RACE 1 – (6) KINGSVILLE was sharp (as expected) last week, but the tripsitter was sharper and kicked home in a
sizzling :26.4 to beat him – gets no luck with the draw tonight, but still could be the one to knock off...wouldn’t take
too short a price, though. (3) ROCKIN N TALKIN wired ‘em 2 back, and the 2nd place finisher that night has been
razor sharp – no chance in last (8 hole), but could be very live here, at a nice price. (4) YOROKOBI N may prefer to
be in a little easier but he’s definitely sharp these days, and could be a threat with the right trip. (2) BLANK STARE
may need to be in softer to threaten for the top slot, but the inside draw could help him take home a decent piece. (5)
PANETTONE HANOVER was definitely trending in the right direction in his last couple of starts but he’s been idle
for a month, and will now debut for a new barn – maybe the tote board will offer some clues? (1) LISA LANE has
been good lately, as well as consistent – she’s also taking on boys tonight, and that could hurt her chances a bit. (7)
BENHOPE RULZ N is clearly on his game, but also faces a daunting task starting from Post 7.
RACE 2 – (4) DIAMONDBEACH hasn’t come close to being a threat in ages but it’s not like he’s been losing
every week by a zillion lengths – he (finally) drops in for the bottom tag, and this just may be a field that he can
handle, even in his current less-than-stellar form (but not one to bet the rent money on)! (2) MACHLICIOUS blasted
from Post 7 last week and almost pulled off the 22-1 upset – the price will definitely come down, but he certainly
has a chance to get it done with another mile like the last one. (5) YOUR BROTHER went a big mile in that win 2
back, then was able to collar #2 last week after sitting the two hole trip (but did have to work for it) – possible for
sure, but may end up overbet. (1) HURRIKANE GEORGIE still hasn’t come close to finding his top form but at
least he’s become somewhat competitive again – chance for a piece. (3) MAJOR DESIRE was sharp for a long time
but went on the shelf after his 7/20 start and now returns for HALF the claiming price, 5 weeks later (and with his
owner now down as trainer) – red flags? (8) MAJESTIC KIWI N was scratched lame here on 7/20, just re-qualified
upstate and that has us looking elsewhere.
RACE 3 – (4) RAYRAY has thrown some nice efforts at times but his last start (adding Lasix) was probably the best
he’s looked here at Yonkers – his price will likely come down, but this still seems like a good week to give him a
shot. (5) DECISION DAY makes his first local start in a long time but he used to have some success here, and his
current (out of town) form isn’t bad – could be a live player. (3) JUDDY DOUGLAS A didn’t seem happy coming
off the gate last week but still wasn’t terrible – guessing he’ll be handled much more aggressively tonight...we’ll see
if he’s up for it. (2) INDICTABLE HANOVER gets his first good draw in ages and figures to play a much bigger
role – not sure he deserves to be the ML favorite, however. (1) HALLELUJAH HANOVER is a mare taking on
boys but has a license to follow along for a piece from this spot. (6) NOWHERE CREEK A seems to heading back
in the right direction but will need lots of trip luck to be a serious threat from out here.
RACE 4 – Tough race: (4) QUALITY BUD may be worth a stab tonight – he’s hard to like just looking at his lines
but he’s just been in a long stretch of tough spots (facing much better), and hasn’t had any chance to be a player – he
may look to get much more aggressive with tonight’s class relief. (5) I DRAINTHESWAMP A finished crisply off a
sick scratch last week and was a good 3rd (behind a couple of sharp ones) 3 back – a live trip could put him right in
the mix tonight. (1) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N battled hard last week before taking a tough beat on the wire – this
is a very logical spot for him, but note that he’s just 1 for 19 this year (after going 2 for 33 LAST year) before taking
too short a price! (3) CHANTEE was a fast closing 2nd last week despite needlessly giving up a hole to the quarter,
and waiting way too long to go around tiring cover on the final turn – he’s been solid in both starts since returning
from Canada, but does face a tougher bunch tonight. (6) MACH N CHEESE is similar to the top choice, and even
grabbed a win off the class drop at PcD two back – the tough draw is the main reason that he’s listed so far down
here. (2) MARLBANK ROAD was 2nd best 2 back then a winner last week...but tonight’s class jump figures to slow
him down quite a bit. (7) MAXIMUS RED A is still trying to find his best game since being claimed in late July –
the move all the way outside isn’t going to help.
