MEET STATS: 56 - 209 / $345.40 (-$72.60) BEST BETS: 12 - 20 / $49.50 (+$9.50) SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 20 / $34.00 (-$6.00) BEST BET - BATH BOMB (5th) SPOT PLAY - KEYSTONE DASH (6th) Race 1 - NW5091L5/12500CLM Pace (2) VIVA LAS VEGAS N was sixth in a NW7500L5 tilt last Wednesday but finished with a solid final quarter. He drops to the bottom level tonight and drew well again, so I will swing with him. (3) ALTA CLASSIC A finished third in a NW7500L5 tilt at Yonkers on 3-7 and returns tonight after another third in the corresponding class to this one at Pocono most recently. (1) MIRRAGON A picked up a third against NW15000L5 base class rivals on 2-19 but has struggled in two subsequent efforts. One has to think he's well-placed tonight, though, as he hits the NW5000L5 level and moves in from the seven-hole to the pole position. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2 - 3-6YO Open Pace (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) BRUE HANOVER moves out on the gate here but beat a 1-9 favorite in this class a week ago for the Burke Brigade and driver Matt Kakaley. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Yonkers card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot (3) 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. (3) 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 potent driver/trainer tandem of Jason Bartlett and Per Engblom. (4) MYCROWNMYKINGDOM tallied impressively in a winners of six but not more than nine tilt a week 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. Race 4 - Winners of 3 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT / NW2 Draw Inside Trot (2) MAGIC MELVIN made just one start last year as a freshman and finished third in that race. He has two qualifiers to get some foundation under him to begin his sophomore season and picks up Bartlett against a beatable field. (3) 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. (6) WISTERIA HANOVER won in a NW3 event a week ago, and while this is a step up the ladder, it doesn't look like a much stronger lineup of rivals. Race 5 - F&M NW3/25000LT Pace (5) BATH BOMB qualified extremely well over at Pocono on 3-20. This is her first career pari-mutuel start, but if she's that good again, I think the others are in trouble. (1) 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. (3) OAKWOOD DYNASTY IR closed with pace a week 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 another chance with Joe Bongiorno at the controls. Race 6 - 15000CLM Pace (6) KEYSTONE DASH doesn't have great form but does drop out of the $20,000 claimers, and nobody in this race has been able to find the winner's circle for a few weeks. I'll give him a chance. (4) LYONS PRIDE raced gamely without cover and was second to a well-meant favorite in this class last Wednesday. All of his best efforts this year have come against $15,000 claimers here or over at the Meadowlands. (3) ATLANTIS looks like he's tailed off quite a bit from his run of good form earlier in 2024 but does get reunited with Bartlett and moves in a couple notches on the gate tonight. Race 7 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot (7) FERRETTI comes in from the Meadowlands where he's been racing near or at the top level. He does have the outside, but I like the company he's been keeping, how he's been racing, and respect he was Scott Zeron's choice. (5) ROYALTY BEER has been racing well against Invitational foes at Yonkers through the season but also doesn't have a win. I suspect he'll be bet hard and will take a chance at beating him. (4) COVENTRY HALL finished with plenty of trot at the Meadowlands in his return to the United States on March 23 and has the Bartlett/Engblom duo in his corner. Race 8 - 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. (4) SHINE A LIGHT also slides down on the ladder and moves inside on the gate for the Bartlett/Engblom pairing and shows several recent on-the-board efforts against tougher foes. (3) VENIER HANOVER didn't threaten last Wednesday from the eight-hole but did close in 27 and change. He drew much better tonight and gets a driver switch to Kakaley. Race 9 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot (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, and hopefully this mare is another one. (5) DYLADMAR had some trot in the final quarter in a winners of six but not more than 9 race last Wednesday and has done well on half-mile tracks in his career. (1) 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. He should enjoy getting to start from the pole after a series of outside draws up north. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 10 - John Brennan Series Leg #1 Trot (3) 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) CREATIVE VENTURE was third in a class just below the Invitational last Thursday and was second in a winners of six but not more than 9 tilt prior that. Racing in those sort of events should have him well-positioned in this series. (2) BONTONI DEGATO S saw his two-race win streak end last Thursday with a third but already has six tallies overall in 2024 and has another inside draw for Bartlett and trainer Mark Ford. Race 11 - 20000CLM Pace (3) ROCK THIS WAY hasn't been making much noise 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 Kakaley back in the bike for Burke. (1) 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 the pole and picks up Bartlett, and that makes him dangerous again. (6) 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.