Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 8/31

MEET STATS: 167 - 632 / $1,111.60 (-$152.40)
BEST BETS: 26 - 60 / $99.00 (-$21.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 12 - 61 / $156.60 (+$34.60)
BEST BET - CLASSY GUY (6th)
SPOT PLAY - CONRAD DIPOGGIO IT (11th)

Race 1 - 50000CLM Trot

(1) FOR A DREAMER turned in an improved effort last Thursday when he shifted to an inside post, and he drew the pole tonight. (3) SWANSEA was victorious in his first start out of this barn on 8-19, and I think he's usable again in this spot. (7) EPOS OSTERVANG DK moves out on the gate here but is in very sharp form and gets reunited with Scott Zeron.

[DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card]

Race 2 - Open Handicap Trot

(3) TAKE ALL COMERS won three of four appearances in the Open at Harrah's Philadelphia in June and July. He has been off since August 5, but I trust trainer Jim Campbell will have him ready to go. (2) STORMY KROMER took a few tries to get going this year but has been super since back in April and is coming off a romping win in the Open Handicap a couple weeks ago. Jason Bartlett isn't here tonight, so Dan Dube gets the drive back. (5) NOWS THE MOMENT makes his third start back after a layoff and was third in the Open won by STORMY KROMER on 8-17. He was one of the top trotters at Yonkers back in the winter and early spring.

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

Race 3 - NW2/25000LT / NW1/12500LT Drawn Inside Trot

(7) BEACON BEACH tallied over NW1's here on 8-17 and although he scratched out, they thought enough of the horse to enter him in one of the Beal Consolations at Pocono. He drew outside tonight but I think can get away on or near the front. (2) SHOPPING IN PARIS cut the fractions last week and wound up second. She won prior to that over NW1's and switches drivers back to Scott Zeron from an improved post. (3) DARK MIND owns a victory at Yonkers on the 3rd of August and gets reunited with Brent Holland, who guided him to that triumph.

Race 4 - 50000CLM Trot

(1) CRAZYCAT had no shot from post eight last Thursday but shifts all the way to the pole position tonight and makes his second start back after a layoff. (3) CRESCENT BEAUTY has a bit of an "in-and-out" pattern going where she races well one time and then not the next time. If that holds here, she'd be set for a improved effort, and she gets Yannick Gingras back in the bike. (4) LINDSEY'S PRIDE hit the board in a $50,000 claiming tilt last Thursday, and I'll include him again here.

Race 5 - NW20000L5/NW10 PM Races LT Trot

(4) BALENCIAGA finds a much softer spot here than his last two starts and romped to an easy victory the last time he was in an overnight race at Pocono. (3) NO MAS DRAMA gained spots in the last quarter after sitting in the back of the pack a week ago and moves inside on the gate tonight. (5) HAYEK gets additional class relief this week after finishing second in a NW30000L5 test last Thursday. He won by open lengths the last time he was at this level on 7-6.

Race 6 - NAADA Amateur Fall Series Leg #2 Trot

(1) CLASSY GUY is riding a four-race streak of on-the-board finishes, including a win in an amateur race at Pocono on July 30. I'll put him on top from the pole position. (3) TURBOCHARGEDPETE didn't threaten from an outside post last Thursday but drew better tonight and is usable underneath. (8) RED OVERBACH starts from another bad draw tonight but made up a bunch of ground a week ago and shows winning by over ten lengths at Harrah's Philadelphia back on 8-6.

Race 7 - NW30001L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM Trot

(5) HOOLIE N HECTOR gained some spots and ground in the last quarter from an outside post in this class a week ago. He moves inside on the gate a couple notches here and gets another shot with Jordan Stratton in the bike. (4) ABRUZZO has gotten hot with two straight impressive victories and has Gingras to drive again. (7) ROSE RUN XTRA was one of the best horses in the top class out at Northfield and now comes east into Jenn Bongiorno's barn.

Race 8 - NAADA Amateur Fall Series Leg #2 Trot

(3) DRAZZMATAZZ comes north from Freehold off a victory and has been sharp overall lately outside of the race he got parked at Harrah's Philadelphia on 8-20. Yogi Sheridan takes back over the driving tonight. (2) FUN TIME CHARLIE makes his second start back after some time off and was third in this series last Thursday. (8) ALL RISE was assigned post eight but was victorious in this event a week ago, and I think he can get involved.

Race 9 - 3-5YO Open Pace

(1) LAYTON HANOVER defeated open company in a NW15000L5 base class race most recently and gets post relief off that performance. (4) SIMON SAYS HANOVER romped to a victory at this level last week but ended up getting disqualified for an infraction in the second quarter. He gets a driver switch to Zeron tonight. (3) SOUTHWIND PETYR has been a winner in the 3-5YO Open before and has found his form again with back-to-back triumphs in NW10000L5's.

[DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter]

Race 10 - NW8/100000LT / NW6/75000LT Trot

(6) IN A TINY WAY got the job done in rallying fashion last Thursday and has won her last two tries with Tyler Buter driving. He's back in the bike again tonight. (1) CREATIVE VENTURE hasn't won yet in 2023 but has missed the board just once in his eight outings. He moves to the pole position this week. (2) BAR COINS defeated NW6's a couple weeks and gets reunited with Joe Bongiorno.

Race 11 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(8) CONRAD DIPOGGIO IT scored in his U.S. debut at Pocono on August 21, and although he starts from post eight tonight, he catches what looks to be a beatable group. (3) HEADOVERBOOTS AS loomed a couple weeks ago after pulling out of the pocket but ended up fourth. His tendency has been to finish second this year (11 times in 19 starts) so I'll put him in that spot here. (2) DAHLQUIST HANOVER owns a win and a third against NW4's at Yonkers since exiting stakes company and drew inside again.