Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 7/16

MEET STATS: 98 - 279 / $540.40 (-$17.60)
BEST BETS: 16 - 27 / $49.50 (-$4.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 27 / $34.40 (-$19.60)
BEST BET - SLICK ARTIST A (1st)
SPOT PLAY - PAMMY JO (6th)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) SLICK ARTIST A finished second against NW15000L5's back in February at Yonkers, so this is a very, very easy spot for a mare capable of that kind of performance, and she exits a quality runner-up performance against better down at Harrah's Philly. (4) DALI DELIGHT picked up a third-place finish in this class back on the 30th of June, and could come up with an improved performance tonight since that was her first start off the layoff. (1) MORE THAN MANY gets another shot at starting from the pole position after coming in fourth on June 23. She could only get away fourth that night, but maybe Stratton can coax a little more early speed out of her.

Race 2 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(3) WINDSONG PIONEER gets to move down from NW8 to NW4 tonight, and though he meets up with a couple tough rivals to the inside, I'll give him a shot based on his quality efforts in this class last winter and the fact he's close to the earnings cap at this level, having banked over $48,000. (2) SHAKE N BAKE took a couple of chances in the Graduate Series and closed well in his last effort at the Meadowlands. I don't blame anybody for going with him, but he does like to finish second (ten times) more than he likes to win (four times), and so I'll take a stand against at a short price. (1) LA DOLFINA shipped into the Tritton barn and was ready to fire, beating a group of NW4's on June 30. He gets another chance in the same company tonight, draws the rail, and kept Stratton, so those are all positives.

Race 3 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(7) FLY EAGLE FLY was a big yearling purchase ($145,000) and made only three starts last year. He's a son of 2019 Breeders Crown Open Trot winner and international superstar Bold Eagle, so there's been a bit of intrigue around him because of that, and I think his connections might be keen to get his maiden broken. I'll hope for an aggressive Mattias Melander drive. (1) BIG MONEY HONEY came off the shelf to finish third at Pocono against their NW2 class. He tried the New York Sire Stakes a few times last year and just missed by a nose against NW2's at Yonkers, so he's probably the one to beat. (5) CELEBRITY LIBERTY beat NW1's at Vernon Downs nicely on the 18th of June and Fern Paquet Jr. comes down for just this one drive.

Race 4 - F&M Open Pace

(1) KENDRA N left New Zealand with three straight wins and was victorious in her second attempt in the U.S. on June 30. She does move up to the top level tonight, but she was a regular participant in Group 1 and Group 2 races in her home country, so I think there's some quality to her, she won with what appeared to be a lot left in that last try, and she has the pole position. (5) SNOBBYTOWN should get plenty of notice in this race coming off a second-place finish to the mighty Shartin N in the Open last time out. She also won the Yonkers Open the start before that, and she doesn't meet up with anyone with near the credentials of Shartin N tonight. (2) IMPRINCESSGEMMA A draws inside after starting from post six and post five. She's closed with strong final quarters in both local attempts.

Race 5 - F&M NW25000L5/3&4YO NW10 Pace

(2) MY RUEBE STAR N could not have been more impressive last week, working out a pocket trip from post eight and going right by Feelin Red Hot, a quality opponent and multiple-time open winner. She takes another step up tonight, but offsets that by drawing post two, and I'll use. (5) MACHNHOPE doesn't have a great deal of affinity for the turns at Yonkers, but it didn't matter a bit last week as she still powered home to the win. She sticks in the same class tonight and should be a threat. (3) MISS YOU N beat a solid group at Pocono that included the likes of Apple Bottom Jeans. She has a lot of winning experience at Yonkers as well and should retain the value she offered in that last event.

Race 6 - F&M NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(1) PAMMY JO paced home strongly against tough competition at the Meadowlands and Pocono since racing resumed and now gets an inside post against a field I think she can be a factor against. She won two straight at Yonkers back in the winter, and I'll hope for a bit of a price. (5) TELL ME A JOKE drops in class this time after finishing third behind Machnhope and Kendra N on June 23. That was her first charted line since back in March, so she should improve now that she's made a start. (2) ANNABETH easily won a NW15000L5 race at Yonkers in February and slides inside tonight after a gaining fourth-place finish on the 30th of June.

Race 7 - NW8/100000LT Trot

(3) GETTIN MESSI hasn't had the same success in the NW8 class that he did when he was going against NW4's and NW6's during the winter, but he did gain in the final quarter of that mile on June 30 and moves inside from post seven to post two. (2) PURPOSE BLUE CHIP didn't make one pari-mutuel start in 2019, but he's been excellent as a 5-year-old, winning twice at Vernon and then hanging on to win the same event my top pick exits. He's been on or near the lead in all his races, and I expect the same here. (5) CASH HIT shifts over to this level after beating NW10000L5's in facile fashion. He goes for the potent Bartlett/Harris combo, and should be in the mix.

Race 8 - NW10000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/20000CLM Pace

(4) JET ROCK looks like he has a similar profile coming into this contest that Abraxas Blues A did when he was a winner in this class a week ago for the Brennan/DiDomenico tandem. He won locally in January and may be able to wire or stalk and pounce on this field. (8) KIMANI N continues to slide down the class ladder tonight for Bartlett and Harris but is stuck outside. He won in this class in January and then beat NW15000L5 in his next appearance as well, so he's a definite fit. (6) SOHO WALLSTREET A competed in the open last August when last seen at Yonkers and picked up an easy win most recently at Pocono.