MEET STATS: 102 - 340 / $614.50 (-$65.50)
BEST BETS: 20 - 33 / $76.10 (+$10.10)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 33 / $88.40 (+$22.40)
BEST BET - VERITY BLUE CHIP (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - A FEW CHOICE WORDS (7th)
Race 1 - 15000CLM Pace
(2) CHIEF CORLEONE drops out of some tougher classes and starts from an inside post here, and trainer Scott Di Domenico has been sending out some live ones lately. (6) ITALIAN DELIGHT N put in a big effort to finish second despite an extended first-over journey last Saturday. That was from the eight-hole, so he gets to slide in a couple notches this time. (5) WAIMAC ATTACK N held off ITALIAN DELIGHT N to get the win a week ago and it's hard to overlook anything trainer Travis Alexander puts on the track.
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Race 2 - F&M NW1/15385LT Pace
(2) VERITY BLUE CHIP won impressively in a quick time in her career debut at Freehold last Friday and I'll swing with her again as she ships north. (1) KNOCK TWICE is riding a two-race win streak between here and Freehold, and that last triumph was impressive as she was shuffled back in the third quarter but still finished out strongly to get up. (4) BRIDGE OF LOVE comes in from Tioga with two victories and a second in three outings at that venue. She was Brent Holland's choice in this race.
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Race 3 - 15000CLM Pace
(2) PRIVATE SCOTT slides down from the $20,000 level and had a recent two-race win streak at Freehold for a high-percentage stable. (4) SHANWAY N shows a trio of on-the-board efforts against $20,000 claiming company and drops a notch tonight. (3) VICTOR HIC comes in from Northfield into Di Domenico's barn, and we've seen that move work well with other horses for these connections, such as Open pacer Dunkin'.
Race 4 - F&M NW2/25000LT Pace
(6) YOUCANCALLME DAISY was racing well in the NW2 class earlier this year and returns to Yonkers tonight from Harrah's Philadelphia and the Meadowlands. She closed out her mile in 27 and change most recently at Harrah's Philadelphia. (3) I'M A BELIEVER has missed the board only once in her six appearances in 2024, and this is a softer class than she was in last Saturday where she was third. (2) OBJ tired on the front-end a couple weeks ago but won handily over NW2 foes on May 4 and gets reunited with Matt Kakaley.
Race 5 - 40000CLM Pace
(3) MAXIMUS RED A appears to be the horse in here that's been the sharpest in this class. He was a rallying second on May 13 and also shows a win back in late April. (2) TAKE A CLOSER LOOK is moving up from the age-restricted $30,000 claimers but has won five of his last seven starts and hails from the Alexander barn. (6) SWEET TROY closed in 27 and change in a fourth-place finish at this level on 5-6 and won against $40,000 claimers on the 22nd of April.
Race 6 - NW2/25000LT / NW1/12500LT Draw Inside Trot
(2) MACAU crushed NW1's in his career debut at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 19 and doesn't meet up with anybody overly imposing in this event. (3) JAKEY JUMPUP is just one-for-15 in the win column lifetime but was third in a NW3 event last Saturday, so this should be a softer class. (5) ENERGY KING was third in a NW3 tilt when last seen at Yonkers in late March and returns from Pocono here. He was fourth in a very fast NW2 contest over there on Sunday (5-19).
Race 7 - F&M Winners of 2 but not more than 5 PM Races or 60000LT Pace
(1) A FEW CHOICE WORDS closed well to finish second to a heavy favorite in this class last Saturday, and she should be sharper here in her second start of 2024. (4) BLUE POINT made the New York Sire Stakes final a year ago and won a NW3 race at Yonkers a couple of weeks ago. (5) CAMERICAN had success both in the NYSS program and on the Grand Circuit last year. She looked ready in two qualifiers at the Meadowlands, but I'll hope the fillies with some starts under their belts can down her.
Race 8 - Winners of 3 but not more than 6 PM Races or 60000LT Trot
(3) ONION GUM makes his third start back after a layoff tonight and gained some spots and ground in the final quarter in a similar class over at Pocono last Saturday. (2) CRAZYLAND kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a victory over NW3's at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 16. Matt Kakaley picked up the live drive for leading trainer Per Engblom. (4) TOMBSTONE hasn't won yet this year but has hit the board five times in 11 outings, including a gaining third to a heavy favorite a week ago.
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Race 9 - NW7661L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace
(5) YOROKOBI N seems way overdue for a win given how he's been closing out his miles. He takes a third crack at this class tonight, and driver Austin Siegelman has piloted him many times before. (6) HAZEVILLE continues to work his way down the ladder here and shows a victory over much tougher NW15000L5 foes at Yonkers as recently as early April. (1) MACH N CHEESE is back after some time off and a good qualifier at Yonkers on May 17. He was competing at much higher levels than this before he went on the shelf.
Race 10 - 20000CLM Pace
Both (4) I'M J BEE N and (3) ALOTBETTOR N scored in $20,000 claiming races last Saturday. I'M J BEE N will my top choice as he has the Kakaley/Alexander combo in his corner. (5) IMABEACHBOY was third in the event won by ALOTBETTOR N a week ago and could definitely add some value underneath if he can duplicate that performance.
