Yonkers: Analysis for Tuesday 8/23

MEET STATS: 170 - 644 / $1,001.80 (-$286.20)
BEST BETS: 42 - 66 / $146.30 (+$14.30)
SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 65 / $77.30 (-$52.70)
BEST BET - WINDY MICKI (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - AIN'T HE SPECIAL (4th)

Race 1 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace

(3) SO FIA LOLITA finished a solid second at the Meadowlands in her debut for trainer Nik Drennan. She's been off since that race on July 30, but I'll trust that she's ready and use. (4) CHERYLS SHADOW is two-for-two since joining the barn of Doug Dilloian Jr. and tallied impressively over NW4's two weeks ago. (2) LIGHTNING LEIA comes in with back-to-back on-the-board finishes and hails from the powerful Travis Alexander stable.

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Race 2 - New York Excelsior "A" Series 2YO C&G Trot

(6) DALEY REP comes in with three straight second-place finishes. He picks up a catch driver for the first time tonight, and I'll look for that to make a difference. (2) KALEUN miscued at Monticello two back but hasn't lost other than that and has a potent driver/trainer combo in Brian Sears and Marcus Melander. (1) SOUTHWIND BUD hwasn't missed the board in six outings in his rookie campaign, but remains in search of his initial victory. He gets a shot with Jason Bartlett here.

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Race 3 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace

(5) WINDY MICKI was second against NW3's last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia and now has a barn switch to Nifty Norman and a driver swap to Jason Bartlett. (1) MAJOR LOVER owns just a one-for-21 win record lifetime but did finish third two and three starts back and moves inside on the gate to the pole. (3) CRAZY LUCKY hasn't shown much in her first two outings for trainer Nick Devita but did score at the NW2 level at Northfield before coming east.

Race 4 - NW4/50000LT Pace

(6) AIN'T HE SPECIAL hasn't won since stepping up to the NW4 level but has been pacing some strong last quarters and could offer some value in a race where many of the logical ones show making breaks. (4) TRENDY TEEN crossed the wire first back on August 2 but was placed second for causing interference, in addition to going off-stride. He followed that up with a second-place finish at Harrah's Philadelphia despite being two-wide at every call and was Bartlett's choice in here. (1) JM'S ROLLIN tallied two back but then didn't fire in a subsequent effort. He moves back to the pole tonight and has a driver switch to George Brennan, which could mean he'll fire out.

Race 5 - NW20000L5/3-5YO NW10 PM Races LT Pace

(1) FORTIFY gave the Dan Patch at Harrah's Hoosier Park a try last time out but didn't have much success. He won two straight at Yonkers prior to that, though, and drew the pole for Brennan and trainer Ron Burke. (5) PACE N PRIDE N finished a gaining second in this class back on July 26 and gets reunited with Jordan Stratton in this race. (2) BETTERROCK adds Bartlett in the bike and was third against NW20000L5's last Monday.

Race 6 - New York Excelsior "A" Series 2YO C&G Trot

(1) SEVENATCHI enters this race off a solid second-place finish to Kaleun at Tioga and trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer has been doing very well at Yonkers through 2022. (6) MAXIMUM EXPRESS turned in a big rally to tally at Tioga most recently and gets another chance to have Sears drive him. (4) SWIFT JUSTICE T owns an Excelsior "A" Series win at Vernon and has a couple excuses in his last pair, having miscued at Monticello and started from post eight at Tioga.

Race 7 - New York Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Trot

(1) CROWN drew the pole and hasn't lost in three races so far. I'll look for him to make it four-for-four tonight, and his versatile racing style should only help him. (3) KIERKEGAARD K has a win and two thirds in his last three outings and trainer Ake Svanstedt's horses are normally reliable on the half-mile ovals. (5) THE STRAWBOSS shows a couple of runner-up results in the sire stakes thus far and picks up Jordan Stratton in the bike tonight.

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Race 8 - New York Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Trot

(8) TILLIO'S ACTION really impressed me with the way he won his career debut in the sire stakes at Tioga. He does have post eight to overcome, but that might inflate his price. (4) THE GRUFFALO owns two victories and a second in sire stakes competition thus far and gained ground on Crown at Tioga last time out. (6) CECIL HANOVER was second to Tillio's Action over at Tioga and gives Svanstedt another threat in the sire stakes tonight.

Race 9 - F&M 50000CLM Pace

(5) LOOKATMYART wound up second after taking the lead from first-over on August 9. She's been first-up in two straight races, so I wouldn't mind if she found an easier journey tonight, but I'll put her on top anyway. (3) LAURIE LEE drew inside here after starting from outside slots in her last three outings. That could allow her to go back to racing on the front-end. (6) POPPY DRAYTON just missed making it three straight on-the-board finishes when she was fourth last Tuesday. She's still in good form and can definitely be included.