Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers: Analysis for Friday 3/18

Matt Rose|Mar 16, 2022

MEET STATS: 60 - 202 / $286.90 (-$117.10)

BEST BETS: 9 - 19 / $36.00 (-$2.00)

Best Bet: MISSISSIPPI STORM (9th)

Spot Play: MISSILE SEELSTER (2nd)

Race 1: $20,000 Claiming Pace

(1) SEAFARER has been very consistent at this level, especially from inside posts. Pacer goes for Ruiz now off another claim and that barn has been pretty live this season. (2) PACING MAJOR N dropped in price for the third consecutive start going into last week's race and it looks like the Peter Tritton trainee finally found his level; obvious threat here to win again with Bartlett on the return drive. (4) DAAMERICANSKY went a brutal trip last week but proved game and stubborn to the end, holding a board spot. Dowse trainee can certainly be considered here.

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Race 2: NW7500 in last 5 starts Pace

(3) MISSILE SEELSTER was put on the engine in his debut for Shane Tritton off the $30K claim and he held off all but one. He's back in a similar spot and figures to be aggressively handled again. (2) BETTER UP was much-improved when moved back inside. He can be a part of this. (5) WATERWAY finished alertly in his last couple and he has back class to call upon.

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Race 3: NW5000 in last 5 starts Pace

(3) MOHAWK WARRIOR has been a little slow to come around this season but he raced better when dropped to this level and Brent Holland has gotten along well with the veteran in the past. (2) DENVER SEELSTER has just one win over the last year but he has raced credibly in his last couple and the post improvement helps. (5) ROCKIN THE ARENA picks up Bartlett upon arrival from Saratoga and the 4-year-old seems like a good fit with these.

Race 4: NW15250 in last 5 starts Pace

(2) LEAN HANOVER drops in class to a very comfortable level tonight and draws well. He's a solid Open-type trotter when on his game and he's certainly a safer option than the other key contender in here (4) HEY LIVVY. The latter was off at 1/5 last week when he broke again. Mare is talented but clearly a bit shaky at this time. (1) IM THE MUSCLE should be set up with a live trip from this inside post and he can come away with a nice piece.

Race 5: Blue Chip Matchmaker Mare FFA Leg 1 Pace

(5) DRAMA ACT makes her second start of the season after a solid 4-year-old campaign last year and she raced very well in the Open last week at Miami Valley. Burke thinks she can go with these to ship her in for this series so I'll jump on board. (3) LIT DE ROSE effectively stole last week's five-horse field and she's been solid in every Yonkers start since arriving from Canada. (7) MACHNHOPE merits a mention here as last year's Matchmaker champ but she failed to get involved from an outside post in her last local try.

Race 6: Blue Chip Matchmaker Mare FFA Leg 1 Pace

(3) MCMARKLE SPARKLE recently shipped in from Ohio and has made her way up the class ladder with three impressive wins; mare gets into a Matchmaker split with mostly unaccomplished rivals at this top level and draws well. Top billing. (8) SOHO BURNING LOVE A hasn't been at the top of her game recently but the Jim King trainee is the class of the field and can be a serious player if Tetrick can improve position at the start. (1) SWEET HEAVEN is fresh stock from Nancy Takter and she prepped for this with a winning qualifier at The Meadowlands.

Race 7: Blue Chip Matchmaker Mare FFA Leg 1 Pace

(1) BLUE IVY was a major player in last year's Matchmaker and she's back for an encore performance. Mare was never a real threat in last week's Open trying to close into a well-rated pace but driver Buter figures to be much more aggressive tonight. (2) RACINE BELL comes off a rare disappointing effort but she seems capable of quickly bouncing back. (5) SCARLETT HANOVER makes her 4-year old debut tonight for Burke after banking over $500K as a sophomore. Will she be 100% ready off those two qualifiers?

Race 8: Blue Chip Matchmaker Mare FFA Leg 1 Pace

(4) KARMA SEELSTER seems to be the most consistent mare coming into this Matchmaker division but her low morning-line is a bit of a turn-off. Adamczyk trainee is the default selection in a race where it's hard to get excited about anyone. (1) GIA'S SURREAL makes her seasonal debut and she did solid work last year. Bartlett gets the drive from the innermost post. (5) SURREAL FEELING comes from the same ownership as Racine Bell and is a full sister to that one. She's no slouch having banked $150K last season.

Race 9: NW30000 in last 5 starts Trot

(4) MISSISSIPPI STORM has been very live at the Open level and now gets to drop to face a bit softer; Fanning trainee should get the job done. (3) NO MAS DRAMA was an odds-on winner last week; she should be a threat despite losing Stratton to the top one. (5) HAYEK missed out on last week's festivities when he was a transportation scratch; Engblom trainee can certainly go with these.

Race 10: NW15000 in last 5 starts Trot

(3) ETHAN T HANOVER probably should have won last week when he got away with a 1:00 1/5 half after the big favorite broke but could not hold off a rival. I guess he deserves another chance. (7) B NICKING was good (and lucky when a late rival broke) last week going wire-to-wire; Brennan figures to be firing from the gate again. (1) SWISS HOUSE ON FIRE is another speedster who draws best. These three can control the action up front if they don’t mix it up too much early.

Race 11: 3-5YO $30,000 Claiming Pace

(4) RISKY MILLION raced pretty well in his last two with this type and he lands a decent enough post in this open affair; Fusco trainee should a healthy enough price to take a stab with, if not on top then somewhere on the ticket. (1) MINGO JOEL arrives from Ohio for Virgil Morgan, Jr and picks up Dexter Dunn while drawing best; he may fit well here in age-restricted company. Another fresh face in here is (8) AIR GUITAR. He was 0 for 15 here in 2021 but is now in the Jenn Bongiorno barn and Bartlett picks up the drive.

Race 12: NW7500 in last 5 starts Pace

(2) FIZZING N was a sharp winner last out in NW5000 but faces no standouts here on the bump in class and the Vallee-trained veteran draws well. (5) MIKE'S Z TAM drops to a new low for Lachance but he's had trouble finishing; use caution. (4) CRUNCH HANOVER is hard to gauge but he does go with fresh Lasix.