Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 8/12

MEET STATS: 159 - 567 / $921.60 (-$212.40)
BEST BETS: 28 - 54 / $100.50 (-$7.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 54 / $24.70 (-$83.30)
BEST BET - PETTYCOAT BUSINESS (1st)
SPOT PLAY - PAIGE'S GIRL (6th)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) PETTYCOAT BUSINESS drops to the bottom level tonight after a closing third-place finish last Thursday and should take advantage. (4) ALL ABOUT AMY was fifth in the same race my top pick comes out of after doing the first-over work. That good third-place effort against NW7500L5's two back shows she is capable of threatening. (2) QUITE A DELIGHT N moves inside on the gate after having posts eight and six in her last pair, and I will put on the ticket.

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Race 2 - NW1/12500LT Trot

(6) ENDYMION hasn't been able to duplicate that win over NW1's at Harrah's Philadelphia on 7-8 since coming to Yonkers, but just the fact that he's won recently when these others haven't stands out to me, and I'll give him a try. (4) CHERRY MASON hit the board again last Thursday, finishing third. He hasn't been able to win yet this year, though, so I'll continue to use underneath. (7) SV ROYAL FLUSH was a good second a week ago afer racing on or near the lead throughout. Maybe co-owner/driver Dan Dube will hustle him out again tonight.

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Race 3 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(6) IDENTITY POLICE ships in from Pocono for the powerful trotting barn of Marcus Melander with back-to-back wins, including one over their NW2 class. (1) BACARDI makes his second start of the season tonight and was a pretty good third a week ago. (3) CHROME PACKAGE owns just a one-for-32 win record in his career but does hit the board with regularity and drew inside again.

Race 4 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(1) SANDY'S BEACH catches a pretty wide-open group for this class in her debut for trainer Jenn Bongiorno, and Jordan Stratton, who has been her regular pilot, remains in the seat. (7) SCANDALICIOUS took one chance against NW10000L5's on 7-29 and now retreats to the NW7500L5 level. She's been pretty win-shy this year but could be used underneath. (2) GREENHILL HANOVER won in her first time out for trainer Izzy Estrada last week. She does move up from the NW5000L5's but like I mentioned with my top pick, this isn't the toughest bunch.

Race 5 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(7) MAGICAL MUSCLE MAN is another Melander trainee who has been racing well over in Pennsylvania that gives Yonkers a shot tonight. I like that he was able to overcome post seven to score at Pocono once back in June, and driver Mattias Melander has been piloting him often. (5) VICTORIANA cruised to a facile win over NW2's when last seen at Yonkers in mid-July and then had a second and a fifth against NW5's at Harrah's Philadelphia. Trainer Trond Smedshammer drove her aggressively in that victory here, so perhaps that'll be the plan. (4) CHERRY RED has missed the board just once in four starts since Dan Dube took over in the bike, and he has the call again.

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

(5) PAIGE'S GIRL showed some interest in the last quarter on 7-29 to get a check against NW15000L5's. She drops a level tonight and trainer Lance Hudson sent out a couple of winners last week. (2) NEVERFORGETWHOUR has been a pretty reliable threat in this class in her time at Yonkers and looked ready in that qualifier at Harrah's Philadelphia, missing by just a nose in 1:53 and change. (6) ANNE BONNEY N gets to slide down a notch and gets reunited with Jason Bartlett for the first time since they won together on 6-10.

Race 7 - F&M Open Handicap Pace

(6) SIESTA BEACH keeps churning out quality effort after quality effort and is one of the main dangers in here. (8) RACINE BELL returns to Yonkers after destroying the track record at Batavia Downs last Wednesday. Post eight did trip her up on 7-1, so I'll try and beat her, but she could definitely win this race. (2) DBLDELITEBRIGADE N defeated NW30000L5's a week ago and might be able to work out a similar stalking trip tonight.

Race 8 - F&M NW30000L5 Pace

(1) SEASWIFT JOY N gets to drop out of the Open for a first time in a while and kept Jim Marohn Jr. over one he usually handles in Robyn Camden. That was a pretty sharp 27 3/5 final quarter on 7-29, as well. (3) MONICA GALLAGHER was Stratton's choice of a pair and gets to move in from post eight to post three after gaining spots and ground in the last quarter a week ago. (2) BOLT OF BEAUTY was a good second to Dbldelitebrigade N in that same race Monica Gallagher exits. Marcus Miller is in town to drive her again.

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

(1) MAJOR BATTLE won at Yonkers back in March and hasn't missed the board since early May. I'll swing with her. (4) TURNTHEFROWNAROUND was following cover on the far turn last week when she made a break. That does look out of character, and she drops in class tonight, so she'll have every chance to rebound. (7) NATASHA steps up a level here but has been sharp in every appearance since coming back off a lengthy layoff and looks usable.

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

(3) SPORTS FLIX slides out of the NW30000L5 class and moves inside on the gate after having post eight in her last try on July 29. (5) THATS INCREDIBLE kept up her solid run from Plainridge when she showed up at Yonkers a week ago, finishing second at this level. (4) FEELIN RED HOT continues to work her way down the ladder. Like I said last Thursday, she's gotten tough to guess on, at least for me, but she'll wake up one of these nights.

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Race 11 - NW6/75000LT Trot

(4) HILLEXOTIC looks really tough here with the way he responded to dropping out of the Graduate Series in that NW5 race at Harrah's Philadelphia last week. He's back on a regular racing rotation, too, after having a gap in his schedule coming into that event. (2) COCKTAILS N DREAMS owns two recent victories over NW5's at Harrah's Philadelphia and gets Todd McCarthy to come in to drive him. (7) BIG BAD SWAN rebounded after breaking on 7-22 to win over NW4's the following Thursday. He does move up a level tonight.

Race 12 - F&M NW20000L5/30000CLM/NW10 Pace

(4) JOSSIE JAMES A took back to race off-the-pace for a second straight time last week and finished third to Dbldelitebrigade N. With some additional class relief here, I'll hope Dube switches it up and sends her. (1) MAN DONTFORGET ME is about as in-form as a horse can be right now, and even though she's moving up in class, I can't see that doing much to deter her, especially starting from the pole. (3) GOLDEN QUEST N gets to start from an inside post for the first time since back in early June at the Meadowlands and picked up McCarthy at scratch time.