Yonkers: Saturday 10/14 Analysis
Best Bet: FUNKNWAFFLES (6th)
Spot Play: THE VETERAN (5th)
MEET STATS: 405 - 1153 / $2,227.40
BEST BETS: 57 - 98 / $188.00
Race 1
(8) PAPRIKE BLUE CHIP has been near-perfect coming into his NYSS final and he has the tactical speed to overcome the outside post; clearly he faces a tall order beating the undefeated (1) HITMAN HALL but the price should be right. The latter freshened nicely in a qualifier last week and lands the best post here. He was hard-used in his last local effort and still prevailed in game style; short price looming. (3) CASUAL COOL has been a solid commodity for Toscano and he looks best of the rest here.
Race 2
(2) AZREAL AS IT GETS seems to be getting better as her season has progressed and she comes into the final riding a three-race win streak; Jake Huff trainee lands a good post inside her main contenders and deserves top billing from this spot. (7) ALEXIS FAITH was unlucky at the post draw but that will help her price; driver Jim Morrill Jr. is still in major player on the NYSS scene. (3) LET'S FALL IN LOVE and (1) BETTERTHANGRADUATE are a pair of Burke trainees shipping from The Red Mile, where they both performed decently in stakes events; consider both on your tickets.
Race 3
(3) PLUNGE BLUE CHIP has been absolutely flawless in six perfect lifetime starts for Svanstedt, who trains half the field in here; hard to pick against this filly trotter though he will loom a very short price. (1) SUPERGIRL RILEY is perfect in two local starts, draws best and seems well-mannered; she could complete a chalky exacta. (2) LIMA NOVELTY will be close up throughout from this spot, assuming she minds her manners.
Race 4
(2) OBVIOUS BLUE CHIP hasn't seen NYSS foes in some time but she did qualify for this final and that was a pretty good display in the Jugette; Mark Steacy trainee gets a good inside post in a competitive race with some question marks; top billing with Zeron driving. (3) ANGEL'S PRIDE hasn't been outstanding but she certainly is consistent and she's raced well over this surface. (8) TEQUILA MONDAY is a quality mare but she faces a tough task from the eight hole.
Race 5
(1) THE VETERAN picks up Brian Sears for the Ducharme barn, and that angle has clicked multiple times in the past. Freshman trotter has a chance with a smooth trip. (3) CLIVE BIGSBY is another Ducharme entrant and he's the most accomplished in here; big threat. (7) SIX PACK will be firing from the gate with Ake driving looking to improve position early but there may be some other speed types inside of him; don't accept too short of a price.
Race 6
(4) FUNKNWAFFLES raced admirably in two heats of the Jug and ran very well in the Messenger when last at Yonkers. Last year's NYSS champ as a two-year-old should be ready to roll today and it's tough to make a case against him. (5) CULTURAL PARADISE clearly looks better than the rest here and should be forwardly placed; completes logical exacta. (1) WHAT'S GOIN ON speed tightened last out to prepare for this event but he'll have to be much faster today.
Race 7
(2) SOMEWHERE IN L A has a lot of hard miles on him this season but I suspect he'll be primed for another big effort; with the rail horse Sintra not proven on the half-mile and lacking early speed Jason Bartlett should be able to step to the front and may have the opportunity to control these. (4) ALL BETS OFF has quietly put together another strong season and prior to having no chance in the Allerage the Burke trainee has been in solid form; definitely playable from this midpack post. (3) KEYSTONE VELOCITY may have tailed off since his sparkling rally in the Canadian Pacing Derby elimination but you can never count the Levy champ out.
Race 8
(10) HOMICIDE HUNTER has certainly held his own versus the top aged trotters in North America this season and he was tearing it up here a couple of months ago in the added-distance events. Barring any disaster from his second-tier starting spot he seems sharp enough to get it done versus this very competitive group. (4) LOOKSLIKEACHPNDALE got stuck in tough spots in his last two local efforts but we know the talent is there and he could be a big player here from this good post, at a good price. (3) CRAZY WOW is arguably the one to beat and is the slight morning-line choice but will the extra quarter-mile distance here lead to his downfall?
Race 9
(6) RESOLVE returns to defend his International Trot title and we all saw how powerful of a winner he was last year. Svanstedt figures to be moving early off the gate at all costs and barring anything crazy he may prove too fast for these again. (3) DREAMMOKO may be one of the better prices of the European shippers and we saw his sire Timoko put in a big effort here two years back; post three is a good starting spot with early options. (4) TWISTER BI seems to be the most accompished of the Europeans and will attract plenty of attention, and deservedly so. (10) ON TRACK PIRATEN finished very willingly in last year's Trot and he has the accomplished Johnny Takter driving but I would have preferred him being on the gate.
Race 10
(1) GUARDIAN ANGEL AS made it to the Hambletonian final and we all saw what happened. He made it to the Yonkers Trot final (as one of the favorites) and we all saw what happened. Time to make amends. (7) TOP FLIGHT ANGEL was the Yonkers Trot winner after a smooth trip and he followed that up with a couple of decent NYSS efforts; how well can he get away from the gate from this outside post? (3) SWELL CHAP has done nothing wrong in any NYSS test and he should be in line for a good share from this spot.
Race 11
(2) CELEBRITY RUTH was nicely tightened last week in what some will argue were controversial tactics in an overnight event. Filly will be all business today when the gate springs open and she may get the jumps on rival (3) BARN BELLA. The latter is near-perfect this year save for a couple of breaks and this barn has live ones year-in and year-out. This looks like a great matchup in the finale. (5) MAMORA BAY seems a notch below the top ones but a notch above the rest. Use the Schillaci trainee underneath.
[DRF HARNESS NEWSLETTER: Sign Up for the FREE DRF Harness Newsletter. Fresh content and insights delivered each Thursday.]