Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 9/17/26

2026 MEET STATS: 181 - 675 / $1,171.24 (-$178.76)

BEST BETS: 38 - 71 / $146.48 (+$4.48)

SPOT PLAYS: 15 - 71 / $153.34 (+$11.34)

BEST BET - BOUT DAMN TIME A (1st)

SPOT PLAY - I'M OUT (7th)

Race 1 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(6) BOUT DAMN TIME A has a win and a second in her last two outings and debuts for a high-percentage stable off the claim. She was also leading driver Jason Bartlett's pick over two others. (3) GABBYS WISH held on in game fashion to triumph in this class last Wednesday and should have picked up confidence since that was her first victory of 2026. (5) KARPATHIAN QUEEN was in good form before a bad trip on September 9 and gets a driver change to Tyler Buter here.

► DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card

Race 2 - 40000CLM Trot

(6) LMC WAGON WHEEL exits the top class over at Pocono and was very sharp over there in July and early August. (4) P L OSCAR won the last time he faced $40,000 claimers back on August 6 and gets an opportunity to team up with Bartlett. (1) CLASSICAL JANE defeated $40,000 claiming foes a week ago and has the pole again tonight with a driver switch to Yannick Gingras.

Race 3 - F&M Invitational Trot

(4) DIAL SQUARE S doesn't have a victory yet in 2026 but does exit stakes company for a potent trotting stable that often does well at Yonkers. (6) PAYBACK MONI returned to her winning ways a week ago in this class and is definitely capable of doubling up with co-owner Gingras in the bike again. (2) MA ISABELLE has shown the ability to hit the board at this level before and moves in a couple of notches on the gate this time.

Race 4 - 40000CLM Trot

(4) PORTOBAROSSO AS NL was fourth in his debut for a high-percentage stable in this class on 9-3, and I like to see the trainer hopping in the bike this time. (3) B NICKING has gotten sharp again with back-to-back victories over $40,000 claimers and moves in a couple of slots on the starting gate here. (6) THE BRODSTER comes in with five on-the-board results in his last seven attempts and gets reunited with Bartlett.

Race 5 - NW25291L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot

(1) DRIBBLING BI squeezed into this race by a dollar as he has earned $25,290 in his last five starts and gets a driver switch back to Colin Kelly. (4) HAPPY JACK B is undefeated in four overnight events since he exited the Graduate Series and was Daniel Dube's pick over my top selection. (6) MISSISSIPPI STORM returns to Yonkers off a fourth in Pocono's top class was came in third against NW20000L5 foes at Yonkers prior to that. He was Brent Holland's choice over a horse he won with last week also.

Race 6 - 15000CLM Pace

(7) ALADDIN will have to overcome a bad post, but he's shown the ability to win lately when put in play, and hopefully that's forthcoming after an off-the-pace trip when last seen on 9-5. (3) DISMAS's only recent off-the-board finish came when he had the eight-hole and he came up just a nose short of tallying a victory last Wednesday. (4) BLACK HAWK JOE A prevailed against $15,000 claimers back on July 23 and has a second and a third since he joined this stable off the claim last month.

Race 7 - 40000CLM Trot

(2) I'M OUT switches to this class out of the NW15000L5s and was a close second two back. He moves in on the gate to post two this time and gets a driver change to Holland. (4) JAS BLUESTONE has been out of the trifecta just once in his last seven outings and debuts for new connections off a claim. He also slides in from the seven-hole to post four. (8) BELLISSIMO FACE S is stuck out in post eight but is very sharp, including a runner-up effort from the seven-hole last Thursday. He gets reunited with Bartlett tonight.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Race 8 - NW20000L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot

(6) ROYAL COMET performed well in a third-place finish in this class a week ago and makes his second start for these connections and on Lasix tonight. (7) KILDARE KING had the one poor result from the eight-hole on 8-27 but has been very sharp other than that and Bartlett takes back over the driving here. (5) SIR MAVERICK debuts for a high-percentage stable off the claim and has two recent victories at Yonkers, including over $40,000 claimers a week ago.

Race 9 - NW5000L5 who are NW L3 Starts / 12500CLM / 3 out of last 5 starts must be in New York / NY-Breds Preferred Pace

(2) TWIG finished a gaining third in this class on 8-29 and then had no shot from eight-hole last Wednesday. Holland opted off, but perhaps that'll keep the price up as the horse moves in on the gate to post two here. (3) INVICTUS finds the bottom level in his fourth outing for this stable and gets post relief to go with it. (4) CAVIART SARGENT got the nod from Holland in his second appearance against NW5000L5 company but has been very win shy this year at just one-for-28.