Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 8/13

MEET STATS: 120 - 354 / $711.30 (+$3.30)

BEST BETS: 21 - 36 / $76.40 (+$4.40)

SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 36 / $45.00 (-$27.00)

BEST BET-MY RUEBE STAR N (5th)

SPOT PLAY-MAGICAL JOURNEY (8th)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(2) TYRONBETTORSELLA N is one of these Blumenfeld horses that rarely win, but a couple of her stablemates have delivered against NW5000L5's in the last month, and she was second to Pammy Jo, who has gone on to race well against better, back in February. (3) AMARETTIGONE might be the one to beat in this race as she finds a pretty soft spot coming down from the Opens at Saratoga. (4) LITTLE HONEYBADGER finished well against the optional $12,500 claimers most recently at Harrah's Philadelphia and was favored in a race at the Meadowlands back in July.

Race 2 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(6) MAGNIFICENT SEVEN raced pretty well in a NW2 back on July 30 where St Martins dominated in a quick mile for this level. He wasn't Brennan's choice, but I will give him a shot. (1) MAKING SPARKS came in second behind Big Money Honey in his last appearance on 7-16, and Big Money Honey went right on after that to defeat NW4's. He draws inside tonight and picks up Jordan Stratton. (5) WINTER OLYMPICS will probably be a heavy favorite as Brennan gets the call, but I didn't like her break at Pocono, and she has no half-mile track races on her card.

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

(5) MAGIC FORCES took her life's mark here at Yonkers and was second against better when last here back in February. I'll hope for a smoother journey than last time at Harrah's Philadelphia where she was first-up and use her on top. (4) TIPP CITY is another mare with a good local history, and she rejoins the red-hot Travis Alexander barn. (1) SHEER TALENT scored at Yonkers in late February with Siegelman driving, and they are reunited here from the pole position.

Race 4 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(2) ST MARTINS hikes up from NW2 to NW4 tonight, but he was mighty impressive in that win on July 30 and seems to have taken a liking to the trotting hobbles after the qualifier. I'll use again. (5) KREDIT KARMA ran into a well-meant Moon Bridge when last seen at Harrah's Philadelphia and couldn't threaten him, but his prior miles against NW3 there and NW4 at Pocono both were good, and he might offer some value underneath with Bartlett driving. (4) BIG MONEY HONEY has won two straight and certainly looks logical again as he takes another crack at the NW4's.

Race 5 - F&M Preferred Handicap Pace

(7) MY RUEBE STAR N actually gets to drop a notch to the Preferred after winning the Open on the 30th of July and has not done a single thing wrong since coming to the U.S. I'll hope she can keep the roll going. (6) IMPRINCESSGEMMA A took advantage of a drop to the NW25000L5 class last Thursday to score a fairly easy win. She does out-draw My Ruebe Star N here by one slot, so maybe Bongiorno can use that to his advantage. (4) LISPATTY finished third to My Ruebe Star N two back in the Open and then was second to Imprincessgemma A a week ago, so she's in good form. Her strong early speed usually ensures she gets well-spotted, too.

Race 6 - F&M NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(4) NEVERFORGETWHOUR kept Stratton over a couple of others in here, so maybe that means a little bit of improvement is coming this time. I also think this is a slightly weaker group than she met up with last time at the NW17500L5 level. (3) ANGEL'S PRIDE enjoyed a nice 2019 campaign and was even second in the Open at least once, but she hasn't shown much since coming back. Maybe returning to Yonkers and getting paired with Brennan can get her headed in the right direction. (1) WISHY WASHY GIRL put forth an aggressive try at Pocono and weakened late. That might have sharpened her up for tonight as Bartlett takes back over in the bike.

Race 7 - F&M NW17500L5/30000CLM Pace

(5) LADY DELA RENTA A won an edition of the Open at Yonkers in October 2019 and was regularly very good here. She spent some time out in Ohio and now returns to Westchester in Shane Tritton's barn. She qualified sharply over the track and Stratton goes in the bike. (6) DONT THINK TWICE A finished second to the very good mare Kendra N when last at Yonkers on 6-30, and that was in the NW25000L5 class, so this is a drop from that and her last appearance at Harrah's Philadelphia. (4) KIMBERLEE has been victorious at Yonkers in the past and an aggressive approach might be ahead with Brennan driving.

Race 8 - NW8/100000LT Trot

(6) MAGICAL JOURNEY qualified against a field of pacers on the 31st, so he actually kept up pretty well considering that. I have a feeling he'll be ready, and he was victorious against NW8's before the racing shutdown in March. (3) PURPOSE BLUE CHIP avoids Gettin Messi tonight after coming in second to him the last couple times. Daley will probably be sending him out of there again. (1) FULL RIGHTS might appreciate not having to start from post eight this time as he draws the rail, and he could add a bit of a price underneath.

Race 9 - NW10000L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/20000CLM Pace

(3) DREAM OF LUCK dominated against NW5000L5 and now steps up to the NW10000L5 group. I don't think this is the deepest bunch for this level, and Siegelman might get aggressive from this inside draw. (6) PERFECTLY CLOSE wasn't bad two back and got interfered with in the lane and then had no chance from post eight. He draws a little better tonight, and that might put him back in play. (4) KIMANI N disappointed as the favorite two back and then was first-over at Pocono. He does have post four rather than the eight-hole like he did in that local effort on the 16th, but I'll try and beat him at a low price.