Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 8/27

MEET STATS: 176 - 662 / $1,026.90 (-$297.10)
BEST BETS: 43 - 68 / $148.90 (+$12.90)
SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 67 / $77.30 (-$56.70)
BEST BET - THIRD POWER (7th)
SPOT PLAY - TESLA SEELSTER (6th)

Race 1 - 15000CLM Pace

(3) BLUEBERRY HEAVEN has taken his mark at Yonkers each of the last two years and catches a pretty wide-open group here in his second attempt back from Monticello. He gets a new driver here as well with Braxten Boyd taking over. (1) KIMANI N comes in with four straight third-place finishes and starts from the pole. I will definitely include. (7) TITANIUM N enters this race with two wins and a second since coming off the bench. Jason Bartlett is not driving here tonight, so trainer Gareth Dowse will handle the lines himself.

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Race 2 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(1) LYONS JOHNNYJNR owns a pretty good history on half-mile ovals and is now with Travis Alexander after racing in Canada. (4) MYSWEETBOYMAX turned in a strong first-over try a week ago to finish second to the well-meant Paduka N and moves inside on the gate here. (7) CRUNCH HANOVER drops out of the NW15000L5's, and I could definitely see him being handled more aggressively.

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Race 3 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Trot

(5) WILLYWIN crossed the wire first a week ago but was placed for causing interference nearing the wire. I think he'll probably be better tonight in his second start for Alexander, and I don't mind that Steve Smith, a guy who has a real knack with trotters, is driving him. (2) HOOLIE N HECTOR won handily over NW5000L5's two back and then had no shot from an outside post last Saturday. He moves inside on the gate here, and I think he'll contend. (4) CREATIVE VENTURE got the nod from Dan Dube over my top pick and was third the last time he raced in this class on July 9.

Race 4 - 40000CLM Pace

(2) SHARK PLAY finished fourth last Friday, and I think he could improve here since he shipped all the way from Minnesota before that appearance. (5) BOLT OF LUCK steps up from the $30,000 claimers but has gotten very sharp with two seconds and a win in his last three attempts. (3) GHOST DANCE is another horse hiking up from $30,000 claiming company but has hit the board in five of his last seven outings, including three straight.

Race 5 - 30000CLM Pace

(2) URBAN RENEWAL picked up checks in three of his four tries against $40,000 claimers and now drops down to the $30,000 level. He won two straight races in this class back in June and early July. (7) LL MYSTRO took advantage of exiting the $50,000 claimers to win a couple of weeks ago. He stays at the $30,000 tag tonight and picks up Dube with Bartlett not here. (1) SULLIVAN went to Scott Di Domenico via a claim on August 13, and that could result in some improvement.

Race 6 - NW11871L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Trot

(2) TESLA SEELSTER showed a lot more in her second start for trainer Jeff Gillis last Friday, closing in 28 and change to finish third. She's one of a number of droppers in this event, and although she wasn't Braxten Boyd's choice, I will give her a shot. (1) NO DRAMA PLEASE exits the same race my top pick does and he closed from seventh to fifth in the last quarter. He moves inside on the gate in this spot and could switch up tactics to be forwardly-placed. (4) MEMO was Boyd's pick and enters this contest with back-to-back third-place finishes versus NW15000L5's.

Race 7 - 3&4YO 30000CLM Pace

(5) THIRD POWER returns to Yonkers after a romping win over at Pocono where he easily defeated a heavy favorite. He's been facing stakes company in some recent efforts for trainer Nick Devita, and I imagine George Napolitano Jr. will hustle him out of there. (3) MUSTANG BEACH invades from Woodbine Mohawk Park. We often see horses from that circuit do well at Yonkers and this 4-year-old is now with Dowse to boot. (2) SHIP WRECK BEACH K has hit the board in five straight appearances and made up a bunch of ground in the back-half of his mile a week ago.

Race 8 - NW5051L5/12500CLM Trot

(5) VOLARE squeezed into this race by $1 as he's earned $5,050 in his last five starts. He's got just a single victory this year, but he's won at Yonkers several times before and has been knocking on the door down at Harrah's Philadelphia. (3) TORKIL struggles to find the winner's circle but did finish a close second the last time he was at the bottom level on July 2. (2) LIMERENCE missed a scheduled start last Saturday when he came up sick, but since he's right back in the box, I trust that everything's okay. He's often a threat when he gets to race in this class.

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Race 9 - 40000CLM Pace

(4) BETTER UP comes into this race with an excuse in his last try on 8-12 as he had the eight-hole. He moves inside on the gate here and had been in great form prior to that most recent effort. (2) DESIRE'S CAPTAIN has last quarters in 27 4/5 or 28 in every start since Christopher Temming claimed him on July 23 and has post relief tonight. (8) SHERIFF N is probably the one to beat given he's won three straight and four of his last five, but he was defeated the last time he had an outside post on July 16 and is in the same situation in this spot.