RACE 1 - (1) KOVU AS was scratched from his local debut on 11/8 but did qualify back nicely on the 21st
- he shows plenty of KY and NJ form that would make him a very tough player in this relatively soft NW2
field, and he even shows a win over the half, at Lebanon - gets the call, even from Post 7. (1) LUKA won
his fair share of starts on the Iowa fair circuit and shows a pair of sharp outings at Chester, after shipping
east - seems the main danger. (3) NEWTOWNS BLACKGOLD has been a very reliable player in this class
but also holds the distinction of being only one of two horses ever to get beat for the top spot by 2 for 78
SQUABLE - hard to leave out of the exotics. (2) TO MY CREDIT was able to use his speed to pick up
some small pieces from outside posts but squandered a good draw last week - we'll see if he can bring a bit
sharper effort tonight. (4) MISTER LEWIS ships in from Ohio showing a 13-1-0-0 slate this year, and that
(recent) win came vs. weaker conditioned claimers - we'll see if he can improve a bit for his new barn. (8)
LITTLE MISS YANKEE had a promising local debut but has never been able to build off that - won't get
any easier from Post 8. (5) WAVERLY HANOVER has some ok Pocono tries but struggled in both local
outings. (6) BANGIN IN THE HALL is 1 for 48, and just 16-0-2-0 here at Yonkers.
RACE 2 - (2) HUNTING LINDY came very close to making a break to 3/4s while in the pocket last week
but Bartlett did a good job keeping her together, before rallying on by pretty easily in the lane - she faces a
few legitimate rivals tonight but also has the post advantage - she's still the one to beat, but be careful about
taking too short a price. (7) JAVA cut the mile last week before coming up 2nd best to the top choice - she
was very good the week before, and that 10-1 ML price does make her worth consideration (8) CANNERY
ROW had three 2nds and a 3rd (here at Yonkers) after joining the Dynamic Duo then grabbed a win at
Pocono - likely bled in her last start (as she adds Lasix tonight), and was just a $42K "buy back" at the
recent sale - tough task starting from Post 8 off a month, however. (4) SCHNAPPS is a 2YO off to a
promising start to her career, and she'll try to replicate that solid PA form here at Yonkers vs. older rivals -
Bartlett opts to drive the top choice, but Smith did win with her at Chester - would still need a decent price
to use the youngster on top. (1) DEWITT THIS MOMENT just qualified for her new barn after being on
the shelf for a couple of months - the Canadian shipper likely fits with these, but may be at a conditioning
disadvantage right now. (3) LIL RED ROCKNHOOD picked up 3rds in her last pair but still feels a notch
below the main players. Both (6) J M SPEAK EASY and (5) VIRTUAL KISS will need to improve on their
current form to have any real say tonight.
RACE 3 - (2) ZIRKOVA took a few starts to get the hang of it but the 2YO has been doing solid work at
Chester in her last few starts (including a win 3 back) - gets a big switch to Kakaley for tonight, and should
end up with a very good trip here...we'll give her top billing, but probably wouldn't bet the rent money at
what figures to be a fairly short price. (6) TWO STAR MAGIC was 9-5-4-0 at the Iowa Fairs this summer
and was a good 2nd in her first eastern start at Plainridge - she made a break in her last but if she can shrug
that off, she may be able to add some value to this ticket. (8) MINT CONDITION (another 2YO) won her
first PA start after moving to our leading trainer, but her efforts have been mixed since then - Bartlett will
likely send her out of there (despite Post 8), and can be a big threat IF he can find her a manageable trip. (4)
KALYPSO has some "ugly" lines at Monti but also has a blowout win 3 back, and a 2nd last week - gets
Stratton for her local debut, and can be in the mix if the "good" version shows up. (1) CHILLED PROSEC
CO has yet to hit board in 5 local tries but was 'less bad" in her last pair - we'll see if she can improve
enough to contend for a small slice here. (5) PINE BUSH MAGA is 0 for 22 (0 for 11 at YR) and hard to
consider for more than minor spoils. (7) URSULA BLUE CHIP was able to pick up a 3rd last week but that
was from the pole - the move outside figures to hurt quite a bit. (3) TRISH SPEAKER was invisible at 54-1
in her local debut - waiting for better signs before considering.
RACE 4 - (5) MANCLANE was off to a promising start earlier this year, and crushed the field in his first
local start - raced well enough in his elim. to qualify for the Yonkers Trot Final (scratched sick), but the rest
of his stakes attempt this season just didn't go so well - he ships in off a very easy win at Chester (off 25
days), was Bartlett's choice, and could be very tough tonight. (4) TOMBSTONE has raced well in all 4
local starts, even if the starts where he recovered from an early miscue - could be next in line should the top
one not bring his best. (1) FIVE FISH SPECIES failed to hit board in her last pair after finishing in the
money in her first 11 local starts - should be able to bounce back and be in the hunt tonight starting from
the pole. (3) STRONGERWITHLINDY finished very nicely for 2nd last week behind the prohibitive
favorite - a good trip could help him grab a decent share tonight, as well. (6) BEACON BEACH was 2nd
best to a heavily backed ship in winner last week, and his overall recent form has been solid as well - three
weeks off and a bad post make him a little iffy for tonight, however. (7) SHOPPING IN PARIS seems to
have put that brief patch of miscues behind her but hasn't been finishing well enough in her last pair, and
now lands Post 7 - tough spot. (2) WISTERIA HANOVER draws well but just has way more lesser efforts
than good ones. (8) SQUABLE finally graduates out of NW2 in his 77th start - seems pretty unlikely
tonight while up in class, from Post 8!
