MEET STATS: 240- 881 / $1,489.90 (-$272.10)
BEST BETS: 43 - 85 / $208.70 (+$38.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 8 - 85 / $103.20 (-$66.80)
BEST BET - PORTERS MAN (4th)
SPOT PLAY - DOMOVOY (8th)
Race 1 - 3-5YO 30000CLM Pace
(1) KINGSTON PANIC turned in a gaining second-place finish in this class on 10-24 and moves in on the gate to the pole position. Brent Holland drove him a couple of times back in September and hops in the bike. (6) LOUS THE ATTITUDE has won three in-a-row and four of his last five for trainer Per Engblom but does move out on the gate this time and has a new pilot in Pat Lachance with Jason Bartlett not competing on the program. (4) FLIP MY CHIP defeated open $25,000 claiming company most recently and faces age-restricted rivals this time. He was Jordan Stratton's choice over my top selection.
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Race 2 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace
(8) CELLMATE drew the outside but is dropping from the 3-5YO $30,000 claimers to the $20,000 level for that age group and won the last time he was in this class on 10-10. He also gets a new pilot tonight with Anthony Napolitano hopping in the bike. (1) THAT DOG WILL HUNT starts from the pole here and was third after a first-over trip at this level a week ago. He owns a victory against 3-5YO $20,000 claiming company back on October 3. (2) HE'S HALF NAKED has finished second in his last two tries and gets post relief this week as he slides in from the six-hole to post two.
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Race 3 - NW30000L5/NW12 PM Races LT/75000CLM Trot
(3) PIONEER AS is a better mare than she showed in the Breeders Crown final last time out, and I think she'll appreciate facing overnight company tonight. (6) WARRAWEE XENIA got a check in the Breeders Crown by finishing fourth and was in the Invitational the last time she was seen locally. George Brennan takes the call with Bartlett absent. (2) STORMONT DIVIDE came in second in the top class down at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently. Prior to that he crushed a field of NW15000L5's here at Yonkers by open lengths.
Race 4 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace
(1) PORTERS MAN starts from post one this time and had a run of four straight top-three results before finishing fourth last week. Napolitano picks up the drive against a wide-open group, and I'll give him a try. (3) SOUTH POINT gives this class a second try after he was third when he dropped down to it a week ago. (5) IRRESISTIBLE delivered in his first try down from Canada last Thursday and has now won three straight. He races out of a high-percentage stable and has Stratton to drive.
Race 5 - 30000CLM Pace
(4) MEMPHISTENNESSEE N has both class and post relief in this race tonight. When he was in against $30,000 claimers two back on 10-21, he won handily on the front-end. (2) SMOKIN BY N didn't get involved from an outside post on October 28 but drew well tonight and his victory against $25,000 claimers on the 17th of October was impressive as he overcame interference and a first-over trip to score. (6) MOONLIGHT SHADOW goes for new connections off a claim and hikes up after facing $25,000 claiming company. He has a second and then a win since returning to action from a lengthy layoff.
Race 6 - 40000CLM Trot
(1) TOM SWIFTY won his Buckeye Stallion Series final two back and was in the top class at Harrah's Philadelphia in his first try on the East Coast on 10-25. I have to think this is a softer spot and he starts from the pole to boot. (7) AUSTRAL HANOVER drew poorly this time but has two victories and a second in three outings against $40,000 claimers at Yonkers. (5) BROOKVIEW DARIUS has hit the board the last two times he's been in against $40,000 claiming company locally and should be full of confidence after romping over a field of NW7500L5's on October 25.
Race 7 - 25000CLM Pace
(3) KEYSTONE DASH tallied a couple of times against $25,000 claiming company back in September and comes into this event off a solid second-place finish a week ago. (1) PRETTY HANDSOME has hit the board in five of his last seven tries and moves in on the gate to the pole position after finishing in the runner-up spot from the six-hole on October 24. (2) NOME HANOVER was third against $25,000 claimers at Yonkers a couple of times last month and returns to the oval here after one try over at Pocono.
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Race 8 - NW20981L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot
(2) DOMOVOY broke last week and lost all chance, but I liked his effort two back where he gained ground in a third-place finish against a couple of classy foes. He drops a notch from the NW30000L5 level and has both a driver and trainer change. (5) BEE FOREVER squeezed into this class by a dollar as he has $20,980 earned in his last five starts. He was third in a NW30000L5 tilt a week ago and makes his second start on Lasix. (1) P L NOTSONICE scored a confidence-boosting victory at Pocono last time out and has had plenty of success at Yonkers against tougher company than this during her 2024 campaign.
Race 9 - 40000CLM Trot
(1) BULLY BOY HILL owns on-the-board finishes in his last three appearances against $40,000 claimers at Yonkers and has significant post relief this time. (4) WILLY WALTON has won two in-a-row since the miscue on 10-10 and has been sharp for a while outside of that one break. He's back with Dennis Laterza off another claim last Thursday. (2) KENOBI tired after a poor trip on October 24 but was a runner-up prior to that. He drew well again and gets a driver switch to Stratton.