Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 5/12
MEET STATS: 84 - 339 / $453.10 (-$224.90)
BEST BETS: 24 - 34 / $83.10 (+$15.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 33 / $32.10 (-$33.90)
BEST BET-DRAMA ACT (5th)
SPOT PLAY-LUCKY ARTIST A (3rd)
Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace
(2) CHECKERED PAST went a long way on the lead on 4-28 before getting collared in the lane. That was a good effort, and I don't mind the switch to a good front-end driver in Dan Dube tonight. (5) SCANDALICIOUS slides down to the bottom level after finishing second in a NW7500L5 race a couple weeks ago and is probably the one to beat. (1) BALFAST N turned in an improved effort last Thursday and gets further post relief here as she starts from the pole.
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Race 2 - F&M NW30000L5/4&5YO F&M NW12 PM Races LT Pace
(6) SHES PUKKA N downed a strong field last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia and has had plenty of success over this oval as well. She also gets to team up with Yannick Gingras, which should be a plus. (4) BEST HEAD WEST finished fourth in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final and is now being steered by leading driver Jason Bartlett. (3) ROCKN PHILLY was second to my top pick in that event on 5-1 at Harrah's Philadelphia and won at the Open level at Yonkers back in late February.
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Race 3 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/4&5YO F&M NW9 PM Races LT Pace
(1) LUCKY ARTIST A landed the pole here after two straight post eight starts. She was able to grab a couple of checks in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, so I think this spot should be good for her with the inside draw. (3) COUSIN MARY was second in this class two starts back and lured Bartlett off a horse he's been doing well with in Ginger Tree Liz. (4) WESTBEACH gets a second shot at this level and was a solid runner-up to the well-meant Classicist last Thursday.
Race 4 - 25000CLM Pace
(1) SOUTHPORT BEACH faced better horses in his last couple of tries. He beat $25,000 claimers at Harrah's Philadelphia back on April 10 and gets reunited with Bartlett tonight. (2) TEXAS TERROR N has four wins and hasn't missed the board in nine starts so far in his 14-year-old season. He was Jordan Stratton's pick over a couple of others. (6) LYONS LIBERTY comes in with a pair of third-place results since joining the Hunter Oakes barn and was Marcus Miller's choice.
Race 5 - F&M Open Handicap Pace
(5) DRAMA ACT is back in action tonight for the first time since winning the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final on April 25. It looks like she meets up with a group here that she should be able to wire. (1) LIT DE ROSE seems like the main danger to my top pick as she did win a leg of the Matchmaker and was a game runner-up in the consolation despite being parked all the way. (4) TECHYS ANGEL A saw her U.S. undefeated streak end a week ago, but she did close in 27 2/5. I will throw her in underneath.
Race 6 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace
(8) SPORTS FLIX beat NW15000L5's as recently as mid-March, so this is a class she can definitely threaten in if Tyler Buter can work a little magic from post eight. (1) AMERICAN TOUR N was a gaining second at this level two back and just aimed too high against $50,000 claimers a week ago. Her good luck at the draw continued here as she landed her third straight pole position. (5) MAGICAL MISTRESS continues to work her way down the ladder and seems way overdue for a victory, especially since she hails from the Ron Burke barn.
Race 7 - NW6/75000LT / NW4/50000LT Drawn Inside Trot
(4) INFINITY STONE absolutely dominated last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia and brings co-owner Gingras in to drive. (1) LOVE THIS BAR is now with Burke and gets a driver switch to Brennan. This horse didn't have any success in the John Brennan Trotting Series but was second in a NW4 races on March 24. (7) TITANS HOPE returns to Yonkers after one unsuccessful try down at Harrah's Philadelphia. He packs big early speed and has the right driver to use it in Dube.
Race 8 - F&M NW21251L5/30000CLM/4&5YO F&M NW10 PM Races LT Pace
(6) IMPRINCESSGEMMA A finished first or second in all of her starts at Yonkers this year, including a victory over NW30000L5 base class rivals on March 10. She has a great history over this track, and I'll bank on her getting back on the right foot here. (7) BOLT OF BEAUTY charged home to finish third against NW30000L5's last Thursday and slides down a level tonight. (4) ROCKNROLL ANNIE makes her third appearance off the bench and squeezed into this race by $1 as she has $21,250 earned in her last five starts.
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Race 9 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(4) MAJOR BATTLE posted a confidence-boosting victory over NW7500L5's a week ago, and I don't think this class is out of her comfort zone given her history at Yonkers. (5) DANCE CLUB shows back-to-back 28 and change last quarters versus NW15000L5's and drops a notch tonight. (2) SEZANA N advanced from seventh to fourth in the final quarter at this level a couple starts back and moves inside on the gate here.
Race 10 - F&M Open Handicap Trot
(3) KENZIESKY HANOVER hopefully won't be 1-5 tonight and does own two victories in this class. (6) HEY LIVVY has won every time she's minded her manners in this F&M Open Handicap Trot, but I don't have any special insight into when she's going to break and when she isn't. (2) D P ROCKET was handled pretty conservatively a week ago and had to settle for fourth. She has a new driver this time in Austin Siegelman.
Race 11 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace
(7) SNIPER HANOVER merits another chance against bottom level foes, I think. She had to go three-wide early into a paceless race last week, and I'll hope she can work out a better trip tonight. (1) POPPY DRAYTON N is in the best form of these mares with a second and a third in her last two tires. (3) CRYSTAL SPARKLES N hasn't won in quite a while but did rally to finish third two back and gets some post relief.