Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 7/23

MEET STATS: 108 - 303 / $632.90 (+$26.90)
BEST BETS: 18 - 30 / $54.60 (-$5.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 30 / $45.00 (-$15.00)
BEST BET-AMBRO COURAGE N (3rd)
SPOT PLAY-OHOKA JOHNNY N (8th)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) MANHATTAN PLAY invades from the Meadowlands off a good closing effort from post ten. Bartlett has driven her across the river and took her over several others. (6) CHECKERED PAST drops from the NW9000L5 class at Pocono to the NW5000L5's at Yonkers. She has shown speed before, so Holland might take a shot and be aggressive with her in this spot. (1) HEAVENS CHALLENGE certainly appears logical moving from post eight to the pole position tonight, but she has just one win since last July, and I'll try to beat her at what will probably be too low of a price.

Race 2 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) THE LADY SHERIFF won two starts back in this class locally and then wound up first-over in a subsequent start down at Harrah's Philadelphia. I'll hope Siegelman is aggressive with her again and use. (4) FIRSTUP shows a third two starts back at the NW9000L5 level at Pocono, so any repeat of that effort would make her tough against these. Bill Mann wound up with the drive when she was rejected by Bartlett. (1) HURRICANE CALLEIGH is much like her stablemate Heavens Challenge in race one that she's probably going to take a lot of money and I'm going to prefer others. She was Bartlett's choice and has the pole position, but that 0-for-11 record this year is tough to ignore.

Race 3 - F&M NW10000L5/Winner in the Base Class NW5000L5 in Last Start/20000CLM Pace

(3) AMBRO COURAGE N gets class relief in her second start off the layoff tonight and races out of the red-hot Nick Devita barn. Jordan Stratton has the call in the bike this time. (2) ROCKNROLL ANNIE raced at a higher level from an outside post in her one start at Yonkers back in June and then was scratched at the Meadowlands. She had a couple on-the-board finishes against NW6's back in the winter that make her interesting in this spot, and Marohn Jr. has piloted her before. (1) CLASSY CHAPEL N drops tonight, moves to the pole position, and she gets reunited with Bartlett.

Race 4 - F&M NW25000L5/3&4YO NW10/40000CLM Pace

(3) FEELIN RED HOT found a seat in fourth last week from post eight but then had the misfortune of being first-over against the razor-sharp My Ruebe Star N. She slides inside tonight and it looks like should be back on the lead or in the pocket, which is much more her style. (4) DIBABA N raced in the Open from post eightwhen last seen at Yonkers, then went back to Harrington and picked up a second and a first in their Open. This is a much better post and class for her to contend on the ship north. (5) DELISHKA N also gets to to slide down from the Open ranks this week, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bongiorno got aggressive with her from the gate.

Race 5 - F&M NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(6) APPLE BOTTOM JEANS disappointed at Pocono most recently, but I don't think chasing from first-over is her best trip scenario. Hopefully Callahan can get to the front with her tonight and her back-class can help carry her past this group. (4) ROCKIN THE BOYS A drops back to the level of her win on June 23 and is certainly the other main danger in here. (7) SCANDALICIOUS has class relief tonight, sliding down from the NW27500L5's but got no favors from the post draw. If they mix it up on the lead, maybe she can close into it late.

Race 6 - NW10000L5/Winner in the Base Class NW5000L5 in Last Start/20000CLM Pace

(4) MIGHTY MR SHARKEY N has raced at higher levels both here at Yonkers and at Pocono since coming back from the layoff. I think he catches a group here he can make some noise against on the drop and did win in Westchester back in February. (3) ON THE VIRG met up with NW20000L5's and NW15000L5's before the racing shutdown and is capable of improving tonight with the start at Harrah's Philly under his belt. (7) CHUMLEE A makes this third start for Harris in this spot, and Bartlett might try and send him. That qualifier at Gaitway when Bartlett piloted him was quite good.

Race 7 - F&M NW10000L5/Winner in the Base Class NW5000L5 in Last Start/20000CLM Pace

(6) CORAL BELLA took her life's mark at Yonkers last year and got checks in her last two against better at Pocono. The Alexander barn is hot right now and I don't mind Stratton getting the drive. (1) TELLAWOMAN romped to an easy win at this level two back and switches pilots to Brennan this time. (7) GIRL'S GOT RHYTHM is another horse on the card coming out of the Devita barn and this 4-year-old mare has a good history at Yonkers, including a run of four straight wins in 2019.

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

(5) OHOKA JOHNNY N is one of the few Shane Tritton horses not to have made an impact yet in the U.S., but those were two fast races at the Meadowlands, and I can excuse the race on 7-4 from an outside post. I'll go what I hope is price shopping with a barn that has been winning their fair share of races. (2) TREASURE MACH was Bartlett's choice of two and the Milici horses have been racing well now that they're back on a regular racing rotations. (3) IMSTAYNALIVE could certainly win this race on the drop from the Meadowlands and Pocono, but I will hope for a better price elsewhere.