Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 5/14

MEET STATS: 84 - 339 / $453.10 (-$224.90)
BEST BETS: 24 - 34 / $83.10 (+$15.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 33 / $32.10 (-$33.90)
BEST BET - MAJOR BEAN (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - NEXT BIG THING (7th)

Race 1 - 30000CLM Pace

(2) I GET THAT takes a second crack at $30,000 claiming company tonight and starts from an inside post for the first time since late March. (4) KEYSTONE DASH goes out for the leading driver-trainer tandem of Jason Bartlett and Gareth Dowse and held third despite having to do the first-over work in a paceless race last Saturday. (3) MONTY MONO downed $30,000 claimers on April 14 and returns to Yonkers after a gaining fourth-place finish in the Preferred Handicap at Freehold a week ago.

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Race 2 - 3&4YO 30000CLM Pace

(6) MAJOR BEAN enters this race with a win and a second in his last two chances and is now with Dowse after being claimed on April 22. (2) CONFIDENCE MAN makes his third start out of the Jenn Bongiorno barn tonight. He hit the board two back against NW5's down at Harrah's Philadelphia. (1) BARRYWHITE HANOVER has also been out of town lately, racing over at Pocono. He was able to hit the board in their NW4 class on May 1 and made the MGM Rewards Gents Pacing Series final at Yonkers earlier this year.

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Race 3 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Trot

(4) ABSOLUT UNCERTENTY receives some additional class relief here and has Bartlett to drive again. I used him on 4-27 and think he merits another shot. (2) KASHA V was favored against NW10000L5's last Saturday but lost all chance when he broke stride before the start. That seems like it was a little out of character for him and may have been due to the off track. (3) J A T O won at Yonkers earlier this year and was third in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently.

Race 4 - 30000CLM Pace

(7) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN moves out on the gate from post one to the seven-hole but went to Dowse via a claim on April 30, and I will bank on that resulting in improvement. (3) HURRIKANEKINGJAMES was a solid second in this class on 4-30 and makes his first appearance for Scott Di Domenico after a claim. (2) SOUTHWIND ONYX saw his run of on-the-board results end last Saturday, but he moves inside on the gate tonight and could be positioned closer to the pace.

Race 5 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Trot

(4) CASINO CUTIE IT defeated NW10000L5's at Harrah's Philadelphia two back and has had plenty of success at Yonkers before. I'll take a swing with her. (6) WINDSONG PIONEER drops a notch after finishing second versus NW15000L5's on April 29. (2) JUSTLIKEHIM broke in his two outings for Dowse in late April but qualified very well on May 6. He's likely the one to beat if he minds his manners.

Race 6 - Pop-Up Leg #3 5,000 Pace

(8) KEYSTONE PHOENIX has cruised twice in this event, including from post eight last Saturday. Looks like another threat on the card for the Bartlett/Dowse combo. (1) ABERDEEN HANOVER comes in with two straight runner-up finishes at long odds and moves back to an inside post this time. (5) HE'S GONNA GETYA turned in a second-place finish when he moved into this series last Saturday and gets another chance with Matt Kakaley in the bike.

Race 7 - Pop-Up Leg #3 7,500 Pace

(5) NEXT BIG THING makes his second start for Shane Tritton here and reunites with Bartlett. I think this is also an easier spot than the claiming races he's been in, so let's see if all those factors work out for him. (2) JUST PLAIN LOCO was a solid second last Saturday and could be sharper tonight as he came into that race off a sick scratch. (6) BETTORBUCKLEUP has a win and a third in this event so far and should contend again.

Race 8 - NW5501L5/12500CLM Trot

(3) HEARTOFGOLD DE VIE doesn't own a win this year, but she has raced competitively at Yonkers. She had little chance from outside posts in tough spots down at Harrah's Philadelphia, but I think this event could suit her. (2) HOBBS romped the last time he faced NW5000L5's with trainer Ray Schnittker driving on March 2, and he might have been another horse who broke last Saturday due to the wet track condition. (1) TAD KRAZY HANOVER delivered at Harrah's Philadelphia two back in her first start for trainer Per Engblom but then had to settle for fourth in a subsequent try. She did take her life's mark at Yonkers in 2021.

Race 9 - Pop-Up Leg #3 5,000 Pace

(5) HUGHIE JUNIOR N got a start under his belt over the track last Saturday and now has a driver swap to Bartlett. I will give him a try. (6) MACHEASY A has won both weeks of this event in pretty handy fashion and is probably the one they'll have to knock off again tonight. (1) BETTING EXCHANGE is worth including as he moves inside on the gate tonight and might be able to follow along on the inside to hit the board.

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Race 10 - Pop-Up Leg #3 7,500 Pace

(2) PACE N PRIDE N scored his first win in the U.S. a week ago when Austin Siegelman planted him on the front-end, and I have to think he'll try and do the same thing here. (1) GAMBLINGTERROR won in the first leg of this event and then went a long way on the engine before getting overtaken last Saturday. (4) LONG WEEKEND A has three on-the-board finishes in four tries out of the Bongiorno barn and rallied past Gamblingterror to tally last week.

Race 11 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(1) SPOILERONTHEBEACH performed pretty well in all of his Yonkers appearances in March and April and starts from the pole tonight after having the seven and the eight in his last two local efforts. (2) WICHITA LINEMAN ships in from Delaware and is now with Dowse, which is sure to mean he gets attention. (6) CONBOYVILLE continues to make his way down the class ladder here. He was second against NW30000L5's as recently as 3-21.