Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 8/26

MEET STATS: 178 - 614 / $1,007.40 (-$220.60)
BEST BETS: 32 - 58 / $110.10 (-$5.90)
SPOT PLAYS: 5 - 58 / $32.10 (-$83.90)
BEST BET - NATASHA (9th)
SPOT PLAY - TENTHOUSAND ANGELS (1st)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

I'll take a flyer on (5) TENTHOUSAND ANGELS in the opener as she makes her second appearance out of the Jenn Bongiorno barn and gets Joe to drive this time. (3) QUITE A DELIGHT N put in an improved performance on 8-12, rallying to finish second. She drew inside again tonight, so I will include. (4) E R HILARY has two wins and two seconds in her last four starts at this level. She was claimed last Wednesday by a trainer who doesn't have many local starts to this point but carries a high percentage elsewhere.

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Race 2 - 3YO NW1/12500LT Trot

(3) GREG is a newcomer from Canada into the Ron Burke operation. He hasn't won in 19 career starts, but I'll bank on the trainer and driver change helping him against this group of maidens. (5) YUCATAN PARTY MAN could only manage a fourth-place finish at 1-2 in this level when Bongiorno drove him back on 8-5. I'll try and beat him. (1) CHERRY MASON hasn't visited the winner's circle in 14 tries in 2021, but he has hit the board nine times, so I'll include.

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Race 3 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(2) FIRST GUNNER looks like the first of the annual Iowa fair shippers that has shown up at Yonkers. Because none of their races have wagering, many of these horses fit low classes here despite having considerably more victories and earnings than the cap - in this horse's case, he has 16 victories and $41,000+ banked. He also qualified pretty well at Harrah's Philadelphia. (1) BACARDI has a third and a second in two tries against NW2's at Yonkers and has the pole position again. (3) VINYASA came in third when he gave Yonkers a shot on 7-22 and gets Jordan Stratton tonight.

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

(6) ALII NUI finds a spot and races against a field she needs to take advantage of tonight. (2) SEZANA N made an uncharacteristic break in stride last Wednesday, but I think she can rebound and get on the board here, especially since she gets a chance with Stratton driving. (4) SALLY FLETCHER A gets quite a bit of post relief off her last try and was Joe Bongiorno's choice of a few.

Race 5 - NW6/75000LT / NW4/50000LT Drawn Inside Trot

(8) DIFFIDENT overcame post seven to win at Yonkers on 7-1, so while I'm not thrilled about her being stuck in the eight-hole, I think she can positioned somewhere on or near the lead, especially given the lack of apparent early speed from her rivals. (1) BRILLIANT BOB won two back and gained some positions in the last half of the mile a week ago. He moves in from post eight to the pole. (4) CAVALIER GEORGE has finished third a couple of times versus NW6's and drew mid-pack after having the eight and the six in his last pair.

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

(5) TAKE ABIT OF LIFE drops out of the NW15000L5 class and gets a new driver in the bike with Bongiorno taking the lines. (4) AMERICAN DELIGHT N finished a rallying fourth against NW15000L5's when last at Yonkers on 7-29 and returns after pacing home in 27 and change in a quick mile at Pocono. (1) BALFAST N closed with interest a week ago in her first start after a freshening and returns to a regular racing schedule here.

Race 7 - F&M Preferred Handicap Pace

(7) SIESTA BEACH beat Racine Bell on the square a couple of weeks ago after a very good drive by Siegelman where he out-left her and then was able to rate her on the front-end. There's no Racine Bell here and she didn't draw post eight, so I will go with her. (4) WARRAWEE UBEAUT is the no-doubt class of this field with over $1.8 million in the bank, but I watched her last race at Pocono where she lost with no apparent excuse at five cents on the dollar, so I have to take a shot against. (2) JIVE DANCING A drops after getting checks in the Open the last two times and might be in line for a similar following journey like she had a week ago.

Race 8 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(6) ACEFORTYFOUR DOME retreats back to the level where I think she belongs after trying optional $25,000 and $30,000 claimers in her last couple of starts. She also gets a driver change to Stratton. (3) ANN HILL has just one on-the-board finish since being claimed by trainer Gil Garcia-Herrera, but this is also the lowest class she's raced at for him, and I could definitely see her waking up. (5) KAITLYN N owns no wins so far in 2021, but she has paced good final quarters in her last few races, and I think she's usable.

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

(5) NATASHA rolled home from off-the-pace on 8-12 and just ran out of racetrack. She moves back to a mid-pack post here, and I could definitely see her racing closer to the front. (2) CANDY ON THE BEACH had to do the hard work from first-up last Thursday but did hang around to finish third. She does move up in class but offsets that by drawing inside. Marcus Miller is going to take over the driving. (4) ROLL WITH ANGEL was a solid third at this level a week ago and gets another opportunity to team with Bongiorno.

Race 10 - F&M NW30000L5 Pace

(6) HEAVENS SHOWGIRL A makes her U.S. debut tonight. George Brennan went down and qualified her at Freehold, where she was very good, and she retained him over a Ron Burke horse here. I'll take a shot. (5) SHEIKH YABOOTY N finished with strong pace from post eight last Thursday and drew much better tonight. (2) SEASWIFT JOY N romped two back and then raced off-the-pace a week ago and didn't really fire. I imagine she'll be much closer to the action as she slides back inside.

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Race 11 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(2) GRAFENBERG has been on a steady improving pattern since coming into Scott Di Domenico's barn, and I think he's worth a chance tonight. (1) VICTORIANA will probably take plenty of attention again, especially since trainer Trond Smedshammer opted to put up a catch driver in Scott Zeron. (4) TITANS HOPE exits the New York Sire Stakes program after three straight third-place finishes. The last time she was in an overnight race, she dominated a field of NW2's at Yonkers.

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

(7) SHE'S NUN BETTOR N tallied over NW30000L5's at Yonkers back in mid-July. She's been idle since a poor result at the Meadowlands on 7-31, but I'll trust Burke to have her ready, and she also gets to partner with Brennan for the first time since that victory. (5) SHECANDANCE N drops after a first-over trip against NW30000L5's and gets reunited with Stratton. (4) DRAGON ROLL went down the road to win over NW15000L5's a week ago. She loses Brennan here, but she's in such sharp form that I think you'll want to include her.