Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 5/18

MEET STATS: 91 - 320 / $548.50 (-$91.50)
BEST BETS: 18 - 31 / $71.60 (+$9.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 5 - 31 / $76.40 (+$14.40)
BEST BET - BRONX BARISTA (5th)
SPOT PLAY - SKY BOX (8th)

Race 1 - 15000CLM Pace

(3) THE WILL TO PLAY takes a pretty big drop from the 3-5YO $30,000 claimer to a $15,000 claimer tonight. He races for trainer Izzy Estrada, a barn that's on fire everywhere on the East Coast right now, and gets post relief from his race last Thursday. (1) SWAGASAURUS REX has an inside post for the first time in several weeks and owns a win in this class back in mid-March. (2) LYONS JOHNNYJNR tired last time out at Pocono but was racing well at Yonkers prior to that, and I'll include.

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Race 2 - F&M NW1/12500LT / F&M NW14425LT Draw Outside Pace

(5) LADY BLUE JAY comes south from Western Fair in Ontario into a high-percentage barn and meets up with a pretty wide-open group in this event. I'll give her a shot. (2) GIBSON GIRL was third against NW1 company at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently and has added Lasix for her 3-year-old season. (6) DUCK INTO THE NITE starts from the outside but did win at this level last Saturday night. That should have given her some confidence.

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Race 3 - Winners of 3 But Not More Than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) JAQEN H'GHAR was scratched out of a scheduled start at Pocono on 4-30, so he hasn't raced since a qualifier on April 20 at the Meadowlands. Nevertheless, I anticipate he'll be ready for trainer Ake Svanstedt, and he performed well in a limited campaign in 2023. (4) YOU GOT IT didn't have much success in the John Brennan Trotting Series but shows a second in a much tougher winners of six but not more than nine event at Yonkers back on the 27th of March. (2) ENERGYSOURCE hit the board a couple of times in this class back in March and returns from Pocono off a second in his last appearance over there.

Race 4 - 20000CLM Pace

(1) PRIVATE SCOTT invades from Freehold with back-to-back victories and hails from the same red-hot stable as my top selection back in the first race. (2) SMOKIN BY N drops out of the $30,000 claimers and shows three wins in this class in March and April. (4) I'M J BEE N tallied at this level a couple weeks ago and trainer Travis Alexander continues to have an excellent meet.

Race 5 - F&M Winners of 2 But Not More Than 5 PM Races or 60000 LT / F&M NW2 Draw Inside Pace

(5) BRONX BARISTA made the New York Sire Stakes final last year at age 2 and comes over to Yonkers off a romping win in her 2024 debut at Pocono on May 7. (4) A FEW CHOICE WORDS was second in the NY Excelsior Series final and won a Grand Circuit event at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fair as a freshman. This is her first pari-mutuel appearance of the year, but she did qualify pretty well at Woodbine Mohawk Park. (3) RAGS TO RICHES has an inside draw for the first time in her lines and has been showing plenty of early speed out of town.

Race 6 - 30000CLM Pace

(1) SULLIVAN merits another chance this week as he moves inside to the pole position and was game last week despite having to do the first-over work in a sped-up third quarter. (2) MAJOR DESIRE is back in very sharp form now with two wins and a second in his last three outings. Add in another inside post, and he's definitely dangerous again. (3) PAT STANLEY N has been in the top three in five of his last six efforts, with three of those results being wins. He was claimed by Cory Stratton out of a second-place finish to MAJOR DESIRE a week ago.

Race 7 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(2) EMINEM HANOVER has been closing out his miles well lately and gets significant post relief this week. Add in that he was Brent Holland's choice, and I'll put him on top. (1) CERULEAN HANOVER dominated bottom level foes at Harrah's Philadelphia last time out and ships north. I anticipate he'll be handled aggressively from the pole position. (6) LONG WEEKEND A hit the board in both of his starts down at Freehold since joining Doug Dilloian Jr.'s barn. Dilloian has been sending out several live horses lately.

Race 8 - NW3/25000LT / NW1/12500LT Trot

(8) SKY BOX starts from the eight-hole but made up a bunch of ground after making an early break last week. Hopefully he can avoid a miscue tonight and deliver a similar performance. (5) A MAJORSMACKIN comes over from the Meadowlands with a win and a second in his last three starts. He broke last time at Yonkers in a NW3 test but was 3-1 in that race. (2) NATIONAL LOVE AS closed steadily at a well-meant favorite in a NW1 event a week ago. He had a bit of a gap in his schedule coming into that tilt, so he could be sharper here.

Race 9 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) GINGRAS BEACH never got involved from the eight-hole last Saturday but moves in a couple slots on the gate tonight, takes a second crack at bottom level rivals and gets a driver switch to Matt Kakaley. (3) PEETIE has been facing tougher company at Yonkers since joining Ron Burke's barn. He finds the NW5000L5 class this time and gets a bit of post relief as well. (2) GRATIAN HANOVER closed with pace in a third-place result last Saturday and gets an inside draw here.

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Race 10 - 20000CLM Pace

(3) LIBERTY N FREEDOM steps up from the $15,000 claimers but has been racing well lately and goes for Alexander off a claim here. (1) SHANWAY N hasn't won yet in 2024 but has been hitting the board with some regularity as of late and starts from the pole. He was also Holland's choice of a couple horses in this event. (5) ALOTBETTOR N also moves to the $20,000 level from the $15,000 class but has been first or second in his last four attempts. He has new connections with trainer Matias Ruiz claiming him two weeks ago.

Race 11 - 15000CLM Pace

(2) MISSILE SEELSTER gets a post relief/class drop combo tonight and gets reunited with driver Jim Marohn Jr. He picked up checks against $25,000 claimers two and three starts back. (5) WAIMAC ATTACK N took one try against $20,000 claiming foes last Saturday and now drops back down to the $15,000 level. He was second at Yonkers two back and gives Alexander another contender on the program. (6) MAJOR MAKOVER was third in a $15,000 claimer at Yonkers when last seen locally on 4-24 and races from that red-hot Izzy Estrada barn.