Yonkers: Monday 12/16 Analysis

MEET STATS: 277 - 791 / $1,440.10 (-$141.90)
BEST BETS: 36 - 70 / $114.80 (-$25.20)
SPOT PLAYS: 14 - 70 / $118.40 (-$21.60)
BEST BET - SEMI TOUGH (6th)
SPOT PLAY - BRONSONS DELIGHT (3rd)
Race 1 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace
(6) HEAVY HANDED HANNA has been knocking on the door for a while now, including a gaining runner-up finish to Affluent Seelster in her most recent try. That foe came back to win again last Monday. (2) EVEN LOUDER gets post relief tonight in her second start for Devita. She got intefered with last week, so I can excuse that line, and she showed some talent north of the border this year, taking her mark over the half-mile oval at Grand River. (1) HOOPLA HANOVER sports just a one-for-24 win record this year, but she's capable of hitting the board when drawn inside like she is tonight.
Race 2 - NW5500L5/12500CLM Trot
(7) ELYSIUM LINDY ships down from Canada into Andrew Harris's barn tonight. This horse has been at Yonkers before and beaten much better. He also got a vote of confidence from Bartlett as his choice in here. (4) ELDORADO OF GOLD S had that one race three back where he never hit a trot but has been stout otherwise recently with a second and three wins, including a fairly easy romp last week. He loses Bartlett tonight, but he should take plenty of wagering attention. (2) WATKINS dropped to this level a week ago and was a first-over third. As long as he's this low on the class ladder, he should be a contender.
Race 3 - NW3/35000LT Pace
(5) BRONSONS DELIGHT raced against NW4 and NW5 from posts seven and eight in his last two, but I think he gets back in the game tonight starting from a mid-pack slot in this NW3 class. He was Brent Holland's choice, and hopefully he can map out the winning trip. (1) LOUD SPLASH is a heavy favorite on the morning line as he also moves down from NW4 following a third-place effort with a good closing kick. He also gets post relief as he started from post six a week ago and gets back on a regular rotation after a gap in his schedule. (8) ROGUE CHEDDAR finished second the last time he got to race against NW3's back on 11-18 but is stuck outside tonight. Maybe Marohn Jr. will send him and he can land a spot on the inside.
Race 4 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace
(5) AFFLUENT SEELSTER showed some talent against NW2's locally, winning two straight from outside posts. She steps up tonight but catches a beatable group in her debut at the level. Stratton is not here tonight, so Kakaley takes over the lines. (2) PLATNUM PEARL closed with a bit of interest back on 11-25 against NW4's and draws inside tonight. Burke has been winning plenty of races through the month here at Yonkers, so anything he sends out right now has to be given a second look. (1) MI NINA BONITA switches back to the inside post tonight but could only manage a third under similar circumstances two back. She does have the win in this class back on 10-28.
Race 5 - F&M NW4/58000LT Pace
(2) SOMETHING REEL catches a break tonight as she fits this class just under the expanded money-won condition, stepping down from NW8 and NW6. I'll bank on her taking advantage as she also draws much better. (6) ODDS ON CLEARWATER defeated NW5 at Harrah's Philadelphia two back and then finished well from an outside post in her next try against better. This will be her first start on a half-mile track. (5) TAKE ABIT OF LIFE rallied off cover to finish third a week ago and does have a prior victory over NW4's. She gets another shot with Bartlett tonight.
Race 6 - NW4/50000LT Pace
(1) SEMI TOUGH gets another crack at NW4's tonight after beating them last Monday as the heavy favorite. He also moves inside to the pole position this time. (5) APEX SEELSTER rallied well from an outside draw in the event Semi Tough won a week ago and finished third. He gets some post relief tonight as he starts from the five-hole. (4) REIGNING DEO doesn't have any victories this year but has managed to finish third in his two recent attempts against NW4's.
Race 7 - NW7500L5/Winners of NW5000L5 in Last Start Pace
(4) AMERICANFIREWATER exits the amateur races over at the Meadowlands tonight. He won two back impressively on the engine, then tired in the lane last Friday after having to work hard to get the lead. I can excuse that performance, and he closed nicely in his race against NW7500L5's three back from post eight at Yonkers. (1) BETTOR'S PROMISE stepped up to the NW10000L5 level on December 7 and never got involved, but he drops and gets post relief tonight. He was a solid second to the classy The Lunch Pail two back from the pole position in this class. (3) GOTTA GO B B made up a great deal of ground in the final quarter last Monday from post eight and gets to start from post three tonight.
Race 8 - F&M NW6/75000LT Pace
(2) CRISP MANE beat NW4 rather handily two back and then raced from off-the-pace last Monday against NW6's and was fourth. She gets reunited with Brennan tonight, so I think that means change back to front-end tactics. (4) TELLAWOMAN took a lot of tote action last week but was unable to match strides in the final quarter with Privacy Hanover. I'll try and beat her tonight. (7) APRIL AVA steps up tonight but really didn't do anything wrong against NW4's (and was third in one appearance against NW5's), including a win at big odds from post eight last week. She was Marohn Jr.'s choice in here.
Race 9 - NW6/75000LT Pace
(3) SURREAL ART rallied to finish a solid second to the impressive Benson Boys N two back here at Yonkers. He does make breaks on occasion, like in his last start at Harrah's Philadelphia, but since Lorentzon opted to keep racing him instead of sending him to the qualifiers like the last time that happened, I'll hope it was just a blip and he's good again tonight as Brent Holland's choice in here. (2) YACHT WEEK had post seven two starts in-a-row, so with the switch to the post two tonight, I imagine he'll be much more forwardly-place. He also gets Brennan back tonight after Kakaley drove last Monday. (6) GLACIS has been facing salty competition in his last two at Harrah's Philadelphia. He beat NW5's down there on 10-13, and I'll be looking for him to close and hit the ticket here.
Race 10 - F&M NW8/109000LT Pace
(2) NORMAN'S MADELINE kept the form she found in Pennsylvania in her return to Yonkers last Monday as she closed well in the final quarter and came in second. She moves inside tonight, so I think she'll be closer to the action and I'll hope she has the same kick. (1) SNOBBYTOWN handled the hike to NW8 last Monday with no problem and looms as an imposing presence from the pole position tonight. I can't fault anybody for sticking with her as their choice. (3) RENAISSANCE LADY K also exits the same race as my top two picks and has post relief as well. She has been performing well at a variety of venues as of late.
Race 11 - NW15500L5/Winners of NW10000L5 in Last Start Pace
(6) IDEAL ONE A makes his third start in the U.S. tonight. He's taken wagering action in both starts but has raced from well out of it. He hooks up with Matt Kakaley this time, and I'll give him a shot in a race that looks wide-open. That qualifier on 11-15 showed plenty of talent, and Rockin M, who he was second to in there, has come out of that event to win three of four races. (3) RANCOUSY raced in this same class on Thursday (December 12) and was fourth from post eight. He gets post relief off that race and Brent Holland takes over in the bike. (7) TREMENDOUS PLAY looks like he's in a spot where he can go forward again from the outside post. He's having a strong year earnings-wise but has just two wins.