Yonkers: Thursday 2/20 Analysis

MEET STATS: 57 - 155 / $289.50 (-$20.50)

BEST BETS: 9 - 14 / $26.30 (-$1.70)

SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 14 / $15.60 (-$12.40)

BEST BET-VAPOUR N (9th)

SPOT PLAY-BLUE MAGIC (5th)

Race 1 - F&M 10000CLM Pace

(6) KEYSTONE NIKKI finished second to a dropping and well-meant Tellawoman in an optional $12,500 claimer a week ago. She retreats back to the $10,000 claiming group here where she cruised two back and Brennan returns to the bike. (1) MISS REAL IDEAL makes her second appearance for trainer Nick Surick tonight with class and post relief in her corner. She was Bongiorno's choice of two. (3) SHES SPORTY A did all the pace-making and kept clear to score last Thursday. She is certainly a contender to triple up here, but I do think this a little bit better group than she hooked up with last time out. Marcus Miller takes over for the absent Jason Bartlett.

Race 2 - NW3/25000LT Trot

(5) SING ME A LALABYE showed improvement two back at the Meadowlands and then was second in a NW2 race at Yonkers last Thursday to an impressive Mufasa AS. He's still a maiden, but this looks like a chance to break through. (4) TENNESSEE TITAN gets to drop down from NW4 tonight, though he could only manage a fourth at this level on 1-9. (3) MANWILLING is another horse in here with some progression lately as he was fourth at the Meadowlands and second at Pocono in his last two. This is his first appearance on a half-mile track.

Race 3 - NW8/100000LT / NW9 Drawn Outside Trot

(6) P L KETCHUP owns a pair of runner-up finishes in his last two to the streaking Photo Bomber. He gets away from that foe tonight, and though Stratton hops off, he did land Brennan. (4) GETTIN MESSI made a big second quarter move to the front last Thursday and paid for that in the final quarter. Any smoother trip would make him a big threat. (3) MUFASA AS takes a considerable hike up in class here but couldn't have won any easier a week ago and retained Stratton.

Race 4 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(2) CAVIART CHERIE drops down to the bottom condition level tonight in search of an elusive win. She had a few good efforts against better, including a rallying third last week, so I think this is a prime spot for her to find victory lane. (3) PSYCHO CINDY battled tougher foes in her last two and now gets class relief. She was third against NW5000L5's with Kakaley driving, and he has the assignment back. (1) SHE'S A BILLIONAIR has been first, second, and second in her last three down at Freehold and should fit against these.

Race 5 - NW5/56000LT Trot

(6) BLUE MAGIC has had bad luck running into two sharp foes in Sexy Wow and then Squee Hanover in her last pair. She was able to go to the point from post eight last Thursday, so I think similar tactics are coming here from a slightly better draw. (2) CISCO PAL squeezes into this class by about $150 on the money won lifetime condition. His performances against NW6's two and three back were both solid, and he has an excuse for last week as he was starting from post seven. (1) TOMMI CANU HEARME turned in another solid start a week ago and should appreciate getting to face this class rather than the NW8's or NW6's.

Race 6 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) SCWARTZ BROS BEATY makes her third start off the layoff tonight. She had little chance last Thursday when Tellawoman romped to an easy win, but catches a beatable bunch. Trainer Banca sent out a couple of winners on Monday night. (2) LIVINGINTHEDREAM gained spots and ground a week ago and drops here. She appears to be another one who could make some noise on this card for Surick. (4) LINE DANCER is the morning-line favorite as she gets additional class relief in this race, but she was just one-for-31 last year, so I think you have to take a swing against at a likely low price.

Race 7 - F&M NW11100L5/20000CLM/Winners of NW7500L5 in Last Start Pace

(2) ROYALTYWESTHO kicked from eighth at three-quarters to third at the wire last Thursday and remains in the same base class here. Note she also just slides into this race by $20, having made $11,080 in her last five races. (3) EASY THREE was the runner-up to the classy Brown Brinny a week ago and certainly would be a contender again tonight with a similar performance. (1) HURRICANE CALLEIGH just fell a nose short on 2/11 on the drop in class. She steps back up, but could have a similar inside trip from the pole position.

Race 8 - NW5000L5 Pace

(6) ZACH MAGUIRE N retreats back to the NW5000L5 class this time and gets a pilot change to Kakaley. Hopefully that results in a winning performance. (2) ROZEWOOD has another good post this week, which makes him interesting. I think you can just cross out last Thursday's race as he suffered broken equipment. (4) DAKOTA JACK is back on a regular rotation tonight after missing a week and shipping up from Pompano. He could show some improvement off that even fourth.

Race 9 - NW5480L5 Pace

(2) VAPOUR N was pretty empty in his last effort against the Preferred class down at Freehold, but was second and third in two attempts prior to that and easily handled both NW7500L5's and NW10000L5 here at Yonkers back in November. (4) SECRECY had every chance to win last Thursday after leading but got chased down on the wire by Mighty Mr Sharkey N. He remains at the same level tonight and should be in play again. (3) FRANKIE ROCKS A still has not won since coming over to the U.S., but he has post relief in this spot and a driver change back to Kakaley.

Race 10 - NW10800L5/Winners of NW7500L5 in Last Start Pace

(2) DRAGONOLOGY comes back on short rest tonight after winning at Dover on Monday (2/17). That's a move that Surick uses with some regularity and success. When last seen at Yonkers this horse turned in a big first-over effort against a NW15000L5 class that included an Open-type foe in Bettors Fire N. (4) WEONA SIZZLER N hikes up in class after a romping win over NW7500L5's in his second start off the shelf. Troy Beyer drives tonight, which might provide some value compared to Bartlett driving him. (6) ALOTBETTOR N got up in time to knock off another group of NW7500L5's a week ago. He has a good deal of back-class, which still makes him a threat against these.