Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 8/24

MEET STATS: 185- 650 / $1,098.80 (-$201.20)
BEST BETS: 33 - 62 / $146.70 (+$22.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 62 / $88.40 (-$35.60)
BEST BET - SNOUZE U LOUZE (5th)
SPOT PLAY - MEETMEATTHEBAR (6th)

Race 1 - F&M NW1/22946LT Pace

(2) MYBITCOIN closed a lot of ground in a good second-place finish against NW3's at Harrah's Philadelphia on 8-16 and faces NW1's tonight. She also won twice over the half-mile oval at Hippodrome 3R in Quebec. (3) RUN THE WORLD DEO is just one-for-15 lifetime but is a first-timer for Per Engblom and just missed by a nose in her last outing at the Meadowlands. (5) MIKILOB ULTRA squeezed into this race by a dollar under the lifetime earnings cap and debuts for trainer Cory Stratton.

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Race 2 - 20000CLM Pace

(5) KEYSTONE DASH finished out his mile two weeks ago with interest from off-the-pace, and I'll hope for a more aggressive approach tonight. (2) ARTIST BEST is just one-for-28 this year but looks like he's been facing tougher claiming foes. He hit the board three straight times against $30,000 claimers here late in June and in July. (3) QUATRAIN BLUE CHIP remainless winless in 2024 but has hit the board in four of his last five outings.

Race 3 - 30000CLM Pace

(1) KOOTENAY SANTANNA drew the pole here after two straight post seven starts. He had pace in the final quarter in his last two miles and will hopefully be closer to the action from the improved draw. (7) BAD BOY TOO picked up another victory a week ago and is the sharpest horse in here. (4) PRETTY HANDSOME comes off a lame scratch on August 12 but had two wins and a third in a trio of outings prior to that. I'll trust that he's ready and include.

Race 4 - 15000CLM Pace

Like I said last week, just take the 1-9 on (1) ITALIAN DELIGHT N and move on to race five. He hasn't lost in forever and many of these have had several chances against him. (2) CAMLACHIE CHROME won a $15,000 claiming event on 8-3 but my top selection wasn't in there. I'll use underneath. (4) ROCK THIS WAY shows a couple of on-the-board finishes behind ITALIAN DELIGHT N and is getting significant post relief off a rallying second-place result a week ago.

Race 5 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace

(3) SNOUZE U LOUZE came up just three-quarters of a length short of defeating open $20,000 claimers on August 14 and faces age-restricted company here. All of his performances since joining his current stable have been very good. (5) J B GRAM held sway off a well-rated pace to win at this level a week ago. He's scored in three of his last four outings overall and gets a new driver in Johnathan Ahle. (1) COLD CREEK FELIPE converted a pocket trip into a triumph in this class on the 10th of August. He's hit the board in four straight and moves inside to the pole position.

Race 6 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) MEETMEATTHEBAR was second to a 1-9 favorite at this level last Saturday and does own a win in this class back on July 13. (6) FULL SCALE is now two-for-43 in the win column lifetime but hasn't been outside of the trifecta in his last six outings. (3) THE K BAR returns to Yonkers off a stakes try over at Pocono. She's been performing well here and has a post advantage on my top two selections.

Race 7 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace

(1) AIRY SHADOW merits another shot this time as he moves inside on the gate to the pole and has traffic and post excuses in his last two outings. He has had pace in the final quarter in those starts. (5) THE SERPENT broke and was in a tougher class last time out. When he was at this level prior to that, he was second to the sharp Bad Boy Too. (2) CHIEF CORLEONE is the morning-line favorite but is winless in 2024. He did have a run of five straight on-the-board finishes that ended a week ago.

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

(4) BEHEST didn't show much last time at Harrah's Philadelphia but that was against NW5 company. She makes her second start for trainer Linda Toscano and on Lasix tonight and shows racing in the Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Pace final last year. (1) CRUISERSFOXYJUDY won for the second time at this level last week and has the pole again. (6) STEPABOVETHEREST is a contender given her performances in the New York Sire Stakes, but I am aware she could be prepping for the upcoming final at Yonkers. I'll use underneath only.

Race 9 - NW12271L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(6) A ROCKNROLL STAR went a long way on the front-end while setting a contested pace last week. Hopefully he can make an easier lead this time as he is meeting up with a group here where most of them are moving up in class. (5) MIDNIGHT THUNDER has a pair of second-place finishes in-a-row, including at this level last Saturday. He was driver Brent Holland's choice of two in here. (4) BELMONT MAJOR N is hiking up from the NW7500L5's but is doing so off a victory. Jason Bartlett was listed but is at Batavia tonight, so Pat Lachance hops in the bike.

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Race 10 - 15000CLM Pace

(2) LINDY THE BRAVE invades from Harrah's Philadelphia with two consecutive victories, including in their $15,000 claiming class most recently. He had post six in that last win but drew inside here. (4) YOUR BROTHER held on late after opening up a huge lead to score in a $15,000 claimer a week ago. He's hit the board in five of his last seven appearances overall and was driver Jim Marohn Jr.'s choice of a pair. (1) LIBERTY N FREEDOM was an odds-on favorite a couple of weeks ago but had to settle for fifth. He did tally at this level before that, though, and you have to respect anything coming out of Travis Alexander's stable. Austin Siegelman gets a chance to drive with Marohn Jr. opting off.

Race 11 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) STOCKHOLM HANOVER drew poorly again but faces a much more wide-open group tonight than he's faced in his last three where the winners would all be 1-9 in here. I'll give him a try and hope he's handled aggressively. (4) VANGUARD was third in this class a week ago while facing a huge favorite. He is winless in 2024 but shows three on-the-board results in his lines. (3) STARLITCRESENTROLL was second at this level two back and should offer value underneath if he can duplicate that performance.

Race 12 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(7) EXTREME Z TAM starts from an outside post but has performed well in both of her outings since returning to action. Give the poor draw, I think she'll offer some value that's too good to pass up. (1) EBONY LADY has significant post relief and will likely take plenty of support, too. She had pace in the final quarter of her mile in this class a week ago. (4) URSULA BLUE CHIP turned in a bit of a clunker last Saturday but had been doing well prior to that and is usually capable of an on-the-board finish, usually at pretty good odds, too.