Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 8/17

MEET STATS: 181- 629 / $1,089.10 (-$168.90)
BEST BETS: 32 - 60 / $143.30 (+$23.30)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 60 / $88.40 (-$31.60)
BEST BET - BOUT DAMN TIME A (8th)
SPOT PLAY - DEEDENUTO A (5th)

Race 1 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) MISS I LA looks like a standout in here given her fourth-place finish two weeks ago in the Hambletonian Oaks final and her victory earlier this year in a division of the New York New York Mile at Yonkers. (5) MEETMEATTHEBAR returns to overnight action here after a couple of stakes tries at the Meadowlands. She won in this class back on July 13. (2) JAKEY JUMPUP struggled to find the winner's circle for a while but has two tallies and a second in his last three outings over at Tioga.

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Race 2 - F&M NW1/19515LT Pace

(6) LYONS SHELLBY squeezed into this race by a dollar under the lifetime earnings cap, so she gets to drop from the NW of 2 but not more than 4 class she was in last Saturday. She won two in-a-row at The Meadows in July and hopefully can deliver here as well. (4) APPEASEMENT hasn't made a pari-mutuel start in over a month but was second to a well-meant winner in that event. This will be her second appearance for leading trainer Travis Alexander. (1) I'M ALL YOURS is 0-for-15 in the win column but has been performing well and starts from the pole. She could easily break through tonight.

Race 3 - 30000CLM Pace

(4) DOUBLEORNOTHING N never got involved most recently at Pocono but it looks like he was facing tougher company than he does tonight and scored in 1:51 at Harrah's Philadelphia on August 2. (5) BAD BOY TOO remains in super form and just missed by a nose in this class last Saturday. (2) CAPTAIN T HANOVER saw his run of on-the-board results end on 8-8 but did suffer interference past the start in that contest. He was driver Jim Marohn Jr.'s choice over my top selection.

Race 4 - NW11761L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(2) WALKINSHAW N drew well tonight after two straight eight-hole tries. The last time he had an inside post, he was second in against NW10000L5 company. (3) A ROCKNROLL STAR has hit the board in three consecutive appearances and cut the fractions last week at this level before he wound up third. (8) THE IDEAL DANCER A starts from the outside but has raced well in both of his efforts for trainer Michael Forte, including a runner-up finish at this level a week ago.

Race 5 - 15000CLM Pace

(4) DEEDENUTO A doesn't have any super-obvious form, but these connections had an impressive winner on Tuesday night and another horse who closed well on Wednesday. Nobody in this field is overly imposing, so I'll give him a shot. (3) JUST A WRANGLER pulled off an upset from post seven a week ago and moves in on the gate here. Johnathan Ahle takes over the driving this time. (5) YOUR BROTHER is just one-for-22 in the win column this year but does show four on-the-board results in his last seven starts, including a second to JUST A WRANGLER last Saturday.

Race 6 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(6) OAKWOOD DYNASTY IR appeared like she had pace last Saturday but had nowhere to go in the lane. She did prevail in this class back in late June and can hopefully work out a clean trip this time. (3) CELCIUS won at this level in her debut for trainer Per Engblom a week ago and moves inside on the gate this time. (5) THINK AHEAD is another one who has won against NW of 2 but not more than 4 company at Yonkers in the past and closed out her mile with pace last week.

Race 7 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace

I'm going to give (7) AIRY SHADOW another shot here as he had pace in the stretch after getting shuffled last Saturday and should offer value again given the outside draw. (5) I AIN'T NO MACK drops a notch off a fourth on August 1 and makes his second start out of a high-percentage stable tonight. (6) CHIEF CORLEONE is winless in 19 efforts in 2024 but has hit the board in five straight tries in this class.

Race 8 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(5) BOUT DAMN TIME A loomed from first-over last Saturday but flattened out in the lane, probably because it was her first start since 7-19. She should be sharper tonight with that effort under her belt and she gets a driver switch to George Brennan. (1) CRUISERSFOXYJUDY won in this class back on 7-20 and then just missed by a head in the same race my top pick exits from a week ago. (4) EXTREME Z TAM makes her second appearance of 2024 here and closed out her comeback mile well at Harrah's Philadelphia on July 31.

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Race 9 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(1) OSTRO HANOVER finds the bottom level tonight and finished out his mile against NW7500L5's on 8-1 in 27 and change. Add in that he starts from the pole, and I'll give him the nod. (2) C-BET HANOVER takes a second crack against NW5000L5 foes tonight. He was third in this class last Friday, and the horse who won that event came back to prevail again at Yonkers on Wednesday. (4) CHANTEE comes south from Rideau Carleton into Pat Lachance's stable in solid form, and he's had success at Yonkers before.

Race 10 - 15000CLM Pace

(6) ITALIAN DELIGHT N keeps on winning and I don't see anybody in this event dethroning him tonight. (1) MOTIVE HANOVER moves inside to the pole in his second start back after a layoff. He was third in a $15,000 claimer won by ITALIAN DELIGHT N a week ago. (5) VICTOR HIC was victorious at this level on 7-27 and did gain some ground in the final quarter in a subsequent effort last Saturday. He gets reunited with Marohn Jr. as Brennan predictably stayed with ITALIAN DELIGHT N.