Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 1/31

MEET STATS: 4 - 20 / $17.80 (-$22.20)
BEST BETS: 1 - 2 / $6.50 (+$2.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 2 / $0.00 (-$4.00)
BEST BET - ULTIMATE SPEED (8th)
SPOT PLAY - MR KELLY (12th)

Race 1 - Winners of 6 but not more than 9 PM Races or 125000LT Trot

(1) INN AT RODANTHE didn't get involved from an outside post last week but moves to the pole position here and had some success at Yonkers late in 2023. (4) DIAMANTE TRIO IT got the job done in this class last Wednesday and has been racing well overall for a while. (6) MAHONE SEELSTER showed his form from down at Freehold was no accident as he went a long way on the engine before ending up to second to DIAMANTE TRIO IT a week ago.

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

Race 2 - 3-6YO Open Pace

(3) CAPTAIN COWBOY was third at this level last Wednesday. He had been off for over a month coming into that event, and I'll hope he's sharper now that he's back on a weekly schedule. (5) SIMON SAYS HANOVER rallied to score in this class a week ago and his trainer is off to a hot start in 2024. (1) ADAM TWELVE has been red-hot for trainer Per Engblom since coming into his barn and has co-owner Yannick Gingras back in the bike again.

Race 3 - NW3/25000LT Trot

(1) LOVELY HEART just missed by a head in her final start of 2023 at Yonkers and qualified well enough at the Meadowlands on January 20. She also gets Jason Bartlett to drive and has post one. (5) KOVU AS disappointed last week when he broke, but he was the favorite in that tilt, and that was in a slightly higher class. (2) WAVERLY HANOVER is just one-for-17 lifetime but did gain some ground in the final quarter at a tougher level last Wednesday.

Race 4 - Winners of 10 but not more than 14 PM Races or 150000LT Trot

(6) OUTSIDE THE FIRE miscued last Wednesday but has been victorious at Yonkers several times before, and I think he'll offer some value in this event. (4) TEXSONG SOPRANO dominated in this class a week ago. He had good results in the Open class out at Northfield prior to that, so he's sharp overall. (2) UNEVERGONNAGETHIS hit the board again last week to start his 5-year-old campaign and gets some post relief in this tilt.

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

(3) KOOTENAY SANTANNA tallied in a similar class to this one at Pocono back in late October and has been racing in tougher spots since then. He gets post relief in his second start of 2024 here and trainer Cory Stratton kicked off the meet in solid fashion. (2) MAJOR SHOW was second at this level on January 22 and moves inside on the gate tonight. He also kept Gingras in the bike. (1) ADAM CROCKER A prevailed over NW5000L5 base class foes on 1-22. He steps up tonight but offsets that by sliding from the seven-hole to the pole position.

Race 6 - F&M NW3/28118LT Pace

(3) EXCITING TIMES A qualified well at Monticello with a fast final quarter on January 18. Tonight she picks up Matt Kakaley in the bike and catches a beatable field. (4) ON THE WATERSEDGE closed out last year with a win at Freehold. I think she'll offer value underneath and adds a catch driver (Jim Pantaleano) here. (1) BLANK CHEEK drew the pole position and finished third in a tougher class a week ago.

Race 7 - 15000CLM Pace

(1) SOUTHWIND ONYX drops out of the $20,000 claimers and moves in from post seven to the pole position in his second appearance of 2024. He had some success in this class late in 2023 and gets to partner with Gingras again. (2) SMOKIN BY N also gets post relief here off his last two tries and gets reunited with Kakaley. He beat $20,000 claimers at Yonkers in early December. (8) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN drew outside but was Bartlett's choice of three in here and just missed the board over at the Meadowlands in his last outing.

Race 8 - F&M Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(1) ULTIMATE SPEED crunched NW2 company last Wednesday and also tallied at Woodbine Mohawk Park prior to that. Gingras stays aboard and she landed post one as she moves up the class ladder tonight. (7) FAVORITE BEACH lost Gingras's services but hasn't been out of the top three since coming into Nick Devita's barn. She won at this level a week ago and makes her second start on Lasix. (8) WINDSUN TIARA won three out of her last four tries out at The Meadows. She overcame post nine to score at that five-eighths-mile oval on 1-4, so the poor draw doesn't bother me too much.

Race 9 - 15000CLM Pace

(6) STRETCH THE LINE went winless last year but raced well in the $15,000 claiming class over at the Meadowlands late in 2023 and drops out of tougher spots. (5) I'M J BEE N closed with pace to just miss by a neck at this level a week ago. He was George Brennan's choice over my top pick. (3) OURRHYTHMNBLUES N tired on the front-end last week but had a gap in his schedule coming into that event. He was second at this level to wrap up his 2023 campaign.

Race 10 - Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) NANCY LOU NO gained a couple of spots in the final quarter in her U.S. debut a week ago and gets to drop in class tonight. I'm going to give her another chance, but I also hope she offers a better price. (1) BONTONI DEGATO S woke up big time last week with a win at this level. He starts from the pole again and has the powerful duo of Bartlett and trainer Per Engblom. (2) SHOPPING IN PARIS rallied from sixth to third in her first start of 2024 last Wednesday. She moves inside on the gate this time.

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

Race 11 - 20000CLM Pace

(7) STOP STARING returns from the Meadowlands off a victory in the corresponding class to this one. He also tallied against $25,000 claimers at Yonkers back in mid-November. (6) NOB HILL FLASH moves outside on the gate this week but was a good second to a well-meant favorite at this level last Wednesday. (3) PRESTIGE SEELSTER has been in sharp form for a while and is two-for-two so far this year. He goes for trainer Dennis Laterza off a claim.

Race 12 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(8) MR KELLY came up empty at the Meadowlands on January 13 but I believe that was in a tougher spot and he's a second-time starter for Engblom, making him worth taking a shot with. (3) MY ULTIMATE BYRON A cut the mile and wound up fifth on January 22. He drops and moves inside on the gate this time. (1) ALEX TYE finds the bottom level tonight and also has post one. He has shown the ability to pick up checks at higher levels recently, and I'll include.