Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 3/30
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2023 MEET STATS: 101 - 301 / $448.10 (-$153.90)
BEST BETS: 18 - 28 / $57.50 (+$1.50)
Best Bet: PRIMADONNA DEO (2nd)
Spot Play: GREY (9th)
Race 1: F&M NW7500 in last 5 starts Pace
This field is a combined 1 for 44 this year. (4) KATYS DELIGHT has a third and a second this month facing a notch better than these, and she gets Bartlett back in the bike tonight. Mare should be on the move early from this spot. (1) ANDRA DAY has finished second in her last two after cutting the mile both times; she's easily got the most class of these with over $112K banked last season. From the rail she's an obvious contender. (2) CHELSKI gets class relief and was second best when last at this level; she figures to be sitting close up, probably in the three hole, and she can land a piece.
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Race 2: 3-5YO NW4 races or $50,000 lifetime Trot
(5) PRIMADONNA DEO has been right there in her four seasonal starts, finishing second each time. The bad news is she draws the outside but the good news is there's only five trotters in here. If she can make the front I think she'll be tough to catch. (3) SAID N DONE AS rolled down the road at odds-on in his last two and he does have a tactical edge on his main two contenders. (4) MUSCLE DAN has regressed a little in his last few starts but he's easily better than the remaining two in here.
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Race 3: 3-5YO NW6 races or $75,000 lifetime Trot
(2) TORRONE went a big eight-hole effort at an even bigger price in his local debut and quickly proved he belongs with this class of horses. Move inside and tactical edge on his main contenders makes him the one to beat. (3) SPICY NUGGET was odds-on coming out of the same race as the top choice but he failed to make an impact. Burke trainee figures to have more to offer after that acclimating mile. (5) WICKENBURGH has been right there in all recent tries, including three wins. Gillis trainee is a player.
Race 4: F&M NW7500 in last 5 starts Pace
(4) TECHYS ANGEL A was an okay third last week and she's able to drop again to a class that she should be able to handle. (1) COWGIRL LILLY returned from Canada, joined the Bako barn and was a strong winner; she does step up a notch but moves inside and is the major threat to the top choice. (6) LIGHTNING LEIA has also been very good in her last couple but drawing outside makes things more difficult.
Race 5: F&M NW5041 in last 5 starts Pace - **$25,000 Guaranteed Pick-5 Pool w/$10K seeded money**
(1) ASHTINI isn't a prolific winner but she's usually competitive when drawn well and Stratton may be able to work out a live pocket trip here to favored (3) SPORTS FLIX. The latter was an easy winner when last in this low and is certainly the most logical in here but she's failed us in the past so use caution. (7) MAJOR BATTLE would have a much bigger chance had she drawn better but she can still threaten for a share if Kakaley can improve position early.
Race 6: 3-5YO NW4 races or $50,000 lifetime Trot
(3) CINCINNATI HELP has been off since last October but he ships in from Hoosier off a winning qualifier and joins the Lorentzon barn, which usually does well with these Midwest shippers. Bartlett drives. (5) BIG CHRISTIAN was a nice winner upon arrival from The Meadowlands and while he steps up to face NW4 types there aren't any real standouts here. (2) SQUABLE never wins but always picks up a check; Corelli barn has been doing well recently.
Race 7: NW7,221 in last 5 starts, 1 1/16 mile Pace
(2) HYPNOTICDREAM was a good second last week in a quick mile to a rival who has some class; he draws well in this nine-horse affair and Bartlett could have him on the front. (1) DARK ENERGY N had been knocking on the door prior to putting it all together with that win at the NW5000 level; Stratton trainee should be live here. (6) POSH ONTHE BEACH A has been awful in five starts after being claimed for $25K but note the barn change here from Ruiz to Blumenfeld; maybe he can show some improvement.
Race 8: F&M NW10000 in last 5 starts Pace
(1) DBLDELITEBRIGADE N finally looks like she's turned herself around after a long dry spell and she'll likely look to head down the road for her second straight. (6) VIOLETS RAINBOW is another classy mare who needs a wakeup call; Bartlett is back driving and probably doesn't want to be sitting last. (4) VELOCITY MCSWEETS was off a month prior to last week's race; she's another one in here who hasn't been able to replicate her 2022 season.
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Race 9: NW31001 in last 5 starts Trot
(3) GREY raced well two back and evenly last week both at the Open level; mare finds a pretty good spot here and she can prosper from on or from slightly off the pace. (4) WARRIOR ONE returns to Yonkers from Canada, with a stop last week at Dover, where he wasn't a major player. Gingras-owned gelding had seven wins locally last year. (5) MISSISSIPPI STORM is a legit Open-level trotter who seems to be slowly working his way back into top shape.
Race 10: NW15000 in last 5 starts Trot
(3) STREET GOSSIP steps up another class on paper looking for three straight, but he doesn't really face any accomplished types at this level. Sharp sort could win again, but not at much of a price. (8) WHAT SHOULD I GOO is an interesting shipper for Bongiorno. 4YO mare won at Pocono at first asking after being on the shelf for over four months but she does step up here and lands all the way outside. She has some speed and seems well-mannered. (4) IM THE MUSCLE had back-to-back 1:55 wins here last month.