Yonkers: Analysis for Saturday 8/29/26

2026 MEET STATS: 162 - 610 / $1,075.22 (-$144.78)

BEST BETS: 34 - 64 / $120.54 (-$7.46)

SPOT PLAYS: 13 - 64 / $140.34 (+$12.34)

BEST BET - I TAKE THE CAKE (5th)

SPOT PLAY - HANK THE HUNK (8th)

Race 1 - F&M NW2 PM Races or 33277LT / Maidens Draw Inside Pace

(5) DRUNK DIAL won handily and then was a close second in two efforts at the Meadowlands for this high-percentage stable, and I'll look for her to wire this group this afternoon. (6) GOLDEEN N has shown a wicked closing kick in all of her U.S. outings thus far and gets to meet up with NW2s again today as she's still under the lifetime earnings cap. (1) SANDO is still a maiden after 24 tries but has hit the board in three out of her last four appearances, including most recently at Scioto. She starts from the pole here for a stable that's been sending out a lot of live horses as of late.

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Race 2 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(6) ALWAYS B LAYLA IR was a good second to a sharp foe on August 18 and makes her second start back after a layoff here. (5) BOUT TIME DAMN A got the nod from Brent Holland over several others in this race and won handily the last time she had post five with Holland in the bike on August 1. (2) DISARONNO HILL continues her run of inside posts in this event and has been first or second in four out of her last seven trips behind the gate.

Race 3 - NW2 PM Races or 30799LT Trot

(4) IN YOUR HEART AS ended up being scratched-sick out of a scheduled appearance at The Red Mile on August 18 but her form in Ohio and Kentucky is good overall for a high-percentage stable, and I'll give her top call. (5) APEX TRACKER has been first or second in all three of his efforts so far in 2026, including in a NW3 contest at Yonkers a couple of weeks ago. (2) ZUZU ZOOM moves in on the gate from the eight-hole to post two this time and had a recent run of five straight finishes in the trifecta at Yonkers from mid-June to August 1.

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

(2) DOLLAR DRAFT finished second against NW5s in his last overnight race at Pocono on 7-27 and exits the Muscle Hill on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands that was won by the MGM Yonkers Trot/Earl Beal Jr. Memorial champion Inexpressable. (1) RICO TUBBS has a second and a third in two tries at this level since he went on Lasix and moves in on the gate to the pole position. (4) SISTER WINE is just one-for-11 in the win column in 2026 but her five runner-up results make her one to include underneath.

Race 5 - Winners of 5 but not more than 7 PM Races or 90000LT / Winners of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(3) I TAKE THE CAKE romped on the front-end in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series at The Meadows most recently and also defeated NW5 foes at Pocono on July 27 off a pocket trip. (2) D'WOOD tallied at this level in his last effort a couple of weeks ago and slides in a bit on the gate this afternoon. (4) HIGHLANDSTARBURST rebounded from a break on 8-1 to finish fourth in a subsequent effort on 8-14 and won two in-a-row at Yonkers back in July.

Race 6 - 20000CLM Pace

(1) ALWAYSCUTTINSCHOOL returns from Pocono off back-to-back runner-up finishes in quick miles over there, and hopefully he'll be on the lead or in the pocket from the pole position. (2) CAPTAIN AWESOME prevailed at this level a week ago and gets to team up with Andy Miller again this afternoon. (4) GDS THUNDER GB drops again today and got the nod from Holland over another one in this contest.

Race 7 - 30000CLM Pace

(2) DIAMOND RYDER faces open $30,000 claimers here instead of the age-restricted group, but his last effort was a gaining second-place finish, and he moves in on the gate to post two. (5) THEFLYINGROCK got a bit of time on the bench and returns to action today off a good qualifier over the oval. He shows a win and a third against tougher $50,000 claiming rivals back in May. (4) OVER THE HORIZON is up in class here in his debut for new connections off a claim but has been sharp for an extended period of time.

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Race 8 - 15000CLM Pace

(1) HANK THE HUNK should be much more prominent from the pole position rather than the mostly outside or mid-pack posts he's had lately, and he shows a third against open $20,000 claimers, plus a third and a win against age-restricted $20,000 claimers in his lines. (5) WALKINSHAW N has been first or second in three efforts since he dropped down to the $15,000 claiming level and is likely the one they'll have to beat. (6) OZONE BLUE CHIP has been out of the trifecta just once in his last five tries and gets a driver switch to Austin Siegelman.

Race 9 - NW5000L5 / 12500CLM Pace

I'll take the fresh face in here in (2) BET ON MAC, who has been racing well enough against mainly TrackMaster 80.5 or Less foes at the Meadowlands and won in a lifetime mark over there on July 11. (5) SILKY CHOICE closed well in a third-place finish in his first try against NW5000L5s a week ago and is a recent addition to this high-percentage stable. (1) CARABAO A was the runner-up at this level last Friday and now moves all the way in on the gate from the eight-hole to post one.