Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 2/5

MEET STATS: 9 - 40 / $42.20 (-$37.80)
BEST BETS: 1 - 4 / $2.20 (-$5.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 4 / $0.00 (-$8.00)
BEST BET - FINITE (10th)
SPOT PLAY - MIKILOB ULTRA (6th)

Race 1 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(7) TYRA MAKES BANK drew outside but drops a notch off a fourth against $30,000 claimers last week and gets a chance to partner with Yannick Gingras. (2) LINE EM UP just missed after cutting the mile in this class a week ago and landed another inside starting spot. (3) DANDY'S SHOWTIME enters off a victory at this level on 1-21 and trainer Per Engblom is off to a fast start to the meet.

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Race 2 - 25000CLM Pace

(1) MOONLIGHT SHADOW drops and moves inside on the gate here. He's closed out his recent miles well both here and at the Meadowlands and won the last time he was in a $25,000 claimers back on 10-10. (3) GENIUS MAN returns to Yonkers off back-to-back wins in the corresponding class to this one at The Big M and lures Mark Herschberger in for one drive. (7) DIAMONDBEACH romped two back at the Meadowlands and gets reunited with Jason Bartlett. This horse doesn't always fire, but when Bartlett drives, he often does.

Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace

(3) EL LE TISSIER N seems like he does his best racing on the half-mile track, so I think the switch away from the Meadowlands might aid him, and he's had success at Yonkers before. He also gets a fresh set of hands with Austin Siegelman at the controls. (4) KOOTENAY SANTANNA tired from first-over last time out at Dover but was hot against $25,000 claiming company at Yonkers when last seen here and trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. has been sending out a lot of live horses. (6) OSTRO HANOVER shows a recent tally over at the Meadowlands and closed well in the stretch last week.

Race 4 - 15000CLM Pace

(8) KERFORD ROAD A qualified pretty well over the oval on the 24th of January and returns to pari-mutuel action here for the first time in July. He was facing $30,000 claimers when last seen, so he returns in a soft spot, and I'll hope he's put in play for high-percentage connections. (3) ROCK THIS WAY has been out of the top three just once in his last seven tries and won in this class on both 10-30 and 12-11. (4) HECANDANCEANDCRUISE scored at this level on January 22 and I can overlook his dull effort last week as he wound up first-over.

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

(4) IM AN ANDOVER finally drew a good post tonight after three straight eight-holes between Yonkers and Harrah's Philadelphia, and hopefully that means he'll be firing out of there. (1) LUCKY MUM N bounced back from a fourth-place finish at the Meadowlands on 1-3 with a solid second-place effort on 1-22 and slides inside on the gate to the pole position. (3) HANKINS HANOVER wound up fourth after he cut the fractions last Wednesday and takes a second crack at this class here.

Race 6 - F&M 20000CLM Pace

(4) MIKILOB ULTRA didn't threaten from the eight-hole last week but moves inside on the gate tonight and closed well in a second-place finish on 1-21. (3) IRON MISTRESS just held on for a close win in this class a week ago. She shows two other victories also, and switches drivers to George Brennan. (1) BEANTOWN BABE has been sharp over her last several efforts and was claimed by trainer Travis Alexander out of her second-place finish last Tuesday. Kakaley opted her over IRON MISTRESS.

Race 7 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(3) THE THING IS owns a victory in this class back in early November and recently added trotting hobbles. I think he's been facing tougher foes over at the Meadowlands and also drew well tonight. (2) EMBRACE THE FUTURE won rather handily at this level on January 22 and moves inside a couple of slots on the gate for the Bartlett/Engblom duo. (4) FAST APPROACH recovered to get a fourth a week ago after an early miscue. He had a recent run of on-the-board efforts over at the Meadowlands and hails from the ever-dangerous Ron Burke stable.

Race 8 - 40000CLM Pace

(2) BECHERS BROOK A goes for new connections off a claim here and has post and/or trip excuses in both of his appearances thus far in 2025. He should appreciate getting to depart from the two-hole this time around. (4) J M MANDAMIN rebounded from a poor performance at the Meadowlands on 1-11 with a good second-place result last week and retained Bartlett's services over an Engblom trainee. (5) SCRIBBLERS prevailed at this level in his last effort on January 27, but I believe he faces some tougher rivals tonight.

Race 9 - 15000CLM Pace

(6) GINGER TREE PETE battled hard in a second-place finish last Wednesday and I believe he should offer a much better price tonight. (2) ITALIAN DELIGHT N wore down my top pick a week ago after he worked out a much smoother journey in that event than he did on 1-22. This horse's resume speaks for itself. (3) I'M J BEE N tired last week but moves in on the gate from the eight-hole to post three and gets Kakaley back in the bike. He won at this level on the 22nd of January.

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Race 10 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(7) FINITE invades from the Meadowlands in sharp form for Burke and gets Gingras in the bike for the first time in a bit. He does start from a poor post, but hopefully all that does is inflate the price a bit. (6) VOSS BLUE CHIP was scratched sick on 1-24 but finished behind FINITE in two efforts prior to that. I'll include. (3) CHIPPER DALE turned a second-over trip into a victory at this level last week and gives Bartlett and Engblom another contender on the card.

Race 11 - 15000CLM Pace

(1) MASTER MIKI wrapped up 2024 with some solid efforts in an amateur events down at Harrah's Philadelphia. He returns to action tonight from an improved post than he had in his last three appearances of last year and adds a catch driver. (3) DELIGHTFUL TERROR closed from last to second in the final quarter of his mile a week ago and slides in on the gate after a couple of outside draws. (5) TREY ROCKETTE had to settle for fourth as the favorite last Wednesday but gets a second shot with Bartlett here and perhaps he'll be able to coax some early speed out of him this time.