Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 1/23

2024 MEET STATS: 260- 995 / $1,690.40 (-$299.60)

BEST BETS: 45 - 96 / $235.50 (+$43.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 13 - 96 / $178.90 (-$13.10)

BEST BET-PRINCE OF TIDES (8th)

SPOT PLAY-WATTSUP SUNSHINE A (4th)

Race 1 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(3) HUMAN COCKTAIL makes his second start back after a layoff tonight and was very good against age-restricted $30,000 claimers at Yonkers before he went on the shelf last June. (5) THAT DOG WILL HUNT finished up 2024 in sharp form and I'll look for him to pick up where he left off. (6) MANHATTAN ARTIST shows a victory at this level on 11-21 and competes for leading trainer Per Engblom.

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Race 2 - 40000CLM Trot

(4) THE BALLYKEEL DEAL got an appearance in at Monticello on 1-15, and I can overlook the poor result as it was from post eight. She drew better tonight and has won in this class at Yonkers before. (5) BE DIFFERENT got up at the wire to win a $40,000 claimer in his final start of 2024 and makes his second start out of Engblom's stable. (3) ROGER RABBIT had an excellent campaign last season. Trainer Dennis Laterza, who had a win with this horse at this level last August, claimed him out of his last effort.

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Race 3 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(5) METAMAN didn't make much of an impact last time out at the Meadowlands but was a closing second in this class when last seen at Yonkers on 12-19 and gets reunited with Jordan Stratton. (4) FUNKY BUNCH invades from Monticello in sharp form and went a long way on the lead before he got nailed at the wire in his last outing. (7) MONACO HANOVER starts from the outside but was second in all three of his efforts at this level in December and gets another shot with leading driver Jason Bartlett.

Race 4 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) WATTSUP SUNSHINE A was facing NW20000L5 company when last seen at Yonkers in mid-December and shows finishing second in that class as recently as 11-19. He lands at the bottom level here and meets up with a beatable group. (5) LYONS SURFING closed with plenty of pace at the Meadowlands on the 10th of January and makes his second start back in Joe Bongiorno's stable. (4) ALADDIN gained ground and several positions in the final quarter of a NW5000L5 tilt on December 17 and moves in on the gate a couple of notches off that mile.

Race 5 - NAADA Winter Fun Series Leg #1 Trot

(1) IM THE MUSCLE enters off a victory at Freehold on December 28, starts from post one and has had lots of success at Yonkers in his career. (3) PETER'S ROYALTY rolled on the front-end the last time he was on a half-mile track on 11-22 and gets to partner with Andrew Adamczyk, who won many amateur races at Yonkers in 2024. (5) EXCHEQUER had a difficult trip from the eight-hole at Freehold in the same event my top pick exits. He drew better tonight and gets reunited with Jacob Stillwell, who won with him on the 14th of December.

Race 6 - 40000CLM Trot

(6) THE PRINCE prevailed a couple of times over at the Meadowlands since the qualifier on 11-23 and makes his second start on Lasix. He also gets a driver switch to Yannick Gingras. (5) WILLY WALTON closed out last season in excellent form and should have every chance to pick up where he left off. He packs plenty of gate speed, so I'd expect him on or near the lead. (2) UNFORGETTABLE hit the board in her last six 2024 appearances and had a three-race win streak in this class in November and December.

Race 7 - NAADA Winter Fun Series Leg #1 Trot

(4) AWOL HANOVER finished second in a series final at Freehold on December 28 and shows two victories down there as well. I'll swing with him based on that form. (2) DRACO S has likely been facing the toughest company out of these horses but was just one-for-36 in the win column a year ago, so I'm unwilling to take a short price on him. (1) ALL RISE starts from the pole and was victorious at Freehold as recently as the 7th of December.

Race 8 - 25000CLM Pace

(2) PRINCE OF TIDES jogged in this class at Yonkers on the 19th of December and gets significant post relief after he had the eight-hole at the Meadowlands in his last appearance. (5) PRETTY HANDSOME hit the board in three of his efforts at this level to end 2024 and has shown the ability to race well both off-the-pace and on the front-end. (1) UP THE CREEK didn't fire at the Meadowlands on January 11 but was sharp prior to that and starts from the pole.

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Race 9 - 40000CLM Trot

(3) AIRMANS JACKPOT posted a second and then two victories out at The Meadows and is back with Travis Alexander now. She's had success out of his barn before, and I'll give her top call. (4) HAT TRICK MARLEAU isn't the most consistent type but does fire on occasion, like when he rallied to capture a NW15000L5 race on 10-25. (1) BROOKVIEW DARIUS shows a couple of tallies at this level and starts from the pole after he had post six in his last effort of 2024.

Race 10 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(1) GOOD INVESTMENT flashed strong final quarters in his last two efforts at the Meadowlands and starts from post one again tonight. (3) SOUTH POINT returns from Dover with back-to-back tallies and has hit the board in six straight outings overall. (2) CAUGHTINALANDSLIDE prevailed in this class on December 5 and I can overlook his poor result on 12-19 as it was from a bad draw.