Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 3/6

MEET STATS: 33 - 127 / $165.00 (-$89.00)
BEST BETS: 6 - 12 / $23.30 (-$0.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 12 / $0.00 (-$24.00)
BEST BET - MAJOR DESIRE (4th)
SPOT PLAY - KEAYANG KAMIKAZE A (3rd)

Race 1 - F&M Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Pace

(8) HURRIKANE LADY LOU drew another poor post tonight, but I thought she raced pretty well in a fourth-place effort from the seven-hole a week ago, and I think this is a softer field than she faced that night. (6) PEMBROKE SOUTHIE had a pretty good 3-year-old stakes campaign last year, including a second-place finish in the NJSS-Standardbred Development Fund final. She debuts for Joe and Jenn Bongiorno here off a victorious qualifier down at Freehold. (4) DONTKARENIFIDO didn't threaten last week but gets an improved post here off that mile and a driver switch to Steve Smith.

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Race 2 - 15000CLM Pace

(4) DAAMERICANSKY had an impossible trip last week after getting parked three-wide early and predictably tired. He gets a new driver here with Jason Bartlett taking over, and I will bank on a smoother journey coming. (2) COALITION HANOVER returns to action tonight after some time off. He was facing $30,000 claimers before he went on the shelf, so this is a much softer spot than that. Jordan Stratton hops in the bike. (6) CAMPORA N couldn't get involved from the eight-hole a week ago but doesn't have to contend with that post tonight and gets reunited with George Brennan.

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Race 3 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(7) KEAYANG KAMIKAZE A steps up here from the NW7500L5 level but won impressively last Wednesday and I'll put him on top again. (5) REAL WILLEY makes his first start of 2024 tonight. He tallied against NW7500L5 base class foes to end his 2023 campaign and romped in his qualifier over at Pocono a week ago. (3) HIMSELF N hit the board for the first time in the U.S. last week and I will toss him in underneath.

Race 4 - 20000CLM Pace

(1) MAJOR DESIRE defeated $15,000 claimers last week and takes a crack at the $20,000 level tonight. He was claimed out of that victory by a barn that has a high percentage at other oval and offsets the class hike by moving to post one. (2) I'M J BEE N is riding a four-race win streak, including a tally in the final of the Stake Your Claim Series last Wednesday. He was George Brennan's choice over another sharp horse in here. (3) CAPTAIN T HANOVER finished second to I'M J BEE N in the Stake Your Claim Series final and has missed the board only once in his last seven outings.

Race 5 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace

(5) OAKWOOD DYNASTY IR qualified well over the track on February 23, gaining spots and plenty of ground in the final quarter. She makes her pari-mutuel debut tonight for the Burke Brigade, and I'll trust she's ready to rock. (7) NEITHER DO I comes north from Dover and out of Jim King Jr.'s barn and into Scott Di Domenico's. She's pretty sharp with three on-the-board finishes in her last fourth appearances, and the King Jr. to Di Domenico trainer change angle has had some success in the past. (3) NIRVANA HANOVER came in fourth in her first attempt for Per Engblom last Wednesday. That was her first outing since 1-31, so I could see her improving now that's back on a weekly racing schedule.

Race 6 - Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT / NW3 PM Races LT Draw Inside Trot

(3) NANCY LOU NO hasn't been seen since 2-14 and has just one top-three finish in three starts thus far in the U.S., but this is by far the softest field she's faced and has an ideal post to give trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer some options on how to handle her. (3) DARK MIND never threatened from post seven on February 21, but that was his first appearance back after some time off. I will look for improvement tonight and include. (2) WISTERIA HANOVER has hit the board in two straight with Yannick Gingras at the controls, and he's back in the bike again here.

Race 7 - 15000CLM Pace

(3) IMABEACHBOY returns on a quick turnaround here after finishing fourth at Freehold on Saturday. He picked up a couple of checks against age-restricted $30,000 claimers at Yonkers twice last month, and this should be a softer spot that that class. (6) SOUTHWIND ONYX was second last Wedneday to a sharp rival in Smokin By N and got the nod from Bartlett. (4) ATLANTIS wound up with a first-over trip a week ago and was empty. He was racing very well prior to that, though, and gets a driver switch to Stratton.

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Race 8 - Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Trot

(4) CASSIUS HANOVER owns a couple of on-the-board finishes so far in 2024 and gets to team up with a catch driver in Mark MacDonald this time. I think that makes him worth a shot. (5) STONEBRIDGE BRAVO is clearly the one to beat again as he's riding a two-race win streak and has been favored in all of his tries at Yonkers since joining the Burke Brigade. (2) ROSE RUN YANKEE gained a couple of spots in the final quarter of his race a week ago and moves in from post seven to the two-hole.

Race 9 - Winners of 6 but not more than 10 PM Races or 125000LT Trot

(4) FIX A DRINK cut the fractions and wound up second in his debut for Engblom last Wednesday. I believe he'll be better tonight and merits another chance on top. (5) TACHYON has been sharp in his last three outings, including a victory over FIX A DRINK a week ago. (2) CREATIVE VENTURE also has good form with on-the-board results in three of his four tries in 2024. He was third in the same race FIX A DRINK and TACHYON exit from last week.