Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 11/21

MEET STATS: 244- 918 / $1,527.20 (-$308.80)

BEST BETS: 43 - 89 / $208.70 (+$30.70)

SPOT PLAYS: 10 - 89 / $134.90 (-$43.10)

BEST BET-IWON'T BACKDOWN AS (9th)

SPOT PLAY-QUALITY BUD (5th)

Race 1 - 3-5YO 30000CLM Pace

(1) SIP OF BOURBON has hit the board in all three of his efforts since the qualifier on 10-11 and makes his second start on Lasix here. (3) I AINT NO MACK is the current top dog in this class as he's won four straight and should have every chance from a good draw to get the job done again. (2) CAPTAIN T HANOVER debuts for new connections off a claim and gets post relief to go with that. He shows two victories and several on the board finishes at this level.

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Race 2 - 40000CLM Trot

(1) BLUEBIRD BISHOP turned in a very good second-place effort in his first start back after a layoff last Thursday. I'll look for further improvement as he slides inside to the pole position and give him top call. (5) WILLY WALTON has been extremely sharp for a while and is back with Scott Di Domenico off another re-claim by that stable. (4) INFINITY STONE was a winner over my top pick a week ago and given he shows several appearances in local Invitational Trot, he should have room to get better.

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Race 3 - 25000CLM Pace

(3) VESPA N put in a couple of dull efforts to close out October but gained ground in the final quarter of his mile two weeks ago and gets a driver switch to George Brennan this time. (4) PRETTY HANDSOME tallied in this class two starts back and moves in on the gate from the eight-hole to post four this time. (1) KOUNT BLASTER was second off a pocket trip in a $25,000 claiming event last Thursday. He shows a victory over $30,000 claiming company back in September and debuts for new connections after being claimed.

Race 4 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(4) CAVIART SARGENT drops out of the NW10000L5 level and shows hitting the board three times against NW10000L5's and NW15000L5's. He gets a bit of post relief too, and I'll give him a try. (1) PANETTONE HANOVER continues to work his way down the ladder and moves in on the gate after a pair of outside draws to the pole position. I think he'll be favored and the one they have to beat. (2) C-BET HANOVER shows a victory in a NW15000L5 base class event as recently as 9-24 and exits a fourth-place result in a NW10000L5 tilt last Wednesday.

Race 5 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) QUALITY BUD was making a big first-over advance on the far turn last week when he broke. I think that could inflate his price tonight and I also believe he's still capable of winning in a race like this one. (1) SHADOW CAT looks like he'll probably be favored here as he finds the NW5000L5 class and starts from the pole. (2) GAMBLINGTEROR takes another crack against NW5000L5's after he was third-placed-second in the same event QUALITY BUD exits. He has a driver change to Pat Lachance this time.

Race 6 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace

(3) PORTERS MAN didn't threaten last week after he got away sixth in a paceless race. However, he just missed by a head in this class prior to that and gets reunited with Austin Siegelman. (4) THAT DOG WILL HUNT comes into this race with back-to-back victories at this level and also tallied back in early October. He has a driver change to Jordan Stratton this time with Brent Holland not driving on the card. (2) MANHATTAN ARTIST gets another opportunity in this class after he closed in 27 4/5 to finish fourth on Halloween. He also gets post relief after he had the six-hole and seven-hole in his last two efforts.

Race 7 - NW20000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot

(2) ROGER RABBIT tends to finish underneath more than win, but he's been in solid form for quite a while and moves in from post seven to the two-hole off a gaining fourth-place effort last week. (6) VINNY DE VIE owns a win and a second in his last two tries, and the horse he was the runner-up to last Thursday is in the Invitational tonight. (4) LAVA FIELD was facing NW30000L5's when last seen locally and hit the board in three straight in Pennsylvania in October and November before he was fourth at Pocono most recently. Bartlett has some experience driving him and hops back in the bike this time.

Race 8 - 40000CLM Trot

(7) STEALING disappointed as the favorite in this class last week, but he got zero pace to chase to set up his closing kick. That'll result in better value this time, and hopefully they'll mix it up like they did in his victory on Halloween. (5) PC FREE WHEELING has had plenty of success at Yonkers before and makes her third start for trainer Jenny Melander. She also gets another chance with Bartlett from a slightly better post than she has a week ago. (1) BRAVE BY DESIGN won over $40,000 claiming foes back in early October and moves inside to the pole position here. He also gets Matt Kakaley in the bike.

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Race 9 - Invitational Trot

(3) IWON'T BACKDOWN AS invades from the Midwest where he won twice in the Open at Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway. He also doesn't meet up with the toughest of Invitational groups in this event. (2) THE HAZELTON has a win and a second in his last two apperances at Yonkers and gets post relief. He also gets reunited with Brennan, who steered him to that local victory on 10-3. (7) STORMONT DIVIDE starts from the outside but debuts for new connections after being claimed last week and has been sharp for an extended period of time.

Race 10 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace

(3) SNOUZE U LOUZE drew inside for the first time in a while here and avoids some of the tougher competition in this class. He's gained ground in the final quarter in his last two outings, so I think he may have a little hidden form, too. (2) VALENTINO OF LEDA comes south from Ontario into a high-percentage barn and was racing well north of the border. (1) VICTOR CRUISE doesn't have a great win record this year but starts from post one and gets Bartlett at the controls, which both will make him attractive to the bettors.