Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 4/5
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MEET STATS: 48 - 205 / $350.30 (-$59.70)
BEST BETS: 6 - 21 / $20.40 (-$21.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 21 / $42.90 (+$2.90)
BEST BET - OUTSIDE THE FIRE (6th)
SPOT PLAY - MISSION VOYAGE (12th)
Race 1 - John Brennan Series Trot
(1) CANTSTOP YANKEE owns a three-for-three record this year and defeated NW6's here on 3-23 after making a first-over move to the lead in the second quarter. I will give him top call from the rail. (2) SUMMIT CITY SONNY is also in great form, having won five times to go with one runner-up finish in six attempts in 2023. He won the Open at Saratoga most recently and gets a chance to team up with Dexter Dunn tonight. (6) SPICY NUGGET had to settle for fourth in his Yonkers return on 3-23 but then came back to top NW6's last Thursday. He's made six appearances in the winner's circle overall from seven tries in his 4-year-old campaign.
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Race 2 - John Brennan Series Trot
(5) SWAN FLYER is three-for-three at Yonkers since coming north from Dover last month and I'll give him the nod over (2) HARRY KNOWS IR, who has a trio of impressive wins out of town but has also made a couple of breaks, including most recently. (6) PAPPARDELLE won all of his starts at Yonkers back in December of 2022 and enters this series off a good enough qualifier over a sloppy track at the Meadowlands.
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Race 3 - NW10551L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Trot
(5) BANK BOX TREASURE gained spots and ground in the final quarter of his race at this level last Wednesday and doesn't have to contend with starting from post eight tonight. (3) LUCKY WEEKEND moves up from the NW7500L5's but does so in sharp form, having finished second on three straight occasions. (1) NO DRAMA PLEASE came up just a neck shy of winning a NW7500L5 test a week ago and was second in the corresponding class to this one at the Meadowlands on March 11.
Race 4 - John Brennan Series Trot
(5) P L OSCAR moved all the way up to the Open level here at Yonkers this year, which gives him a class edge on the rest of these in my opinion. His last try in the top class was a good third after he forged his way to the lead from first-over. (3) FIREINSIDEMYVEINS tallied three times at Yonkers in the fall of last year and should be sharper tonight after a fourth-place result at Pocono in his first try of 2023. (7) GAELIHILL shows racing in the top class at Dover in early March and was a closing third against NW20000L5's locally in his most recent effort.
Race 5 - 3-5YO 50000CLM HCP Pace
(3) THEFLYINGROCK finds what should be a softer spot here than the NW20000L5 base class foes he's been facing recently, and hopefully that'll turn his fortunes back in a positive direction. (6) COALITION HANOVER is the current top dog in this class as he's been first or second in his last four efforts, and he was claimed by trainer Travis Alexander out of his last start on 3-22. (1) BETTOR SUN is a on a lengthy run of top-three results dating back to mid-February and should have every chance to contend again tonight from the pole.
Race 6 - John Brennan Series Trot
(4) OUTSIDE THE FIRE comes into this series with three straight victories, including a season's-best mark in his last triumph over NW30000L5's. (1) CALL ME DANI has been first or second in all of her efforts since returning from a stint at the Meadowlands and should be well-positioned from post one. (3) SOUTHWIND ARTURO ships back to Yonkers after tallying at Pocono on March 26. He was in good form here prior to that, and I'll include.
Race 7 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace
(3) CHEESEY LADY went two-for-two at Western Fair in Ontario to start her career and now shows up at Yonkers for trainer Scott Di Domenico. That first victory really stands out, as she was starting from a trailing post and rallied from seventh at the half to win by open lengths. (2) HAILEY'S SISTER topped NW2's both here and at Pocono to wrap up March and gets a little post relief tonight. (4) PAPILLION ships over from Monticello with three wins, a second, and a third. Her last triumph on 3-28 was impressive as she overcame the seven-hole to get the job done.
Race 8 - John Brennan Series Trot
(2) C YOU AGAIN DK never found room from the pocket in his last start on 3-16 and had to settle for fourth. I think that was a good prep for this series and he gets to move inside on the starting gate here. (7) LEXUS MARKUS invades from Northfield where he's been racing in the Open and hails from the powerful Ron Burke barn. (4) VALI HANOVER delivered a hard-fought win from first-up against $50,000 claimers a week ago. I'll slot him underneath here.
Race 9 - F&M NW7/75000LT Pace
(2) HUNTRESS didn't get great cover to follow in her first start of 2023 a couple weeks ago but did get up for second. I wouldn't be surprised if she's handled differently tonight, and I'll give her another chance. (1) SOMESWEETSOMEWHERE rallied in the final quarter to defeat NW10000L5 foes last time out and slides in from post five to the pole position here. (3) TONY'S MOM is now with trainer Per Engblom, which has helped out plenty of horses lately, and I'll use her to round out my top three.
Race 10 - John Brennan Series Trot
(7) HOOLIE N HECTOR drew the outside post here, but he comes out of the toughest races of this bunch and shows competing in the Open at Yonkers two back. (1) WICKENBURGH made a break in a NW6 contest last Thursday, but he doesn't show any other miscues and was sharp prior to that error, so I will look for him to rebound and include him. (4) BRAVE BY DESIGN closed well to finish third in a NW6 tilt on 3-30 and makes his third start back after a layoff tonight.
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Race 11 - 50000CLM Trot
(5) PC FREE WHEELING was off-form for a couple of starts but turned it back around on March 22 with a romping victory in this class. I'll look for her to strike again tonight. (3) FIT BITT held sway gamely on the front-end to win a NW7500L5 race last Wednesday and overcame having broken equipment, too. (1) AFTER ALL PAUL keeps racking up top-three finishes at this level and is definitely usable.
Race 12 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Trot
(6) MISSION VOYAGE should be full of confidence tonight after a dominating win over bottom level rivals a week ago. I will put him on top again tonight. (8) I DA PRINCESS starts from the eight-hole but dominated NW5000L5 company in her first start for Engblom last Wednesday, and I can't see her taking back to last. (2) BIZET gets some additional class relief tonight but needs to couple it with a better performance.

