Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 12/18

MEET STATS: 253- 970 / $1,605.30 (-$334.70)
BEST BETS: 44 - 94 / $219.50 (+$31.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 13 - 94 / $178.90 (-$9.10)
BEST BET - BETTORBUCKLEUP (1st)
SPOT PLAY - PASTA DELIGHT (4th)

Race 1 - 15000CLM Pace

(4) BETTORBUCKLEUP drops and moves inside on the gate in his fourth start back after a layoff and hopefully he can follow in the footsteps of stablemate On The Virg, who won three straight in this class (more on him later). (2) ITALIAN DELIGHT N is wrapping up a fantastic season but always takes a lot of wagering action (and rightly so) and has been defeated in two straight now. I'll swing against but you obviously have to respect him. (3) ROSE RUN X-CON has a zero in the win column in 2024 but did hit the board against $15,000 claimers on 12-4, and hopefully he can add some value underneath.

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

Race 2 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(6) SALE EL SOL takes a second shot at this level after she was third from first-over a week ago. She gets a driver change to George Brennan, and hopefully that means she's going to be sent out of there. (1) SHEIKH YABOOTY N went a long way on the lead before she came up just a neck short of victory last Wednesday. She starts from post one again and has been having an excellent campaign overall. (4) SAUBLE DELIGHTFUL owns a win in this class back on 11-13 and bounced back from a break on the 3rd of December with a gaining fourth-place result last week.

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

Race 3 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(6) IRIS SEELSTER gained spots and ground in the back-half of her last effort on 12-3 and makes her first start on Lasix here. (4) ITTY BITTY is just one-for-25 in the win column this year but has some sneaky form given the prices she's been going off at and moves in from the eight-hole to post four. (1) PINK RUBY has been sharp for a while overall and has won two in-a-row at this level. She starts from post one this time, too.

Race 4 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(5) PASTA DELIGHT picked up two wins and a second in this class back in October and November and has faced tougher competition since then. (3) BETTA WATCH OUT N won at this level a week ago, backing up her runner-up result in her comeback on 12-4. She was Bartlett's pick of three in this event. (4) KISS MY CHEEK has a pair of victories and a second in her last three efforts. She romped two back and gets reunited with Brennan.

Race 5 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(1) BLARNEY CASTLE tired badly most recently at the Meadowlands but starts from post one after he had the eight-hole in that contest, and he was second in this class the last time he was at Yonkers in late October. (6) TEQUINI HANOVER hasn't been outside the top three since she added the trotting hobbles in the qualifier on October 29, but she had every chance to win in her last two efforts and came up short. I imagine she's going to be favored, and I'll swing against. (5) THE THING IS struggled and broke in the off going and win last Wednesday but does have a win at this level on the 6th of November, and I'll include in the hopes he can rebound.

Race 6 - 15000CLM Pace

(3) DELIGHTFUL TERROR didn't have much to offer last week but makes his second start back after a qualifier from a much better post and beat $25,000 claimers at Yonkers as recently as October 3. (5) CAVIART ROCKLAND rallied from eighth to second in the final quarter of a $15,000 claiming event last Wednesday and moves in from the eight-hole to post five. (1) B COOL FOOL held sway on the lead to tally at this level a week ago and gets significant post relief on this occasion.

Race 7 - Winners of 5 but not more than 7 PM Races or 90000LT Trot

(4) IM AN ANDOVER owns two wins and a second since he changed barns and went to be piloted by catch drivers. He romped when last seen at Yonkers on 11-20, and I'll put him on top here. (5) CENTRAL PARK cruised around the oval to an easy win a week ago. She's tallied the last two times Jordan Stratton has steered her, and he's at the controls tonight as well. (8) LUCKY MUM N maintained her undefeated in the U.S. status with another victory a week ago. She's up in class and has the eight-hole, so I'll play against, but I respect her chances.

Race 8 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(3) LINE EM UP closed with pace from an outside draw last week and moves back in on the gate this time. She won at this level two back from this same post, and I'll hope lightning can strike twice. (4) RAISE THE ANTE has won two in-a-row in this class. She gets a new driver on this occasion as Jim Marohn Jr. takes over with Yannick Gingras not here. (1) PROVE EM WRONG starts from the pole tonight after a series of poor draws. She scored over $20,000 claimers the last time she had post one on the 13th of November.

Race 9 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(6) KOVU AS makes his third start back after a layoff tonight, has been facing tougher foes out of town since his return and has racing experience at Yonkers earlier in 2024. (5) CHIPPER DALE broke last week but recovered to get third. He was favored in that contest, so that, plus his recovery, tells me he was well-meant. (1) NAUTILUS B has finished second in three straight between here and Woodbine Mohawk Park and had a good enough season north of the border to make her Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.

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

Race 10 - 15000CLM Pace

(3) RECORD YEAR gets another try against $15,000 claimers tonight after he was a closing second a couple of weeks back and he gets a chance to partner with Bartlett. (5) GINGER TREE PETE owns a runner-up finish and a victory since he dropped to this level and kept Anthony Napolitano's services over my top pick. (4) JUST A WRANGLER hasn't made much noise in his last two tries but did win in three of four starts in this class from 10-23 to 11-20.

Race 11 - 20000CLM Pace

(8) ON THE VIRG is up in class and starts from the eight-hole, but as mentioned earlier he beat $15,000 claiming company three straight times, and I don't see him taking back, even from the bad draw. (5) SHADOW IN RED was second at this level a week ago but shows three defeats as the favorite in his lines, so I think you have to take a shot against, as I will do. (1) MIGHTY SANTANA N has struggled to find the winner's circle in 2024 but has hit the board in two straight outings and in four of six overall. He also drew inside again.