Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 2/16

MEET STATS: 16 - 79 / $84.00 (-$74.00)
BEST BETS: 3 - 9 / $13.30 (-$4.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 8 / $0.00 (-$16.00)
BEST BET - MACH N CHEESE (1st)
SPOT PLAY - J A T O (3rd)

Race 1 - NW5000L5 Pace

(6) MACH N CHEESE wasn't ready to go 1:50 and change in his first start at the Meadowlands after a layoff, but I think that performance should have tightened him up, and given that he won a leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series a year ago and is facing bottom-level foes tonight, he should take advantage. (3) PASSA-GRILLE BEACH raced well in the corresponding class to this one at The Big M on 1-15 and 1-22 and certainly looks usable. (1) GIVENUPDREAMING drops and moves inside in his second appearance up from Dover. That was a pretty good last quarter he turned in as well, and I'll include.

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Race 2 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace

(3) OAKWOOD CORAL IR posted two wins and a second in the Canadian Maritimes and is now in the Jenn Bongiorno barn. That's a plus, as is the fact she's the lone 5-year-old in the field. (6) IDEAL CHIP has finished second in her last six starts, and that's where I'll put her again. She has a driver change to Jason Bartlett tonight since Jordan Stratton is not here. (4) MAGICAL LILY BEAR sat in and finished third on February 2, and I'll bank on her being able to find the ticket again this time.

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Race 3 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Trot

(5) J A T O shows finishing third in the Open at Northfield in late October of last year and debuts for trainer Edwin Quevedo tonight at the bottom level. That qualifier at the Meadowlands didn't show much, but he was in against the likes of Stormy Kromer, who won the Open at Yonkers on 2-11, so I'll hope he's ready, especially since Bartlett stuck with him over other options. (3) BAZILLIONAIRE is just one-for-37 in the win column in 2021-22, but this is the softest spot he's been in lately, and driver Joe Bongiorno seems to have a knack for getting to the winner's circle with these types. (8) SERRANO VOLO finished a gaining second in this class on January 12 and returns to it tonight after taking on NW6's in a subsequent effort.

Race 4 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Trot

(3) PAPPY GO GO grabbed a confidence-building win over bottom level foes two weeks back and is definitely capable of handling the hike. (6) KANDY SWEET won in this class on 12-8 and has been facing better foes since then. (8) IM THE MUSCLE slides down a notch after getting a check against NW10000L5's on February 2 and gets a driver switch to Dan Dube, who is definitely capable of hustling one out of there.

Race 5 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace

(4) KATHY'S MOMENT made an uncharacteristic break in stride from post eight on 2-2. She had been in great form prior to that, and I will hope she can bounce back from this improved draw. (8) ALTA MADEIRA N dominated NW2's in her Yonkers debut two weeks ago, and I will include, even though she did land post eight. (1) GABBY'S GIRL had to settle for third after leading through a pretty quick tempo on February 2. She does own two prior victories at Yonkers.

Race 6 - NW5370L5/12500CLM Trot

(5) THE IRISHMAN had a pretty tough trip two weeks ago but stuck around to finish fourth. He was 1-5 in that race, but I think will offer a better price tonight. He will be driven by trainer Cory Stratton since Jordan isn't here, but Cory steered him two back at the Meadowlands. (1) SWEET SOUL DAVID was second against NW7850L5's on February 2 and slides down to the bottom level tonight. (6) MOMM'S MY DAD continues to have little luck in the draw, but he was able to overcome post eight to finish a gaining third on the 2nd of February.

Race 7 - F&M NW6/75000LT Pace

(4) HEAVENISSOFARAWAY is now with Ron Burke after an ownership change, and she has a prior win over NW6's on January 19. (3) COMMANDER CATHY N hasn't missed the board in any of her U.S. starts so far, and although she hasn't picked up a victory as of yet, she's certainly been knocking on the door. (1) STAR CAPTAIN makes her 4-year-old debut here. She was a stakes-caliber filly at age 3, and the horse she beat in that qualifier down at Freehold came back to win impressively at the Meadowlands on Friday night (February 11).

Race 8 - 50000CLM Trot

(2) PLUMB went right to the lead in her first start for Joe and Jenn Bongiorno on February 2 but miscued on the first turn. I'll trust they have that ironed out this time and give her another shot. (6) MAJESTIC MARVEL is three-for-four when Bartlett has driven him, and he's back aboard tonight. Trainer Sheena Cohen is also having a strong start to 2022. (7) SMALLTOWNTHROWDOWN bounced back to win on January 19, and in this race he kept Dube over a horse trained by Deborah Daguet, who he usually sticks with.

Race 9 - 75000CLM Trot

(2) WILD AND CRAZY GUY scored six victories on half-mile tracks in Canada in 2021. He's now in the high-percentage Gareth Dowse barn after racing at Pompano, and I expect him to fire. (4) HAT TRICK MARLEAU scored a front-end victory in his first start off the claim for trainer Ricky Bucci last time out, and he was George Brennan's choice in this event. (3) VAINQUEUR R P NO is about as consistent as it gets when he's at Yonkers. He's going to get a chance with Matt Kakaley here with Stratton not driving.

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Race 10 - F&M NW8/100000LT Pace

(6) ANDRA DAY enters this race off back-to-back runner-up finishes to Bitty Bitty. That mare is probably as sharp as any horse racing at Yonkers and was fourth in the F&M Open on Thursday night (February 10), so I think that's a good gauge of class. Let's see if this lass can take advantage of getting away from that foe tonight. (3) LARJON LEAH has an improved post this time, and perhaps that means a more aggressive approach is forthcoming. (4) MYSTIFYING ships down from Canada with two straight victories and has Bongiorno to drive.

Race 11 - NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Trot

(6) IN MY DREAMS has gotten sharp again with two straight second-place efforts, including in this class on 1-19. (1) CON AIR HALL gets reunited with Brennan this week and moves in from post seven to the pole position. (5) LOOK IN MY EYES made up some ground with a solid final quarter on January 26 and has shown the ability to race closer to the action in the past.