Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 5/19

Greg Reinhart|May 17, 2022

MEET STATS: 90 - 361 / $484.80 (-$237.20)

BEST BETS: 24 - 36 / $83.10 (+$11.10)

SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 35 / $38.80 (-$31.20)

BEST BET-SPORTS FLIX (5th)

SPOT PLAY-DC BATGIRL (6th)

Race 1 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/4&5YO F&M NW9 PM Races LT Pace

(6) SO IRRESISTIBLE ships north from Harrah's Philadelphia off a win, and while he doesn't have a local victory so far this year, trainer Bruce Saunders has been sending out a lot of live horses at other venues lately. (2) SOUND IDEA paced a 28 second final quarter on 5-5 and moves inside on the gate here after starting from post seven that night. (5) MILIEU HANOVER scored twice at Yonkers last fall and has a win and a second over at Pocono in her first two outings of 2022.

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Race 2 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(4) CATIE FAYE HANOVER prevailed over NW2's here at Yonkers last year and then turned in some good efforts against NW4's after that. She's continued to race in that class over at Pocono, and I have to think finding the bottom level here will be an easier spot. (3) THUNDRA turned in an improved effort last week on the drop and driver switch to Jordan Stratton. She remains in against NW5000L5's and has Stratton to pilot her again tonight. (1) BALFAST N was caught up in a quick early pace a week ago and paid the price in the last quarter. She drew the pole again this time, so let's see if she can get a smoother trip to go with it.

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Race 3 - NW4/50000LT / NW2/25000LT To Draw Inside Trot

(5) LOVE THIS BAR faced mixed NW4's and NW6's last Thursday in his first start for trainer Ron Burke. Tonight, he gets to slide down to face NW2's and NW4's instead, and I'll expect a better effort in his second try out of his new barn. (1) JBN enters with two straight victories, including one over NW2's locally. He was rejected by George Brennan in favor of my top pick but gets a good replacement in Stratton. (7) CHARLATAN HANOVER owns four wins this year, which is the most in this group, and is now with trainer Nick Devita.

Race 4 - F&M NW21200L5/30000CLM/4&5YO F&M NW10 PM Races LT Pace

(6) GOLDEN QUEST N won at this level back on March 24 and slides down from the NW30000L5 level off a troubled trip last week. I think she'll offer a better price than some of the alternatives in here and will give her a chance. (2) SHES PUKKA N drops and moves inside on the gate here. She's had plenty of success at Yonkers in the past and is a definite threat. (1) ANDRA DAY is now with trainer Nik Drennan after a barn change, and I wouldn't be surprised if she shows improvement.

Race 5 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(5) SPORTS FLIX gets to face bottom level foes tonight after a solid second-place effort from post eight a week ago against NW7500L5's. I expect her to handle these. (3) DIAMONDTOOTHGERTIE finally got an inside draw here after a number of outside posts and was third against NW10000L5's back on March 17. (4) CHELSKI won at Yonkers several times in 2021 and gained spots and ground in the final quarter in this class a week ago.

Race 6 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/4&5YO F&M NW9 PM Races LT Pace

(6) DC BATGIRL makes her second start back after a freshening here and trainer Robert Cleary can have one ready to fire. I don't mind that she gets a shot with Jason Bartlett either. (5) GINGER TREE LIZ is very sharp right now with on-the-board finishes in eight of her nine attempts this year. (1) TOBAGO TIME was a rallying second in a NW20000L5 base class event a couple weeks ago and gets post and class relief tonight.

Race 7 - F&M NW30000L5/4&5YO F&M NW12 Races LT Pace

(2) BOLT OF BEAUTY crunched NW20000L5's last Thursday and although she steps up tonight, she was a rallying third at this level on March 5. She also moves inside on the gate. (3) BEST HEAD WEST just missed by a nose to Dragon Roll a week ago. That foe is a well-known commodity here and should be one of the favorites in tonight's Open, so there's no shame in being defeated by her. (5) STAR CAPTAIN saw her winning streak end last Thursday when she finished third but was placed seventh for causing inteference. I could see her bouncing back in quick order tonight.

Race 8 - F&M Open Pace

(3) GIA'S SURREAL returns to Yonkers after a gaining second-place finish in the F&M Open at the Meadowlands on May 7. She captured her division of the final round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series and the consolation of that event here prior to that, and she gets reunited with Bartlett. (4) DRAGON ROLL went off-form at a bad time after winning in the first round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series but has turned it back around with two straight victories, and her versatile racing style is a plus. (6) DRAMA ACT won the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final but disappointed at 1-9 with no visible excuse in the Open last Thursday. I'll try and beat her, but she could easily get back on the right foot tonight.

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

(7) SIESTA BEACH continues to slide down the class ladder here, and if she's ever going to get it going back the right way, I have to think it's going to come here. She paced home in 27 and change last Thursday after getting caught up in an incident before the half, so that might indicate she's getting sharp. (3) FIGHTING EVIL gets to drop out of the NW15000L5/NW8 class for the first time since back in February. She is winless in 2022, but I think she's usable underneath. (4) COUSIN MARY went off as the favorite in a NW15000L5 race last Thursday but had to settle for fourth. She gets to face NW10000L5's here.

Race 10 - 25000CLM Pace

(5) SHOREVIEW is in need of a little bit of a wake-up call, but he does race for a high-percentage trainer and gets Stratton back to drive. I'll give him a try. (6) TEXAS TERROR N hasn't missed the board in 10 tries so far as a 14-year-old and was reclaimed by Jenn Bongiorno last Thursday. (1) MISTER SPOT A hasn't raced since back on April 28 but was third the last time he faced $25,000 claimers on March 23 and starts from the pole.

Race 11 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(6) LOOKATMYART finished second to a classy foe in Major Battle a couple weeks ago. I think she faces an easier group here, and I'll give her a shot. (1) ALWAYS B MIMI is a newcomer from Delaware into the Cory Stratton barn. She downed NW6's at Harrington two back, and I wouldn't be surprised if she raced well. (3) RIGGINSWIND closed well to finish fourth in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia last time out.