Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 3/17

MEET STATS: 43 - 150 / $256.30 (-$43.70)
BEST BETS: 8 - 15 / $29.80 (-$0.20)
SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 15 / $9.90 (-$20.10)
BEST BET - MY PAL JOE (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - ADMITYOUREWRONG (5th)

Race 1 - M Life Rewards Gents Series Pace

(5) RETOUR AU JEU came up a neck short of another win a week ago after a quality effort where he took the lead from first-over past three-quarters. He looks like the one to beat. (6) CIGAR SMOKING TONY should have enough early foot to overcome the outside draw in this field of six, and he's hit the board in both of his performances in this series. (3) SWEET TRUTH finally gets away from the red-hot Dragon Said tonight, and that might allow him to be more competitive.

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Race 2 - M Life Rewards Gents Series Pace

(5) SCOOTNROLL has a chance to sweep his preliminary round races with another victory tonight. Trainer Todd Buter is sending out a lot of live horses and has a high percentage right now, and I'll bank on that trend continuing. (2) DIAMONDBEACH went a dazzling mile on the front-end a week ago to win in a new lifetime mark. He'll make it very tough for the others if he's that good again. (1) LOU'S SWEETREVENGE tried to chase Diamondbeach from first-over last Wednesday and had no success. Let's see if driver George Brennan tries to get him a smoother trip this time.

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Race 3 - M Life Rewards Gents Series Pace

(5) MY PAL JOE probably needs a win tonight to make the final of this series after looking like one of the standouts coming in. I suspect we'll see a more aggressive approach and hopefully the performance to go with it. (2) PANTHER TIME has raced on the lead and from behind in this series, posting a second and a fourth. It's hard to ignore anything being sent out by Jenn and Joe Bongiorno at this moment, so I'll definitely include. (1) SALT LIFE has gotten mixed up in early speed battles both weeks. He has the rail tonight, and hopefully that means a clean journey is ahead.

Race 4 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Trot

(3) CRAZY ABOUT PAT invades from Freehold after finishing second in back-to-back starts against NW2500L5's. I'll hope the fact he's coming north is a sign of positive intent, like it has been with some of trainer Paul Fusco's other horses so far this meet, and I don't mind that he gets Scott Zeron. (6) MUFASA AS seems overdue for a better performance as he continues to appear at the bottom level. Maybe it'll come tonight as he kept Jordan Stratton over another one in this race. (5) SUPERIORCOURT owns a couple of third-place results since coming in from Monticello and moves outside on the gate after starting from the pole a week ago.

Race 5 - F&M NW2/27000LT Pace

(7) ADMITYOUREWRONG meets up with a field here where she might be able to step out and get to the front-end or in the pocket given the apparent lack of speed to her inside. I'll use in the hopes it plays out like that in reality, since she should offer some value. (2) CHELSKI led and wound up second-best a week ago when the pocket-sitter rallied up the inside in the lane. She gets another chance in the same class here and has been good in all her starts for trainer Tom Shay. (1) POWERED BY MACH comes down from Woodbine Mohawk Park after a second-place finish from first-over against their NW2 level on 3-4. Trainer Carmen Auciello's horses are usually more usable underneath, and that's where I'll slot this 4-year-old by Mach Three.

Race 6 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Trot

(3) LADY EAGLE drops a level tonight in her second start after a brief layoff and gets reunited with Joe Bongiorno. The last time she met up with NW7500L5's, she was victorious on 1-13. (1) FULL RIGHTS took advantage of a chance against the NW5000L5's to score a win last Wednesday. He moves up a class, but has the pole position, and I'd anticipate he'll be on the lead. (2) MACMORRIS HANOVER exits the same race my top pick does. This 5-year-old scored a couple of nice victories over quality opponents at Harrah's Philadelphia in November and December of 2020, and I think he'll be a threat.

Race 7 - F&M NW9/125000LT / F&M NW6/75000LT Drawn Inside Pace

(2) MAJOR BATTLE makes her Yonkers debut tonight. She certainly has a better post than the two ten-holes she wound up with at the Meadowlands in her last pair, and the tandem of driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Jenny Melander have been successful when they've partnered up. I also respect that McCarthy chose this one over another horse in the race. (6) DANCE CLUB delivered impressively against NW6's last Wednesday. That was from the eight-hole, so she gets out of that spot tonight to help her chances. (5) ROCKNROLL ANNIE has been facing some really tough foes since her win at Yonkers on 1-21. I think this might be a more reasonable spot, and that we could see an improved effort.

Race 8 - NW7525L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5/15000CLM Trot

(1) TAD KRAZY HANOVER finished second to the well-meant Yes last Wednesday and moves to the pole position tonight. The price she offered last week won't be coming, but I'll put on top. (5) DIRTY SECRET has a runner-up finish and a fourth in her last two tries in this class. The one on 2-24 was to the classy Smalltownthrowdown, so I definitely respect that effort. (2) RACEACE squeezed into this race by $25, having made $7,520 in his last five races. He was third in his debut for trainer Mike Forte off the claim in the same race my top selection was in.

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Race 9 - NW10000L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5/20000CLM Trot

(3) KING CAST starts from an inside post for the first time since he won back on 2-17. He advanced from eighth to fourth in the back-half of his mile last Wednesday, and I'll give him a chance. (5) YES looks like he's possibly on his way back to being an Open-type horse in Erv Miller's barn as he's two-for-two since coming back into his care. He'll probably win, but I didn't want to take 1-5 or 1-9. (1) MAJESTIC KAT was a convincing and well-meant winner over NW7500L5's a week ago. She moves up a level here, but does have post one and should get a good trip.

Race 10 - NW5000L5 Pace

(5) PICARD A wound up two-wide all the way last Tuesday and never had a chance after that. His prior effort where he closed in 27 4/5 was very good, though, and I'll look for that type of journey and performance. (8) CENTURY FURY is probably the one to beat as he drops to the bottom level after facing better. I'll take a swing against him and hope post eight trips him up. (3) ART SCENE was second against NW7500L5's when last seen at Yonkers on the 19th of February and gets a chance with Jason Bartlett.