Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 8/24

MEET STATS: 163 - 610 / $1,080.40 (-$139.60)

BEST BETS: 25 - 58 / $83.60 (-$32.40)

SPOT PLAYS: 12 - 59 / $156.60 (+$38.60)

BEST BET-SHAKE IT (2nd)

SPOT PLAY-BETTER B SWIFT (11th)

Race 1 - NW6/75000LT / NW8/100000LT Drawn Outside Trot

(5) CREATE MYSTIQUE cut the fractions and was a good second to a heavy favorite two weeks ago. She makes her fourth start off the layoff tonight, is adding Lasix for the first time and I'll use. (6) CREATIVE VENTURE is in sharp form with six on-the-board finishes in his seven starts this year. He was third in the same race my top pick exits on 8-10. (1) MUSCLE DAN owns a win over NW7 foes at Yonkers back in early July and moves inside to the pole position this time.

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Race 2 - 3-5YO Open Pace

(5) SHAKE IT has been racing pretty well against open company lately and gets reunited with Jason Bartlett here. (2) HAZEVILLE hasn't competed in this class before but in the midst of a very good 4-year-old campaign. He gets a new driver tonight with George Brennan taking over. (1) GREG THE LEG is riding a three-race win streak and also won at this level back on June 22. Add in that he's getting significant post relief, and he's a definite threat.

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Race 3 - NW30000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM Trot

(1) OH BOY didn't have much success in the Open recently but did trot a good final quarter last Thursday. He drops and moves inside to the pole position in this spot. (5) ALL CHAMPY got a check in the Open Handicap a week ago and now slides back down. He had two straight wins at this level on 7-20 and 8-3. (3) HAYEK is another one in here exiting the Open - both here and at Harrah's Philadelphia. He gets to team up with Bartlett tonight, and the last time that happened, it resulted in an easy victory on the 6th of July.

Race 4 - NW20001L5/NW10 PM Races LT Trot

(7) NO MAS DRAMA ran into a favorite who was too tough on the front-end last Thursday but did well to hold on to finish second considering she had to do the first-over work. She remains at the same level here, and I think she's worth another shot. (2) VALI HANOVER keeps putting out quality efforts and has been hot at the claim box, too. He does exit claiming company for a tougher spot here, but offsets that by moving inside on the gate. (5) B MEDITHREE hikes up from the NW15000L5's but does so off a victory, and I'll toss him in underneath.

Race 5 - NAADA Amateur Fall Series Leg #1 Trot

(1) JIVE NINETY FIVE had no shot from an outside post two weeks ago but had been performing well prior to that. He moves inside to the pole position tonight and gets reunited with Yogi Sheridan. (6) CALL ME THEFIREMAN led the way and wound up third in the amateur series final on August 10 and owns a victory over the oval on the 27th of July. (4) HP RUNNING MASS came in third in the Hambletonian Amateur contest over at the Meadowlands earlier this month and probably faces softer company in this event than he did in that NW6061L5 tilt here on 8-12.

Race 6 - NW2/25000LT / NW1/12500LT Drawn Inside Trot

(1) STRATEGIC made a miscue before the start last week and lost all hope, but he did take plenty of wagering action and did make up some ground in the last quarter, so I think he was well-meant. I'll give him another chance and hope Brent Holland does well with him. (4) DRINK UP DRINK UP shows two victories over NW1 company on the half-mile oval out at Northfield and is making his second start back after a bit of time off. (7) SHOPPING IN PARIS defeated NW1 company at Yonkers on the 10th of August. She does move outside on the gate, though, so I'll take a shot against her. Bartlett takes over the driving tonight.

Race 7 - 50000CLM Trot

(5) LINDSEY'S PRIDE never really fired last Thursday, but he did have a bit of a gap in his schedule coming into that race. I'll hope for a better performance tonight and put him on top. (3) EPOS OSTERVANG DK got the job done a week ago with a nice, rallying victory. He gets to move inside a couple of notches on the gate here and gets a driver switch to Bartlett. (7) BRAVE BY DESIGN disappointed a week ago as the favorite but did win two straight starts prior to that and will likely offer a better price this time.

Race 8 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(6) DOUBLE DIPPIN showed quite a bit of heart to battle back for the win after getting passed last Thursday. He remains in against NW4 company tonight and I'll go with him again. (3) ROSE RUN YANKEE rebounded from a break on 8-10 to rally and just miss by a nose to my top pick a week ago. He gets significant post relief here. (7) LONESTAR FASHION has been victorious at Yonkers before and returns off a win and a second in the NW4 class at Pocono in his last two appearances.

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Race 9 - 50000CLM Trot

(5) ABBEY D was third last week in this class in her Yonkers debut. I anticipate she'll improve off that effort tonight and also won't be favored this time. (3) NEWSBOY was able to get a check in the Open last Thursday and finds a much more reasonable spot here. He also gets Bartlett back in the bike. (4) BIZET woke up with a vastly-improved effort a week ago and just missed winning. He gets another opportunity to partner with Jordan Stratton, and I'll put him underneath.

Race 10 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(3) PHOTOBOMBR HANOVER ships east from Northfield and is now with Jenn Bongiorno. That barn has had lots of success with horses that have demonstrated some ability in the past, but maybe aren't showing it on a regular basis any more and hopefully that happens with this horse. (5) MR IBIZA N hasn't won yet in the U.S. but has been competitive and gets to drop from the NW10000L5 level. (1) GENIUS MAN has the post/class relief combo going for him tonight and is usable.

Race 11 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(2) BETTER B SWIFT finds the bottom level tonight and gets to exiting claiming company. I think this is a much softer spot, and he did finish third on August 4 from an inside post. (4) HEART ON MY SLEEVE woke up when he faced NW7500L5 base class foes on August 14 and gets additional relief in that department here. (5) COPPER TEEN miscued over at Pocono most recently but makes his second start out of the Bongiorno barn and shows lines where he was facing way tougher foes than the ones he meets up with tonight.