RACE 5 – (6) BELLISSIMO FACE S won her first U.S. (and Yonkers) start impressively back on 6/5 then had
excuses in her next pair – moved over to Pocono and her efforts there were terrific, including wins in 1:52.3 and
1:53 in her last pair – barring any crazy trips, she should be able to keep the ball rolling back here at the Hilltop. (1)
ENERGY KING can be a little inconsistent at times but any of his better efforts would give him a good chance to
land somewhere on the ticket from this good spot. (3) FULL SCALE has picked up a trip of 2
nds and a 3rd since moving to her current barn, and remains a big threat to land in the exotics again. (2) STOCKHOLM HANOVER
was well backed from Post 7 last week and although helped by a lot going his way, was still a winner – another that
could land somewhere on the ticket, depending on trip. (7) ATTA GIRL DANI was a close 2nd in her first 2 starts
after arriving from Hoosier – she was a decent 4th (facing older) in her next, but then had to requalify after being
scratched sick from consecutive starts – she’s more than good enough to battle with these, but hard to say how
serious she’ll be tonight, under the circumstances. (4) TOMBSTONE is 0 for 11 here this year and 0 for 22 overall –
he's been ok recently in PA, but still leaning towards others. (5) HIGH LIFE hasn’t threatened in any local tries.
RACE 6 – Tough race: (3) DIVINE RIGHT was an ok 4th arriving from PcD but then drew Post 8 last week – lands
in a field where most of the others carry question marks, and maybe this is a spot he can handle. (2) AROUND MID
NIGHT is hard to gauge class-wise from his efforts out of town but he did win his last, and moves to a barn that has
done excellent work with fresh stock all year – possibility. (1) LEVINE has held his own with better almost every
start this year...he’s also 0 for 18 on the season, and has just one start in 6 weeks – hard to get excited about taking a
pretty short price. (7) BRAEVIEW BONDI A had been finishing well in recent starts and finally was able to pick up
his first local win of the season last week – he’ll need a lot of trip luck for a chance to repeat from out here, however.
(5) MASONS DELIGHT’s efforts here have been mixed, but he has valid excuses in a couple of his “bad” ones – his
best effort would give him at least a chance at the upset here. (6) EMINEM HANOVER was a sharp winner over
cheaper 2 back, and not bad from a tough spot last week – would have liked his chances a lot more with a better
draw, however. (4) GAMBLINGTERROR has his moments, but this doesn’t feel like his kind of spot.
RACE 7 – (6) ROCK THIS WAY had a new trainer listed 2 back and came up big in his last pair, charging home
through the lane for 2nds each time – he picked up a couple of wins the last time he got sharp like this, and he
certainly meets no killers in here – gets top billing. (1) JUST A WRANGLER can be very tough to predict from start
to start but WHEN he does show up, he’s capable of beating a field like this – he won from Post 7 three back, so it
would hardly be a stretch to try him from the pole. (3) ROSE RUN X CON will attract $$ off the class drop and that
7/5 ML price – maybe this is a field that he can handle, but his 23-0-1-4 record this year would make it hard to back
him at a very short price. (4) IMABEACHBOY at least showed a little life last week, even if helped by an easy trip
–he does have 4 wins (and 4 seconds) here this year, so he’s at least worth a look at that 10-1 ML price. (5) BETTER
OFF SINGLE hails from top connections...but that hasn’t helped him for most of the year (15-0-1-1) (2)
CENTURY IGLESIAS has just been awful for a while.
RACE 8 – (4) CAHOOTS may have won 2 back if he had room at the cones then he followed that up with a big one
last week, used very hard only to miss out late to a fresh-legged closer – may just be too sharp for these right now.
(5) YS DO IT RIGHT is a tough call – he’d normally get a strong vote dropping back down to 20s (won his last pair
at this level) but he folded so badly last week, he may just be very risky right now! (1) AIRY SHADOW has been
better since the recent barn change and he’ll be using his speed from the pole here – figures to be a player from start
to finish. (6) FOREVER FAV has been better since the recent barn change but he’ll likely need a lot to go his way
from Post 6. (2) RECORD YEAR has been going off long prices in PA and has an 8-0-0-1 local slate. (3) EURO ST
EP did win here on 7/4 but none of his local starts since then have been nearly good enough. (7) DIVINE COSMO
hasn’t shown enough in 2 YR tries to consider here. (8) LYONS PEGASUS is the outsider, literally and figuratively.
RACE 9 – (1) THRASHER was about to rally in the lane when he made that costly miscue 2 back, then finished
with ok pace from an impossible spot last week – moves all the way inside for barn that has sent out some big time
performers recently, and maybe this guy will be next. (2) MOVIN ON UP has fallen apart pretty badly over the last
couple of months – we’ll see if a drop to the basement can help wake him up a bit. (7) LOUS SWEETREVENGE
has only 1 start in six weeks and wasn’t a good one – he’s been struggling for a long time, and it’s anybody’s guess
as to when he might turn things around. (4) CERULEAN HANOVER failed to impress in his 3 recent YR tries but
he can’t help but contend for a piece against this bunch. (3) ALWAYS ROCKIN got good for a while earlier this
year but has been away since April, and the guess is that he’ll need a start or two. (6) IKES DREAM was racing in
KY for our 2nd leading trainer and was stuck on smaller pieces vs. easier – at least he’s 15-1 ML for anybody willing
to take a shot with the fresh face. (5) HEISMAN PLAYER is 17-0-0-1 here this year and has become pretty tough to
even consider. (8) RULE OF LAW isn’t much better, at 15-0-1-1.