Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 1/18

FINAL 2022 STATS: 261 - 1013 / $1,777.90 (-$248.10)
2022 BEST BETS: 58 - 106 / $209.20 (-$2.80)
2022 SPOT PLAYS: 15 - 105 / $355.20 (+$145.20)
BEST BET - I DEALSOMEMAGIC A (9th)
SPOT PLAY - ARTEMIDA (7th)

Race 1 - 25000CLM Pace

(5) CHANGE STRIDE N closed out last year at the $30,000 claiming level, so he drops a notch to kick off 2023, and the veteran has been freshened up for his 12-year-old campaign. I'll use. (4) POSH ONTHE BEACH A hit the board in four of his last five tries in November and December and overcame post seven to finish second on 12-9. (1) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN dominated when last at Yonkers on the 16th of December and has a recent qualifier at Monticello. He was Jason Bartlett's choice of three.

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Race 2 - 50000CLM Trot

(6) IN MY DREAMS is capable of winning in this class like he showed on December 7 and he gets reunited with Matt Kakaley tonight. (3) ALL CHAMPY ended 2022 with a romping win over $50,000 claiming company and drew inside again. (4) PC FREE WHEELING finished third in all of her local tries after moving to Per Engblom's barn late last year. She gets the driving services of Bartlett here.

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Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace

(3) SWEET N FAST N ground his way to a hard-fought win on 12-9 despite having to do the first-over work, and I'm hoping he might get overlooked in the wagering a bit. (7) MINGO JOEL could have a sharpness edge on the rest of these as he has a start this year under his belt, a closing third down at Freehold. He hasn't won since coming into the Engblom barn, but has been off the board just once in four attempts for him. (2) MISTER DAYTONA N missed out on a scheduled start at the Meadowlands on January 7 but was third against $25,000 claimers here in mid-November and won against $20,000 claimers at Harrah's Philadelphia on December 4.

Race 4 - F&M NW6/75000LT Pace

(2) CAPTAIN'S STAR steps up from the NW4 level but does so off a win and had a very good 3-year-old campaign overall, missing the board just twice in 16 starts. (3) DOC'S DELIGHT returns to Yonkers after a third against NW5000L5's at the Meadowlands on January 6. She was Tyler Buter's pick over my top selection. (1) FRANTASY HANOVER overcame two difficult trips to win on December 14 and 21 and could certainly take another victory tonight, but I'll swing against.

Race 5 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Trot

(5) MARION GONDOLIER didn't finish out 2022 in great form, but this is a very low spot on the class ladder for this horse, and he shows a second against NW21000L5's at Pocono as recently as mid-November. (7) SECRET OR NOT moves outside on the gate here but took his season's and life's mark and Yonkers a year ago and was second against NW7500L5's on 12-21. (4) BEERTHIRTY K was third against NW10000L5's to wrap up his 5-year-old season on the 21st of December and shows racing in the Open both here and at Saratoga.

Race 6 - 3-5YO 50000CLM Pace

(5) STELLAR YANKEE rolled to a win at this level on 12-14, and I will hope he can double up tonight. (1) STATE SENATOR also comes in off a victory in this class in his final start of 2022 and makes his second appearance out of the Scott Di Domenico barn. (8) CAPTAIN T HANOVER went a long way on the lead before finishing second on the 21st of December, and I could see him being handled aggressively again tonight.

Race 7 - F&M NW4/50000LT / F&M NW2/25000LT Drawn Inside Pace

(2) ARTEMIDA owns just one win in her career, but it did come at Yonkers, and she finished out her qualifier at the Meadowlands on 1-7 with a solid last quarter for new connections. (8) RAISE THE ANTE drew the eight-hole but is the only horse in here with a win at the NW4 level and gets reunited with Kakaley. (5) CHILLIN BYTHE POOL wrapped up 2022 with back-to-back on-the-board results and was victorious at Yonkers on November 10.

Race 8 - NW10551L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Trot

(8) MON AMOUR was second in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia in his final try of 2022 and recently added Lasix for Engblom. I think he's the one to beat, even from the eight-hole. (1) STONE IN LOVE has won at Yonkers before and gets a chance with a catch driver for the first time in a while. (4) SWANSEA owns a great history at Yonkers and was at the NW15000L5 level to end last year.

Race 9 - NW5397L5 Pace

(1) IDEALSOMEMAGIC A finds the bottom level here in his third start in the U.S. and blasted home in 26 2/5 at the Meadowlands on January 7. (4) MAC'S MARVEL faces much softer company tonight than he has recently, and I think that will put him back in the hunt. (8) EXOTIC SAND has a similar profile to MAC'S MARVEL, though he has the additional task of dealing with post eight.

Race 10 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Trot

(6) THE LAST CHAPTER cut the fractions and finished second versus NW7500L5's at the Meadowlands most recently. Hopefully he's handled aggressively again tonight, and I'll put him on top. (4) SWAN FINE LADY ships down from Maine off a facile victory for connections that usually make an impact when they show up at Yonkers. (3) EMOTIONS RICHES grabbed a second at The Meadows to start his 5-year-old season and is now back on the East Coast and with Travis Alexander. He defeated $50,000 claimers here on October 5.

Race 11 - NW5000L5 Trot

(2) KING ALPHONSO burned some money at the Meadowlands on 12-30 but lands at the bottom level tonight for Engblom and drew inside too. He looks like he'll be pretty tough. (7) DOWN THE PIKE MIKE faces softer company here than he has lately and scored his last win over NW4's at Yonkers on November 10. (6) MANWILLING wrapped up 2022 with a third-place finish versus NW5000L5 base class foes, and that's where I'll slot him on this occasion as well.