/16)

– she’s been sharpening at Tioga, but hard to say if she’s sharp enough to take on some of the main players in here.

(5) IDEAL COVER’s recent efforts have been mixed, for a barn that’s largely gone cold recently– she would never

be a shock, but definitely leaning elsewhere. (6) BETTA WATCH OUT N could use a better post in an easier field.

RACE 3 – (5) ELEKTRA A flew to the top from Post 8 last week (no easy feat these days!), sat the pocket trip then

charged home in the lane for the win – she moves up in class, but she’s more than capable with these too, when on

her game – worth a good look if the price is fair. (1) CHIAPANECAS is excellent when she gets a trip and she’s

looking at a good one tonight– she was full of pace after shaking free last week, and looms a major threat tonight (3)

COACHELLABOUND N is having a rough year for sure, but her barn has started to come alive the last few cards

and perhaps this mare is ready for a wake up call too – should be a pretty good price in here. (6) LIT DE ROSE just

hasn’t been able to find any consistency this year, still throwing the big efforts she’s capable of, but not every week

– she disappointed as the favorite last start (after looking sharp the week before), but she’ll be a much better price

tonight for anybody looking to stay on board. (2) EASY TO PLEASE gets Jordan back on board, lands inside, and

may be able to rally for s share. (4) STAYINGWITTHEWIND steps up, and seems a notch below these.

RACE 4 – (6) WALKIN ON SUNSHINE had a long way to come from Post 8 last week and saw her 3 race winning

streak come to an end – she gets reunited with her old pilot tonight (Bartlett), lands in a smaller field, and will have

every chance to start a new streak. (3) SILK CLOUD A took full advantage of a puzzlingly generous post draw last

week and easily converted her pocket trip to victory – she gets a good draw again for tonight, figures to work out

another good trip, and looms a legitimate threat once more. (2) FRONT PAGE STORY had a little too far to come

last week but was still pacing well late – she should be closer to the action tonight, and that could result in a decent

chunk. (5) CHERYLS SHADOW made the top from Post 7 last week but came up a little light in the lane – guessing

she’ll try it from off the pace tonight, but she can still rally for a good share, with some trip luck. (4) TALK CURDY

TO ME has held her own with these when she can land an easy trip – another with a chance at a piece, with the right

journey. (1) PROMISELAND A is likely a notch below most of these, and the 3 weeks off are a concern too.

RACE 5 – Good race! (4) BROOKVIEW DARIUS was super for a good stretch earlier in the year, tailed off badly

for a while, but has recently started to come back around again – he won 2 back (vs. easier), had good trot once free

late in his last, and is one of several possibilities in here. (1) HOOLIE N HECTOR had a tough 2024 season but it

seems like a recent 3 month vacation has helped his cause – he just missed to #4 in his last, and should be a big

player again tonight, from the pole. (5) P L OSCAR lacked a good 2nd move last week but as noted, his barn has

started to come back to life, and this guy should offer some decent value tonight. (2) ENERGY KING disappointed

2 back but that mile is surrounded by a win, and pair of 2nds – could have a real say here, if on his game. (7) CAPT

AIN WANIA didn’t function in his local debut but after a scratch and barn change, was a new horse in last week’s

38-1 stunner – may have a tough time reaching from out here, even if as sharp tonight. (6) THE THING IS is a

reliable finisher, but is another that may just be too far back to threaten. (3) CHINESE WHISPER N probably needs

to be in easier to do his best work. (8) IMMIGRANT AM S draws Post 8, off a clunker, and has missed 3 weeks.

RACE 6 – MGM Messenger Pace Elimination – top 4 finishers advance to next week’s final (by far the tougher

division): (6) TWISTED DESTINY ended his 2YO campaign with a win in a Reynolds division and came back

sharp right out of the box at 3, winning 3 of his first 4 starts (the lone loss coming to the sensational LOUPRINT) –

he stayed sharp for tonight by qualifying in NJ (right behind the outstanding ITS MY SHOW), and we’ll give him

the narrow edge for tonight, despite the tough draw. (5) FAST CHOICE started off his career going 4 for 4, but saw

his 2YO campaign end with a pair of disappointing miscues – he’s quickly sharpened since returning at 3, and

comes back from Canada after a hard charging 3rd in last week’s NA Cup – he’s a VERY talented horse, when right!

(7) DANDY IDEAL changed hands at the end of 2024, won the Matron then was turned out for the year – he hit a

speed bump in his first start back at 3 (a miscue at Stga.) but he was right on the wire in his NA Cup elim. before

landing on an absolutely brutal trip in the Final (pacing his middle half in an insane :52 while left first over into the

1:19 three quarters) – he’ll have to contend with Post 7, however. (1) JON I LOVE DAT was a winner of the MASS

Final at 2 and he’s shown even more ability so far at 3, arriving at Yonkers off sharp miles out of town – may be able

to take advantage of the draw and grab a good piece. (2) MANOLETE has plenty of ability (and adds Lasix for

tonight) but he’s missed a month, and seems likely to be handled conservatively, hoping to be able to make it to the

Final. (4) SNACK ATTACK adds Lasix and has the benefit of a win over the track but he MAY be a notch below the

big guns in here – we’ll see if he can sneak his way into the top 4. (3) LOCHLAN HANOVER seems a bit

overmatched, even for his top connections. (8) CURRYS FLURRY is the outsider...both literally and figuratively.

