Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 6/22

MEET STATS: 121- 429 / $727.60 (-$130.40)
BEST BETS: 23 - 42 / $87.00 (+$3.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 42 / $88.40 (+$4.40)
BEST BET - BELLISSIMO FACE S (11th)
SPOT PLAY - ALOTBETTOR N (3rd)

Race 1 - 30000CLM Pace

(2) SWEET TROY was a closing second in this class two starts back. He moves inside on the gate, drops out of the $40,000 claimers, and was Brent Holland's choice of a pair in this tilt. (4) GINGER TREE PETE also slides down from the $40,000 claiming level and does show three on-the-board finishes against those tougher foes. (5) GOTHIC ROCK finished third against $30,000 claiming company last Friday. He wasn't Holland's choice, but picks up a good replacement in Tyler Buter, and trainer Ricky Bucci has been sending out some live horses lately.

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Race 2 - 40000CLM Pace

(3) ON THE VIRG went a long way on the front-end before giving way in the stretch last week. He moves inside on the gate tonight and did win at this level back in mid-May. (1) THRASHER kept Holland's services over my top selection and has won a trio of times in this class since April 22. (2) MOVIN' ON UP didn't fire when last seen back on 6-8 but hit the board in two tries prior to that. He goes for new connections off another claim and picks up George Brennan in the bike.

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Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace

(2) ALOTBETTOR N won the last time he started from an inside post against $20,000 claimers back on 5-25, and I will lean his way against this group in the hopes of the same result. (1) ARRHYTHMIC SURGE drops out of the $30,000 claiming level and gets post relief to go with it. Buter handled him back on May 11 and returns to the bike here. (4) MISSILE SEELSTER is riding a three-race streak of top-three results and kept Jim Marohn Jr. over my top selection.

Race 4 - 40000CLM Pace

(4) GDS THUNDER GB had late pace last week after taking a bit of a shuffle and finally finding room. I'll bank on a cleaner journey and a better price on him tonight. (1) FINAL CHEESERECIPE broke on 6-8 but has been racing well other than that and starts from another inside post here. (5) TAKE A CLOSER LOOK saw his winning streak end two weeks ago after being pressured on the front-end. He still performed well and is now with trainer Dennis Laterza off a claim.

Race 5 - 15000CLM Pace

(1) DEEP INFATUATION N has been off since August 25 of last year but did qualify well over the oval on 6-14 and the connections might be keen to strike while the horse is ready to go given his lengthy absence and limited starts last year. (7) ITALIAN DELIGHT N rolled to a victory on the front-end last Saturday and is likely the one they'll have to beat again, even from another poor draw. (6) JOJO'S PLACE doesn't have any wins this year but is dropping out of the $20,000 claiming class and did turn in sharp final quarters two and three back.

Race 6 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(1) LINEMUP KNOCKMBACK closed out with her mile with pace last week and moves in from the seven-hole to the pole position. She's just two-for-20 in the win column in her life, but her one victory this year did come at Yonkers. (3) AMERICAN HOPE steps up in class but does so off an easy victory over NW1 company a week ago. She also doesn't face anybody overly imposing tonight. (5) AMBUSHED tired after being close to some fast fractions on 6-8 but has performed well in similar classes to this and will likely be handled aggressively.

Race 7 - NW15000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/NW8 PM Races LT/30000CLM Trot

(2) SOUTHWIND ARTURO invades from Pocono. He shows a close second in the corresponding class to this one over there on 5-26, and I can overlook his last two off-the-board results as he had a bad post both times. He's also had some success at Yonkers before. (6) CAL MILES N SHELL gets a bit of post relief after starting from the eight-hole in his last appearance on June 14. I'm going to include him as he's the only horse that shows appearance at this level at Yonkers. (4) MISTER LUCKY SOX S was a gaining second in a NW10000L5 at Yonkers back on the 7th of June and makes his fifth start since coming from Sweden to the barn of leading trainer Per Engblom.

Race 8 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(3) BRAEVIEW BONDI A finds a much more reasonable spot here than the $60,000 claiming handicap pace he was in last time out and was competitive in the corresponding class to this one down at Harrah's Philadelphia last month. (2) VENIER HANOVER and (1) THE REAL ONE finished a rallying second and third, respectively, in the same NW7500L5 tilt at Yonkers last Thursday and that's where I'm going to slot them again as they both move inside on the gate. VENIER HANOVER has a driver switch to Jason Bartlett.

Race 9 - F&M NW1/17044LT Pace

(1) LADY BLUE JAY backed up her solid qualifier on 6-7 with a good second to the earlier-mentioned American Hope in a NW1 race last Saturday. I'll look for that forward progression to continue here and give her another shot on top. (3) KNOCK TWICE was third in the same race that my top pick exits from a week ago and does own a win in this class back on May 18. (4) SHANGHAI STAR gets significant post relief after a troubled trip last week and adds Bartlett in the bike.

Race 10 - NW15000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/NW8 PM Races LT/30000CLM Trot

(6) TEXSONG SOPRANO continues to work his way down the class ladder tonight. He picked up checks in three of four recent appearances in the top level Invitational Trot, and I will hope for an aggressive drive from Mark MacDonald. (7) TRUFFLES TOO dominated NW10000L5 company on June 14 and trainer Travis Alexander is still sending out his fair share of winners. Brennan guided him to that triumph and is back at the controls here. (1) RESOLVE TO WIN turned a pocket trip into a victory in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently and returns to Yonkers tonight.

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Race 11 - NW2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(8) BELLISSIMO FACE S drew poorly again but won comfortably in his U.S. debut for Engblom from the seven-hole a couple weeks ago and gets a try with Bartlett here. (4) STOCKHOLM HANOVER exits a couple of stakes tries tonight. Notably, when he was in an overnight race at Yonkers back on 5-11, he won handily over NW2 company from post seven. (5) ETERNALLY HANOVER shows a couple of breaks in his lines, but when he's minded his manners, he's been victorious at both Woodbine Mohawk Park and Tioga Downs.

Race 12 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) IMSTAYNALIVE finished his mile with some interest last week and been off since 5-19 coming into that event. He won in the corresponding class to this one at Pocono in that May 19 appearance, and hopefully last week's try has sharpened him back up. (1) CAPTAIN BATBOY cut the mile and ended up third in a NW7800L5 tilt at Harrah's Philadelphia last week. He lured Brennan off my top pick, and I could see him winning, but he was defeated at low odds in this class back on the 22nd of May, so I'll take a shot against. (4) YO A J took one shot against NW7500L5 company and now slides back down to the NW5000L5's where he was second on June 6.