MEET STATS: 130- 451 / $786.30 (-$115.70)
BEST BETS: 23 - 44 / $87.00 (-$1.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 44 / $88.40 (+$0.40)
BEST BET - FAST CHOICE (4th)
SPOT PLAY - KID FROM THE BRONX (11th)
Race 1 - NW20000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW15000L5/NW10 PM Races LT/60000CLM Trot
(7) VINNY DE VIE drew poorly here but he closed with trot against NW30000L5 company last Thursday and won the last time he was at this level on May 30. (1) WARRIOR ONE tallied in this class a week ago and is in for the optional claiming tag tonight, so he didn't have to move up the ladder. He also gets owner Yannick Gingras in the bike again. (3) PC FREE WHEELING was second in the race won by WARRIOR ONE last week and kept Brent Holland over my top selection.
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Race 2 - Invitational Trot
(6) SEA CAN tallied in the Invitational on June 6 and hasn't been outside the top three in any of his local appearances. He starts from the outside, but I expect Gingras to be aggressive and will use. (5) NOWS THE MOMENT moves outside on the gate this time but won the last edition of the Invitational two weeks ago and is likely headed to the front again. (2) TACHYON has had better results in classes just below the Invitational but has a post edge on my top two picks, and trainer Ricky Bucci continues to send out live horses.
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Race 3 - 40000CLM Trot
(2) ROGER RABBIT has raced well in both starts since coming east into Scott Di Domenico's barn, including a win over NW15000L5 company on 6-14. I think this could be a slightly softer spot than that, and I'll swing with him. (6) BLUEBIRD BISHOP made an equipment break on May 24 but has been sharp other than that and is riding a two-race win streak with Gingras at the controls. (3) STEUBEN HANOVER owns a pair of runner-up results since coming back into Travis Alexander's barn, and he also shows a victory over $40,000 claimers on the 25th of April.
Race 4 - New York Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Pace
(6) FAST CHOICE finished out both of his miles in baby races at Pocono in 27 and change, and the horse he was third to on 6-5 won in 1:52 2/5 at Pocono in his career debut on June 22. He also lured Scott Zeron off a Linda Toscano trainee, which is a rarity. (7) PEPPERMINT PETE won his second baby race at Pocono on the front-end for a trainer/driver and debuts for these new connections after a private purchase. That gets him a new high-percentage trainer and a catch driver in Matt Kakaley. (1) SG EXIT VELOCITY comes to Yonkers off a winning baby race at Harrah's Philadelphia. He was not Zeron's pick, but he gets the services of leading driver Jason Bartlett instead.
Race 5 - Amateur Race for Winners Over 1856 Trot
(1) SKYWAY PROFESSOR was second against much tougher $40,000 claimers last Thursday and returns to the amateur ranks tonight. He moves inside to the pole position and was driver Joe Lee's choice. (3) BEACON BEACH won an amateur race rather handily last week. He starts from a good post again, and while rejected by Lee, he's reunited with Yogi Sheridan, who piloted him to a runner-up result at the Meadowlands on June 15. (2) ALLINDOTIME took another division of the NAADA Summer Series a week ago and has hit the board in three straight outings overall.
Race 6 - New York Excelsior "A" Series 2YO C&G Pace
(8) JOLLY HARBOR starts from the worst post but won both of his qualifiers at Saratoga with the trainer in the bike and now gets Bartlett's services tonight. (5) SPIRIT OF FREEDOM didn't show a ton in his Pocono baby races but hails from a very good barn that can have any of their horses ready to fire. I'll include. (3) ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT qualified once at Vernon Downs and flashed a solid final quarter in a gaining second-place result. I'll toss him in underneath.
Race 7 - New York Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Pace
(3) RED BLOODED took his one qualifier at Tioga Downs on 6-15 despite being charted with interference before three-quarters. Bartlett hops aboard tonight, and this same owner/trainer combo had Boston Rocks, the top 2-year-old colt pacer in New York last year. (1) IDEALOFADAY gained a bunch of ground in a 27 and change final quarter in one baby race at Scioto and now comes east to Scott Zeron and Megan Scran. Add in that he starts from the pole, and I'll use. (4) DIGGING FOR GOLD qualfied well at both Vernon and Saratoga and picks up Gingras here. He was on the front-end in that Saratoga baby race, and Gingras is certainly known to be aggressive.
Race 8 - New York Excelsior "A" Series 2YO C&G Pace
(1) SOUTHPAW turned a pocket trip into an impressive win in his second qualifier up at Vernon Downs and breeder/owner/trainer Jimmy Whittemore comes in to pilot him from post one. (4) A GOOD QUEST showed good, forward progression in all of his qualifiers at Saratoga and picks up Zeron for his pari-mutuel debut here. (2) CIGAR SMOKING JOE exits a pair of quick baby races at Pocono and adds Bartlett at the controls as he comes to Yonkers.
Race 9 - F&M Invitational Trot
(6) P L NOTSONICE did rally last week but had to settle for third. She doesn't face anybody overly imposing tonight, but I also hope she isn't trying to come from the back of the pack again. (5) DIAMANTE TRIO IT was second in the same event my top pick comes out of from last Thursday and hails from the high-percentage Alexander barn. (4) PARISO has hit the board in the F&M Invitational Trot before and gets reunited with Bartlett this time.
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Race 10 - 40000CLM Trot
(5) THE BALLYKEEL DEAL moves inside a couple of notches on the gate this week and gets Kakaley back at the controls. I'm going to bank on an aggressive approach coming and give her a shot. (1) LOS BALLYKEELAMIGO has won two in-a-row for Bucci, including in this class last Thursday. (3) CANTKEEPMIASECRET miscued on the first turn a week ago but won nicely at this level prior to that, and I could see her offering a better price tonight.
Race 11 - 3-5YO 30000CLM Pace
(2) KID FROM THE BRONX both finds what I think is a softer class and gets out of the seven- and eight-hole situation he's been in so far this month. Mark MacDonald hops back in the seat here, and let's hope he can wire this group. (5) DEMPSEY HANOVER has raced better in his last two tries for trainer Ron Burke, posting back-to-back second-place finishes. He was Jordan Stratton's choice of a pair. (1) AIN'T NOSTOPN TIME takes a second crack at this level and moves in from post six to the pole position.
