Yonkers: Analysis for Thursday March 7

MEET STATS: 33 - 127 / $165.00 (-$89.00)

BEST BETS: 6 - 12 / $23.30 (-$0.70)

SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 12 / $0.00 (-$24.00)

BEST BET-B NICKING (2nd)

SPOT PLAY-BIG DREAM FELLA (5th)

Race 1 - NW7841L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(4) ALTA CLASSIC A returns to Yonkers tonight off a third-place finish (with interference noted) in a higher class over at Pocono. When last seen at Yonkers back in late January, he was at the NW15000L5 level. (3) YOROKOBI N scored over NW5000L5 rivals a week ago and begins his ascent back up the ladder tonight. He was a rallying fourth in a NW7500L5 tilt on 2-21. (1) DOUBLE METAL enters off a sick scratch but overcame outside posts to hit the board at Yonkers on January 24 and February 1. He has the pole here and switches drivers to Scott Zeron.

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Race 2 - NW30000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM/NW20000L5 Draw Inside Trot

(5) B NICKING takes a third shot at this class tonight, and I think he meets up with a softer crew than he has been facing. I'll put him on top and hope he can wire them like he almost did on February 15. (3) EPOS OSTERVANG DK was a winner in an optional $60,000 claimer a week ago, so this is a step up in class. He was fourth in the same race that B NICKING was third in on 2-21, so I'll put him underneath here. (4) P L OSCAR moves up from the NW20000L5 level but has a win and a second in his last two tries and was the runner-up in a NW30000L5 event back in late January.

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Race 3 - F&M Invitational Trot

(3) WHAT SHOULD I GOO enjoyed a very productive 2023 campaign and makes her first pari-mutuel start of her 5-year-old season tonight. She was a regular threat at the top level for fillies and mares at Yonkers and returns off a good enough qualifier down at Freehold where she was second to a pacer. (5) QUEEN OF ALL didn't threaten on February 15 but otherwise has been racing very well in this class, including a victory in it on February 22. (4) NO MAS DRAMA has finished second in the F&M Invitational in her last two outings, so she's in good form, and she gets a new driver with Yannick Gingras hopping on.

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

(3) KARLOO BRADLEY N gets significant post relief in his second try in this class and also makes his second start on Lasix. He's just two-for-28 in the win column over the last two years, but meets up with a short and beatable group tonight. (2) MOTIVE HANOVER took advantage of a shot against NW5000L5 company to get a win on February 22 and steps up here. He was second in a NW7500L5 race on 2-15. (1) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N didn't win in a pair of opportunities against bottom level rivals but did race well and teams up with Gingras again.

Race 5 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace

(6) BIG DREAM FELLA enters this race off two straight on-the-board finishes against open $30,000 claiming foes and faces age-restricted rivals tonight. He did make a break before the start last time out, but hopefully he can avoid that here as he debuts for trainer Scott Di Domenico off the claim. (2) TWIN B DELUXE gets major post relief tonight after finishing with pace from the eight-hole in his last outing. Prior to that he was racing at the higher $50,000 claiming level for this age group. (1) HURRIKANE GEORGIE had a smoother trip last week and turned it into a second-place result. He was Brent Holland's choice over TWIN B DELUXE.

Race 6 - 40000CLM Trot

(1) LOOK IN MY EYES drew inside tonight after a couple of poor posts, and I'm going to bank on a better performance coming with Gingras being able to keep him closer to the action. (6) LIGHTFOOTEDLEGEND closed well to finish second last week, and he could have some improvement coming as that was his first pari-mutuel start of 2024. (5) WILLY WALTON has hit the board in three of his last four tries and gets to move in a few slots on the gate here. He's also shown a versatile racing style, giving Holland some options on how to handle him.

Race 7 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(4) CADILLAC BAYAMA raced pretty well last week, finishing third in a NW5000L5 contest. I think he might offer some value tonight and should improve given this is his second start of the year. (1) VENIER HANOVER got involved in a pace duel on the front-end last Thursday and tired. He drops to the bottom level tonight, starts from the pole and switches drivers to Bartlett, which should all mean lots of wagering support. (3) LYRICAL GENIUS A hasn't made much of an impact in his last three outings but did grab a third in a NW15000L5 test back on 1-23. He takes his first shot against NW5000L5 foes at Yonkers here.

Race 8 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(6) GINGRAS BEACH gained some spots and ground in the final quarter from post eight last Thursday. He gets a little post relief in his second try against NW5000L5 company here and gets a driver switch to his namesake (Yannick). (1) RICARDOSHILYSHALLY tallied the last time he was in a NW5000L5 race back on December 17 at Harrah's Philadelphia. The trainer change to Per Engblom will likely attract a lot of attention. (5) HEART ON MY SLEEVE was fifth in a NW5000L5 dash last Thursday and slides in from post seven to the five-hole tonight in his second attempt at this level.

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Race 9 - Stake Your Claim Series Final 40000CLM / 50000 Claiming Price Trot

(5) INN AT RODANTHE was unable to win in the prelims of this series but did close well into a pace-less race a week ago. I think he'll get some fractions to chase tonight in the final of this event and is worth a chance. (2) TOP ME OFF swept his three legs of this series. He debuts for trainer Deb Daguet off a claim and lured Bartlett off the Engblom-trained INN AT RODANTHE. (6) STEUBEN HANOVER finished fifth from post eight last Thursday but won twice before that, and he's a horse I could see getting driven more aggressively in this final.