Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 9/23

MEET STATS: 196 - 676 / $1,112.00 (-$240.00)

BEST BETS: 35 - 63 / $118.50 (-$7.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 63 / $44.50 (-$77.90)

BEST BET-SURREAL FEELING (10th)

SPOT PLAY-COCKTAILS N DREAMS (11th)

Race 1 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) DIAMONDTOOTHGERTIE gets the drop to the bottom level she probably needed tonight. She is also going to partner with Dan Dube, who will likely be aggressive with her. (4) MOTU MOONBEAM N returns to Yonkers after racing out of town since July 1. She beat NW5000L5's that night and was Jason Bartlett's choice of a few in this race. (6) FREE EXCHANGE made a break last Thursday that appears to be out of character for her. She had been racing well prior to that and adds Jordan Stratton in the bike.

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Race 2 - NW1/15250LT Trot

(2) ORIGINAL SMOKEY gives the half-mile track a try after racing only in Pennsylvania until now. I like the speed he's shown on the five-eighths-mile tracks and will bank on him being able to hold on in the shorter stretch. (5) DEWEY HALL raced NW2's last week after coming in from Ohio and now gets to slide down to face mainly maidens here. (3) DRAVEN HANOVER has a pretty similar profile to my top choice and even exits the same event at Harrah's Philadelphia. Troy Beyer is coming in to drive just this one horse on the card, so that might mean he's live.

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Race 3 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Pace

(6) ROCKIN THE BOYS A picked up a check against NW10000L5's when she was last at Yonkers on 8-26, and I thought she was pretty good in both of her attempts in the Preferred Handicap at Freehold. (1) SEZANA N hasn't found the winner's circle yet in 2021 but just missed two back and gained spots and ground from post eight last Thursday. (4) SCANDALICIOUS has burned quite a bit of money in her last couple, but this isn't the toughest NW7500L5 event, and I wouldn't be surprised if she raced well.

Race 4 - NW26250LT Trot

(5) PREACHER MAN grabbed a check and then hit the board against NW4's and NW3's over in Pennsylvania, and the one time he raced at Yonkers he had little chance from post eight. I'll swing. (3) CHROME PACKAGE was a good second to a heavy favorite last week and usually finds his way on to the ticket. (7) BACARDI drew outside again this week, so while I'll go against him for the win, I will want to include him underneath.

Race 5 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace

(2) CASH ROLL dominated in one appearance at Yonkers on 8-5, albeit against NW5000L5's. She was very good on September 11 in the corresponding class to this one at the Meadowlands, though, and is in a new barn with Ray Schnittker taking over. (5) PAIGE'S GIRL didn't draw post eight tonight after having to start there in her last two tries, and she has a driver change to Stratton. (4) COWGIRL LILLY was a solid second to the sharp Tempus Seelster last Thursday and makes her second start for trainer Scott Di Domenico.

Race 6 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(7) ILLUMINATA exits a fourth-place finish in the New York Sire Stakes final, and when trainer Ake Svanstedt gives the lines to Dube in races at Yonkers, the horse is often live. (3) CHAPOLIER won the New York Excelsior A Series final in his first start for trainer Lance Hudson on September 11 and was Stratton's choice in this race. (1) VICTORIANA is a firster for Ron Burke after coming in fifth in the PA Stallion Series final last time out. Two back, she was second versus NW4's at Yonkers.

Race 7 - F&M Open Handicap Pace

(4) NATASHA double-jumps from the NW20000L5's, but she's been about as sharp as a horse can be this year after missing all of 2020, and I think is worthy of a shot. (7) RACINE BELL didn't make the front a week ago and faded from first-over in the stretch. Maybe she needed the start given the gap in her schedule, but she hasn't been reliable every week from these outside draws. (3) DRAGON ROLL finished second after a pocket trip last Thursday in the Open and has another inside draw to help her work out a similar smooth journey.

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Race 8 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(4) BROOKROAD MASTER invades from Tioga where he's been having a solid campaign. This horse has won at Yonkers in the past and catches a wide-open group tonight. (3) BOOM CITY hit the board twice against NW5's down at Harrah's Philadelphia and is probably in a more reasonable spot tonight than that last race at the Meadowlands that was against some tough competition. (2) TRANQUILITY K was Stratton's choice, but she never really looked all that comfortable on half-mile tracks in the New York Sire Stakes and has not won as a big favorite in her last two in Pennsylvania.

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

(2) LOVELY DONNA drops and moves inside on the gate this time. Add in that she returns to a regular weekly racing schedule, and that will make me head in her direction. (5) DELITFULCATHERIN N is still unbeaten from the U.S., and the hike up from NW6 to this optional NW9 level probably won't hinder her much. (4) NEVERFORGETWHOUR owns a second and two wins since coming back after the layoff and is very usable.

Race 10 - F&M NW35000L5 Pace

(5) SURREAL FEELING is in the midst of a great 6-year-old campaign that includes one win at the Open level at Yonkers back in late May. I like that she gets reunited with Jason Bartlett, and I'll place her on top. (2) SNOBBYTOWN moves inside on the gate this week, but she's been racking up the second-place finishes lately, and I will try and beat her. (1) BETTERB CHEVRON N gets to drop out of the Open and gets significant post relief to boot.

Race 11 - NW6/75000LT Trot

(6) COCKTAILS N DREAMS might have needed that race last week as he hadn't competed since 8-19 coming into the event. He gained spots and ground in the last quarter and in his two tries at this level prior to that, he was second and third. (2) SWISS HOUSE ONFIRE was ready off the qualifier last Thursday as he went down the road to win. He does lose George Brennan tonight, but I imagine the tactics will be the same. (3) BIG BAD SWAN has been plagued by breaks lately, but he did mind his manners in his last qualifier at Harrah's Philadelphia and lured Brennan off Swiss House Onfire.

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

(3) WALTZWITHSIERRA A remains in search of her first U.S. win despite a number of solid efforts. She makes her second start back after a bit of a layoff tonight and gets reunited with Stratton. (1) DEMETER N is likely the one to beat as she starts from the pole and slides down from the NW30000L5 class. (5) POPPY DRAYTON N scored her last victory in this class on August 5 and gets to return to it tonight after facing better since then.