Pocono: Analysis for Sunday 8/9

MEET STATS: 27 - 84 / $124.20 (-$43.80)
BEST BETS: 4 - 6 / $10.40 (-$1.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 6 / $4.60 (-$7.40)
BEST BET - PARTY GIRL HILL (10th)
SPOT PLAY - ANYTIME N (11th)

Race 1 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(7) ATOMIC BLAST N romped over NW2's at Pocono in his U.S. debut on July 14, and I'll look for him to double up tonight. He might offer a little value in his first start in this class. (4) BILLY LINCOLN N hasn't won yet in the U.S. but did just miss two back, slides down from NW6 to NW4, and adds Tim Tetrick. (2) ACTON HANOVER keeps racking up the on-the-board finishes but has not found the winner's circle in 2020. He does pick up Gingras tonight.

Race 2 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(5) MARTINIQUE BEACH aimed too high in that Tompkins-Geers at the Meadowlands, but she was a rallying second in the Stallion Series two back and is reunited with David Miller. (2) FIREFLY has hit the board in all of her local appearances against NW4's and doesn't have to race against older foes like Golden Quest N tonight. (4) ASHTINI was an impressive winner from first-over in a separate NW4 from the one Firefly raced in last Sunday and she won in the Stallion Series at The Meadows back on July 11.

Race 3 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(6) HOT GOSSIP found very deep water after shipping east from Indiana, tackling the likes of Party Girl Hill. I think this is a much more realistic spot tonight and I will look for her to race much better. (1) CAVIART HEATHER faded in the lane after getting cooked in a hot early pace last Sunday. She slides inside this time and hopefully will get a smoother trip. (2) GIRL ON THE BEACH saw her win streak ended on July 25 at The Meadows when she had to come first-over. She switches drivers to Gingras, and he will probably have her in the early mix.

Race 4 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(7) BLAZIN GRACE picked up a couple of checks against the top level sire stakes fillies and now slides down into the Stallion Series for Brian Brown. She knows how to win races, as evidence by her four-for-seven record, and I'll look for her to get the job done here. (4) GOING GONE HANOVER took a shot in the Tompkins-Geers, and while she didn't hit the board, she did close well. She has enjoyed her time in the Stallion Series in 2020 with a second and a win. (2) ENDURING HOPE won two back in the Stallion Series with Tetrick driving, and she has his services back tonight from an inside draw, making her very usable.

Race 5 - PA Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Pace

(3) LYONS SENTINEL raced well in the Adioo Volo but had the misfortune of running into the buzzsaw that is Party Girl Hill. She draws away from that foe tonight, and I think will take advantage. (6) ROCKNIFICENT was able to avoid the traffic woes that hampered her two and three back in the Tompkins-Geers to get a hard-fought win. She has beaten Lyons Sentinel before, but I'll bank on it not happening this time. (2) DRAMA ACT worked hard to get the lead on 7-25 at The Meadows and paid for it in the lane. I think she's a notch below my top two picks, but she is a very good horse as evidenced by her sire stakes victory two starts back.

Race 6 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(6) SAIL BY beat NW4's locally on the 19th of July and then was a good second behind 5-year-old mare Golden Quest N last Sunday. She faces her own age group tonight and Andrew McCarthy is back in the bike after being absent a week ago. (4) LYONS MONATIZE got spotted well from post seven at The Meadows most recently but faded after a first-over journey. She gets some post relief tonight, and maybe that will allow her to get an easier trip. (1) SPEAKING OF COFFEE races on short rest tonight after handling a group of NW2's at The Meadows in facile fashion from post nine. She was in the sire stakes two and three back, so she will probably like this company better.

Race 7 - F&M NW9000L5/NW6 or 70000LT Pace

(6) CLEAR IDEA moves back up to the NW9000L5 class tonight, but she has to be full of confidence after that dominating win last Sunday against NW6000L5's. She was favored at this level two back also, so I think she's still in her wheelhouse. (2) SHE'S ALLRIGHT has a couple of excuse lines in her last two. She beat NW12000L5's at Pocono back in June, so she can definitely handle these if she doesn't have any more difficulties this time. (1) KOTARE YARRA N couldn't get past Juxta Cowgirl on the 26th of July, but it was still a solid second-place effort, and she remains in the same class.

