FINAL 2025 MEET STATS: 440 - 1395 / $2,521.12 (-$266.88) BEST BETS: 73 - 134 / $242.38 (-$25.62) Final numbers could have been worse I suppose… BEST BET: MUSIC HALL (7th) SPOT PLAY: GINGER TREE PETE (2nd) It's hard to believe but here we are...the start of the 2026 racing season at Yonkers Raceway! It goes without saying that with many of these horses off a month or more it's important to follow trainer trends early on. If one horse from a barn is live perhaps they all will be. Also, give extra consideration to horses who have a start or two elsewhere over the holiday break as they may have a recency edge. I will be treading lightly the first couple of nights. Race 1: $30,000 Claiming Pace Jason Bartlett had a memorable season in 2025 and is deserving of his Driver of the Year award. Seems fitting to start the year off with him on top on (8) ALTA CLASSIC A, who is stuck with the worst post on the bump in class but has the proven speed to get off the gate. (3) SOUTHWIND PETYR has been racing well and is logical as he keeps driver Kelly. (5) HAMMERING HANK moves to the Laterza barn, and that outfit had a solid 2025 playing the claiming game. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: $15,000 Claiming Pace (5) GINGER TREE PETE raced pretty well here towards the end of 2025 and has the benefit of a couple of Meadowlands starts, the last one being a win. Gingras picks up the drive for a barn looking to get off here on the right foot. (7) TIN ROOF RAIDER A gets Bartlett and was a close third last time he drove, and that was against $25K claimers. (2) TAKE A CLOSER LOOK is very logical on paper going for his third straight for the Alexander barn. Race 3: NW20000 in last 5 starts Pace (3) SOHO SPECTRE A added Lasix for last week's start at The Big M and he was a nice wire-to-wire winner with Siegelman, who gets the drive again. (5) HELLABALOU has a recency edge on the rest having raced on Dec. 27; Gingras drives the 2x Borgata champ for Burke. (2) SOHO DOW JONES A returns to Bartlett, gets the best post he's seen in quite a while. Race 4: $40,000 Claiming Pace (3) ITALIAN LAD N went a tough trip in his seasonal finale and overall had been racing very well at this level without a win to show for it; just 2 for 36 in '25 however but this is a good spot. (4) SPEAKER OF PEACE was also rolling before the break for the Hudson barn and will be favored with Bartlett on the return drive. (5) CUT N RUN N had the benefit of a couple of Philly races at the end of the year, could be tighter than others. Race 5: NW10000 in last 5 starts Pace (4) HAZEVILLE gets to face softer and lands an improved post as well; Fanning trainee gets top billing. (3) YOROKOBI N was 1 for 28 last year and has never been a prolific winner, but he hits the board with regularity. (2) VICI steps up looking to repeat and the Blackler trainee picks up Bartlett, historically a good angle. Race 6: NW15000 in last 5 starts Pace (6) TEN TOTHEDOZEN A returns to Yonkers, returns to the leading driver and won twice here in four tries last year. Extra points if barnmate #3 in the 3rd raced well. (1) IMA PERFECT CHOICE makes his 4YO debut and beat more seasoned foes here back in October. (4) TWIN B POWERBALL kicks off the local racing season for Lachance coming off a pretty good 2025 campaign. Race 7: NW20000 in last 5 starts Pace (4) MUSIC HALL won first out for these connections on the class hike back in December and he has a recency edge on the rest of these; Chris Height trainee gets Holland back in the bike and is a proven winner. (2) DANCIN SANCHO has been razor sharp but hasn't raced in six weeks, a longer break than the rest of them. (7) NANDOLO N returns to Bartlett but the now 12YO millionaire is at a disadvantage starting from the outside post. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 8: NW31000 in last 5 starts Pace (1) IMTHEBLACKFLASH N won his North American debut and though unable to follow that up he's raced well in each start; having raced last weekend at Meadowlands and with the rail draw he gets the call. (5) MOSSDALE BEN N is arguably the most talented but he may end up trip-dependent from this midpack post; Marohn gets the return drive. (2) BARS AND NOTES ships in from Ohio and joins the Stratton barn after a good 3YO campaign. These may prove too tough but we'll see. Race 9: 3-6YO $30,000 Claiming Pace (4) AMERITRIC raced well coming off some missed time in his first for the Alexander barn so maybe another break in action won't affect him. (6) PERFECT PROMISES raced last week at The Meadowlands and was a winner the last time Bartlett drive; keep tabs on how the other Height horse did. (5) WARRIOR FOR TRUTH has won two of his last three at this level. Race 10: $15,000 Claiming Pace (2) NEYREIT has been awful for these connections since the claim back in November but he did show good speed last at The Big M before folding; Gingras gives him a try now and he's got the recency edge. (4) MAJOR POCKET A and (1) CHECKONWILLIAM GB were both very sharp prior to the break, as were #5 and #6. Tough race. [DRF HARNESS: Follow me on X! @drfharnessmatt]