Yonkers: Thursday 8/8 Analysis

MEET STATS: 148 - 393 / $729.20 (-$56.80)

BEST BETS: 16 - 35 / $47.50 (-$22.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 35 / $50.40 (-$19.60)

BEST BET-THEARTOFCONFUSION A (12th)

SPOT PLAY-NATIONAL SEELSTER (8th)

Race 1 - 12500-15000CLM HCP Pace

(3) BROOKIES PRINCE N is the terror of this level right now with five straight wins. Robertson jams him in for the same tag another time, and he should be able to go right down the highway again. (2) COACH CAL retreats back to this class after taking one shot in the $15,000-$20,000 claimers last Thursday. Nice win two back, but Brookies Prince N was not in there. (5) PAPIAMENTO ships in from Harrah's Philly tonight and switches from condition races to this claiming event.

Race 2 - NW2/25000LT Trot

(5) FRONTIER CREEDA changes barns tonight, going to DiDomenico. Left well from post eight last time and was a decent fourth. She has a better post to work with this time. Brennan should know her as well now as he drove her a week ago. (2) SOUTHWIND DORIAN also has a trainer swap tonight, entering the Paul Fusco stable. Second-best to a fairly classy horse in Rossini last out and gives this level a try tonight. (3) WONDERMENT HANOVER has gone a little off-form lately but a couple of those races back in June showed some talent; maybe she can hit the ticket.

Race 3 - F&M NW5000L5/12500CLM Pace

(3) BRIGHTEN YOUR LIFE had an outside post last time at Harrah's Philly but showed some late interest, gaining positions and making up ground. Nobody in this race is in great form, so I'll go price hunting a bit. (5) STONEBRIDGE HONEY usually races pretty well in this class and goes to Garcia-Herrera off the claim. (1) MELANIE'S FILLY is probably going to get bet on the drop and the inside draw, but she has not been racing well at Yonkers, and I took a stand against.

Race 4 - NW2/26100LT Trot

(6) EVIE HANOVER races for a sharp trotting trainer in Paul Kelley. Took a stakes shot at the Meadowlands and had post 10 there last out, so I'm drawing a line through those and focusing more on her overnight efforts in June and July at Pocono and Harrah's Philly, which were good enough to beat these. (3) IT AINT THE WHISKY ships down from Saratoga in great form. Dube was listed but took my top choice. (1) ZACK TO THE MAX has been second in his last two at Yonkers and has the pole tonight, which should put him in contention to hit the board again.

Race 5 - 20000CLM Pace

(3) SANATTLE SLEW closed well for Banca a week ago from an outside post and now draws a much better starting slot tonight. (2) OUR DRAGON KING also rallied from off-the-pace in the same race as my top choice and goes for DiDomenico off the claim for this try. (6) MODERN REFLECTION showed major improvement in his second start for Allard at Pocono and deserves respect shipping over to Westchester.

Race 6 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(7) WARRIOR ONE has been knocking on the door for another win since beating the NW4's here on 6-13, and I'll hope it comes tonight, even from an outside post. (4) TOPSPIN S gets a driver change to Bongiorno tonight, and I'm envisioning some more aggressive tactics after not leaving the rail last Thursday. (2) MASSIVE VODKA takes a hike up to this class after two straight wins over NW2's. Does have an inside post tonight, so that should help.

Race 7 - F&M NW10000L5/20000CLM Pace - $10K GTD Pick 5

(6) BRONZE OVER N receives the class drop she's been seeking for a while. Rolled to an easy win when last seen against NW10000L5's on 6-13. (3) PITTSTOP DANIKA showed some improvement last week by closing in the stretch. Let's see if she can continue forward and hit the board tonight. (1) FREEZE OUT should be able to get well-positioned from the pole position, but she's been lacking punch in the lane.

Race 8 - NW5000L5 Pace

(7) NATIONAL SEELSTER returns after a hiatus tonight. Qualifier at Harrah's Philly was solid with a good final quarter, and if they want to strike while the iron is hot off the shelf, he catches the right field here. (2) KIMANI N showed some guts on 7-30 to hold third after being parked at every call. Draws inside, so Marohn Jr. should be able to land him a smoother journey. (6) ITSONLYROCKNROLL A gives Yonkers another try this evening. This is a drop from his last local attempt, and we'll see if that makes him a bigger threat.

Race 9 - NW6/75000LT Trot

(6) MAGIC MVP slides down one level after a good second against the NW8's. Holland reassumes the drive, and he guided him to a victory two back. (4) ALEXANDRIA HANOVER hasn't been able to win this year, but you can't knock her form as she keeps hitting the board. (3) RECEIVERSHIP has been pretty much automatic for Bongiorno, but he takes a step up the ladder tonight and meets up with a strong field.

Race 10 - F&M NW10000L5/20000CLM Pace

(1) SCWARTZ BROS BEATY gives Yonkers another shot tonight after a confidence-building win at Pocono where she went big fractions and held safe. She went some good miles against the NW6's here earlier. (4) BLUSH HANOVER hasn't been getting much attention at the windows but has raced well in two of her last three, and the one she didn't, she was hampered by having post eight. (3) ROSE RUN TONI picked up a win at this level on July 30 and re-enters the same class for the claiming tag this time.

Race 11 - NW8/100000LT Trot

(4) CRUISING IN STYLE did just that on the ship down from Canada into the Harris barn, rolling to an easy win at Pocono. Tries Yonkers tonight, and I'll go into his corner. (3) IMF took a break after the SOA Series here back in the spring. Should be ready for a good mile in her third start back. (2) EXS AND OHS put in a couple decent efforts at this level back in June and draws a much better post tonight on the class change from NW10000L5.

Race 12 - NW20000L5 Pace

(2) THEARTOFCONFUSION A stands out here, dropping down off a rallying third against better. Even got bet in the open three and four back, so this ought to be a spot he can win in. (3) BURNING SHORE put in another big effort on the class hike on July 27. That makes three solid performances in his last four, and he draws well again for this try. (8) MIKE'S Z TAM makes his Yonkers return tonight coming off two straight wins at Harrah's Philly. Have to imagine he's going to be off-the-pace and closing for a piece from out here.