Pocono: Analysis for Sunday 9/20

MEET STATS: 48 - 168 / $244.90 (-$91.10)
BEST BETS: 8 - 12 / $21.70 (-$2.30)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 12 / $4.60 (-$19.40)
BEST BET - ITS MESMERISE N (10th)
SPOT PLAY - DEE DEE KAY (5th)

Race 1 - 7500CLM Pace

(3) PEMBROKE JOEY double-drops from the $12,500 claimers at Yonkers where he was fifth. He won handily over $10,000 claming company at Freehold on August 29, and Jackson knows him from the local qualifier on 8-5. (5) SPECTACULAR ROCK has a win, a second, and a third in three attempts in this class and switches pilots to Jordan Stratton tonight. (9) MAGIC TRICKS returns to the $7,500 claiming level after trying $10,000 claimers on September 7. He's hit the board in his last four tries against these, including a win on 8-31.

Race 2 - NW9000L5 / NW6 or 70000LT Trot

(6) TWO AM won when he last raced in this class at Pocono on 8-30 and made up ground from post ten in a paceless race at the Meadowlands on the 11th of September. (5) RIVER OTTER gets to drop down from the NW12500L5 level this afternoon, and that should help him out. He beat NW6000L5's on July 20 and finished second or third three times in subsequent tries against better. (4) ELYISUM LINDY has been moving around to different venues in search of a winning spot and gives Pocono a shot. He made front and wound up sixth in the same race at the Meadowlands that Two AM is coming out of.

Race 3 - 7500CLM Pace

(8) BIG CC'S ROCK owns some sharp form for owner/trainer Peter Pellegrino. He does move outside on the gate this time, but there doesn't seem to be a ton of speed to the inside, so I think he can land his usual spot near the front. (4) FOOL OF IDEAS came up second-best as the favorite in a $7,500 claimer on September 7. He has just one victory over the last two years, so I'll put underneath. (5) WESTERN ALUMNI won three back to pick up his first triumph of 2020. He was the runner-up on 9-5 and looks logical for the high-percentage Maier barn.

Race 4 - NW6000L5 Trot

(6) YUGE picked up his last win when he got to face NW5000L5's at Yonkers back in July. He's been racing against NW10000L5's at Harrah's Philadelphia and Yonkers since then, so I'll hope he appreciates the class relief and can get back to his victorious ways. (1) MUSCLE STAR gets some major post relief after having the eight-hole twice and the seven once in his last three. He got an aggressive drive on 9-15 and was a good third, so that might have tightened him up for this one. (5) UNCLE HANOVER ships back down to Pocono after finishing third and second at Tioga. His last effort at Pocono came from post eight against NW9000L5's, so this is probably a more reasonable spot.

Race 5 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(2) DEE DEE KAY invades from Yonkers off two wins and a third. She gets reunited with Jordan Stratton, who steered her to the two tallies against NW2's over there. (4) TURNTHEFROWNAROUND raced well in the New York Sire Stakes Excelsior A Series, winning legs at Saratoga and Yonkers and finishing second in the final. Kakaley drove her in the last two and is back tonight. (5) TALK SHOW CHICA turned in another quality effort two Sundays ago, closing to finish third. She usually has some value, and that should be the case again here.

Race 6 - NW9000L5 / NW6 or 70000LT Trot

(2) INAPERFECTWORLD was in against $25,000 claimers in his last two, so I think this is a little bit easier spot tonight. I like his win three back against NW6000L5's, and he meets up with a group I think he can contend against. Marcus Miller guided him to that win on 8-25 and returns to the bike this time. (4) BRUTAL STORM hikes up to this level off a win over NW6000L5's on the 8th of September. It doesn't look like there are many leavers in this race, so he might be able to get another pocket trip. (8) TRIXAR has been second on third in four of his last six but is winless in 2020.

Race 7 - F&M NW3000L5 Pace

(6) DD DELICIOUS took her life's mark at Pocono in 2019, and last time she was here, she just missed getting a check in a fast NW4 race. This is a pretty soft spot, and I think she can take advantage. (2) TRAFFIC JAM woke up with a better performance in her second chance against NW3000L5's two Sundays ago. She remains in the same class tonight and draws inside after having post nine and post eight in her last pair. (1) ISLAY N lands at the bottom level tonight since she hasn't been able to hit the board in nine appearances in 2020. Blumenfeld's horses sometimes wake up when they get in situations like this, and this one might, too.

