Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 7/8

MEET STATS: 123 - 448 / $728.70 (-$167.30)
BEST BETS: 23 - 44 / $85.40 (-$2.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 44 / $18.20 (-$69.80)
BEST BET - BYE BYE MICHELLE (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - SPORTS FLIX (7th)

Race 1 - F&M NW8400L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(3) CHASE YOU drops and draws inside for a change tonight. She's been finishing her miles decently as of late, so I'll give her a shot. (1) ITS MESMERISE N ships north from Harrah's Philadelphia with two straight wins. This is a bump up in class from that last victory, but she offsets it with having the pole. (4) KAITLYN N finished second to the razor-sharp Franschoek last Wednesday and seems way overdue to erase the zero from her 2021 win column.

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Race 2 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(4) SOUTHWIND RITZ gained ground in the last quarter when she competed at Yonkers on June 24. She's shown more early speed in the past and has a slightly better post from that race, so that gives Scott Zeron some options with her. (7) CHARMING BANK is stuck outside again tonight but has a win and a third in two local tries since coming in from the Midwest. (3) VICTORIANA hasn't raced in anything but stakes events in 2021, so that's a positive factor in her corner. After a few opportunities with catch drivers, trainer Trond Smedshammer is going to pilot her tonight.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Yonkers card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3 - F&M NW5050L5/12500CLM Pace

(2) BYE BYE MICHELLE slides down a level after finishing a gaining third against NW7500L5 foes a week ago and should probably wire this group. (5) ROCK IS SWEET hasn't won since August of 2019 but just missed by a nose at the Meadowlands on June 25 and has plenty of half-mile track experience. (3) TOPVILLE ANGELINA gets both post and class relief tonight for the potent Gil Garcia-Herrera barn. She posted a second-place result three back against NW5000L5's.

Racd 4 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(5) BRILLIANT BOB has gained ground in the last quarter in both starts since coming into the Nick Devita barn from Ohio. He often raced with a more forwardly-placed style in the Buckeye State, and I wouldn't mind seeing that employed here. (3) CHERRY RED gets another chance with driver Dan Dube tonight after he finished second with him in the bike a week ago. This 4-year-old did beat NW4's at Pocono back in May. (4) REEL EM IN owns a runner-up finish and a third-place result since coming in from Monticello and has missed the board just once in his last seven trips behind the gate.

Race 5 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(8) THE REAL ONE starts from post eight, but he never races this low in class and is absolutely capable of winning if Pat Lachance can work out any kind of trip for him. (3) LUCK N ROLL K has the drop/improved post combo going for him in this spot, and he can definitely wake up with that going for him. (1) WARDAN EXPRESS A slides down from the NW10000L5 level and has the pole position.

Race 6 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(5) LADY ROCKNROLLA A posted her most recent win the last time she raced in this class on 5-27, and she kept George Brennan in the bike tonight. I am anticipating a more aggressive approach this time. (1) TALL POPPY N had no chance a week ago against NW15000L5's from post eight, but she moves back down a level and has the rail here. (2) BALFAST N held on to get a check after doing the first-over work against well-meant Demeter N last Thursday. She's one of many in here hoping some class relief out of the NW15000L5's will help her.

Race 7 - F&M Preferred Pace

(3) SPORTS FLIX came in second and fourth in her first two starts after shipping in from Ohio, then didn't have much of an opportunity to get involved from an outside post a week ago. She moves inside on the gate tonight, and I'll bank on that helping her get the winning trip. (6) FEELIN RED HOT held on to third after a first-over trip in the Open last Thursday. She hasn't been on the engine in a few weeks, so maybe they'll try that with her this time. (8) SURREAL FEELING hasn't missed the board in 13 starts in 2021 and has already posted eight wins. She does have to contend with post eight, though, so I'll slot underneath.

Race 8 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/NW9 Pace

(8) DRAGON ROLL exits the Open level and fits this race via the optional NW9 condition. She is obviously stuck out in post eight, but she's been so sharp for so long that she's worth a chance. (1) POPPY DRAYTON N has raced much better in her last three tries than she had been prior to that. She gets significant post relief tonight and is usable. (6) SLICK ARTIST A won four straight for Gil Garcia-Herrera but has a new trainer tonight after a claim. I'll try and beat her, but I could definitely see her taking another victory.

Race 9 - F&M NW15000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/NW9 Pace

(5) NORMAN'S MADELINE put some wild fractions on the board last Thursday and ended up third. Her last victory came at this level in late April. (1) APRIL AVA hails from the ever-dangerous Ron Burke barn and has been strong in the corresponding classes to this one in Pennsylvania. (4) STONEBRIDGE SOUL won two back at the Meadowlands but is just two-for-24 in the win column the last two years, and she's not the type of horse I would recommend at a low price.

Race 10 - F&M NW20000L5/30000CLM/NW10 Pace

(6) WALTZWITHSIERRA A remains in search of her first win since coming from Down Under but has performed well in this class previously. (5) I'M VERY SPECIAL hit the board in three straight between Yonkers and Pocono and then was a good fourth at the Meadowlands on 6-26, finishing with a final quarter in 25 2/5. (1) SHECANDANCE N ships back over from Pocono after winning two straight. She was struggling a bit before leaving, but I respect that she's found her form again and has post one.

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Race 11 - NW7/75000LT Trot

(1) TURBOCHARGEDPETE should be very happy not to see Bluffinner in this race as he's had to settle for second to him the last two Thursdays. He landed another inside post, and I'll look for him to take advantage. (4) SWISS HOUSE ONFIRE did beat my top pick back on 6-17 and after racing from off-the-pace a week ago, I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to an aggressive approach. (5) FOCUS POCUS makes his Yonkers debut having hit the board in his last three at Harrah's Philadelphia, including a win last Thursday. He has a lot of half-mile track experience from racing on the Pennsylvania Fairs circuit as a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old.

Race 12 - F&M NW30000L5 Pace

(2) TAKE ABIT OF LIFE wound up third in this class against a group that I think is stronger than this one a week ago and is back on a weekly racing schedule tonight. (3) ANN HILL makes her second start out of the Garcia-Herrera barn after ending up first-over against the classy Siesta Beach last Thursday. (5) DEMETER N steps up two levels off back-to-back wins. She was in the Open earlier this year, so she may be handle to handle it.