Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 5/21

MEET STATS: 90 - 361 / $484.80 (-$237.20)
BEST BETS: 24 - 36 / $83.10 (+$11.10)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 35 / $38.80 (-$31.20)
BEST BET - KEYSTONE PHOENIX (6th)
SPOT PLAY - MUSCLE STAR (2nd)

Race 1 - 50000CLM Pace

(3) ITSMYCHECK GB has found $75,000 claiming company too tough but has won the last two times he's been in against $50,000 claimers. He also normally offers value. (2) JESSE DUKE N comes in with a win and a second in his last two outings and is now with leading trainer Gareth Dowse off the claim. (6) ELWELL slides down from the $75,000 claimers and doesn't have to contend with post eight like he did in his last try on 5-9.

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Race 2 - NW10641L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Trot

(5) MUSCLE STAR squeezed into this race by one dollar as he's got $10,640 earned in his last five outings. This should be an easier spot than the $50,000 claimers he's been in, and I'll go with him. (2) I'M THE MUSCLE won nicely two back on the front-end and then wound up getting parked out after trying to brush to the top a week ago. He was Dan Dube's pick over two others in here. (3) BIG NUDGE might be the one to beat as he was facing NW30000L5's at Yonkers as recently as mid-March. I'll try and beat him as he did break stride a couple times when he was racing here earlier this year.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Yonkers card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(1) WEONA SIZZLER A gets to move in from post seven to the pole position in his second chance against NW10000L5's. He wound up getting George Brennan to drive, so that probably means he'll be handled aggressively. (2) DANCIN DRAGON drops out of the NW15000L5's but has just one win in 15 attempts this year. I'll use underneath but not on top. (4) REIGNING DEO steps up from the NW7500L5 level but does so off a win and was third in this class on April 5.

Race 4 - 30000CLM Pace

(4) MAJESTIC KIWI N should have picked up some confidence by winning a NW7500L5 race last Friday and he was a pretty good fourth against $30,000 claimers on 4-21. (1) BETTOR'S DREAM hasn't had a chance to make much of an impact since coming in from Ohio as he's been plagued by outside draws. He landed the pole here and might be able to make some noise. (2) EDDARD HANOVER turned in an improved performance last Saturday to finish second in a $30,000 claiming event and gets reunited with Matt Kakaley.

Race 5 - NW11621L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(4) BRACKLEY BEACH was third in a NW15000L5 base class race on 5-9 in his first start back after a bit of a freshening and drops a notch tonight. (6) CAPTAIN BARBOSSA will probably be favored, but I think he's bound to be overbet given what he's shown in 2022, and I will try and beat him. (2) HE'S ELECTRIC fit this race by a dollar ($11,620 earned in his last five starts) and might be able to follow along and hit the board from this inside post.

Race 6 - Pop-Up Final NW5000 Pace

(5) KEYSTONE PHOENIX doesn't have Jason Bartlett to drive tonight as he's over at the Meadowlands, but he's looked much the best in this series since it started in late April, and Dube should be a capable fill-in. (4) BARBADOS comes in with two straight victories in this event and does get to start inside my top pick. (3) MACHEASY A was empty on the front-end last Saturday but won handily on 4-30 and 5-7 and moves inside on the gate.

Race 7 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Trot

(7) ABSOLUT UNCERTENTY meets up with bottom level foes here after finishing second against NW7500L5's a week ago. I'll stay on his bandwagon and hope Dube sends him. (5) ZIG ZAG has the improved post/class relief combo going for him and should be one of the threats. (4) GOLDEN GENES finished second in a leg of the John Brennan Trotting Series here earlier this year and picks up a fresh driver in Brent Holland.

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Race 8 - Pop-Up Final NW7500 Pace

(5) TRACEUR HANOVER tallied impressively in leg one of this series, and I have a feeling he'll be at his best tonight as he gets out of the eight-hole and reunites with Brennan. (2) JUST PLAIN LOCO enters with back-to-back second-place results in this event, and that's where I'm going to put him again. (7) PACE N PRIDE N would probably be the one to beat in here if he had drawn inside again, but post seven is going to make it tougher for him. He's shown the ability to race from off-the-pace, and that might be what he has to do.

Race 9 - 30000CLM Pace

I think (4) MARTY MONKHOUSER A has probably been too high up in class in his last two attempts and may find this $30,000 claimer more hospitable to his chances. (6) LOVE THE BLUES N ships north from Harrah's Philadelphia with a win and a third in his last two tries, and these connections can have one ready for a big mile. (3) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN was a solid second in his first try for Dowse last Saturday. Gareth is going to drive this one himself.