Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 5/20

MEET STATS: 81 - 315 / $501.50 (-$128.50)

BEST BETS: 15 - 32 / $57.60 (-$6.40)

SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 32 / $18.20 (-$45.80)

BEST BET-GIA'S SURREAL (7th)

SPOT PLAY-SEZANA N (9th)

Race 1 - North American Amateur Drivers Association 2021 Spring Series Final Trot

(3) EXARCH moves inside on the gate this week after cutting the mile and finishing second a week ago. This horse has shown the ability to take pressure on the front-end, which he's probably going to face here in this series final for amateur drivers. (1) DARK POOL starts from the pole after going to the lead and ending as the runner-up last Thursday. I think he could improve tonight since that was his first appearance since April 24. (6) GOLDEN KRONOS went a big trip to defeat Exarch in that event last week, wearing him down after an extended first-over grind. He does have a worse starting position, but perhaps can get some cover to follow.

Race 2 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) ROCKIN THE BOYS A makes her second start at the bottom level tonight and was a good second to a well-meant ER Hilary last Thursday. (2) BETCHA BABY drops down to the NW5000L5 class from the NW7500L5's and also has a significantly better post. She was second to the razor-sharp Tellitsassymae back on April 22. (5) BALFAST N is another mare making her way down the ladder. She had a pretty good trip in that contest a week ago, but had to settle for third.

Race 3 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(1) DROP THE MIC came in second to a probable sire stakes contender in Eliza B last Thursday. That was his best performance since joining Nick Devita's barn, and I'll look for him to build on that here. (5) KILAUEA gained positions in the last quarter in the same race my top pick exits and should improve off that since this is his second start of 2021. (6) SHARE THE WEALTH made the Dexter Cup final down at Freehold and then trotted home in 27 4/5 over at the Meadowlands in a subsequent effort with trainer Ray Schnittker driving. He picks up a catch driver tonight in Mark MacDonald.

Race 4 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) FRANSCHOEK switches drivers to Joe Bongiorno this week, and I envision him sending her in her second try for the Bongiorno barn. (2) MADE OF JEWELS AS makes her second start after a layoff here and also drops in class. (7) CORAL BELLA has raced well at Yonkers in the past, and trainer Izzy Estrada is one who often has horses very ready when they make their first start out of his stable.

Race 5 - NW4/51000LT Trot

(5) SWEET SOUL DAVID couldn't deliver as the odds-on choice down at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 6, but this horse raced well on half-mile tracks in Canada a year ago, he should improve now that he has a qualifier and a pari-mutuel start under his belt, and the combination of driver George Brennan and trainer Nik Drennan is quite potent. (6) HOOLIE N HECTOR turned in a strong performance a week ago, finishing second from first-up to the red-hot Bluffinner. I respect that and will definitely use. (4) YANKEE GIRLFRIEND was third in the same event that Hoolie N Hector comes out of and gets away from Bluffinner here.

Race 6 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(4) SLICK ARTIST starts out of the Gil Garcia-Herrera barn for the second time tonight. I wouldn't mind seeing her get a chance on the front-end here, and she has the right driver to make that happen in Dan Dube. (7) SCANDALICIOUS has a bad case of the poor post blues right now, but she's been able to overcome it to finish third in her last two chances, and I think she definitely usable. (1) POPPY DRAYTON N returns to Yonkers after getting a chance to stretch her legs over at the Meadowlands on May 7. She just missed two back locally around two post eight efforts and gets a new pilot in Jason Bartlett.

Race 7 - F&M NW20900L5/30000CLM/NW10 Pace

(7) GIA'S SURREAL invades from the Meadowlands where she's been facing the likes of Machnhope in her last couple. This should be a significantly easier spot, and I'll bank on her taking advantage. (5) JEWELS FORREAL picked up checks in her three chances at the Open level, including a third to Racine Bell on 4-22. This should be a more reasonable spot for her. (4) WALTZWITHSIERRA A gapped cover a bit last Thursday but did rally in the lane. She was Jordan Stratton's choice of a few in here, and I respect that call by the track's leading driver.

Race 8 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(3) LADYBELUCKYTONITE has hit the board in four straight, including three wins, and while this is another step up in class, I respect that she kept her streak going a week ago in a similar situation, and that Garcia-Herrera re-claimed her. (4) ASHTINI scored her last win at this level on April 1 and makes her third start tonight since adding Lasix. (1) DIXIE STAR N double-jumps from the NW5000L5/12500CLM's, but she won impressively last Wednesday and was completely wrapped up in the lane.

Race 9 - F&M NW10150L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(1) SEZANA N drew inside again tonight and has been "sneaky good" lately behind horses like Tellitsassymae. Bartlett is going to take over the drive here with Todd McCarthy not competing on the program. (4) TAKE ABIT OF LIFE raced the best out of trainer Jake Huff's horses I saw that shipped up from Pompano, and she has been victorious at Yonkers in her career. (6) CLASSY CHAPEL N was one I used a week ago and she got the job done at a nice 14-1. She might be able to get a similar journey tonight and has definitely stepped up since joining the Devita barn.

Race 10 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/NW9 Pace

(5) TELLITSASSYMAE looks like she's probably heading towards being an Open mare here based on her last three wins, and I'm going to join her bandwagon tonight. (6) IMPRINCESSGEMMA has Joe Bongiorno back to drive for the first time since April 22, but she had pretty much every chance to win a week ago and couldn't hold on. (2) NORTH STAR IDEAL usually does her best work a notch or two lower in class than this, but she does move inside off two straight post seven tries and gets to partner with Stratton.