Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 5/4

MEET STATS: 72 - 282 / $526.20 (-$37.80)
BEST BETS: 9 - 28 / $30.20 (-$25.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 28 / $42.90 (-$13.10)
BEST BET - WINDSONG PIONEER (9th)
SPOT PLAY - BRAVO ROMEO (1st)

Race 1 - NW1/12500LT Trot

(3) BRAVO ROMEO is a 5YO half-brother to former Trotting Triple Crown winner Marion Marauder who is making just his sixth career start tonight. He did beat NW1's down at Harrah's Philadelphia last August and these same connections had a very live trotter off the bench in a maiden race last week who finished first-placed-second. (6) USEYOURLOVETONIGHT finished full of trot in the stretch last week after making an early break and could certainly threaten here if he keeps his gait together tonight. (4) COLUMBUS is the only horse in here with a win in 2023 and debuts for trainer Scott Di Domenico on the ship-in from Ohio.

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Race 2 - NW8741L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(1) ROCK DIAMONDS N won that NW7500 race that's listed as "no contest" on 4-25, and everything Jenn and Joe Bongiorno are sending out right now seems to be racing well. (2) LOVE THE BLUES N should appreciate getting to exit the $40,000 claiming level and squeezed into this contest by a dollar as he has $8,740 earned in his last five starts. (4) MAXIMUS RED A has paced back-to-back good final quarters against NW7500L5 foes and trainer Paul Stafford is coming off a multi-win week over at the Meadowlands.

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Race 3 - NW20021L5/NW10 PM Races LT/50000CLM Trot

(3) SEVENSHADESOFGREY appeared to have trot in the stretch last Thursday but also didn't have any space to rally through. He gets some post relief off that mile and can hopefully find a cleaner trip here. (4) STORMY KROMER has turned it back around with a win and a second in his last two starts and is capable of racing well at way higher levels than this when he's sharp. (2) MISSION VOYAGE has won three of his last four outings for the Bongiornos and is definitely usable again.

Race 4 - NW4/63512LT / NW2/25000LT Drawn Inside Trot

(3) ER NO MORE has hit the board in both of his tries since coming from Northfield and faces mixed NW4/NW2 company here rather than NW4's and NW6's like last Thursday. He also gets a chance to team up with Yannick Gingras. (2) CRAZYLAND trotted a 28 second last quarter to finish third in the SRF Series final over at the Meadowlands most recently and hails from the high-percentage Per Engblom barn. (5) HEADOVERBOOTS AS saw his lengthy streak of top-three finishes end on April 20 as he had to settle for fourth following an early break. I will look for him to rebound and include.

Race 5 - 3-5YO Open Pace

I will stay loyal to (5) PLEASELETMEKNOW this week as he gives this class a third try. He gets a driver switch to Dan Dube here, and that could indicate he's going to be sent out of there. (3) SOUTHWIND PETYR has been one of the sharp Bongiorno horses since the claim on 4-12 as he was second and then won at this level. (1) KOOTENAY SANTANNA starts from the pole here for the Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke duo and I'm guessing will be sitting in the pocket again.

Race 6 - NW30401L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM/Winners of 36501 to Draw Outside Trot

(3) ICANFLYLIKEANANGEL was a Yonkers regular at one time but hasn't been since here in a couple of years. Anyway, he's gone on to be one of the top trotters at Northfield and The Meadows since leaving and comes back to Westchester off a victory at Plainridge. (2) HAYEK cruised over NW20000L5 base class rivals a week ago and is another contender out of the Engblom stable on the program. (4) ON HIGHER GROUND exits the Open after finishing fourth on April 20 and hit the board in two out of three starts at this level in March and April. He's another Bongiorno horse to consider.

Race 7 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(1) TIN ROOF RAIDER A gets to double-drop out of the NW10000L5's and showed the ability to finish second against $50,000 claimers as recently as 3-13. He also gets to start from the pole position. (7) PACE N PRIDE N finished a good second to Rock Diamonds N in that "no contest" race on 4-25 and slides down to the bottom level. (6) KEYSTONE DASH exits the NW7500L5's off a second-place finish on the 18th of April.

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Race 8 - F&M Open Handicap Trot

(5) HERCULISA disappointed as the favorite in the Open last week as she sat on the cones and never threatened. She faces only mares here, and I will hope for a more aggressive approach. (4) NO MAS DRAMA has been sharp as a tack for a while now and comes in off back-to-back thirds in the Open. (6) HEY LIVVY can definitely win this race with her "A" game, but I find it very hard to guess when that's going to happen and when it isn't, so I'll slot underneath.

Race 9 - NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/NW9 PM Races LT Trot

(2) WINDSONG PIONEER receives additional class relief tonight and gets to move way inside on the gate to go with it. (5) FLIP THE SWITCH was racing in the Open at Yonkers earlier this year and returns from Harrah's Philadelphia for Engblom off a second-place finish. (4) BANK BOX TREASURE put in a quality effort in this class two back to finish second and I can overlook that last try at Pocono as he was in against tougher rivals.