Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 4/10

MEET STATS: 58 - 218 / $361.90 (-$74.10)
BEST BETS: 13 - 21 / $53.80 (+$11.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 21 / $46.20 (+$4.20)
BEST BET - ROYALTY BEER (4th)
SPOT PLAY - I GOT THE TAB (7th)

Race 1 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(1) UP THE CREEK has a post relief/class drop combo tonight, and I'm going to anticipate a much more aggressive approach is ahead given those factors. (5) SHINE A LIGHT also slides down on the ladder and moves inside on the gate for the Jason Bartlett/Per Engblom driver/trainer pair and shows several recent on-the-board efforts against tougher foes. (2) DIAMONDBEACH moves up a level tonight but is coming off a confidence-building romp over NW5000L5 company and gets another opportunity with Yannick Gingras in the bike.

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Race 2 - 3-6YO Open Pace

(2) SOUTHWIND PETYR got a check in the top level Invitational Pace to kick off his 2024 campaign on 3-25. That should have tightened him up for this race, and he was a regular contender in this class throughout last year. (3) ITS A ME MARIO is red-hot with four wins and a second in five efforts so far this year. He hasn't raced at this level before, but I expect he'll contend again given his form. (1) GREG THE LEG comes in off back-to-back thirds in the all-age Invitational class and is another horse who has done well at this age-restricted level before.

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Race 3 - 15000CLM Pace

(6) ALWAY'S CLOSE comes north from Freehold with back-to-back on-the-board results and catches a fairly wide-open group tonight. He gets a driver switch to Jordan Stratton for a barn that can have one ready to fire, and I'll swing. (1) IMABEACHBOY starts from the pole off a victory over $15,000 claimers on March 27 and has been racing well overall outside of the one post seven effort where he didn't get involved on March 13. (3) DAAMERICANSKY moves inside on the gate this time and had a run of three consecutive top-three results at this level in March.

Race 4 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot

(2) ROYALTY BEER shows a zero in the win column thus far in 2024 but has been racing well at the top level at Yonkers. This should be much softer company tonight and I will look for him to break through. (7) CREATIVE VENTURE was third in a class just below the Invitational most recently and was second in a winners of six but not more than nine tilt prior that. Racing in those sort of events should have him well-positioned in this series. (1) BONTONI DEGATO S saw his two-race win streak end last time out with a third but already has six tallies overall in 2024 and has another inside draw for George Brennan and trainer Mark Ford.

Race 5 - 15000CLM Pace

(5) MINGO JOEL hasn't had a chance to show what he's capable of in his last two tries as he's been stuck with post eight. He drew better tonight and did get a third in this class back on 3-13. I expect he'll offer value and is worth a shot. (1) SOUTHWIND ONYX is riding a five-race streak of top-three finishes, including a win on March 27. He moves back to the pole position tonight, goes for new connections off a claim and gets a driver switch to Gingras. (7) ITALIAN DELIGHT N returns to action here off a qualifier at Pocono where he finished with a good final quarter. I am a bit concerned that he's only in for $15,000 after racing at the $30,000 level back in the winter and will try and beat him.

Race 6 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot

(1) WARRAWEE YANG invades from Northfield and The Meadows where he's been cleaning up in their Open class. That should have him poised to do well in this series as he adds Gingras in the bike for Burke. (6) CRISTAL TRIO IT owns a win at Pocono and a third against NW15000L5 base class foes at Yonkers so far in the U.S. Trainer Travis Alexander continues to send out his share of live horses. (5) IMMANUEL K S returns to action tonight after some time off and a sharp qualifier over at Pocono. He drew the pole and has the Bartlett/Engblom tandem in his corner.

Race 7 - Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT / NW2 or 25000LT Draw Inside Trot

(8) I GOT THE TAB drew the eight-hole but does show a couple of recent seconds to tougher foes than I think he meets up with here. I'll hope he's put into play and give him a try. (6) TOMBSTONE catches probably the softest group he's met so far in 2024, but he is sitting with a 0-for-7 record this year. I'll use but only underneath. (3) WISTERIA HANOVER won in a NW3 event a couple weeks ago, and while this is a step up the ladder, it doesn't look like a much stronger lineup of rivals.

Race 8 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace

(3) YOUCANCALLME DAISY raced gamely in just missing against the red-hot Varsity Blue Chip on March 20. She gets post relief off that performance tonight. (2) FREAKY is two-for-two in this class and four-for-four overall thus far in her career. I expect she'll be the favorite and one to beat again. (1) OAKWOOD DYNASTY IR closed with pace a couple weeks ago in her best effort so far in the U.S. This is her third try on Lasix, she moves inside on the gate, and she gets to partner with Gingras for the first time.

Race 9 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot

(2) LAVA FIELD cut the fractions and was the runner-up at Pocono in his first start of 2024 on 3-23. I hope that will have him tightened up for this race as he makes his second start on Lasix and went two-for-two at Yonkers back in October of last year. (5) TACHYON won impressively at the level just below the Open on 4-4 when he got a driver switch to Bartlett and has him at the controls again tonight. (7) BY THE BOOK had the one poor result on 3-3 but other than that has been very strong in the top class up at Saratoga.

Race 10 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot

(6) CRAZY BROTHER JIM won at Buffalo and then was second over at Pocono to start this year. He's the only 3-year-old against olders in here, but perhaps that shows some confidence by the connections, and he gets to partner with a catch driver in Stratton. (1) FERRETTI ships in from the Meadowlands where he's been racing near or at the top level. He drew the pole, I like the company he's been keeping and he adds Matt Kakaley to the bike tonight. (5) DYLADMAR had some trot in the final quarter in a winners of six but not more than 9 race a couple weeks ago and has done well on half-mile tracks in his career.

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Race 11 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot

(1) OPTRIX is at a disadvantage to the others in here as he hasn't made a pari-mutuel start yet in 2024 but qualified well twice over at Pocono with trainer Tom Jackson driving and now gets reunited with Austin Siegelman. Siegelman and Optrix thrived on the half down at Freehold last year, winning the Garden State and the NJSS final, and hopefully that carries over to tonight. (5) MYCROWNMYKINGDOM tallied impressively in a winners of six but not more than nine tilt two weeks ago. He did that on the front-end but has also raced well recently in a couple of off-the-pace tries, giving Kakaley options on how to handle him. (2) COVENTRY HALL finished with plenty of trot at the Meadowlands in his return to the United States on March 23 and is another Bartlett/Engblom horse in this series.

Race 12 - 20000CLM Pace

(3) ROCK THIS WAY lacks a victory so far in 2024 but makes his second start on Lasix tonight and did hit the board a couple of times against $30,000 claimers at Yonkers back in February. He also gets Gingras back in the bike for trainer Mickey Burke Jr. (2) SMOKIN BY N is riding a two-race win streak in this class and was claimed by trainer Edwin Quevedo on 3-20. Add in that he starts from an inside post and picks up Stratton, and that makes him dangerous again. (7) PRESTIGE SEELSTER steps up from the $15,000 claiming level but has won two straight and trainer Dennis Laterza is having a strong meet overall.