Yonkers: Friday 7/5 Analysis

MEET STATS: 100 - 276 / $495.50 (-$56.50)
BEST BETS: 14 - 25 / $40.30 (-$9.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 25 / $28.00 (-$22.00)
BEST BET-SOMEWHERE IN L A (8th)
SPOT PLAY-LIGHTNING ONMYFEET (11th)
Race 1 - 25000-30000CLM HCP Pace
(2) WE THINK ALIKE gets a better post to work with tonight in his second start for trainer Andrew Harris after closing a bit late a week ago. I'm expecting Brennan to be much more aggressive tonight. (1) TOWNSLIGHT HANOVER took third in the same race as my top pick last Friday night and retains the rail. (5) GYPSY LEATHER steps up slightly from straight $25,000 claimers to this handicap level, but he's in good form with two wins and a second in his last three.
Race 2 - NW20000L5 / 30000CLM Trot
(8) LEAN HANOVER drew the outside tonight but gets additional class relief and retained Jordan Stratton over another one. Hopefully he can find him a smooth trip and deliver. (4) DRAGIN THE WAGON ships down from Tioga off a slate of good results in the Open. Looks like he has speed to be a major threat. (2) STORMY KROMER threw out an anchor last time when he dropped to this level. Took an extra week off and maybe he'll be in better form tonight.
Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace
(6) NY WHITESOX had no issues with the switch to this level a week ago, winning his second straight. Shifts outside on the gate tonight, so maybe he'll retain a little bit of value. (2) POP ICON has the post advantage on NY Whitesox this week after he was stuck outside last Friday. Chance to take advantage. (3) SWIFT AS A SHADOW was reclaimed by Chris Height last week. Hasn't had much success in the win column for a while, but he often closes in for a piece of it.
Race 4 - F&M NW30000L5 / 3&4YO NW10 Pace
(1) WISDOM TREE won the New York Sire Stakes final here at Yonkers last year and appears to have come back well as a 4-year-old. Draws the rail tonight and should be all systems go in her return to the Empire State. (3) ARTRAGEOUS gives Westchester a chance tonight, shipping up in good form at Harrington. Was a consistent threat at their top level for fillies and mares, winning several in-a-row back in May. (2) ANNABETH rolled again last Friday night, thumping the NW20000L5 class. Steps up again tonight, but she's red-hot obviously.
Race 5 - F&M NW30200L5 / 3&4YO NW10 Pace
(6) BETTERB CHEVRON N squeezes into this class under the NW30200L5 condition by $50. Was a rallying second at this level back on June 7. (3) CLEAR IDEA finished a solid third behind a couple classy foes in Gold Orchid N and Lispatty last Friday night and should have every chance for another strong effort tonight. (2) ANGEL'S PRIDE tired late after cutting the fractions a week ago on the drop. Switches drivers to Brennan tonight.
Race 6 - F&M Open Handicap Pace
(6) TEQUILA MONDAY broke the track record and tied the world record in a dazzling display last week. Was assigned the outside this Friday, but since it's just a six mare field, that doesn't appear like it'll be an issue, and she demonstrated versatility by rallying last time. (5) TWINKLE has been going to the front every week at this level and I don't see that changing tonight even as she moves outside on the gate. (3) GLENFERRIE BLADE A missed last week but took the Open back on 6-21 in a sharp closing effort. If she gets some fractions to chase again, watch out.
Race 7 - F&M NW20000L5 / 30000CLM Pace
(5) MADE OF JEWELS AS ended up too far back into a very soft pace last Friday and had no chance. Closed strongly, though, so I think she's primed for a winning effort tonight. (3) VELOCITY MCSWEETS comes down to Yonkers after a win at the top filly and mare level up at Tioga. Been racing well there and at Pocono, and she catches a beatable bunch here. (4) STELLENBOSCH got up for second at this level back on 6-21 and kept Bartlett tonight over a Banca trainee.
Race 8 - NW20000L5 Pace
(3) SOMEWHERE IN L A appears to have a class edge on these with over $1.7 million in the bank. Strong effort on 6-22 when second at the NW30000L5 level, so he gets a drop and a good post. Expecting him to go right down the road. (9) DON DOMINGO N drops out of that same race as Somewhere In L A but has a trailing post. Won at this level back on April 30 and has good efforts against the higher NW30000L5 company too, including two back. (1) PHOTOBOMBR HANOVER receives some major post relief tonight after being stuck with post eight on 6-24. This is usually the level he does his best work at, including a win on May 25.
Race 9 - F&M NW20000L5 / 30000CLM Pace
(3) ITTY BITTY drops a notch on the class ladder and got post relief too after being hampered with post seven and post eight in her two starts since the qualifier. Won at this level in facile fashion on 5-24. (2) MEDUSA was a solid third last week from post eight and also draws much better tonight. Note the winner of that race a week ago, Eclipse Me N, came back to tie a world record on 7-2 at Pocono, so that was probably a live race. (6) VORST finished second last Friday to Eclipse Me N, so if you like Medusa, you probably have to include this one as well as she might offer better value.
Race 10 - F&M NW20000L5 / 30000CLM Pace
(5) MACH IT A PAR retreats from the NW30000L5 level to this one tonight, which she picked up a win at on 6-14. Really had no chance to get into the race last time from post seven and is reunited with Bartlett. (7) LISPATTY is probably the one to beat as she drops again as well, but she's stuck with an outside post and might have to work hard to get to the top if that's how Brennan wants to race her. (6) ZOE ELLASEN raced great two back at this level and then closed well when hiked up to the NW30000L5 group last Friday. Gets Holland back in the bike tonight.
Race 11 - NW20000L5 Pace
(3) LIGHTNING ONMYFEET didn't fire on June 29, but if he follows his good week/bad week pattern he's sort of been on as of late, this should be a time he races well. Anywhere close to that mile on June 15 would make him very tough. (5) CHRISTEN ME N keeps plugging away at age 11, coming off a tough-beat second on 6-29. Gets another chance to race at this level. (2) CROCKETS CULLEN N stays at Yonkers after a solid fourth in the same race Christen Me N is coming out of.
Race 12 - NW20000L5 Pace
(5) LACHIE MAGUIRE N dropped back to eighth from post three on June 24, then closed well. Gets back to the standard mile distance tonight and changes drivers with Bartlett going on. (2) TREMENDOUS PLAY battled tenaciously from first-over on 6-24 but weakened in the lane. Moves inside on the gate for this try and also gets a new pilot with Kakaley going in the bike. (1) CHUMLEE A receives some post relief this week after a good fourth from post six on June 29.