Yonkers: Analysis for Monday 9/28

MEET STATS: 157 - 473 / $918.00 (-$23.80)
BEST BETS: 28 - 49 / $96.60 (-$1.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 8 - 49 / $55.00 (-$43.00)
BEST BET - MV OK PALACIO BR (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - PATRIOT NATION (8th)

Race 1 - 12500CLM Pace

(1) ACTING OUT slides down from the $20,000 claimers after gaining nicely in the last quarter. Bartlett takes over the drive, and I imagine he'll be aggressive from the pole position. (6) NIHILATED TRUTH had a couple of efforts against $15,000 claiming company at Harrah's Philadelphia in August that would put him in the hunt here, and he's not stuck out in post eight this time. (5) AMRCANBOOTSCOOTA A pulled the upset in this class on September 15. He showed strong early speed in that contest, and he drew slightly better tonight.

Race 2 - NW2/25000LT Pace

(4) MV OK PALACIO BR should have a chance to be put into the race tonight after finishing fifth from post eight last Monday. He's beaten NW2's at Yonkers before and posted a strong victory at Pocono two back. (3) SOCIAL THEORIES got an acclimating mile over the track a week ago and can hopefully build on that for Stratton and Blackler. (7) LYONS FRIENDS invades from Pennsylvania for the Bongiornos. He hasn't been able to win since topping NW1's at Pocono back in July but was able to pick up checks in his last two versus NW3's at Harrah's Philadelphia.

Race 3 - NW5000L5 Pace

(4) LINKJACK HANOVER has both class and post relief in this spot and kept Siegelman over another one in here. Ruiz won last Monday with Sportskeeper in a similar situation. (5) ROCK N BLUE turned in an improved performance when sent over to the Meadowlands on the 12th of September. Bucci gets Brennan to drive tonight, and that's usually when his horses are at their best. (2) NEPTUNE gets to race against NW5000L5's again after finishing second on 9-9. He might be able to work out a similar inside trip starting from post two for a second time.

Race 4 - NW5000L5 Pace

(2) MACH TIME N landed an inside post here for the first time this month. He just missed by a neck on 8-31 when he was on the front-end, and I'll hope that is Brennan's plan. (7) ORILLIA JOE dropped down to the NW5000L5 class last time out and performed much better. He has a lot of back-class, so that helps in a spot like this. (5) ZIGGY SKY kept Holland over my top pick after rallying from eighth to second last time out. Blumenfeld's horses sometimes don't replicate good efforts in their next race, but I'll respect Holland's choice.

Race 5 - NW4/50000LT Pace *$7,500 GTD Pick-5 Pool*

(5) IDEAL ARTILLERY delivered as the heavy favorite in a NW2 event last Monday. He steps up to NW4 tonight, but he's raced very well since exiting the New York Sire Stakes program and was Marohn Jr.'s choice. (4) WESTERN VACATION had every chance to win two weeks ago after being well-rated by Brennan but wound up second to the in-form Wyatt J. He's been sent pretty much every time, and I assume he'll be on or near the lead again. (1) CIGARS AND PORT is winless in 2020 after capturing the New York Sire Stakes title a season ago. He comes out of a trio of top three finishes against stakes company and picks up Mark MacDonald.

Race 6 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(5) SWEET N FAST N qualified well at Yonkers on 9-4 and then got a tour of the track from post eight after that. He slides down from the NW10000L5 level tonight and draws mid-pack, so I will look for an improved performance. (3) VAGUE TRACES raced pretty well over at the Meadowlands most recently. He narrowly missed against a NW10000L5 field on the 21st of August when he cut wild fractions. (1) TITANIUM N grabbed a third in a NW10000L5 on September 17 and starts from the pole position on this occasion. It looks like he does well when he can sit in and rally late, and he should be able to do that.

Race 7 - NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(2) CARLISIMO scored his one win this year the last time he raced in a NW10000L5 on 8-7. He gets an inside draw to work from too, so Stratton might not have to use him as hard early. (4) PICKLED PREACHER wasn't quite as good on September 15, but had two seconds and a third against these prior to that. He goes to Bartlett tonight with Stratton sticking with Carlisimo. (1) MAXDADDY BLUE CHIP moves to the pole position tonight after starting from post seven last Monday. He held on pretty well that night despite having to do the hard work first-up in an extended grind.

Race 8 - NW8/100000LT Pace

(2) PATRIOT NATION crunched a group of NW4's when last seen on August 31. He steps up tonight, but kept good company in the PA Sire Stakes program through the summer and has a nice, inside draw to work with. (4) SKIP TO MY LOU races out of high-percentage Robert Cleary barn and was a solid second to a well-meant Artie's Ideal last Monday. (7) THE MOONSHADOW N made an out-of-character break a week ago. He has a win and a second in two other tries against NW8's and is the one horse Brian Sears is coming in to drive tonight.

Race 9 - NW15000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM Pace

(6) CENTURY ENDEAVOR dominated in a NW17500L5 race at Yonkers on August 28 and changes drivers tonight to Mark MacDonald. Mark's usually pretty aggressive, and I'll hope he sends him out of there. (2) THE REAL ONE has plenty of miles on the odometer, but he's capable of threatening when in a spot like this. (1) CAPOZZO moves down from the NW20000L5 class off a second-place finish and picked up a victory in a NW17500L5 contest on the 17th of July.