Yonkers: Thursday 4/25 Analysis
Best Bet: BLUE AND BOLD (4th)
Spot Play: OUR GAMMA LADY N (6th)
MEET STATS: 23 - 66 / $127.40 (-$4.60)
BEST BETS: 3 - 6 / $7.80 (-$4.20)
SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 6 / $10.00 (-$2.00)
Race 1
(3) CODE MEISTER lost his form in his last two but has a trainer change tonight, going to Allard for the first time. Banking on that getting him back on track against this group. (5) MANHATTAN BENNY gets post relief tonight in his second start for Garcia-Herrera, moving from the eight to the five. Had pace through the final quarter despite the tough draw last Thursday. (4) ART'S DELIGHT goes for another new barn this week as Fusco grabbed him back on April 11. Got a big vote of confidence from Jason Bartlett as his choice of four.
Race 2
(3) MR VICKTOR hasn't charted a line since a good qualifier at the Meadowlands back on March 30, but I'll put my faith in trainer/driver Buzzy Sholty having him ready to go. Did well in his two starts against Excelsior Series foes last year and finds a soft spot for his comeback. (4) SHOW EM ALL LINDY squeezed into this class by being just under the earnings cap. Qualified well enough at Pocono and worked all the way up to NW4 last fall at Yonkers, so facing NW2 is quite a bit easier spot. (5) CHECKMATE HILL eased around the track in the qualifier at Yonkers on April 12, adding trotting hobbles for the first time. Missed his entire 3-year-old season in 2018 but was Bartlett's choice.
Race 3
(8) FEEL THE NEED A returns to claiming company after two solid tries against bottom-level condition foes. Draws the worst of it, obviously, but he got spotted well from post seven on 4-11 and 4-18, so I'll hope Brennan can do the same tonight. (6) IC A FREE SPIRIT just missed last week, closing strongly in the final quarter. Zero wins so far this season, but he does have an affinity for finishing second, with five of them from his 10 2019 efforts. (1) SCARLET CHASER goes back to the Stafford barn and takes a hike up. He's been racing extremely well and has the benefit of the pole position to go with his early speed.
Race 4
(6) BLUE AND BOLD did some good things at Harrah's Philadelphia after adding trotting hobbles in the qualifier at Yonkers on March 22, posting two wins and a second, including a wire-to-wire win from post eight on April 12. I'll look for his roll to continue tonight. (1) PINE BUSH ROSE upset in the NW6 class last Thursday night and now slides back down to NW4. Gets post relief as well, going from post six to the rail, but I'll try to beat her at what will likely be a very short price. (3) SAFE WORD did well in New York Sire Stakes competition last year and starts her 3-year-old campaign tonight. I imagine she'll need one off the bench, but she does have class.
Race 5
(2) MALNIFICENT is winless for Fusco, but I think that's going to change tonight. Raced well last out at Pocono in a race won by the classy Tequila Monday, gets class relief from where she had been racing at Yonkers, and draws well too. (3) ACEFORTYFOURAMANDA has won three in-a-row and been claimed in six straight. Bartlett does opt off tonight, but Brennan is a more-than-capable replacement, and she's demonstrated a versatile racing style. (7) MACH IT A PAR has been the beaten favorite in three straight, but lured Bartlett off Ace Fourtyfouramanda. Definitely has the back-class of the field with over a million in the bank and could win against these at any time.
Race 6
(2) OUR GAMMA LADY N draws a good post for the first time since she started her comeback, and that puts her in play. Retains Stratton over another one in the race, made up some ground in the last quarter from far back last Thursday, and her last win before she headed to the sidelines last year came at this level. (6) MELANIE'S FILLY closed stoutly in the back-half of the mile at this same level last week, going from last to third. Gets a bit of post relief tonight, going from post eight to post six, and is also making her fourth start off a layoff. (1) MORE THAN MANY has the rail this week after a runner-up finish last week. No wins this year, but is six-of-13 finishing third.
Race 7
(4) DALI DELIGHT has been a force in this class for a while, except for the one week she drew post eight. Returns to the Banca barn off the claim and reunites with Bartlett. Short price looms. (1) SUCCESSFUL OUTLOOK threw in kind of a clunker last Thursday night, but I'll hope that was a one-week thing and that she can return to the form that saw her finish first or second in four straight. (3) FANTICIPATION broke for no apparent reason last out, ending her chances. She drew well again, retaining post two, and hopefully she stays smooth with Sears taking over the lines.
Race 8
(5) ROLL AWAY JOE made up a pile of ground after being way back in his last race. Stays at the same level after several appearances against tougher since Ford took over, and hopefully he'll be closer to the action this time. (6) TECHTOR HANOVER won against NW20000L5s on March 14, then was a good second to the classy Ghost Pine on 4-13. Sears gets to drive tonight. (10) GIVENUPDREAMING is stuck in post 10, which no horse has been able to overcome yet this meet to even hit the board (0-for-12 through 4-22). He has the chops to do it, though, with two good runner-up efforts in his last two tries against this company.
Race 9
(3) SEVEN KNIGHTS finished evenly as the favorite against some of these same foes last week. Hoping he'll have a little more pop tonight and maybe at a slightly better price. (6) BIGBOY ROSCO was the public choice against NW8 types last Thursday night, so with the drop-down to NW6, I imagine he'll get the majority of the dollars again tonight. This is still a class hike over his two wins, though; Brennan re-assumes the drive. (4) NEXT WOMAN UP makes her second start for Surick tonight, and now that he probably knows her a little better, we might see some improvement. Her race last Thursday night against this company was decent.
Race 10
(6) BET ON BRETT used a big three-wide brush on the backstretch to get into contention last Thursday night but flattened out. Gets out of 'post eight land' tonight by drawing the six, and we'll see if Marohn Jr. can get him an easier trip. (1) SOME PLAYA changes barns tonight, going back to owner Jennifer Sabot. His two races from the rail on 3-19 and 3-26 weren't bad, and maybe he can find that sort of effort again. (3) TWOMACSONESHADOW has post relief tonight, sliding from post seven last out back to post three. Closed well last time, but I imagine with the improved post we'll see speed.