Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday 9/7

MEET STATS: 172 - 653 / $1,133.30 (-$172.70)
BEST BETS: 26 - 62 / $99.00 (-$25.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 12 - 63 / $156.60 (+$30.60)
BEST BET - AIR FORCE HANOVER (4th)
SPOT PLAY - BETTERROCK (9th)

Race 1 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(3) HECANDANCENCRUISE was second in a NW15000L5 base class event two starts back, and I can overlook his most recent effort at Pocono as he was facing the likes of Workin Ona Mystery, who'd be 1-9 in this race. (2) THE REAL ONE double-drops out of the NW15000L5's and moves inside on the gate, too. He won at this level on July 14. (4) ALEX TYE shows hitting the board against NW20000L5's and NW15000L5's in August and beat NW7500L5 company in early July.

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

Race 2 - F&M Open Handicap Trot

(5) WHAT SHOULD I GOO stopped last time out at Pocono but was very sharp here before that and gets reunited with Joe Bongiorno. (4) NO MAS DRAMA got the job done last Thursday despite getting bothered before three-quarters. My top pick and her have faced off a couple of times and WHAT SHOULD I GOO has gotten the better of her. (3) ABBEY D is another one looking for a rebound effort after she faltered on the lead on August 24. She shows racing in the Open at Scioto in July, so she can threaten if she's back on her "A" game.

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

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

(4) BEACON BEACH has missed a bit of time due to scratches, but I think still he's the best one in here based on his victory over NW1's on 8-17. He also was George Brennan's choice. (5) WISTERIA HANOVER is just one-for-19 lifetime in the win column but has hit the board in three straight outings, so I'll include underneath. (3) BAR KEEP DE VIE invades from Pennsylvania and was competitive in the NW2 class at Pocono in July and August.

Race 4 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(1) AIR FORCE HANOVER moves back inside on the gate this week after two straight poor draws and was in the Open as recently as June. He also gets a driver change to Yannick Gingras. (4) WAR DAN DELIGHT N returns on a short turnaround after racing on Saturday (September 2). He finished with plenty of pace from well-back in that event and adds Jason Bartlett in the bike. (5) CODY HANOVER hasn't been making much of an impact lately but gets to drop from the NW10000L5 level and was second and then won in two chances versus NW7500L5's back in June.

Race 5 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(1) EL MISSION GODDESS broke in her last outing on 8-24 but did flash some late trot in a New York Excelsior "A" Series race at Yonkers before that and is making her third start for trainer Todd Buter and driver Tyler Buter. I'll give her a chance. (5) HARDROCKCAFE minded his p's and q's on August 24 and was second in a NW4 event. Given his victories over NW3's at Harrah's Philadelphia, he should be dangerous as long as he stays flat. (4) KENNEBAGO comes in off a win in the New York Excelsior "A" Series at Batavia and was third the last time he faced NW4's at Yonkers in late June.

Race 6 - NW20626L5/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. (6) RICH AND MISERABLE squeezed into this race by a dollar as he has $20,625 earned in his last five starts. That lets him drop out of the NW30000L5's and he was racing well in similar classes to this one at Pocono before coming to Yonkers. (1) STREET GOSSIP closed well to finish second at this level on August 24 and has the pole position to aid his cause this time.

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

(3) ROSE RUN XTRA performed well and just missed in his Yonkers debut and first start for Jenn Bongiorno last Thursday. He picks up Joe Bongiorno in the bike here. (5) NEWSBOY is riding a two-race win streak and was re-claimed by Per Engblom a week ago, which I usually take as a positive sign. (7) VALI HANOVER remains in very sharp form and trainer Nick Devita must like him since he's moved him out of claiming company.

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

Race 8 - NW8/100000LT / NW6/75000LT Drawn Inside Trot

(6) CANTSTOP YANKEE disappointed as the favorite in his first start for Engblom a week ago, but he did have to do the first-over work in that event. I'll give him a try in the hopes that poor effort inflates his value, and he also picks up Bartlett. (5) CREATIVE VENTURE picked up his first win of 2023 in the same event my top selection exits, and that should have given him some confidence. He's missed the board only once in his nine outings this year. (3) WANIA has stepped up with improved efforts the last two weeks and hails from a high-percentage stable.

Race 9 - 3-5YO Open Pace

(1) BETTERROCK ships in from Ohio into a high-percentage barn and shows racing tough foes in the top class at Scioto and Harrah's Hoosier PArk. I will swing with him from the pole. (5) SIMON SAYS HANOVER romped to a victory at this level two weeks ago but ended up getting disqualified for an infraction in the second quarter. He gets a driver switch to Gingras tonight. (4) I DID IT MYWAY is probably the one to beat but hasn't made a pari-mutuel start in a month and could be prepping for stakes engagements down the line. I will take a stand against at what could be a low price.