Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 10/4

MEET STATS: 193 - 727 / $1,264.20 (-$189.80)
BEST BETS: 30 - 69 / $118.30 (-$19.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 14 - 70 / $192.90 (+$52.90)
BEST BET - GEORGIA THOMPSON (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - FULLBACK (5th)

Race 1 - NW4/59445LT Trot

(6) BONANZA has been ultra-sharp since joining the Per Engblom barn this summer and just dominated NW2 company on 9-21. I'll look for him to keep the good times rolling tonight. (2) DONATELLO HANOVER invades from Pennsylvania having raced very well lately. He does have seven second-place finishes compared to just two wins in 2023, so I'm going to slot him in the place spot. (5) CALDERONE defeated NW4's at Pocono in his last outing on September 27 and has Matt Kakaley in the bike for the third straight time.

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Race 2 - Dash for the Cash 9-16 of a Mile for NW15000L5 or Less Pace

(2) HUDSON PHIL shows making the lead in a 26 4/5 opening quarter in a $30,000 claimer last time out, and that's what I like to see in these short-distance races. I'll use. (6) THINKBIG DREAMBIG is the only horse in here who shows racing in the NW15000L5 class and has flashed early speed in the past. (4) STATEMENT MADE A is another one who was on the front against $40,000 claimers in 26 and change back on 8-28 and gets a driver switch to Jason Bartlett.

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Race 3 - F&M NW2/25000LT / F&M NW1/12500LT Drawn Inside Pace

(4) GEORGIA THOMPSON owns back-to-back victories since coming into Scott Blackler's barn from Canada and catches another soft group tonight. (5) RIVER OF FEAR has hit the board in each of her last two outings and seems to be rounding back into form after a period of some dull efforts. (3) LIL RED ROCKNHOOD shows finishing in the top three nine times in 16 outings this year, and I'll toss her in underneath in her debut for trainer Jose Godinez.

Race 4 - 3-5YO Open Pace

(6) RJ SPORTS IMAGE scored in this class back on 8-31 and gets reunited with Bartlett tonight. He raced from off-the-pace last week, so I'll hope for a more aggressive approach tonight. (5) SIMON SAYS HANOVER owns two straight victories at this level and was very dominant last Thursday. (1) SOUTHWIND PETYR is on a length run of top three finishes and starts from the pole position here. Kakaley is going to take over the driving as Tyler Buter opted for another horse.

Race 5 - 15000CLM Pace

(6) FULLBACK is sitting on a zero-for-20 win record this year but closed well to finish second in his first start for these connections on 9-22 and switches drivers to Dan Dube. (5) TOATSMYGOATS makes his second start back after a brief layoff and had a three-race win streak in this class back in July and August. (1) WHAT ABOUT BOB slides down from the $20,000 claimers and gets Bartlett back in the bike for Engblom. The won the last time he competed at this level on the 1st of September.

Race 6 - NW3/26194LT/Mares NW42024LT Trot

(1) DIAMANTE TRIO IT squeezed into this event by a dollar under the lifetime earnings cap for mares and has raced well in all of her local tries in the NW4 class. (5) GOTTA HABIT has been in the top three in his five starts and comes off a victory over NW2's last Thursday. (3) BEACON BEACH broke last time but does own a win at Yonkers over NW1's on August 17 and moves inside on the gate tonight.

Race 7 - F&M NW6/75000LT / F&M NW4/50000LT Drawn Inside / F&M NW8/100000LT Drawn Outside Pace

(7) BENICIO invades from Pocono off a 1:51 4/5 victory and has another win in her lines of 1:50 4/5. It looks like she packs plenty of early speed to overcome the draw and gets a driver who isn't afraid to use it in Brent Holland. (6) SWEET HOME was a closing third in the race won by BENICIO at Pocono on 9-26 and makes her second start for new connections. She did have problems with breaks a few starts ago, including a brief one at Yonkers in the NYSS in early August. (2) MARATHON MARY won two back and then closed well from an outside post to get a fourth on Saturday night. She comes back on a quick turnaround from a better draw tonight.

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

(3) LAVA FIELD was racing well in Canada and is two-for-two since joining Jeff Cullipher's barn. I'll put him on top in his Yonkers debut tonight as he also gets Bartlett. (6) CREATIVE VENTURE has been super other than when he broke on 9-14, and he rebounded from that to grab a third last Thursday. (5) DESTINY'S DARLING is riding a two-race win streak for the duo of driver Austin Siegelman and trainer Ron Burke, and I'll toss her on the ticket again here.

Race 9 - 20000CLM Pace

(6) SHARK PLAY double-drops out of the $30,000 claimers for Bartlett and Engblom and defeated $25,000 claimers on 8-25. (1) LYONS JOHNNYJNR gets some class relief by exiting the $25,000 claiming level and drew another inside post. (2) LEAVE AND ROLL has been out of the top three just once since late June and is now with trainer Jose Godinez off the claim. He moves inside on the gate, too.