Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 4/20

MEET STATS: 61 - 240 / $484.00 (+$4.00)

BEST BETS: 7 - 24 / $23.40 (-$24.60)

SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 24 / $42.90 (-$5.10)

BEST BET-CINCINNATI HELP (2nd)

SPOT PLAY-CIGAR SMOKING TONY (5th)

Race 1 - 3-5YO Open Pace

(6) TAKE A GAMBLE tallied pretty convincingly in this class a week ago after taking command from first-up. He does switch to an outside post but has won three in-a-row overall, and I'll put him on top. (5) STOP STARING comes in from the Meadowlands where he was competing at the top level. He was racing well at Pocono before finding that deep water, and perhaps facing age-restricted company will help him out here. (3) KINGSVILLE gained spots and ground in the final quarter of the race my top selection won last Thursday and moves inside on the gate tonight.

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Race 2 - NW3/25000LT Trot

(4) CINCINNATI HELP drops all the way from a NW7 event last Wednesday (where he finished a gaining fifth) to a NW3 race here and has already defeated NW4 company at Yonkers back on 3-30. He looks like an obvious one in here. (1) WANIA found the winner's circle a week ago after a lengthy drought from the top spot, and that should have him full of confidence. (6) SOME KINDA NIGHT was third in the tilt won by WANIA last week and makes his second start of his 3-year-old campaign tonight.

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Race 3 - Open Handicap Trot

(1) HILLEXOTIC invades from the Meadowlands off a victory in their Open 1 Trot and had the good fortune of drawing post one here for his Yonkers return. (7) NOWS THE MOMENT won the Open pretty handily from the pocket a week ago but moves all the way outside on the gate and faces a new shooter in HILLEXOTIC tonight. (6) HEY LIVVY is capable of winning at this level like she did on 4-6 or 3-9, but isn't always consistent. I will put her underneath.

Race 4 - NW4/50000LT / NW6/75000LT Drawn Outside Trot

(1) HILLOFA KNOCKOUT doesn't have a win yet this year but has shown flashes with a couple of thirds against NW4's here. I don't mind the switch to Joe Bongiorno in the bike, and this looks like a pretty wide-open group. (4) HEADOVERBOOTS AS is now up to seven second-place finishes in 2023, including four straight. I'm not going to mess with success and will slot him there again. (2) STRIKING COUNT hit the board twice versus NW4's back in March and drops out of a NW7 contest last Thursday. He also gets reunited with Jordan Stratton.

Race 5 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(4) CIGAR SMOKING TONY returns to Yonkers after winning easily at Pocono most recently. Last time he was at this venue on March 24, he started from post eight and advanced from last to fifth in the final quarter. (2) FORTIFY has hit the board in three straight but also burned a lot of money as a heavy favorite in his last two outings at the Meadowlands and Harrah's Philadelphia. (3) MACHEASY A slides down from the NW10000L5 level and moves inside on the gate to go with that.

Race 6 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(5) SARAH'S LILLY zipped home in 27 3/5 to finish a closing fourth last week and gets to slide down a level off that mile. (7) TALL POPPY N carved out the fractions and was second to a heavy favorite in a NW10000L5 base class tilt a week ago. She does move outside on the gate but perhaps the drop will offset that. (4) GOLDEN QUEST N scored over bottom level rivals at Yonkers back in February. She qualified well at Harrah's Philadelphia on 4-11, and I will include.

Race 7 - F&M NW5141L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) ALWAYS B MIMI takes a second crack at bottom level foes here after finishing a gaining fifth a week ago. Trainer Ricky Bucci has been doing well with these types at low classes all year, and hopefully that happens again with this mare. (4) BETTERB CHEVRON N is probably the one to beat as she slides down from the NW7500L5's off a solid third-place finish last Thursday. (1) THUNDRA woke up with a much-improved effort last week when she faced NW5000L5's, coming up just a neck short of a win. She starts from the pole in this added-distance tilt.

Race 8 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/F&M NW7500L5 Drawn Inside Pace

(3) COMMANDER CATHY N continues to work her way down the class ladder tonight and was third in a NW15000L5 tilt when last seen on 4-7. (4) DANCE CLUB was racing at the NW15000L5 level when last seen at Yonkers in late March and returns off a victory down at Harrah's Philadelphia. (2) TUGGINGONCREDIT should appreciate getting to exit $50,000 claiming company and has shown the ability to beat NW15000L5's at Yonkers before.

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Race 9 - NW20000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/NW15000L5 to Draw Inside/NW9 PM Races LT Trot

(5) STORMY KROMER showed some signs of life last week by advancing from eighth to sixth in the final quarter. He gets some post relief off that mile here, and hopefully is ready for a more aggressive approach. (8) SWEET SOUL DAVID has post eight but raced well in this class last Thursday, finishing third with a 27 and change final quarter. (1) QUEEN OF ALL makes her third start back after a layoff tonight and moves inside to the pole position off a gaining fifth-place result a week ago.

Race 10 - NW30000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM Trot

(2) GREY exits the Open level after finishing second two weeks ago and might have a chance to cut the fractions here. (5) HIGHLAND MOWGLI is moving up from the NW20000L5's but has back-to-back wins and was racing at the top level at both the Meadowlands and Dover recently. (1) HAYEK was a little disappointing last week as he only managed a fifth after coming out of the Open at Harrah's Philadelphia. He races for high-percentage connections, and I could see him bouncing back.

Race 11 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(1) BETTOR ROLL ON A finds a very soft spot here compared to the NW6 company he's been facing. His final quarters in his last two races both catch the eye, and he has a driver switch to Jordan Stratton. (2) VESPA N had to settle for third in the corresponding class to this one down at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently. He was just 1-2 in that contest but will likely offer a better price tonight. (5) ON THE VIRG won the last time he met NW5000L5 foes on February 22 and has been facing NW7500L5's since then.