Race 8 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(1) THE BETHINATOR tried the Adioo Volo last time out, and she finished sixth from post nine. She's gone two-for-two in the Stallion Series, which she returns to tonight, drew the pole, and has Tetrick back in the bike. (7) SPEAK TO SIRI has improved since adding Lasix, including a runner-up finish behind The Bethinator on the 25th of July. Tetrick opted for my top choice, so Dexter Dunn has the call again. (6) SWEET FILLY gave the sire stakes a try in her last pair but moves down to the Stallion Series tonight. She showed some talent out at Harrah's Hoosier Park back in June, including a second-place finish to the good stakes filly Priceless.

Race 9 - PA Stallion Series 3YO Filly Pace

(3) ALEXA SKYE hung around to finish fifth despite being parked at every call last time out at The Meadows. She draws a much better post tonight, was victorious in the Stallion Series two back, and switches pilots to Dexter Dunn. (5) COWGIRL LILY gives Tetrick and King Jr. another potential winner as she comes in off a dead-heat win and a second in the Stallion Series in her last couple. (4) KEYSTONE EUREKA appears to be the other logical filly in here as she won at The Meadows on July 25 against Stallion Series foes and was a strong second from post eight prior to that.

Race 10 - PA Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Pace

(2) PARTY GIRL HILL overcame a first-over trip to win the Adioo Volo against Lyons Sentinel despite that foe getting away with a soft second quarter. She's now five-for-five and owns a prior victory here at Pocono back in June. (5) BABY YOUR THE BEST finally draws a good post after some luckless performances from outside draws in her last three. I don't see her beating Party Girl Hill, but she should at least have a smoother trip. (4) JK FIRST LADY came up second-best to Party Girl Hill when they faced each other on the 25th of July at The Meadows. She's still looking for her first win of 2020.

Race 11 - F&M NW22500L5/NW10 or 110000LT Pace

(4) ANYTIME N shows racing against the likes of Shartin N, Warrawee Ubeaut, and Soho Burning Love A in her last few, so this has to be a more reasonable spot tonight. She was a closing fourth two back in the Open at Yonkers, and I'll hope she has some value. (6) JK AMERICAN BEAUTY had every chance to win in those races at the Meadowlands but was second-best both times. She can probably win, but I'll only use underneath at the expected short price. (9) ALEXA'S POWER maintained her good form from her win here two starts ago by scoring again at Harrah's Philly. She would've looked better for a win threat had she not drawn post nine.

Race 12 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace

(2) GOLDEN QUEST N gets another chance in the NW4 class tonight with her low lifetime earnings. She's already won at this level two times in-a-row and even adds some post relief for good measure. (6) SHE'S NUN BETTOR N rallied impressively to beat NW2's at Pocono two back and then topped NW3's from post eight at Harrah's Philadelphia. She continues her march up the ladder tonight, and I'll hope she finds my top selection a little too tough. (4) RED RIVER JANE finished second behind Ashtini in a NW4 event last Sunday, so maybe see how that filly raced in the Stallion Series earlier on the card and add some points to this one's chances if she did well.

Race 13 - F&M NW17500L5/NW8 or 90000LT Pace

(9) BETTOR JOY N wound up getting parked in a speed duel last Sunday and gave way. She gets a drop, and while she does start from post nine, she gets a rare opportunity to partner with Tetrick, and I'll hope he can map out a winning plan. (5) BYE BYE FELICIA was a strong second to Alexa's Power last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia. She was not Dexter Dunn's choice, but got David Miller, a more than acceptable replacement. (6) TANGO DANCER N started from post eight and was two-wide at every call on 7-29, so I think that's just a toss-out line. She won comfortably against NW14000L5's prior to that with Dunn driving, and he did pick her over Bye Bye Felicia here.

Race 14 - F&M NW12000L5/NW7 or 80000LT Pace

I'm going to hope (2) MADAME LEZA A needed that last race given the sick scratch on 7-12 and that she improves some tonight with a better post and Dunn in the bike again. (4) SCANDALICIOUS has been working down in class over at Yonkers since racing resumed and drops again as she moves to Pocono. She picked up her seasonal mark in 2019 over the track, so maybe she'll appreciate getting off the half-mile oval this time. (3) VORST returns to Pocono tonight after breaking before the start at Yonkers. She was second a couple times against NW17500L5's recently and was George Napolitano Jr.'s choice in this race.