Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 1/30

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 - SOUTH POINT (7th)
SPOT PLAY - CHAPOLIER (4th)

Race 1 - 40000CLM Trot

(5) INFINITY STONE qualified superbly at the Meadowlands on 1-18 with the addition of Lasix and I'll swing with him. He also shows racing in the top class at Yonkers as recently as early October and won a $40,000 claimer on 11-14. (2) MEADOWBRANCH NOBLE won via placing a week ago, overcoming post eight in the process. He drew inside tonight here and makes his second start for these connections. (3) ROGER RABBIT has hit the board in three straight outings and is back with trainer Cory Stratton after being re-claimed.

[DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card]

Race 2 - 40000CLM Trot

(4) MAHONE SEELSTER gained some ground in the final quarter of his race last week from a bad post. He moves inside on the gate tonight, and hopefully that means he'll be put more in play this time. (3) THE PRINCE chased a well-meant winner in a second-place result a week ago. He makes his third start on Lasix and shows a couple of recent wins at the Meadowlands. (7) STEALING starts from the outside post but hit the board in his first outing of 2025 last Thursday and has overcome bad draws to win before at Yonkers.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Yonkers card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(1) BALLYKEEL PAINTER comes south from Canada into Travis Alexander's barn and catches a group I think he can make an impact against. He shows a pair of victories over the half-mile oval at Western Fair and another tally at Woodbine Mohawk Park, plus he starts from post one. (5) THAT DOG WILL HUNT is on a lengthy streak of top three finishes and began his 5-year-old campaign with a win a week ago in this class. He is a first-timer for trainer Scott Di Domenico off the claim. (4) CAUGHTINALANDSLIDE went a long way on the front before he wound up second to a sharp for last Thursday and shows a victory at this level on December 5.

Race 4 - 40000CLM Trot

(6) CHAPOLIER debuts for these connections here, and that worked last week for Meadowbranch Noble, as mentioned back in race one. I'll hope lightning can strike twice and give him top call. (1) PC FREE WHEELING starts from the pole and finished up her mile well a week ago. She won two in-a-row at this level on 11-21 and 12-5 and gets Jason Bartlett to drive again. (3) AIRMANS JACKPOT didn't fire last week but has had success at Yonkers before and should offer a better price off the dull effort.

Race 5 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(6) MONACO HANOVER tired after a first-over try a week ago, but that was his first outing since 12-19 and he was in sharp form to wrap up 2024. He was claimed by Di Domenico and I'll look for him to bounce right back. (4) CLEVELAND B MIKI struggles to win but was third in his final outing of last year and then was a gaining second last Thursday. (5) MANHATTAN ARTIST shows a victory in this class back on November 21 and trainer Per Engblom has been putting a lot of live horses on the track at the meet thus far.

Race 6 - NAADA Winter Fun Series Leg 2 Trot

I think (4) BIG CHARLIE MORAN has been facing the toughest foes in this race and closed well in a third-place finish the last time he was on a half-mile track at Freehold on 12-27. (2) AWOL HANOVER struggled a week ago but moves in a couple of notches on the gate and was off nearly a month coming into that effort last Thursday. He had been in sharp form prior to that dull effort as well. (1) BACARDI came in third in a division of this series and starts from the pole this time.

Race 7 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace

(3) SOUTH POINT maintained his sharp form with another victory last Thursday and I'll back him again here. (6) METAMAN just missed by a neck in this class a week ago and has now finished second in his two outings in this class at Yonkers. He gets a shot with Yannick Gingras this time. (2) ON DAYBOO broke before the start at the Meadowlands on January 18 but shows a second at this level at Yonkers on Halloween and has Bartlett in the bike again.

Race 8 - 40000CLM Trot

(2) BEERTHIRTY K finished up his mile well from off-the-pace last Thursday and moves way inside on the gate here. (5) WILLY WALTON steamrolled his way to victory at this level a week ago. He also shows three other triumphs in this class and packs a ton of gate speed. (3) BE DIFFERENT is riding a two-race win streak since joining Engblom's barn and gets a bit of post relief.

Race 9 - NAADA Winter Fun Series Leg 2 Trot

(5) EXCHEQUER had trot in the final quarter from a no-chance spot a week ago. He took an amateur race at Freehold on December 21 and can hopefully stay closer to the front this time. (3) LOVE THIS BAR exits the NW5000L4 class at the Meadowlands. He hasn't hit the board in a few outings but does show a second to a classy foe in Warrior One on 11-22. (1) SHOEMAKER HANOVER returns to action after a bit of a layoff here. He starts from the pole and has won at Yonkers before.

[DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter]

Race 10 - NW20000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot

(6) BUSY MAKING MONI won three straight between Yonkers and Pocono and then had a gaining third in the top class at Harrah's Philadelphia to end his 4-year-old campaign. He returns to action here for trainer Ron Burke and partners with Bartlett. (4) ALL STAR SWAN closed out 2024 with a lengthy run of top three results and has co-owner Gingras at the controls for the red-hot Engblom barn. (1) FERRETTI exits the Open level at Dover and starts from the pole position.

Race 11 - 25000CLM Pace

(6) I'M THE PRINCE scored a couple of times in this class down at Harrah's Philadelphia on 11-22 and 12-6 and makes his first start out of the Alexander stable here. (3) FINAL CHEESERECIPE held off a big favorite to win at this level a week ago and is now with Di Domenico after a claim. (2) HURRIKANEKINGJAMES slides down a notch after he was third in a $30,000 claiming tilt last Wednesday. He's in sharp form and gets a bit of post relief.