MEET STATS: 151 - 676 / $1,116.90 (-$235.10)
BEST BETS: 36 - 68 / $152.30 (+$16.30)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 68 / $56.50 (-$72.20)
BEST BET - SIR PINOCCHIO (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - SULLIVAN (8th)
Race 1 - 15000CLM Pace
(1) THIRD EDITION won in this class on August 2 and slides in from the eight-hole to post one this week. (3) A FEARSOME HANOVER closed well again last week to miss by just a head and has hit the board in all three of his tries since he joined this high-percentage stable. (7) I'M SOME GRADUATE drew poorly again but has been in the exacta in five of his last seven outings and gets a chance to partner with Yannick Gingras.
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Race 2 - 40000CLM Trot
(6) CANTSTOP YANKEE tallied against $40,000 claimers a couple of times in July and doesn't have to deal with the eight-hole tonight like he has in his last two efforts. (5) PEDAL ON METAL converted a second-over trip into a win at this level a week ago and had a runner-up finish prior to that. (1) BARRY BLACK shows a victory in this class on 7-3 and gets reunited with Brent Holland, who steered him to that triumph.
Race 3 - NW30176L5 / NW12 PM Races LT / 75000CLM Trot
(4) SIR PINOCCHIO exits stakes company and has had plenty of success at Yonkers before, including wins in the MGM Yonkers Trot and New York Sire Stakes finals in 2024. (2) OVER AND BACK has been on an extended run of good form and debuts for new connections off a claim. He also moves in from the eight-hole to post two. (6) AUSTRAL HANOVER starts from the outside but posted a solid second-place finish in this class last Thursday.
Race 4 - Invitational Trot
(5) ARI FERRARI J rebounded from a break on 8-7 with a handy win two weeks ago and I'll go back to him tonight off that performance. (4) ANTOGNONI S won the Invitational here when last seen on June 12 and qualified well on August 8 at the Meadowlands. (2) QUEEN OF ALL has an inside post this time and has been sharp against both open company and just fillies and mares.
Race 5 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace
(1) WELL THAT'S MARKY has an inside post here for the first time in a while and is a first-timer for these connections off a claim. He defeated open $30,000 claimers the last time he drew well back on 6-26. (3) SOUTH POINT is on a run of six straight on-the-board efforts and won at this level two back. (6) MY PLAYMATE added Lasix earlier this month and has consecutive underneath finishes since he went on the medication.
Race 6 - 25000CLM Pace
(2) BLACK HAWK JOE A finished with pace after he got shuffled in the pocket last week and takes a second shot against $25,000 claimers from another inside post here. Trainer Joe Bongiorno is also going to handle the driving himself. (4) KARLOO BRADLEY N shows a couple of victories against $25,000 claimers and debuts for new connections off a claim from a much better post than the consecutive eight-holes he's had. (7) BURNHAM BOY N defeated my top pick a week ago and also won at this level on both 6-26 and 7-10.
Race 7 - 40000CLM Trot
(4) FOR A DREAMER moves inside on the gate this time and gained ground in a fourth-place finish two back. He also gets a driver switch to Tyler Buter. (3) BLUEBIRD BISHOP has won two out of three since he returned to action is probably the one to beat again. (2) HAT TRICK MARLEAU finished a game second a week ago from first-up and has hit the board in five of his last seven outings overall.
Race 8 - 15000CLM Pace
(2) SULLIVAN comes in from Monticello for a high-percentage stable and meets up with a pretty wide-open group. I'll take a flyer that he'll put in a strong performance, not to mention he's had success at Yonkers before. (1) MR JOE COOL closed well in a second-place result last Saturday. He starts from the pole tonight and switches drivers to Brent Holland. (6) MOTIVE HANOVER has won both of his appearances against $15,000 claimers here since he returned to action and partners with Jordan Stratton again.
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Race 9 - NW23251L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot
(3) ORDAINED kept his good form from out of town going last week with a third-place finish and drops a notch tonight. (2) MAZEPPA N makes his U.S. debut here. He was racing well in New Zealand prior to export and qualified well at the Meadowlands. (5) GHOSTLY CASPER couldn't get the job done at 1-9 in this class last week. He's still a contender but I'll take a stand against for the top spot.
Race 10 - F&M 20000CLM Pace
(6) DEFININGTHE MOMENT remained sharp with a second-place finish from the eight-hole last week. She moves in a couple of notches on the gate this time and gives Buter another contender to drive. (5) FORTUNADA held off my top pick when they met a week ago and has hit the board in three of four outings since she returned to action. (2) QUICK MENU gets post relief this time and owns a victory against $20,000 claimers on July 16.