Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 2/25

MEET STATS: 25 - 90 / $142.90 (-$37.10)

BEST BETS: 6 - 9 / $23.80 (+$5.80)

SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 9 / $4.30 (-$13.70)

BEST BET-NORTH STAR IDEAL (10th)

SPOT PLAY-BULLVILLEKARLA (3rd)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) KEYSTONE NIKKI makes her second start for trainer Andrew Adamczyk off the claim and doesn't have to start from post eight this time. She also retained Jason Bartlett over another horse in here. (4) SANDY'S BEACH was a rallying third when she dropped down to this class on 2-11. It seems like she races better from off-the-pace, and I assume that'll be the strategy again tonight. (1 ANN HILL had to do the first-over work against the well-meant Affluent Seelster on February 10 and had to settle for a third-place result. She remains at the bottom level and has the pole to help her chances.

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

Race 2 - NW6/84000LT Trot

(1) HUNTING AS has collected a win and three seconds with Todd McCarthy driving him. That's the case again tonight, and the horse gets considerable post relief, moving in from the seven-hole to the pole position. (7) HAYEK performed much better in his second start out of the Jenn Bongiorno barn, rallying to win. He does draw worse this time, but this horse has some class to him, having been a stakes winner in Ontario a year ago, and I think he's capable of overcoming it. (2) GREAT UNKNOWN went a pretty quick clip on the lead in his Yonkers debut a couple weeks back and tired to finish third. He hasn't missed the board since entering the Ron Burke barn, and I will put on the ticket.

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

Race 3 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) BULLVILLEKARLA took one shot against NW7500L5's from post eight and now drops and gets an improved post to work with. I don't mind Scott Zeron taking back over the drive, either, since he's always gotten along with her. (3) SWEET MOVES was rejected by Matt Kakaley, but she posted a third two back to the classy Angel's Pride, who would be 1-9 in this race, and also moves inside on the gate. (2) FLIRTY FORTY has two straight on-the-board finishes in this class and has Bartlett in the bike again.

Race 4 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(4) AMANDEROSA slides down from the NW10000L5 class after picking up a check on 2-11 and has post four this time rather than the seven-hole she had that night. (3) TELL ME A JOKE scored her last victory over NW7500L5's on November 5 of last year and returns to the level after facing better since then. (8) SALLY FLETCHER A moves out to post eight, but she has been a solid second to a couple classy foes in her last two here and at Freehold, and I think she's usable.

Race 5 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(3) CORAL BELLA gets to exit the NW10000L5 class after finishing third to a couple of classy mares in Maczaffair N and Annabeth. She hasn't raced since 1-28, but I'll trust trainer Travis Alexander to have her ready, and she should be on or near the lead. (4) COLOR ENVY loses Zeron's services tonight, but Dan Dube, who picked up the drive, has steered her before, and she was second twice at this level in January. (2) SCANDALICIOUS shifts inside on the gate and drops a notch. She's been a little win-shy lately, so while I respect her chances, I will try and beat her for the top spot.

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

Race 6 - F&M NW10300L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(6) SUDDEN CHANGE N finished out her last mile at Dover in an eye-catching 27 1/5 and has had plenty of success at Yonkers in the past. (2) I'M VERY SPECIAL got trapped in the pocket in the third quarter on 2-11 and had to settle for third behind the well-meant Angel's Pride. She retained Bartlett tonight, and I have to think he'll be aggressive with her. (5) SEZANA N has been racing well, as have many of trainer Ricky Bucci's horses thus far in 2021. That was a good third-place result in the NW15000L5 class a couple weeks back.

Race 7 - F&M Open Handicap Pace

(4) SIESTA BEACH out-drew the big names to her outside tonight. She's been a reliable threat at this level, including a win on the 21st of January, and she should offer some value. (6) SEASWIFT JOY N won the last edition of the Open Handicap Pace two weeks ago and looks likely to end up on the lead again. (7) ALEXA SKYE makes her first start for new connections in co-owner/trainer Jeff Cullipher and co-owner Pollack Racing LLC. She should be the one to beat, but an outside draw tripped her up here on 1-28, and I'd like to see a start out of the new barn.

Race 8 - F&M NW16000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM Pace

(5) THE BANDIT QUEEN N gained ground in a 26 3/5 final kicker in the Open down at Dover most recently and was second to Alexa Skye at the Meadowlands prior to that. I'll use. (3) MACZAFFAIR N crushed NW10000L5's when last seen in a pari-mutuel race on 1-28 and qualified well here on the 12th of February. Laurie Lee, the filly who finished second to her in that trial, came back to win at the Meadowlands last weekend. (1) FEELIN RED HOT used to be as certain as death and taxes in a spot like this, but I will swing against given she couldn't hold on despite soft fractions a couple weeks ago.

Race 9 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(6) NORMAN'S MADELINE may be one class too high given her last victory came over NW7500L5's, but I think it's noteworthy she retained Brent Holland over another one, and the way trainer Paul Stafford is going right now, I will put on top. (3) DIAMONDTOOTHGERTIE is the mare Holland booked off of to stick with my top pick. She rolled to a pretty facile win the last time she was at this level on December 3 and picks up Bartlett. (1) TIPP CITY faced a stronger group of NW10000L5's two weeks ago, including the likes of Angel's Pride and Bontz N. I think she could definitely rebound with a better performance tonight.

Race 10 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM Pace

(5) NORTH STAR IDEAL should be on or near the lead tonight the way this race looks on paper, and she gets a key drop from the NW20000L5 class. (4) BONTZ N steps up here, but she was second to Angel's Pride a couple weeks ago and makes her third start after a layoff. (6) ROBYN CAMDEN never could get involved on 2-11 as she had post eight. She gets out of that situation tonight and will be closing in the last quarter.