Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 9/1

MEET STATS: 180 - 681 / $1,055.30 (-$306.10)
BEST BETS: 44 - 70 / $152.0 (+$12.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 69 / $77.30 (-$60.70)
BEST BET - VEL DONNA (1st)
SPOT PLAY - BRONZE OVER N (9th)

Race 1 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(1) VEL DONNA has paced two straight strong final quarters but has had zero chance as she's been stuck with post eight both times. She drew the pole tonight, and I will look for her to capitalize. (3) PAIGE'S GIRL is just one-for-21 in the win column this year but did gain positions in the back-half of her mile on August 18 and moves inside on the gate tonight. (4) ASHTINI picked up a confidence-boosting win over bottom level foes on 8-18, and I don't think the bump up in class should bother her too much here.

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Race 2 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(1) PC FREE WHEELING won't offer anywhere close to the value she did last week given her solid second-place performance to the well-meant Villain, but she looks very tough in here given the switch to the pole position and her driver/trainer combo of Jason Bartlett & Gareth Dowse. (5) BACKSTREET PLAYER comes in with two straight third-place finishes in this class and has shown the ability to both leave and race from behind. (6) WEE JILL has the one poor effort on August 11 but has been very sharp other than that. She gets reunited with Tyler Buter tonight as Austin Siegelman stayed with Backstreet Player.

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Race 3 - NW2/25000LT / Maidens or NW12500LT Drawn Inside Trot

(7) MAGICAL MAJOR makes his third start for Travis Alexander he6re. He had to do the first-over work into a pretty pace-less race last time out, and I'm hoping he might offer a little value given the outside post. (5) IMPORTER EXPORTER ran throughout the mile in his debut for Dowse on August 4, but I would anticipate him having things figured out tonight, and he's on Lasix for the second time. (4) NORTHERN BLIZZARD was second against NW2's at Pocono two back and drops out of their NW4 class in this race.

Race 4 - F&M NW10601L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(2) DC BATGIRL closed in 27 4/5 last week to finish third in a NW15000L5 event and gets additional class relief here. She also adds Bartlett in the bike. (3) BETTERB CHEVRON N delivered over NW7500L5's a week ago, and when she got sharp at Yonkers earlier this year, she went on a long run of stout performances. (6) SPORTS FLIX makes her second start out of the Noel Daley barn and shows a second-place result against NW15000L5's back on June 23.

Race 5 - F&M NW15001L5/Winner in Last Start of the Base Class NW10000L5/25000CLM/3-5YO F&M NW9 PM Races LT Pace

(7) JODY slides down from the NW20000L5 level off back-to-back third-place finishes, and I think she's worth a shot. (1) ROCKN PHILLY couldn't deliver as the favorite in this class a week ago but takes another shot at it here and could offer a better price this time. (2) MIKI ROSE is in the midst of a strong 3-year-old season and gets to remain at this level another time given she has eight career victories. She was Bartlett's choice of three.

Race 6 - NW6/75000LT Trot

(3) FLIP THE SWITCH saw his win streak end a week ago but he was a very good second to a classy horse in Delayed Hanover and should get back to his victorious ways here. (6) LEXUS KODY ships down from Canada and is now with Ron Burke. He has an impressive six straight runner-up results and runs into a razor-sharp foe in my top pick, so I'll slot him underneath. (1) STARLIT RAMBO was third in the same race my top pick comes out of last Thursday and hasn't missed the board since joining Darran Cassar's barn.

Race 7 - F&M NW30000L5/3-5YO F&M NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM/F&M NW20000L5 Drawn Inside Pace

(7) DARBY HANOVER came in third at this level two back and then was fourth against stakes-caliber foes at Harrah's Philadelphia after that. I think she could get overlooked in the wagering but is good enough to win. (5) MORNING HAS BROKEN owns two wins and a third since dropping out of the Open in August and has George Brennan to drive again. (4) CHUPPAH ON tallied in this class on on 8-18 and then had no chance from post eight a week ago. She gets post relief tonight.

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Race 8 - F&M Open Handicap Pace

(6) MCMARKLE SPARKLE returns after racing in the Cleopatra Invitational at Scioto last time. That event included the likes of Horse of the Year Test Of Faith, so I'm just going to toss that race out and bank on her Yonkers form before that to judge her. (4) BEST HEAD WEST rallied from fifth to second in the last quarter in the Open a couple of weeks ago and tallied in the Open on June 16. (5) DELITFULCATHERIN N scored in the Open on 7-21 and 8-4 and gets reunited with Jordan Stratton here.

Race 9 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(7) BRONZE OVER N performed much better in her second attempt for Noel Daley last Thursday, closing from seventh to fourth in the last quarter and gets another shot at bottom level foes tonight. (4) SO IRRESISTIBLE was third against NW7500L5's a week ago and gets further class relief in this spot. (2) CHELSKI owns a good history at Yonkers and was facing better when last seen here earlier this summer.