Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 10/1/26

2026 MEET STATS: 192 - 715 / $1,235.12 (-$194.88)

BEST BETS: 40 - 75 / $153.20 (+$3.20)

SPOT PLAYS: 16 - 75 / $163.68 (+$13.68)

BEST BET - GREEN PASTURES (4th)

SPOT PLAY - SQUADRON SEELSTER (11th)

Race 1 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(1) CAPTAIN AWESOME owns two recent wins against open $20,000 claimers and moves in from post eight to the pole position here against age-restricted company. (6) OVER THE HORIZON won the last time he was in this class back on 8-15 and drops tonight. He also got the nod from Jordan Stratton over my top selection. (3) PARK STREET BLUES invades from Tioga with back-to-back victories and races out of a stable that has a high-percentage out of town.

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Race 2 - NAADA Fall Series Leg #4 Trot

(2) CERTIFY comes in from Pennsylvania out of amateur races in good form and got an inside post as Mike Polansky takes back over the driving. (4) SOUTHSIDE BAR has back-to-back runner-up finishes, including to a well-meant favorite in leg three of this series a week ago. (6) PC FREE WHEELING owns four on-the-board results in his last five appearances, one of which was a victory in the final of the NAADA Summer Series in late August.

Race 3 - NAADA Fall Series Leg #4 Trot

(7) BIG CHARLIE MORAN appears to be a need-the-lead type as when he was able to get to the front on 7-31, he was a winner at Yonkers. He picks up an aggressive driver against a wide-open group here, and I'll bank on him being hustled out of there. (3) IMA STANDUP GUY only has one victory in 2026 but it came at Yonkers and he gets significant post relief off his last appearance at Pocono. (1) BACARDI is one-for-27 in the win column this year but starts from the pole off an effort from the eight-hole where he was third but placed last due to causing interference at Pocono.

Race 4 - NW30000L5 / NW12 PM Races LT / 75000CLM / NW of 3 Races at Yonkers in 2026 Draw Outside Trot

(3) GREEN PASTURES closed well in a third-place effort from the eight-hole on 9-17 and offsets the class hike by moving in on the gate to the three-hole here. (5) FULL OF MUSCLES returns to Yonkers off a victory in the top class down at Harrah's Philadelphia and shows a second in the Invitational here as recently at late June. (6) SOUTHWIND COORS is stuck outside again, but at least it's post six instead of post eight. He's had plenty of success at Yonkers before, including a second in the Bob Miecuna Invitational on International Trot Day.

Race 5 - 40000CLM Trot

(1) LMC WAGON WHEEL broke before the start on 9-17 but landed the pole tonight and was racing against much tougher foes, including the likes of Sir Pinocchio, over at Pocono in August. (5) SIR MAVERICK also comes in off a miscue last Thursday but won his prior two efforts in this class. (6) ULTION FACE S finished second against NW15000L5s most recently. He makes his third start back after a layoff and gets reunited with Jason Bartlett here.

Race 6 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(1) ODDS ON SARA SARA didn't get involved from the eight-hole in her last appearance but closed with a good final quarter at the Meadowlands prior to that and shifts in on the gate to the pole position tonight. (3) IDEAL SKIES has missed the top three just once in her last six tries and is back with trainer Dennis Laterza off a re-claim. (4) ALWAYS B LAYLA IR rallied to post a third-place finish in a $20,000 claimer last Wednesday and has four on-the-board results in five starts since she returned to action in August.

Race 7 - 40000CLM Trot

(7) STACKING GREEN couldn't be caught on the front-end last Thursday, and I think the same result could happen here as I expect her to be sent out of there again. (5) BELLISSIMO FACE S tallied in his debut for this stable on 9-24 and got the nod from Tyler Buter over another one he's been having success with recently in #2. (6) JAS BLUESTONE is on an extended run of finishes in the trifecta and has shown the ability to race well both on- and off-the-pace.

Race 8 - F&M Invitational Trot

(1) HOT FLASH KIMMY significantly out-drew the other ones I think are logical in here, and I'll give her a shot in the hopes her recent good form against NW10000L5s and NW15000s carries over to this mares-only event. (5) ALWAYS A STORY was scratched last week, but I like to see that she's right back in the box, and she was sharp prior to the missed start. (7) VOGUISH starts from the outside but just needs a smooth trip to set up her closing kick that's been working well at this level.

Race 9 - NW20000L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot

(5) HAPPY JACK B tallied in this class on 9-17 to extend his win streak to five, and I anticipate the same result will be forthcoming here for a potent trotting stable. (4) KILDARE KING's only recent off-the-board effort came from the eight-hole on August 27, and he gets post relief tonight off a runner-up effort when last seen. (6) DRIBBLING BI has finished second to HAPPY JACK B and KILDARE KING in his last two tries, and I'll slot him underneath based on that.

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Race 10 - NW7951L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(7) VANDERBILT N will have to overcome the outside post but exits a fast mile at Plainridge and shows being in their Open as recently as 8-17. Add in a victory two back at Tioga, and I'll give him top call. (5) DARKNSTORMY DEO squeezed into this race by a dollar as he has $7,950 earned in his last five tries and moves in on the gate off a non-threatening effort against $30,000 claiming foes most recently. (4) DONTTELLMENOW usually does his best work when Bartlett hops in the bike, and that's the case here in his second try against NW7500L5 company.

Race 11 - 15000CLM Pace

I went price-shopping here in a wide-open group and landed on (4) SQUADRON SEELSTER as he gets to partner with Bartlett and gets significant post relief off his last two efforts at Pocono and the Meadowlands. (3) SOLESSEO MATUCA A didn't threaten in his last two tries at Plainridge but had a pair of seconds and a win at Tioga in August. (1) WALKINSHAW A might be the one to beat from the pole position, but he's burned a bunch of money in his last three starts, and I think you have to try and beat him.