MEET STATS: 159 - 714 / $1,192.00 (-$236.00)
BEST BETS: 38 - 72 / $157.20 (+$13.20)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 72 / $56.50 (-$80.20)
BEST BET-MISSISSIPPI STORM (7th)
SPOT PLAY-TIME CRUNCH (6th)
Race 1 - F&M 20000CLM Pace
(2) SUNTAN CITY had a poor result last time out at Ocean Downs, but that was from a bad post and she was in great form prior to that. She starts from the two-hole here in her debut for a stable that often does well with first-timers, and I'll put her on top. (8) DISTANT LOVER starts from the eight-hole but has four recent victories at this level, including two in-a-row. She was Jason Bartlett's choice as she makes her first appearance for new connections off a claim. (3) DISARONNO HILL was a solid second in the race won by DISTANT LOVER last Thursday and gets a new pilot with Brent Holland taking over.
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Race 2 - NW20000L5 / Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5 / NW10 PM Races LT / 60000CLM Trot
(4) KEG STAND was a game third from first-over a week ago and drops a notch tonight. (2) CECIL HANOVER steps up from the NW15000L5 class but has won two in-a-row, including in his debut for leading trainer Per Engblom most recently. (3) ORDAINED is on a six-race run of on-the-board results and was second to a well-meant rival at this level when last seen on August 28.
Race 3 - NAADA Fall Series Leg #1 Trot
(2) VELOCIRAPTOR didn't make much of an impact on 9-6 at Pocono but has won at Yonkers this year and drew an inside post. (3) KILIMANJARO NL should have picked up some confidence with a handy victory at Monticello last week and gets reunited with driver Joe Lee. (6) BACKSTREET PLAYER has hit the board in four straight trips behind the gate, including a third-placed-second in the NAADA Summer Series final a week ago.
Race 4 - NAADA Fall Series Leg #1 Trot
(1) THE LAST CHAPTER owns a couple of recent victories in the Open at Monticello and picks up one of the top amateur drivers tonight from post one. (2) LOS BALLYKEELAMIGO romped in an amateur race on 8-14 but couldn't deliver in the NAADA Summer Series final last week despite leading through slow fractions and then got placed last for jamming up the field past the quarter. I'll try and beat him for the top spot here. (4) DOO WOP KID turned a pocket trip into a victory in the Summer Series final and has been successful at Yonkers plenty of other times in addition to that.
Race 5 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace
(7) WHY TOMORROW RAY won in this class on both 7-28 and 8-25 and debuts for new connections off a claim tonight. He also gets a new driver with Tyler Buter taking over. (8) AMERITRIC is also in great form and was the winner of the race my top pick was third in last Thursday. He also is a first-timer for high-percentage connections off a claim. (1) LYONS BENJAMIN has a major post advantage on the other logical ones in here and shows a couple of victories at this level in his lines.
Race 6 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace
(2) TIME CRUNCH comes in from Monticello for high-percentage connections off a third in their Open most recently. I think he should be a fit in this class, I'll give him a shot on top. (4) WELL THAT'S MARKY tallied at this level on 8-28 and then backed that up with a second-place finish a week ago. He debuts for trainer Scott Di Domenico off a claim tonight. (5) CAVIART ACT TWO has hit the board in all three of his outings since he joined the Engblom stable and was third in the same event WELL THAT'S MARKY exits from last Thursday.
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Race 7 - NW34126L5 / NW12 PM Races LT / 75000CLM Trot
(4) MISSISSIPPI STORM finished a solid second to a heavy favorite in this class a couple of weeks and looks like the one to beat tonight. (3) HOT FLASH KIMMY was sixth in the same race my top pick exits. She gets a bit of post relief and Jordan Stratton back in the bike here. (2) CREDIT CON enters off a poor result and then a sick scratch but debuts for Engblom and that means Bartlett takes over the driving, too. He did defeat NW15000L5 rivals handily on August 8.
Race 8 - 25000CLM Pace
(4) ON DAYBOO never got involved from the eight-hole last Thursday but moves inside on the gate tonight and won at this level two back. (5) BURNHAM BOY N owns two wins and a third since he dropped to this class and gets to slide in from post eight to the five-hole. He was also Bartlett's pick over an Engblom trainee. (2) SHADOW CAT is the Engblom horse that Bartlett chose off. He's still very usable, though, as he starts from an inside post and drops a notch off a third against $30,000 claimers on September 1.
Race 9 - 40000CLM Trot
(2) YOU GOT IT overcame post seven to tally at Tioga most recently and has hit the board in five of his last seven outings overall. (4) CHIPPER DALE cruised to a win in this class for the Bartlett/Engblom duo last week and the same result could happen tonight. (6) BLUEBIRD BISHOP has won in three of his five appearances at this level since he returned to action and makes his second start for trainer Cory Stratton.
Race 10 - 15000CLM Pace
(6) ROCK THIS WAY got off to a slow start in his comeback last week but did finish with pace. I'll give him another try tonight off that performance. (2) ROCKINBILLY'SDREAM rolled on the front-end to win in this class a week ago and gets to partner with Bartlett again. (4) CHECKONWILLIAM GB has hit the board in three straight starts, including a victory against $15,000 claiming compny on August 21. He gets significant post relief here.