Pocono: Analysis for Sunday 8/23

MEET STATS: 36 - 112 / $164.00 (-$60.00)
BEST BETS: 5 - 8 / $12.80 (-$3.20)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 8 / $4.60 (-$11.40)
BEST BET - CAPTAIN COREY (10th)
SPOT PLAY - MACHNHOPE (12th)

Race 1 - PA Stallion Series 2YO C&G Trot

(3) TREMENDOUSLY improved quite a bit from the one qualifier here at Pocono to his pari-mutuel start at Harrah's Philadelphia. Bongiorno got to know him on that day and the horse closed nicely, and I'll give him a chance. (6) LINDYS GOIN CRAZY had been two-for-two in the Stallion Series but didn't deliver at The Meadows. I think he's perfectly capable of bouncing back, though, and is a logical contender. (2) CAPITAL T STORM owns a third and a second in his two Stallion Series appearances and gets an inside slot to start from tonight. He's raced on the lead and from behind, giving Svanstedt some options.

Race 2 - F&M NW9000L5/NW6 or 70000LT Pace

(3) KOTARE YARRA N gets to drop back to the NW9000L5 level after a third against NW12000L5's a week ago. She's been consistently threatening and hopefully she can get the job done tonight like she did back on July 5. (1) JUSLIKEAQUEEN is reunited with Anthony Napolitano tonight and also moves down from the NW12500L5's. There's also a trainer change to consider as she's now racing out of the high-percentage Pellegrino barn. (6) THE CHARGING MOA N is another mare leaving the NW12500L5 group this time, and she also gets some post relief after having the nine back on 8-9. She was 1-5 against NW9000L5's on June 28 and was second.

Race 3 - PA Stallion Series 2YO C&G Trot

(2) LINDYS BOOZE CRUZ won nicely from first-over last time out at The Meadows, and Tony Hall comes east to drive him tonight, which shows some confidence in the horse. (1) LEPANTO owns a win and a second in the Stallion Series thus far, and one has to think he'll be on or near the lead from his inside starting slot. (6) SUNNY CROCKETT has been victorious in all three of his Stallion Series contests. He has shown the ability to get well-spotted from outside draws before and will have to do the same here.

Race 4 - PA Stallion Series 2YO C&G Trot

(5) MISTER BOINGA goes for his fourth straight win tonight and definitely meets up with a group he can do it against. I also like that he's been victorious at Pocono before. (7) CAPSTONE went a nice mile in the qulaifier at Pocono on the 12th and given he was a $160,000 yearling buy, the connections might be keen to get him off on a good note. (2) HALLS OF VALOR didn't race very well last time at The Meadows but gets Tyler Buter back tonight, and he guided him to a second-place finish at Harrah's Philadelphia. I anticipate he'll be more forwardly-placed.

Race 5 - F&M NW3000L5 Pace

(6) GATORS BEN WINNING hasn't been doing much winning lately, but she does get a driver change to Tetrick tonight, and maybe he can give her a try on the lead. (1) THREEDEE DELIGHT A is just one for her last 53, but she was recently favored at the Meadowlands and those tries against NW5000L5's at Yonkers haven't been bad. (2) GLENFERRIE BRONTE N also ships in from Yonkers. She draws a better post than she had over there in her pair of appearances, and she did take her life's mark at Pocono a year ago.

Race 6 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(8) P L NOTSONICE broke a multitude of records in that mile two back at Rideau Carleton in Ontario and cruised over NW2 at Pocono back in July. Obviously the break in stride on August 13 at Woodbine Mohawk Park isn't what you like to see, but I'm going to bank on that being a one-off. (5) CELEBRITY MIRACLE defeated NW4 on 8-2 with Kevin Wallis and gets his services back tonight. He's another one coming off an excuse line where he had post eight at Yonkers, got parked, and broke. (3) KAREN HANOVER is a newcomer to the Ron Burke barn, which has obviously worked out well for many, many horses through the years. Kakaley stayed loyal and picked off a contender to drive her.

