MEET STATS: 221 - 989 / $1,640.74 (-$337.26)
BEST BETS: 51 - 99 / $220.64 (+$22.64)
SPOT PLAYS: 8 - 99 / $92.50 (-$105.50)
BEST BET - DIPLOMACY (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - INCANTATION (6th)
Race 1 - NW5000L5 / 12500CLM Pace
(6) WAVEMAKER has been facing much tougher foes in his lines and has excuses in his last two tries as first he had broken equipment and then he had the eight-hole. (1) MAJORCROWDCONTRL A finds the bottom level here in his third U.S. outing, moves in from post six to the pole position and got the nod from Jason Bartlett for a high-percentage stable (5) PYRO was fifth in the same race MAJORCROWDCONTRL A exits and shows a recent third against $40,000 claimers.
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Race 2 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace
(3) SWISS COTTON comes south from Saratoga in great form outside of his most recent try when he had a bad post. He moves in on the gate here and partners with a catch driver in Colin Kelly. (2) LOU'S BEACH turned in another good effort last Wednesday and slides in a couple of notches on the gate this time. (7) TWO FACED will have to overcome an outside draw but was second when he dropped to this level a week ago and has the leading driver/trainer combo of Jason Bartlett and Per Engblom.
Race 3 - Winners of 5 but not more than 7 PM Races or 90000LT Trot
(2) DIPLOMACY is two-for-two since he joined Engblom's stable and added hobbles. He drew well again tonight and I'll give him top call. (4) SENSI AMNESIA has hit the board in five straight outings and is likely to be on or near the front again given her good early speed. (3) DURANTE HANOVER broke a week ago but was performing well prior to that and shows three straight victories in this class back in October.
Race 4 - 25000CLM Pace
While he hasn't shown much he returned, I have to think (1) BETTORBUCKLEUP is going to put in play tonight given he has the pole position, and he was second against $25,000 claimers as recently as October 9. (4) THEMASKEDCRUSADR N has hit the board in four of his last seven appearances and kept Bartlett's services for Engblom. (3) LYONS BENJAMIN steps up a notch but does so off a 10+ length victory a week ago. He lost Bartlett tonight, which puts George Brennan in the bike.
Race 5 - 20000CLM Pace
(6) SAWYER'S DESIRE owns and a win and a second the two times in his lines that's Bartlett been in the bike. He picks up the assignment up here and the horse moves in a couple of slots on the gate after he had the eight-hole last Wednesday. (5) THEFLYINGROCK hikes up from the $15,000 claimers but is in super form and has shown the ability to do well on or near the lead and from behind. (2) TWIN B RISENSHINE has an inside post for the first time in a while and makes his second start for these connections off a claim.
Race 6 - Winners of 5 but not more than 7 PM Races or 90000LT Trot
(4) INCANTATION gets the best post she's had since she started racing at Yonkers tonight and has been putting in some good efforts in this class, including a victory on 10-29. (5) MADE OF DREAMS steps up a notch on the ladder but was a winner in her return to the Engblom stable last Wednesday and finished third at this level in the race won by INCANTATION on October 29. (3) FIRST CLASS RULE was the runner-up to the sharp Diplomacy a week ago. He avoids that foe here and has Yannick Gingras to drive again for Ron Burke.
Race 7 - 25000CLM Pace
(3) FOXHUNT debuts off the claim for a stable that's winning at a 21% clip since October 1, and he is riding a five-race streak of on-the-board finishes. (2) STARE ME DOWN just missed in two appearances against $25,000 claimers on 11-13 and 11-20, and he was victorious against NW2 foes last Tuesday. (1) C-BET HANOVER beat $25,000 claiming company on the 22nd of October and has been second or third in all of his tries since the 12th of November.
Race 8 - 3-6YO 20000CLM Pace
(4) PIRATES CODE tallied the last time he was at this level on 11-19 and has faced tougher rivals in his last two tries. (1) TOPVILLE SOMEBEACH is up to four straight victories in this class after another victory last Wednesday, and he moves in from post four to the pole position. (2) SHAKE IT couldn't deliver as the favorite a week ago but has hit the board in both of his outings since returning to action and gets some post relief.
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Race 9 - Winners of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Trot
(2) BEERSNSUNSHINE DEO gained several spots in the final quarter of a second-place finish to a well-meant favorite last week and gets significant post relief tonight. (4) MANFORCE has hit the board in half of his six starts since he came to Yonkers from Canada and recently went on Lasix. (5) SEISMIC STEP shows a pair of triumphs at this level on 10-15 and 12-3 and driver Niko Karna and trainer Noel Daley teamed up with a longshot victor a week ago.
Race 10 - F&M Winners of 2 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT / NW2 PM Races or 30000LT Draw Inside Pace
(5) MAIDSWEET IR didn't fare too well against tough $50,000 claimers last Tuesday but her victory in the corresponding class to this one at Saratoga two back was impressive and she gets a chance to team up with Gingras. (6) TH RIZZO overcame the eight-hole to score at this level a week ago and is another contender for the Bartlett/Engblom duo on the program. (3) ODDS ON ACES FULL invades from Harrah's Philadelphia off back-to-back runner-up efforts and shows several stakes appearances at Harrah's Hoosier Park prior to that.