Yonkers: Analysis for Friday 11/18
MEET STATS: 393 - 1125 / $1,950.50 (-$299.50)
BEST BETS: 62 - 107 / $230.20 (+$16.20)
Best Bet: LIT DE ROSE (9th)
Spot Play: LETTUCERIPRITA A (1st)
Race 1: $15,000 Claiming Pace
(8) LETTUCERIPRITA A has a history of being either really good or really bad; veteran woke up in a big way off the recent barn change and he stays at a winning level. Eight hole sucks but Holland does like to blast from the gate. (4) KIMANI N gets some post relief and was a winner from a similar spot two back. (3) UNICO LEGEND N has been improved lately but not enough for me to consider on top.
[DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card]
Race 2: F&M NW30000 in last 5 starts Pace
(6) MORNING HAS BROKEN has been very sharp in practically all recent races and tonight she drops from the Open and is back in for a tag. Outside post should help the price a bit. (2) BEST HEAD WEST is clearly better than the others in here and is a major player. The favorite? (1) ROCKNROLL ANNIE has quickly worked her way up the class ladder with a series of solid efforts and she's reunited with Braxton Boyd, who won with her twice last month.
[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Yonkers card at DRF Bets.com!]
Race 3: F&M NW15000 in last 5 starts Pace
(6) ROBYN CAMDEN hasn't fired in two starts since returning from a layoff but she gets a bit of a class reprieve tonight and has the proven talent to turn things around. (2) BABS JANSEN was a good second two and three back facing similar; she'll be a threat from the inside post. (1) SWEET HEAVEN was stuck in the eight hole in her local return so I guess not much was expected from her; tonight she moves all the way to the rail.
Race 4: NW7500 in last 5 starts Pace
(4) AINTNOBETTOR A returns to Yonkers off a slight upset last week at Freehold. Veteran has plenty of back class and the Annunziata barn has picked up a few winners recently. (3) AIR FORCE HANOVER seems to be running out of excuses as he's failed to win a race since the drop to this level; Stratton is back driving the Gillis trainee. (5) SHANWAY N was a dead-heat winner the last time he was at this level; Bartlett drove that night and he's back in the bike tonight.
Race 5: NW5000 in last 5 starts Pace
(4) TAKE A GAMBLE gave a very strong accounting of himself upon arrival from Canada with last week's second-place finish; recent addition to the Bako barn could be even better tonight. (1) RHODENA ROAD drops in class for the fourth consecutive start and lands the rail with Bartlett driving. Forte trainee is an obvious player. (2) EXPLOIT can be excused for that debacle last week, his first start for a new barn after returning from Indiana.
Race 6: $20,000 Claiming Pace
(6) QUATRAIN BLUE CHIP returns from a stint at Philly and Dover and was a winner last out showing speed at both ends; DiDomenico trainee finds a pretty soft field of claimers here. (1) DAVIDS COMING HOME hasn't won in the longest time and I thought he would be better after returning to this barn; hard to endorse on top. (4) ROCK N TONY gets post relief after three consecutive eight holes.
Race 7: $25,000 Claiming Pace
(3) TWIN B SPEED DIAL has been an ATM machine for his connections over the last couple of months and he hasn't shown signs of tailing off; Holland figures to be heading to the front again and we'll see if he can hang on. (7) AMERICAN WIGGLE has totally turned it around in his last two with powerful wins; he steps up a notch in class and lands outside but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bartlett firing early looking for a close-up trip. (1) UPTOWN FUNK had been knocking on the door for some time and he got it done last week, running down #3. Veteran is a clear player again.
Race 8: F&M Open Handicap Pace
(3) CLASSICIST was used a bit to secure control in her local debut and she was barely outbattled in the late stages; she gets the best of the 3 thru 5 draw and could be better after that acclimating mile. (4) MCMARKLE SPARKLE failed to sustain her run in her last two races which could be a sign she's tailing off, but with this short field she'll never be too far back. (5) UPTOWN ARTIST was last week's winner but now has to pass them all, either early in the mile or late in the mile.
Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
Race 9: F&M NW20000 in last 5 starts Pace
It was no surprise to see (2) LIT DE ROSE put a beating on her rivals at 20 cents on the dollar last week and she pretty much gets a free ride tonight. (5) REACHTHRUTHESKY AS has had a big season with 10 wins and over $180K banked; she does fit with these and could offer some value underneath. (1) VIOLETS RAINBOW moves back to the rail and figures to be sitting a trip behind the top one; hard not to include her when calling out exotics.
Race 10: $15,000 Claiming Pace
(3) CASHNCAM was a close second last week and overall he's been very good recently; gelding should be looking at a live trip from this spot. (1) CAROLINA MAGIC gave way at odds-on over the off track last start, ending his modest two-race winning streak. He gets another crack from the inside looking to make amends. (7) LOVE THE BLUES N dropped below the level of the recent claim last week and won out of the eight hole at 25/1 with Braxton Boyd catch-driving. He's in the bike again looking to repeat that glory.