Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 2/15

MEET STATS: 13 - 62 / $69.40 (-$54.60)

BEST BETS: 2 - 6 / $9.20 (-$2.80)

SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 6 / $0.00 (-$12.00)

BEST BET-ABRUZZO (3rd)

SPOT PLAY-ROSIE'S WAR BONDS (9th)

Race 1 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM Trot

(5) NEWSBOY wound up with an impossible trip last week and faded, but he won in this class on 1-25 and I think he'll offer a much better price tonight. (3) BRAVE BY DESIGN gained ground in the final quarter and wound up third in his first attempt out of Travis Alexander's barn last Thursday. He switches drivers to Matt Kakaley here. (1) INN AT RODANTHE broke stride early a week ago but recovered to finish right behind BRAVE BY DESIGN. He has post relief this time and gets reunited with Jason Bartlett.

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Race 2 - Invitational Trot

(5) NOWS THE MOMENT is two-for-two at the top level so far in 2024 and returns to action tonight after taking last week off. (4) YANKS DUGOUT has won all three of his starts thus far in his 7-year-old campaign and comes in off a hard-fought victory from first-up in the Invitational Trot a week ago. (3) ROYALTY BEER owns a second and two thirds in the Invitational Trot this year and did display the ability to go to the lead last Thursday.

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Race 3 - NW20000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot

(2) ABRUZZO never got involved from an outside post last week but moves way inside on the gate tonight, and I'll expect a much more aggressive try is forthcoming. (3) EMOTIONS RICHES has won three straight for the red-hot Alexander barn, including at this level a week ago. (4) HIGHLAND MOWGLI struggled from the eight-hole last Thursday but has post relief here and did win handily over NW15000L5 foes on January 26.

Race 4 - NW30000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM Trot

(2) WARRIOR ONE drops out of the Invitational Trot this week and did gain ground in the final quarter of his last try at that level on 2-1. (5) B NICKING picked up two checks in a pair of tries in the Invitational Trot and slides down a notch here. (4) SOUTHWIND ARTURO qualified well behind a pair of pacers at Yonkers on February 1 and was victorious in a NW30000L5 event in early November.

Race 5 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM Trot

(3) PERRON stayed flat last Thursday after breaking on 2-1 and gets major post relief tonight. He should offer a solid price and shows a win in this class on December 21. (2) LOOK IN MY EYES was a solid third in his division of the first leg of this series a week ago and should be sharper tonight as that was his first start of 2024. Yannick Gingras picks up the assignment tonight. (7) TOP ME OFF starts from an outside post but is riding a five-race streak of top-three finishes and goes for the powerful tandem of Jason Bartlett and Per Engblom.

Race 6 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace

(8) HURRIKANE GEORGIE didn't have any luck at the post draw, but he comes in off a good second-place finish to a hot horse in this class and did win from the eight-hole back on 11-30. He also debuts for trainer Scott Di Domenico off a claim. (6) THE BEST TYME EVER found his form over at the Meadowlands and returns to Yonkers with five on-the-board results in his last six appearances. He's another Bartlett/Engblom contender. (5) GDS THUNDER GB rallied to score at this level last Thursday and was Gingras's choice of a couple in this event.

Race 7 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(5) ULTIMAROCA returns to Yonkers from Woodbine Mohawk Park here. He cut the mile and wound up third from the eight-hole in this class when last seen locally on 12-21. (6) DRAGON SAID has had a lot of good moments in the past at Yonkers, including a track record performance when he was a 4-year-old. He's a newcomer to a high-percentage barn after racing at Batavia and Saratoga lately. (4) BARON MICHAEL was second the last time he competed at this level on December 13 and owns a recent victory down at Freehold.

Race 8 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) SPORTS FAN takes a second crack at bottom level company tonight after racing from off-the-pace last week. He shows a win in a quick time at Woodbine Mohawk Park a year ago and I think is worth a shot in this wide-open test. He also switches drivers to Matt Kakaley. (4) DANCE ON THE BEACH was third in his seasonal debut last Wednesday and should probably be sharper here. He gets reunited with Joe Bongiorno, too. (1) SHANWAY N gets major post relief tonight as he switches to this class from the $20,000 claimers and was also Gingras's choice.

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Race 9 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM Trot

(6) ROSIE'S WAR BONDS came up empty on 2-2 but added Lasix for a subsequent qualifier at Freehold and raced well behind a pacer. I'll swing as co-owner Gingras pilots him for Engblom. (3) ICE BREAKERS K was very game on the front-end last Thursday and finished second. He was not Brennan's choice in this event but picks up Bartlett instead. (1) SHEENA SOLDIER backed up his runner-up result on February 1 with a victory over ICE BREAKERS K a week ago. He starts from the pole tonight and I imagine Brent Holland would like to work out another pocket trip.

Race 10 - F&M Invitational Trot

(4) NO MAS DRAMA lost all chance last week when she suffered an equipment break early on. I think she was well-meant given she was showing speed and did take some wagering action, so I'll give her another try. (3) TIPSY MONI romped to victory at this level a week ago, showing no issues with making breaks like she did prior to that. Co-owner Gingras takes the call again for Engblom. (5) QUEEN OF ALL closed well to finish second to TIPSY MONI last Thursday and trainer Lance Hudson has been sending out a number of live horses lately.

Race 11 - NW5481L5/12500CLM Pace

(1) AIR FORCE HANOVER doesn't have great current form but has had plenty of success at Yonkers in the past, and I have to believe he's going to get an aggressive drive from the pole and with the driver switch to Bartlett. (6) NAUTICAL HANOVER closed with pace to finish second in his debut for trainer/driver Pat Lachance last Thursday and looks like an obvious one to include. (5) MEMPHISTENNESSEE N drops out of the NW7500L5 class and was second against NW5000L5 foes at Yonkers once in mid-December. He also squeezed into this race by a dollar as he has $5,480 earned in his last five starts.