Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 7/17

MEET STATS: 117 - 535 / $867.80 (-$202.20)
BEST BETS: 29 - 55 / $122.50 (+$16.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 5 - 53 / $56.50 (-$49.50)
BEST BET - SADDLE UP (1st)
SPOT PLAY - DRAGON YOU ALONG (4th)

Race 1 - 30000CLM Pace

(2) SADDLE UP has won four straight in this class and also prevailed once against $40,000 claimers. Add in a good draw and new connections off a claim, and he looks like the one to beat. (4) BURNHAM BOY N steps up from the $25,000 claiming level but does so off three consecutive victories and did hit the board twice against $30,000 claimers back in May. (6) ROCKIN N TALKIN finished with pace in a fourth-place finish to SADDLE UP last Thursday and makes his second appearance against $30,000 claiming company.

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Race 2 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace

(2) CAMOUFLAGE MONEY finished a solid second to the above-mentioned Saddle Up a week ago and faces age-restricted $30,000 claimers here rather than open company. (1) HAMMERING HANK returns off a runner-up result in a fast mile at Pocono most recently and also shows a second-place effort at this level at Yonkers back in mid-May. (5) BIG DREAM FELLA also comes out of that Saddle Up race from last Thursday and was a gaining third behind my top selection.

Race 3 - NW20000L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot

(4) AUSTRAL HANOVER had a tough trip two back and then was first-over in his third-place effort last Thursday. Hopefully a smoother journey can be worked out tonight as he's shown he's capable of winning at this level. (6) OVER AND BACK is on a lengthy run of finishes in top three and overcame post six to finish second a week ago. (2) BELLISSIMO FACE S debuts for new connections off a claim and hasn't been out of the exacta in his last three appearances in this class.

Race 4 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace

(4) DRAGON YOU ALONG closed with some interest last week in his first start in from Northfield and slides in on the gate from the seven-hole to post four this time. (1) ALWAYSCUTTINSCHOOL got the job done from first-over at this level a week ago. He starts from a good draw again and catches another beatable group as well. (2) SIP OF BOURBON gapped on the inside last Thursday and saw his run of on-the-board results come to a close. That was a bit uncharacteristic for a horse who had been racing so well, so I'll look for him to bounce right back and include.

Race 5 - New York Excelsior Series 3YO C&G Trot

(6) GANGSTA TALK looked the part with trotting hobbles on in the Excelsior Series at Goshen Historic Track, closing in 27 4/5 and winning. Given he was in the sire stakes prior to that, I think he's the one to go with tonight. (4) DOCTOR STRANGE is on a six-race streak of on-the-board finishes and has tallied twice in the Excelsior Series so far in 2025. (1A) BANKSY MONKEY starts from post eight but shows a pair of Excelsior Series talllies, and you also get an entrymate in (1) LOGO, who has a couple of thirds and a victory in his last three trips behind the gate.

Race 6 - 25000CLM Pace

(3) BETTORBUCKLEUP drew much better here after he had the seven-hole last Thursday and shows a pair of recent second-place finishes in this class. (4) I'M TALKIN HUNGRY has been outside the top three just once in his last five outings and was a runner-up at this level both last week and also on 6-18. (2) CAPTAIN T HANOVER doesn't have a great win record so far in 2025 but turned in an improved performance a week ago with a third in an age-restricted $30,000 claiming tilt.

Race 7 - NW22551L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot

(2) BLACKHAWK ZETTE hikes up from the NW15000L5's but does so off a victory, and this doesn't look like the toughest NW20000L5 race. (4) RAMBORAN has been in the exacta in seven of his ten appearances so far in 2025 and shows a recent win in the Open at Tioga and a second in the Open Handicap at Saratoga. (5) HAT TRICK MARLEAU got sharp against $40,000 claimers and kept it going when he stepped up to this class last Thursday as he hit the board again. I'll toss him in underneath.

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Race 8 - Invitational Trot

(5) TAKE ALL COMERS makes his third start back after the layoff tonight and raced well in a second-place finish behind one of the top horses in this class a couple of weeks ago. (3) FERRETTI drew better tonight as he slides in from the six-hole to post three and shows a third-place result in the Invitational back on June 12. (1) BLACK TIE BASH was a gaining third in the Invitational last Thursday and has the advantage of the pole position again in this contest.

Race 9 - 40000CLM Trot

(6) MAX drops a notch after he beat optional $60,000 claimers last Thursday and was the king of this class prior to that. Unless he makes a mistake, I think they're racing for second. (3) BARRY BLACK was a handy winner from first-up in a $40,000 claimer a couple of weeks ago and also scored in an amateur event back on the 18th of June. (2) ALL STAR SWAN makes her third appearance after some time on the shelf and has been third in both of her efforts at this level thus far.