Yonkers: Monday 8/26 Analysis

MEET STATS: 166 - 453 / $840.00 (-$66.00)
BEST BETS: 19 - 40 / $61.30 (-$18.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 40 / $50.40 (-$29.60)
BEST BET-BRO (3rd)
SPOT PLAY-COLOR ENVY (4th)
Race 1 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace
(4) SOUTHWIND RAPUNZEL gets away from the eight-hole tonight with a mid-pack draw, and that puts her back in contention tonight. Nice win and second two and three back at this level. (7) HURRIKANE LORI ANN raced well again last Monday with a second. Seems like she has enough speed to find a seat again from an outside slot. (2) SHECANDANCE N makes her U.S. debut tonight off a solid qualifier at Yonkers on August 17.
Race 2 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Trot
(6) MRS DARCY took another shot against NW6 types last out and now retreats back to the bottom level here by entering for the tag. Was favored at this level three back, and those miles back in June and early July would make her tough to topple. (4) BOSS DU FOSSE put in a big mile last Monday to win. Does move back to post four after having the rail, but he did show the ability to beat these types. (2) BLUE SWAN has post relief tonight going from the eight-hole to post two. Good efforts at this class two, three, and four back.
Race 3 - NW2/25000LT Pace
(3) BRO just missed in a tough beat back on August 12 but draws a better post tonight and kept Dube over two others, including an Allard horse. (5) COLE ON THE BEACH closed well in the final quarter in that same race on 8-12. Also slides in a couple notches on the gate tonight. (6) SO IT GOES was a dead-heat winner in the event my top pick just fell short in, but he does go from the pole position to post six, and I'll look elsewhere.
Race 4 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace
(5) COLOR ENVY ended up with post seven and post eight in her last two, compromising her chances right off the bat. Moves to post five tonight, and she did show a good final quarter a week ago. Might offer some value in a fairly wide-open race. (2) LOVERS COVE just finished evenly last week, but she was coming off a break. Draws well again and keeps Bartlett. (4) TAKE ABIT OF LIFE battled hard from first-over and wound up third a week ago. Hasn't really gone a bad race on the page, and she usually goes off at a bit of a price.
Race 5 - NW5000L5/12500CLM Trot
(2) CYCLONE MAXIMUS stayed flat last week, which was a step in the right direction. He's not exactly "Mr. Reliable," but he does have enough to beat this class when he trots. (1) KEYSTONE CHARGER is another one having trouble maintaining his gait right now, but he drops and gets post relief, so he's tough to ignore. (5) INUKCHUK CHUCK ships north from Harrah's Philly tonight. Not in the greatest of form, but a couple of those miles from earlier this summer would put him in play.
Race 6 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace
(2) COP A PLEA gives Yonkers a try tonight for Croghan. Good first-over second against NW5's at Harrah's Philly two back, and she gets a better draw than she had for that start in the Stallion Series at Pocono. (5) DIXIE STAR N finished second after leading much of the way last Monday. Back on a regular rotation after a bit of a gap in her schedule heading into that race, and she kept Marohn Jr. (1) DOROTHY'S LEGACY was a runner-up a week ago, but it was a good effort. Loses Marohn Jr. to Dixie Star N, but she has the rail and adds Stratton.
Race 7 - F&M NW6/75000LT Pace - **$10K GTD Pick 5**
(3) ROCKNROLL ANNIE was overwhelmed by a dominant Prairie Cougar last Monday, but this doesn't look like the deepest group of NW6's, and I'll look her way. (1) PELICAN BLUE CHIP drew post one this week after just touring the track in her first two starts off the bench. Expecting a much more aggressive drive. (4) BULLVILLEKARLA is reunited with Zeron tonight and gets away from post eight. She's often good enough to hit the ticket.
Race 8 - NW4/50000LT Pace
(1) HYSTERIA crushed NW2's in his debut for Bongiorno and now steps up. Seems like he catches the right bunch to double up on, though, and his form is certainly impressive. (3) LENWOODS REAL DEAL comes east from Harrah's Hoosier Park where he went some big miles in a series and overnight races. Doesn't have any half-mile track experience. (2) MEADOWBROOK CROWN rallied late to finish third when at Yonkers two back, and I see something similar tonight.
Race 9 - NW4/50000LT Pace
(4) JACK'S SHADOW N starts for the first time in the U.S. tonight. He had the one qualifier down at Harrah's Philly where he broke, but the other two were strong, especially the first one where he finished a rallying third to Picard A, who has won both of his U.S. tries since. (1) GAMBLINGTERROR gets Stratton back in the bike tonight and draws the rail again. He's definitely the one to beat, though he's had to settle for second in all of his tries against NW4's. (3) JOJO'S PLACE threw a clunker at Harrah's Philadelphia, but all his tries here have been good through the summer, including a win over NW2's two back.
Race 10 - NW10000L5 Pace
(3) MIDNIGHT LIGHTNING drops down a notch after getting parked the route in an added-distance race. Just one-for-23 this year, but he has two seconds in his last couple of tries at this level, including to the classy Christen Me N back on 7-27. (1) RAINBOW ROMANCE N has been post and/or trip compromised in his recent efforts, but has the rail tonight and is a definite threat. (4) KIMANI N has to step up from NW5000L5 tonight, but does so off an easy win. Zeron takes over the controls.
Race 11 - NW6/75000LT Pace
(7) ROCK THE DEVIL rolled again last week, stomping the NW4's. Has to go up to NW6 tonight, but he's done nothing wrong at Yonkers thus far, and might even have a little value out here in post seven. (2) GOLD RUSH closed to hit the board against a pretty salty NW6 group last Monday and has another good post to work with tonight. (3) YEAHNAH also rallied in that same race Gold Rush exits, and he moves inside from post six to the three-hole.
Race 12 - NW20000L5 Pace
(8) SUNFIRE BLUE CHIP keeps getting hampered with bad draws, but he isn't in bad form. I'll hope Siegelman can work some magic with this classy campaigner from out here, and he can get there on the drop in class. (1) ALBERGO HANOVER looks like he'll be in position to control the proceedings from the rail and is a strong win threat based on his efforts here a few weeks back. (4) HAVEFAITHINME N makes his return to Westchester tonight after racing in the Great Northeast Open Series at Pocono. Picks up Bartlett in the bike and definitely fits against these.