Race 7 - NW9000L5 Trot

(8) KARETS ended up getting parked last time out against NW12000L5's and had zero shot. He gets some class relief, and while he starts from the same outside post, hopefully new pilot Tetrick can get him a smoother trip. (4) OPTIMIST BLUE CHIP was a solid second to the well-meant Mushana last Sunday. He remains in against NW9000L5's here and has a much better draw. (7) BULLY BOY lands in a very reasonable spot tonight if he's anywhere as close to as good as he was in that triumph over NW12500L5's back in late June.

Race 8 - PA Stallion Series 2YO C&G Trot

(6) GOODASHIM is now in the Takter barn and has a driver swap to Dexter Dunn. I'll look for the brother to Father Patrick to move forward tonight. (1) KEEPTHETAB HANOVER got bet down to favortism last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia but broke before the start. However, if you go back two starts, he was second to the red-hot Mister Boinga at Pocono, so maybe this is his preferred surface. (7) ROBERT'S HANOVER cut the mile and just came up a nose short of Sunny Crockett at The Meadows on August 12. He's been on the lead in his last two, and I assume that'll be the tactics here, too.

Race 9 - F&M NW6000L5 Pace

(3) SOMTHNGABOUTMARY N qualified well at Pocono on July 29 and then went down to Harrah's Philadelphia where she had an outside post and finished with some interest. She slides inside here and will hopefully be closer to the action. (6) WOODMERE OLEKSIAK is just one-for-12 in 2020 after winning 16 times a year ago. This is the easiest class she's been in and did finish her mile much better last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia. (4) GIGI FROM FIJI might have gotten her confidence back after that facile win up at Tioga. She did threaten against NW9000L5's back in June.

Race 10 - PA Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Trot

(5) CAPTAIN COREY set a track record his first time out at The Meadows and then did the same thing in his next appearance at Harrah's Philadelphia. I don't know if he can keep the track records coming, but I do expect him to win again. (3) ARNOLD N DICKY scored in the sire stakes at The Meadows on August 12 and Dave Palone comes in to town to retain the drive. (4) TYPE A looked fantastic in his first two appearances but then broke in the Peter Haughton final at the Meadowlands. He's certainly capable of a bounce-back effort.

Race 11 - PA Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Trot

(6) JOHAN PALEMA keeps Dexter Dunn in the bike and was a strong second to Captain Corey at Harrah's Philadelphia. He avoids that rival tonight and might have a bit of value. (2) IN RANGE raced in third in a slow pace and couldn't quite get there last time at The Meadows. I don't anticipate the fractions being so easy here, and he was two-for-two in the sire stakes prior to that. (8) PLUMVILLE PRINCE never made the gate as the favorite in the Peter Haughton at the Meadowlands. He came into that race off an impressive elimination win, so the talent is there if he minds his manners.

Race 12 - F&M NW24000L5/NW10 or 110000LT Pace

(6) MACHNHOPE never looks the best on the turns at Yonkers but she can close a ton regardless like she did there on August 13. I'm going to hope she appreciates getting off the half-mile track tonight and can deliver one of those good efforts. (2) ALEXA'S POWER was Scott Zeron's choice of a pair in here and gets to start from post two this time after finishing third from the nine-hole most recently. (3) JK AMERICAN BEAUTY won that event Alexa's Power is exiting and hasn't been worse than second in eight 2020 efforts.

Race 13 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace

(3) GOLDEN QUEST N tried like heck two weeks ago but ran into the talented-looking She's Nun Bettor N and had to settle for second. She doesn't have to race against that one tonight and has won two times against NW4's this month already. (2) RED RIVER JANE has just one win in 2020, but she did have a runner-up finish in a NW4 event back on August 2. She might need a smoother trip than last Sunday when she wound up first-over. (1) STOWAWAY HANOVER held second after a pocket trip in that same race that Red River Jane is coming out of. She switches drivers to Marcus Miller but does get an inside draw.

Race 14 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(3) SCIROCCO MISTYSAID adds Marcus Miller here after being driven by trainer Mark Silva last Sunday. Hopefully that signifies the horse is ready as he also gets back on a regular racing rotation. (3) EHRMANTRAUT picked up another third-place finish in this class a week ago and Dexter Dunn goes in the bike this time. (4) TELL THEM LOU gets post relief tonight after a closing third two weeks ago and was Scott Zeron's choice over Ehrmantraut.