RACE 7 - MGM Messenger Pace Elimination – top 4 finishers advance to next week’s final: (1) THIRSTY THURS.

DAY was sent off favored in last years NYSS Final (finished 3rd), changed hands in the fall then finished 2nd in the

Matron (to barnmate DANDY IDEAL) – he started off his 3YO campaign with a nice win at Stga., then was 3rd at

VD last week – would seem to have an edge tonight starting from the pole, in this softer division. (6) ODDS ON NO

LIMIT had a trip over the track last week and did finish with alert pace, from an impossible spot – he’s listed at 15-1

ML, and just may be able to grab a good piece of this, with some trip luck. (7) BANDERAS showed ability at 2 and

has come back solid at 3, just missing here last week in his only local try (the winner was a beast in Western Canada

and is 2 for 2 here at Yonkers) – needs a quick start after drawing so poorly, however. (3) HOLT HANOVER is just

1 for 12 but he’s hit board in 9 of his 11 losses (including a 2nd in the NYSS Final) – chance to grab a piece here too.

(8) PAPIS ROCKET earned nearly $300K at 2 for the nation’s leading barn but he’s 4-0-3-1 to start off his 3YO

campaign, and has missed 25 days – will have his work cut out for him from Post 8. (5) WORLD OF WISHES

disappointed as the 4/5 choice in his lone local try, and will need to rebound with a better effort if he hopes to

qualify for next week’s Final. (2) PAXAMILLION has sharp form, but vs. much cheaper – he’ll get class tested

tonight for a trainer that used to win at a very high % when she raced here several years back. (4) MELTDOWN MO

NTE feels somewhat overmatched, even in this easier division.

RACE 8 – (4) BLACKHAWK ZETTE returns to The Hilltop where he was a winner in his only local try this year

(vs. NW20000) – he’s been chasing tougher out of town, and should really appreciate tonight’s class relief. (3) CHU

LO has also been chasing tougher (here at Yonkers), and is a proven winner at this level – could be the main danger.

(1) LOUS GAMBLER was a sharp winner 2 back but came up a little short in his last (1st over) – he’s been away 3

weeks, but may benefit from that...playable underneath. (2) OPTRIX looked like an easy winner last week but then

hung as badly as imaginable into the lane and had to settle for 2nd (he broke a knee spreader late (uncharted), but that

didn’t seem to be the problem)– still willing to use him underneath, but will pass on top for now. (5) TACHYON has

just one win this year but has also raced well despite terrible trips, a bunch of times – maybe he can add some value

to the exotics? (6) THE PRINCE just unraveled after being claimed on 3/13, but is slowly starting to come back

around– tough spot tonight, but worth observing for future consideration. (7) NOTTINGHAM has ability, but wasn’t

at his best the last couple of weeks and now lands outside. (8) CREATIVE VENTURE drops next week. – pass here.

RACE 9 - (6) MC ANGEL qualified back nicely after the freshening and hung in for 3rd last week vs. much tougher

–she loves to win races when “right”, and this may be a spot for her to pick up her first victory of the year. (8) TWIN

DELIGHT did leave hard from Post 8 last week but her fate was sealed after retreating to last – another 8 hole, but if

she can just improve a bit at the start, she could definitely have a say with these – willing to use IF the price is fair.

(5) MACHS LEGACY A shook free on the final turn last week and was charging at the wire– it’s tempting to try her

off that mile, but her 0 for 21 local record is still staring us right in the face. (7) TWO PISTOL ANNIE looked like

she was finally starting to come around before an untimely break before the start last week – brutal draw tonight, but

maybe a decent value horse for the bottom of exotics. (3) KAT was short last week off a month, but could see her

grabbing a small piece here, with an easy trip (1) NIKASA N has been stuck on minor pieces for a while and

looking at a similar result tonight. Both (2) COWGIRL LILLY and (4) LADYZAR would be surprises, to say the

least.

RACE 10 – (5) REAL WILLEY took some $$ last week and did race better, offering pace at both ends of the mile –

lands in a beatable field, and may be able to come out on top if he can build off his last. (2) JIMMY CONNOR B

elected to take a conservative approach last week after an improved try the start before, and did hit board for the 2nd

straight time – maybe it’s time for a more aggressive effort? (7) MOVIN ON UP showed better life 2 back and did

finish with interest from an impossible spot last week – he’s listed at 20-1 ML, and not a bad one for longshot fans.

(3) WARRIOR FOR TRUTH is 0 for 14 here in 2025 after going 1 for 11 last year – he does throw a decent one now

and then, and gets Bartlett tonight...maybe a piece? (4) CHANTEE is one of the only horses in the barn that hasn’t

been able to perk up lately – still may happen, but hard to endorse right now. (1) BRUCES VO N COKE flashed

ability as a 3YO but has struggled in most of his 4YO starts – hard to get excited about at that 3-1 ML price. (6)

RAYRAY is incredibly camera shy, but can sometimes grab minor shares. (8) SARANAC BLUE CHIP could only

manage a pair of 3rds from the inside in his last 2 starts, and now gets stuck behind the 8 ball.