Race 8 - NW9000L5 / NW6 or 70000LT Trot

(6) CRAZYCAT wound up two-wide at every call when he raced against NW9000L5's on 8-30 and tired but came back with a good, rallying effort at Yonkers on 9-8. Godinez gives Wallis a chance in the bike this time, and hopefully he can get him a smoother trip. (5) CR BLAZIN BEAUTY finished third against NW12000L5's most recently and gets to drop down to the NW9000L5 class. She has been racing well but is 0-for-21 in the win column, so I have to take a stand against her on top. (3) BJ LORADO returns to Pocono after finishing fourth in the Open at Tioga. He shows a second at this level on 8-23, so I will put underneath.

Race 9 - F&M NW3000L5 Pace

(3) CASIE'S BELIEVER has been facing much better company out of town, including the NW8's at Yonkers. She gained spots and ground in the last quarter against NW9000L5's when last at Pocono on 7-19, and I'll give her a chance in this wide-open event. (5) NORTHERN SWIFT takes another shot against the NW3000L5's after just missing by a nose in that last try a couple weeks ago, and I'll include her. (1) BRING ME DIAMONDS came up a nostril short of winning against NW3000L5's at Pocono on the 26th of July and makes her first appearance in this class since then.

Race 10 - F&M NW17500L5 / NW8 or 90000LT Pace

(1) ITS MESMERISE N didn't have any issue when she moved up to this class a couple Sundays ago as she won again. She gets another inside post to work from, and Buter handled her well in the last victory. (4) QUEEN OF THE PRIDE raced against Its Mesmerise N in that event on 9-6 and was third. She is a classy mare, so she's capable of reversing that tonight and might offer a bit better price with Tom Jackson driving. (2) ECLIPSE ME N ran into some stout foes from an outside draw at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently but had two wins, a second, and a third prior to that.

Race 11 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(6) TREVOR ONE never got involved in the New York Sire Stakes Excelsior A Series final at Tioga but was racing well before that and finished up in 27 4/5 to get third in a fairly strong NW4 race at Yonkers on 8-24. (5) STOP ACTION has a winning history at Pocono and gets to return to overnight competition after a couple of stakes efforts against PA Stallion Series and Landmark foes. (4) ROCK ME HARD showed some talent in the New Jersey Sire Stakes, picking up a good mark with that 25 4/5 close at the Meadowlands on 6-19. This is second start after a bit of a break.

Race 12 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(6) SOLAR scored in the PA Stallion Series and then was second in a NW4 in his last two tries here. He hasn't threatened since then, but I'll hope the return to Pocono and getting Marcus Miller back will be what he's been looking for. (9) ZAPACA was the scourge of the NW2 class for multiple weeks as he won four straight. He has to move up this time and has an outside post, too, so I'll try and beat him. (2) SVF BLUSHINGBRIDE defeated NW3 foes at Harrah's Philadelphia in her last chance, and she picked up a check against PA Sire Stakes company when she raced at Pocono on 8-25.

Race 13 - F&M NW9000L5/NW6 or 70000LT Pace

(1) GOLDEN QUEST N finally ran out of chances against the NW4's after her latest victory in that class two weeks ago. I'll hope her good form carries over on the step up, and it looks like she should be on the lead or in the pocket from the pole position. (5) JUSLIKEAQUEEN has a win and a second in her last two tries against NW9000L5's and gets to drop out of the NW14000L5's at Harrah's Philadelphia this time. (6) OCEANIA is another one who has been racing against better and gets to return to the level where she last won at. She'll probably be looking for some pace to chase.

Race 14 - F&M NW6000L5 Pace

(7) BETTERB CHEVRON N races for a hot trainer-driver tandem in Stratton and Hudson from Yonkers and was second in a NW10000L5 there in her last appearance. This is probably a softer spot, and I think she should have every chance to wire this field. (6) AMATEUR HOUR also invades from Yonkers tonight. She beat NW6000L5's at Pocono two back and also defeated NW5000L5's at Yonkers earlier this summer, so she's dangerous when in these types of spots. (1) GRANT ME THIS competed at Tioga in her last two and now ships back down to Pocono. She was the second-place finisher in a NW6000L5 event on 8-30 here.