Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 2/29

MEET STATS: 26 - 107 / $145.70 (-$68.30)
BEST BETS: 4 - 10 / $17.90 (-$2.10)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 10 / $0.00 (-$20.00)
BEST BET - LOVEDBYTHEMASSES (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - DELICIOUSSTONE DK (9th)

Race 1 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) BAMBINO JOE comes north from Freehold with a win and a third in his last two tries down there and gets a new driver in Matt Kakaley. (3) TYGA HANOVER drops and moves inside on the gate here after a fifth-place finish last Wednesday in a NW7500L5 tilt. (1) ON THE VIRG hasn't shown much yet in 2024 but remains at the bottom level and switches from the seven-hole to the pole position. He also gets reunited with Jason Bartlett.

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Race 2 - Invitational Handicap Trot

(4) LOVEDBYTHEMASSES qualified well at the Meadowlands on 2-10 and backed that up with an impressive win in their top class on 2-17. This is just his second appearance at Yonkers, but in the other one, he was fourth against some of the world's best in the 2022 International Trot. He also lures Todd McCarthy in for the one drive. (5) NOWS THE MOMENT is three-for-three thus far in 2024 but does face a new foe in my top selection. (2) ROYALTY BEER keeps finishing underneath and that's where I'm going to put him again.

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Race 3 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace

I haven't had any luck with (2) HURRIKANE GEORGIE recently but he has an inside post after a couple of bad draws and trainer Dennis Laterza has had success with him before. One more chance. (7) THEFLYINGROCK and (6) GDS THUNDER GB exit the same race from last Thursday where the latter beat the former by a nose. I'll reverse that order underneath my top pick tonight.

Race 4 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM / 45000CLM Price Trot

(5) BELLA CAVALLA is another horse I'm going to swing with again. She made an uncharacteristic break before the start last week but trotted another solid final quarter, so I think she has some hidden form and will offer value. (3) FLIP THE SWITCH dominated in this class a week ago but lost Kakaley after he opted for (1) SCUBADAN, who has hit the board in all of his local appearances thus far for trainer Travis Alexander and starts from the pole tonight. FLIP THE SWITCH did get Bartlett's services.

Race 5 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) YOROKOBI N rallied from last to fourth in the back-half of his first start of 2024 last Wednesday and finds the bottom level tonight. (4) CADILLAC BAYAMA qualified well over the track on February 16 and shows racing in the Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park as recently as mid-November of last year. (6) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N takes a second crack at NW5000L5 company after a runner-up result a week ago.

Race 6 - NW20000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot

(5) EPOS OSTERVANG DK saw his length run of on-the-board results end last Thursday, but he drops from the optional $75,000 claiming level to the optional $60,000 class tonight, and I will use. (2) UNEVERGONNAGETHIS hasn't gotten off to a great start to his 5-year-old campaign but the last time he faced NW20000L5 company, he was victorious on December 21. (1) HOOLIE N HECTOR slides out of the NW30000L5's, drew the pole and was a solid second against NW20000L5 rivals back on 2-8.

Race 7 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM / 45000CLM Price Trot

(7) FOR A DREAMER gave it one try against optional $60,000 claimers last Thursday and now returns to the level where he had two straight victories prior to that attempt. (3) TOP ME OFF has a pair of victories in this series thus far, including a romping triumph a week ago. He has the potent combo of Jason Bartlett and Per Engblom in his corner. (5) J-S HOPSCOTCH also exits the optional $60,000 claiming class. He tallied against $40,000 claimers on February 1.

Race 8 - F&M Invitational Handicap Trot

(5) TIPSY MONI has dominated this class in her last two appearances, and outside of making a miscue, I see the same result coming tonight. (3) NO MAS DRAMA cut the fractions and wound up second at this level last Thursday, but my top pick wasn't in that contest. (4) QUEEN OF ALL chased down NO MAS DRAMA to win a week ago and came in second behind TIPSY MONI back on February 8.

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Race 9 - Stake Your Claim 40000CLM / 45000CLM Price Trot

(2) DELICIOUSSTONE DK sat in and took a shuffle last week before ending up fifth. He gets some post relief tonight off that mile, and I'm going to bank on a more aggressive approach being taken this time against a beatable field. (8) INN AT RODANTHE starts from the outside but has hit the board in both of his outings in this series and is another Bartlett/Engblom collaboration. (5) PERFECT TITAN ships south from Saratoga off a victory and did have a couple of good outings in this class at Yonkers last year.

Race 10 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(5) VENIER HANOVER woke up with a much better effort last Wednesday in a NW10000L5 base class event and gets to drop a notch here. He also teams up with George Brennan again. (2) QUALITY BUD took advantage of a chance to face bottom-level foes a week ago and won. He was third against NW7500L5's back on February 2. (1) LOU'S BEACH slides out of the NW7500L5's and starts from post one again. Bartlett also takes over the driving.