Yonkers: Analysis for Friday 7/17

MEET STATS: 98 - 279 / $540.40 (-$17.60)
BEST BETS: 16 - 27 / $49.50 (-$4.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 27 / $34.40 (-$19.60)
BEST BET - WINNING SHADOW (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - PERFECTLY CLOSE (3rd)

Race 1 - NW10000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/20000CLM Pace

(4) NEPTUNE gets a catch driver to pilot him tonight with Marohn Jr. taking the call, and this horse went a couple big miles to win down at Pompano during the winter time. I'll give him a shot. (2) SPORTSKEEPER was a competitive fourth in the NW12500L5 class at Pocono on the 20th of June and won a race here locally back in January. (3) KENRICK N has a trainer/driver duo in Bartlett and Milici who partnered for a win on Monday and he was third at this level on 6-23.

Race 2 - NW17500L5/30000CLM Trot

(2) WINNING SHADOW won at this level on June 25 and draws a better post tonight, sliding from the six to the two. I'll use. (4) VALLORIA N drops a notch after finishing fourth in his U.S. debut behind the in-form Warrior One. I wouldn't be surprised if he improved tonight. (5) BARRY BLACK was stuck out in post eight in that same contest my top pick exits but gets a much more favorable draw tonight starting from the five-hole.

Race 3 - NW10000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/20000CLM Pace

(3) PERFECTLY CLOSE kicked home with a sub-28 second final quarter on the 23rd of June to collect a fourth-place finish, and I will look for him to improve off that race given he had no lines since back in March. (4) DON DOMINGO N was used hard and tired in his comeback appearance on 6-25, but maybe that will tighten him up for this race. Trainer Lance Hudson has started to use Bartlett on many of his horses, and they partner up here as the horse gets some class relief. (2) MCARDLES LIGHTNING will take plenty of notice as he slides down a notch after finishing second against NW17500L5's on June 25. He could certainly win this low on the class ladder, but I wanted a better price elsewhere.

Race 4 - NW25000L5/3&4YO NW10 Pace

(6) ITALIAN DELIGHT N turned in a huge mile from post ten in his last effort at the Meadowlands to finish second, beaten just a head, and was good here at Yonkers before the racing shutdown, topping a group of NW30000L5's and finishing as high as fourth in the Open. (4) OUR MAX PHACTOR N has improved in each of his races since coming back, culminating in a win at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently. He's another horse who has raced well at Yonkers before as well and can certainly contend tonight. (1) HEAVEN'S GAIT got on a real form spree in January and February and impressed in his qualifier at Yonkers on June 29. Siegelman and Devita have been a red-hot trainer/driver duo lately.

Race 5 - NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(4) MAROMA BEACH finished second to the impressive Yayas Hot Spot N on June 23 and may be able to control the tempo and wire this group. (6) KILLER MARTINI wasn't Brennan's choice in this race, but he does get some class relief tonight in his second start off the layoff. He has a good history at Yonkers. (5) CAPOZZO was Bartlett's choice of a couple in here. This horse usually is a bigger threat for the win when lower in class, but I think he can be included in exactas or trifectas.

Race 6 - NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(6) SECRECY retained Austin Siegelman over another horse in this race, and he gets a bit better post tonight after having the eight-hole on the 23rd of June. I'll hope Siegelman fires him out like he was back in the winter when this horse was racing quite well. (5) SPORTS BETTOR also gets out of the eight-hole tonight and picks up Bartlett. He's another Temming horse who didn't have any charted appearances since March before that race on June 25, so I think there's a good chance they improve. (1) BIG BAD BILL showed good early speed at the Meadowlands, and he could be the controlling speed from the pole position with Brennan. This is probably an easier spot also as he was facing optional $50,000 claimers at The Big M.

Race 7 - NW25000L5/3&4YO NW10

(1) WARRIOR ONE prevailed in this class on 6/25 and races in it again tonight with considerable post relief. Brennan has driven this horse plenty of times in the past, so I don't think the switch from co-owner Gingras is a big impediment, and I look for him to be on or near the lead. (2) ARABELLA'S CADET drops after a great third-place effort in the Open where she attacked the razor-sharp Swansea from first-over, and has used both speed and off-the-pace tactics in her races, giving Stratton some options. (4) THE LAST CHAPTER is in a much more favorable spot tonight than when he was in the preferred at the Meadowlands on June 12. He was in good form at Yonkers before racing had to cease.

Race 8 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) SANATTLE SLEW is just one for his last 56, but Blumenfeld won with another one like this recently, and he did just miss by a nose against $20,000 claimers in February and followed that up with a third. He catches a wide-open group here if he decides he'd like to snap his cold streak. (6) EGOMANIA exits the same ridiculously fast race at the Meadowlands my top selection does. He was racing in higher classes at Yonkers before the shutdown and will probably be a threat. (4) ALTA LEROY N charged home to finish second on the 29th of June and remains in against NW5000L5's tonight. Jeff Dauplaise takes over the drive for Pat Lachance.