Yonkers: Analysis for Monday 7/22
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2024 MEET STATS: 224 - 753 / $1,246.10 (-$259.90)
BEST BETS: 32 - 65 / $120.40 (-$9.60)
BEST BET: BOILING OAR (5th)
SPOT PLAY: TWIG (3rd)
Race 1: NW20000 in last 5 starts Pace
(3) FORTIFY has raced very well in his last couple without a win to show for it. Burke trainee may be looking at a pocket trip behind #1 and get there in time with late clearance. (1) POUND FOR POUND has been flashing his customary speed of late but he's been unable to sustain it facing better; big chance here to go the distance. (4) NANDOLO N is an obvious fit here but as usual may be at a tactical disadvantage with the main speed to his inside.
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Race 2: $40,000 Claiming Pace
(1) OZONE BLUE CHIP has taken two straight from off the pace for these connections and four in a row overall. Now landing the rail the classy vet is clearly the one to beat again. (6) BIG DREAM FELLA was reclaimed by Laterza last week and he was accustomed to leaving the gate when previously in this barn with Holland driving. Expect forward movement at the start. (2) NOWHERE CREEK A debuts for Cory Stratton via $30K claim and on paper he's facing tougher here but he's in good form.
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Race 3: $30,000 Claiming Pace
(6) TWIG ships in from Philly where he's been flashing speed in comparable classes to what he faces here and with Holland driving and not many leavers to his inside perhaps he can make the front. (2) PAT STANLEY N has been erratic recently but has been known to turn things around quickly in the past; last time Kakaley drove he missed by a nose. (1) ARTIST BEST has been third best in his last three starts and with a record this year of 24-1-6-6 he can be counted on to fill out the exotics.
Race 4: NW15000 in last 5 starts Pace
(7) CHIMICHURRI N returned to Yonkers last week and won easily at five cents on the dollar; Tritton trainee doesn't face much tougher here on the bump up and Bartlett stays with him. (1) CAPTIVATE HANOVER hasn't won in a while but remains competitive week in and week out. Rail draw and drop make him a major player. (4) CASINO ACTION N draws better and has been relatively close up in his last few despite not hitting the board.
Race 5: NW16571 in last 5 starts Pace
(1) BOILING OAR was last seen here at the Invitational level and he returns off two close calls at Pocono; Alexander trainee lands the rail here and should be a tough chalk to deny. (4) SAMHARA N has been racing just evenly of late but the drop back to NW15000 and midpack post should have him more involved. (6) MIKITEEN has good speed and Bartlett likely will be leaving looking for position.
Race 6: $50,000 Claiming Pace
(1) OPTICAL ILLUSION N just missed from the pocket last week and the veteran gelding lands in a similar spot tonight; Dan Dube gets the call again on this Burke trainee. (3) REAL WILLEY wired most of these (including #1) for trainer/driver Joe Bongiorno and he's very logical going for three straight. (5) MAXIMUS RED A took the inside route when returning to the Vicky Stratton barn and had some traffic. Maybe he'll be out and moving tonight.
Race 7: 3-5YO Open Pace
(3) DUNKIN' has won two straight and four races overall since finding a home in this age-restricted Open class nine starts ago, and amazingly he never goes off the favorite. That may change tonight as he faces just four rivals here going for $39,000. It's mind-blowing. (1) ADAM TWELVE had been a model of consistency before going on the shelf for a couple of months but he qualified back well and the Engblom trainee figures to be good to go. (4) ITS A ME MARIO threw in a rare clunker then took last week off. Who knows what to expect.
Race 8: Invitational Pace
Looks like anyone can win here, except maybe the mare who is in vs. the boys. (6) ENERGETIC HANOVER has only raced twice in the last six weeks and even though he was last throughout in his latest start he seemed to finish fine. Alagna trainee faces just five rivals tonight so he shouldn't ever be that far back, and figures to offer a fair price. (4) HEMSWORTH N has been razor-sharp his last three and only the post derailed him last start. (2) FUNATTHEBEACH N is back up at the top level, lands the best post of the drawn horses and should be close throughout.
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Race 9: NW30000 in last 5 starts Pace
(2) POINTOMYGRANSON makes his second start back after taking a month off when he lost action and pulled up, and he moves from the seven hole to the two. Veteran has big speed and new driver Stratton may try taking him down the road. (4) BIG GULP seems to have tailed off somewhat but we know he's capable of better. Bartlett/Engblom in play here. (8) GUNG HO has four wins and a second in his five 2024 starts and Burke brings the 4YO to Yonkers after taking his last at Northfield. I'll trust his judgement that he will be a good fit here but this is a tough spot tonight.
Race 10: 3-6YO $50,000 Claiming Pace
(6) VERDUN is a perfect two for two (and four overall) since shipping from Delaware and joining the Alexander barn. Winning again figures to be a bit tougher with the move outside but it should help the price, as he was odds-on in the last two. (2) JUST ENUFF STUFF has Bartlett driving again and he was a good second to the top choice last week. (4) JIMMY CONNOR B goes from the open claimers to the age-restricted one and while that might make much of a difference getting away from the seven and eight holes does.
Race 11: 3-5YO $30,000 Claiming Pace
(1) LYONS PRIDE was a winner three back at this level then raced well but could do no better than third best. Move to the rail figures to make the trip easier for this Bongiorno trainee. (4) TWO FACED drops back to the level of the recent claim, and he was an easy winner when last in 30's. (3) TAKE A CLOSER LOOK dropped from 40's to 30's last week but couldn't get it done so I'll leave him underneath.