2024 MEET STATS: 260- 995 / $1,690.40 (-$299.60) BEST BETS: 45 - 96 / $235.50 (+$43.50) SPOT PLAYS: 13 - 96 / $178.90 (-$13.10) BEST BET - ROSE RUN ZEKE (8th) SPOT PLAY - ALEXANDER (1st) Race 1 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot I think (1) ALEXANDER was facing tougher company in this class to close out 2024 and I'll swing with him here from post one. (2) CHASING CRYSTALS hit the board at this level on 12-11 and gained several positions in a third-plce result at the Meadowlands on January 3. (5) EMBRACE THE FUTURE won a couple in-a-row in November, and while she closed out her 3-year-old season with a last-place result at Harrah's Philadelphia, that was against much more difficult NW10000L5 foes. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2 - 15000CLM Pace (1) ON THE VIRG tallied three straight times against $15,000 claimers in November and December, and I can overlook the sixth-place result on 12-18 as that was against $20,000 claiming company. (3) GINGER TREE PETE won in this class in early December and also had a runner-up finish in a subsequent performance. (5) B COOL FOOL is another horse who shows a victory at this level last month and hails from the barn of leading trainer Per Engblom. Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace (2) SMOKIN BY N shows a couple of seconds against $30,000 claimers as recently as 11-7 and 11-18 and makes his first start of 2025 at the $20,000 level. (1) MIGHTY SANTANA N struggled to find the winner's circle in 2024 but did hit the board in four of his final five outings of the year. (6) SHADOW IN RED was second in this class on December 11 and then backed that up with a dominant tally on December 18. Race 4 - Winners of 5 but not more than 7 PM Races or 90000LT Trot (8) IM AN ANDOVER drew outside and comes off a poor performance in his last try of 2024 but is two-for-two at Yonkers since he switched to his current stable and started being piloted by catch drivers. I think he'll be put in play and I'll give him top call. (6) GREEN PASTURES finished second in a tougher winners of 8 but not more than 11 contest on December 12 and owns a victory at Yonkers in mid-November. (3) LUCKY MUM N tired in the lane at the Meadowlands on 1-3 but has been very tough at Yonkers since she came here from Down Under. Race 5 - F&M 20000CLM Pace (8) RAISE THE ANTE didn't have any success in two outings at the Meadowlands but won three straight to wrap up 2024 at Yonkers, and I believe she can get positioned on or near the lead if handled aggressively. (3) SALE EL SOL has hit the board in four straight tries and in five of her last seven appearances overall. (6) EBONY LADY tired on the front-end on December 17 but closed well from off-the-pace in two trip behind the gate prior to that. Race 6 - 15000CLM Pace (1) I'M J BEE N landed the pole position here after a couple of post eight tries at Yonkers and Monticello, and while he doesn't have any super-obvious form, I like that he's back with Travis Alexander and has a start under his belt in 2025. (3) ROCK THIS WAY hit the board in four of his final five outings of last year, and has a pair of victories against $15,000 claimers as part of that. (5) SHAKE IT also gets a better post tonight after two straight eight-holes to conclude 2024. Race 7 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot (7) KOVU AS has been sharp since returning to action in November and won in this class the last time he was at Yonkers on 12-18. PISCES RISING rolled to a handy win over NW2 company at the Meadowlands on January 3 and is another horse in good form overall. (2) MUSICAL RIDE scored at this level to end his 2024 campaign and drew well again. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 8 - 30000CLM Pace (2) ROSE RUN ZEKE ships over from the Meadowlands off a second and two wins since joining Joe Bongiorno's stable and has plenty of experience racing on half-mile ovals. (1) SPEEDY DOMINIC A clobbered $25,000 claimers at Yonkers on December 11 and gives Engblom another contender on the program. (4) HURRIKANEKINGJAMES starts 2025 at the $30,000 level. He won three straight against $20,000 claiming foes at Yonkers in November and December. Race 9 - 15000CLM Pace (5) BEN SOLO posted a third in a $15,000 claimer at Yonkers on 12-18 and then returned to action with a handy triumph at Monticello on January 7. (3) ITALIAN DELIGHT N had a superb 2024 campaign, but he did appear to tail off late in the season and always takes a lot of wagering support. (7) DELIGHTFUL TERROR drew poorly but did score in this class on the 18th of December.