Yonkers: Analysis for Wednesday 9/4

MEET STATS: 194- 691 / $1,151.40 (-$230.60)
BEST BETS: 34 - 66 / $148.80 (+$16.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 66 / $88.40 (-$43.60)
BEST BET - YOROKOBI N (1st)
SPOT PLAY - MACH N CHEESE (4th)

Race 1 - NW20000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/60000CLM/NW13791L5 Draw Inside Pace

(4) YOROKOBI N put in a good effort last time out, finishing second at this level. I'll give him top billing this time as he catches a beatable group. (5) PANETTONE HANOVER debuts for trainer/driver Joe Bongiorno and probably finds a bit easier spot than the 3-5YO Open Pace he's been in. (2) BLANK STARE hasn't really threatened in two chances in this class but moves inside on the gate again, and this doesn't look like the toughest NW20000L5 event.

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Race 2 - 15000CLM Pace

(5) YOUR BROTHER is riding a two-race win streak in this class and trainer Cory Stratton has been sending out some live horses overall lately. (2) MACHLICIOUS went a long way on the front-end before he just missed on 8-24. He gets significant post relief here and co-owner/trainer Bongiorno goes into the bike. (3) MAJOR DESIRE returns to action at much lower claiming level than he was racing at prior to going on the shelf. He shows three victories over $30,000 claimers in June and July.

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Race 3 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(2) INDICTABLE HANOVER drew well here after a series of mid-pack or outside posts, and I'll go with him based on that. (3) JUDDY DOUGLAS A closed out his mile in 27 3/5 on 8-29 at this level and slides in from post six to the three-hole. He also gets a driver switch to Jason Bartlett. (4) RAYRAY makes his second start on Lasix and had plenty of pace in the final quarter of a NW7500L5 tilt in his most recent effort on August 23.

Race 4 - NW8001L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace

(6) MACH N CHEESE tallied in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia on 8-18 and I think this is a much more reasonable spot than the $60,000 claiming handicap level he's been in mainly at Yonkers. (1) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N came up just a head short of winning a NW7500L5 tilt on August 29 and starts from the pole for the potent Bartlett/Per Engblom combination. (4) QUALITY BUD doesn't have great form but like my top selection, he should appreciate moving over from the $60,000 claiming handicap.

Race 5 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 62284LT / NW7 PM Races LT Draw Outside Trot

(4) TOMBSTONE returns from Tioga off three straight on-the-board finishes, and when he was last seen at Yonkers, he was facing NW6 company. I know he hasn't won yet this year, but this is a pretty wide-open affair overall and he picks up Scott Zeron. (6) BELLISSIMO FACE S won impressively in two attempts at Pocono but has burned some money here before. I'll take a stand against but he could certainly emerge victorious again. (3) FULL SCALE struggles to find the winner's circle but is riding a lengthy streak of top-three results.

Race 6 - NW10371L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace

(3) DIVINE RIGHT drops out of the NW15000L5's and moves way inside on the gate against a group that either isn't in super form or is moving up the ladder. (1) LEVINE finished third in a NW10000L5 event most recently and gets reunited with Zeron from the pole. He is winless in 2024, though. (7) BRAEVIEW BONDI A is hiking up from the NW7500L5's and drew poorly but trainer Scott Di Domenico's barn has heated up and this horse tallied last Thursday.

RAce 7 - 15000CLM Pace

(1) JUST A WRANGLER pulled an upset on 8-10 but has had a couple of poor trips since then. He gets reunited with Austin Siegelman for the first time since that victory tonight and also gets post relief. (6) ROCK THIS WAY starts from the outside but has closed well in back-to-back second-place finishes since Pat Lachance took over the driving. (5) BETTER OFF SINGLE gained several spots in the final quarter of his last try over at Pocono and gets Bartlett in the bike this time for Engblom.

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Race 8 - 20000CLM Pace

(5) YS DO IT RIGHT prevailed in back-to-back outings against $20,000 claimers in late July and is back at the level tonight after taking on $30,000 claiming company in his last four starts. (3) EURO STEP slides over to this class after taking on age-restricted $30,000 claimers last Thursday. He races out of a stable that can have one ready for a big mile and Dan Dube won with him earlier this year. (4) CAHOOTS is coming in with two straight on-the-board results against 3-year-old to 5-year-old $20,000 claiming foes and takes on open company this time. I'll slot underneath.

Race 9 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(4) CERULEAN HANOVER rallied and just came up a head shy of winning at Pocono on 8-25. He was racing against NW10000L5 and NW7500L5's at Yonkers prior to that. (1) THRASHER takes another shot at the bottom level and moves way inside on the gate. He did have pace in the stretch in his last two outings, though he miscued in the first one of those. (2) MOVIN' ON UP hasn't done much since that second against $40,000 claimers on June 22 but lands at the NW5000L5 class and starts from a good draw.