Yonkers: Analysis for Monday 6/29

MEET STATS: 86 - 239 / $486.10 (+$8.10)
BEST BETS: 14 - 22 / $44.40 (+$0.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 22 / $20.10 (-$23.90)
BEST BET - MAGGIE RHEE (1st)
SPOT PLAY - NVRFEARLLOYDISHERE (5th)

Race 1 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace

(5) MAGGIE RHEE already beat NW2 at Yonkers twice before racing shut down, and I think that gives her a pretty big advantage over this group. Stratton drove her in the Goshen qualifier and took her over two others here. (4) SPECIAL ACHIEVER gets back to the half-mile track tonight, which should be more to her liking. She won a couple times in the New York Excelsior Series in 2019. (2) WESTMONT Z TAM was a solid second in her career debut last Monday and should have every opportunity to progress off that mile.

Race 2 - NW5000L5/Starters for a Base Claiming Price of $12,500 or $10,000 in 1 of 2 Last Starts Trot

(2) DONNIE DARKO ships up from Delaware tonight, and I have to think he wouldn't be making that trek unless owner/trainer Toby Lynch Jr. was confident in his chances. He picks up Bartlett and draws inside. (7) WATKINS qualified well at Gaitway, so he seems to have maintained his form from back in February. Scott Zeron picked him over the rail starter in here. (5) MAJESTIC MOMENT N hasn't won since last October. He's sure to get plenty of attention as the Tritton horses have been racing well, but I will try and beat him.

Race 3 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace

(2) ALL ABOUT AMY made her last appearance at The Meadows back in early March and now comes east into the red-hot Shane Tritton barn. I will bank that he has her ready like he has pretty much all his starters and use on top. (3) GOLDEN QUEST N put in a quality performance against a well-meant So Rude last Monday, finishing third. She gets back on a regular rotation tonight and is a definite threat. (5) BJ'S ROCKET won nicely up at Saratoga from post seven in her comeback race. She took a leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series in Ohio as a 2-year-old and made the final of that event, so I think there's some ability here.

Race 4 - NW2/25000LT Pace

(3) MV OK PALACIO BR was bred in Brazil, so that's something you definitely don't see every day. He's rolled to two easy wins for trainer Rob Harmon and crushed a group of NW2's at Tioga on June 8, so I'll give him the nod. (1) FLAMEPROOF HANOVER is certainly another logical contender in here as he should move forward off that second-place finish last week. That was his first pari-mutuel start since way back in early November of 2018. (5) SUN OF A SHOW finished well in that NW4 race last Monday. He should be a little closer to the action tonight as he moves from post eight to post five, and hopefully he has the same kind of kick to get up and hit the ticket.

Race 5 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(2) NVRFEARLLOYDISHERE had a very good 2-year-old campaign in the Maryland and Virginia programs and just missed in two fast miles at Rosecroft. I'm willing to give him a chance here in a fairly wide-open race. (3) RECORD YEAR turned a corner in February, and he's still sharp judging by that Saratoga comeback victory. He's reunited with Bongiorno in the bike as well. (5) SHAMMA LAMMA made one local start in March before the shutdown and rallied to just miss. He's got three races under his belt out in Ohio and Indiana and should be ready to show speed off those fractions last time out at Hoosier.

Race 6 - NW5000L5/Starters for a Base Claiming Price of $12,500 or $10,000 in 1 of 2 Last Starts Pace

(6) LENWOODS REAL DEAL topped NW4's and NW6's last year at Yonkers, so he does have some good history here and returns at the bottom level tonight off a useful qualifier at Magical Acres. Stratton was listed on two and took this horse. (4) ST LADS NEPTUNE was working his way down the class ladder before the hiatus, and that continues here. He picks up Zeron off a winning qualifier, and if he's ever going to wake up, you have to think it'll come here. (5) DRINKA BEER wired a field in his local qualifier and any improvement off that race makes him a key contender. Garcia-Herrera's horses have been racing well both here and at Pocono since racing started again.

Race 7 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Base Class NW5000L5 or NW7500L5 in Last Start/Starters for a Base Claiming Price of $20,000 in 1 of 2 Last Starts Trot

(8) HASHTAGMADEYALOOK scored a strong-looking win in his return to action at the Meadowlands on the 12th and was racing well at Yonkers back in February with a third and a win. Obviously he has to overcome post eight, but this is a very beatable group if Bongiorno can get away cleanly with him. (1) MANOFMANYIMAGES didn't show anything at the Meadowlands most recently, but he's had success at Yonkers before and has the pole position to work with. (5) ANDY RAY ran into a tough group at The Big M on the 6th, but drops into a much more favorable spot tonight. If he's as good as when he was second to NW20000L5's at Yonkers in December of last year, that'd make him very tough.

Race 8 - NW8/100000LT Pace

Trainer Dan Daley doesn't keep many older horses, so he must like (1) SWEET DEISEL quite a bit. His rallying win up at Vernon was impressive, and I think he may switch it up and try and to lead or sit in the pocket tonight. (5) SPORTS TEEN beat NW5000L5's and NW7500L5's at Yonkers before racing ceased and qualified well behind Passa-Grille Beach, who came back to win at the Meadowlands. He's certainly a threat. (8) GLOBALDOMINATION N has gotten beat at short odds when stuck outside before, so I have to play against. I certainly respect his talent and connections, though.