RACE 5 - (5) DONTKARENIFIDO has taken 4 of her 5 local starts and was stuck in the back (behind a
:59.2 half!) in the other - she draws inside a couple of main foes, and she can win this race and still stay
eligible to this class - gets the nod here. (7) DEVILISH DREAMS has held form nicely since moving from
our leading barn - tough post tonight (especially off 3 weeks), but can still be a big player. (8) YS SENSAT
IONAL CITY has had some legitimate excuses since arriving from Canada but the ability is definitely there
- hard to say if she can get into the hunt from out here but she has a pilot that can certainly give it a shot. (1)
INDIANAS QUEST GB was plagued by the same inconsistency in PA that she showed in her Yonkers
starts - great spot for her Hilltop return....if the "better" version shows up. (3) TARGARYEN EMPRESS
has been stuck on smaller pieces for some time...and can probably pick one up here, as well. (6) BLANK
CHEEK didn't fire last week in her first try with Lasix - prefer others tonight, but will keep an eye out for
any improvement. (4) UTE BLUE CHIP was no factor (at a big price) in her last local try - needs to be
better. (2) ANNELIESE HANOVER fails to deliver more often than not and now has missed time after a
sick scratch.
RACE 6 - (5) YOU GOT IT finally crossed the finish line first 3 starts back but was taken down in a tough
disqualification - raced big from back-back-back 7 holes in his next pair, and maybe this is the spot where
he finally breaks his 2023 schneid. (6) DEADLINE HALL arrived sharp from Canada and has continued to
thrive for his current connections in PA and NJ - gets Bartlett to jump off #7 to drive him in his YR debut,
and figures to be a very dangerous player. (2) CREDARENA has returned sharp from a recent freshening,
finishing 2nd in his last pair - can grab a nice chunk tonight too. (3) DIAMANTE TRIO IT failed twice at
short prices not too long ago but has also WON twice, at nice prices - he's very consistent right now, and
another that belongs in exotics. (1) ROSE RUN YANKEE has missed time off a sick scratch but does fit
here IF ready - he likes to relax early on, and his pilot isn't necessarily known for his patience. (7) INN AT
RODANTHE won his first pair (vs. softer) after arriving from Canada to our top barn, but couldn't finish
the job (up in class) last week - another tough post, and hard to ignore Bartlett opting for #6. (8) ENOLA
got it done at 2/5 in her local debut but it wasn't "pretty" - little better in her last, but still hung a bit on the
money - may have trouble getting in play from out here. (4) LIVINGONTHERAIL is buried in here.
RACE 7 - Tough race! (7) AVF CLAIRE has been doing excellent work in Ohio - she just moved to a top
barn and qualified very nicely in NJ, finishing right behind the very talented TWIN B JOE FRESH- terrible
draw for her local debut, but that 10-1 ML price does make her appealing. (8) ONEDERFULBEACH
draws even worse than the top choice, but debuts tonight for our leading trainer/driver tandem....and that's
been a winning angle for some time. (2) KELE KELE had a strong year at 3 and was 3 for 3 locally as a
4YO his spring - she landed on the shelf soon after that, however, and it's hard to gauge where she's at
currently (with 2 starts back since returning from the layoff) - could be tough if on her game tonight, but
that's a big "if". (5) HOW SWEET IS THAT threw a major dud in NJ last start but she's capable of much
better - could be a decent price here, and possibly worth considering. (3) MY HUNGRY GIRL makes her
YR debut for the leading barn in the nation and she ships in off a win at The Swamp - add her to the list of
possibilities. (1) TWIN B ALLURE is 2 for 2 since moving to the Dynamic Duo but has just 1 start in 7
weeks and will be facing tougher tonight - mixed feelings. (4) FRONDEUR has hit board in 12 of 18 local
starts but only one was a victory - would consider using on the bottom of exotics. (6) EXTREME Z TAM
figures to sit back most of the way, hoping to pick off a few at the end.
RACE 8 - (2) THE BEST TYME EVER was a little shaky in his first couple of starts off the barn change
but has started to really come around - finished right behind MARINER SEELSTER last week (despite a
MUCH tougher trip), and we'll see if he can reverse that decision tonight. (4) MARINER SEELSTER is not
letting his career end quietly, having now won 3 in a row, 4 of his last 5 and 5 of his last 7 - the 14YO
remains the one to knock off! (3) LETTUCERIPRITA A has struggled in most of his recent local starts but
his last pair in PA may be a little better - willing to include him underneath in exotics tonight. (7) CAMPO
RA N was no factor in his last pair but used his speed to grab a pair of 2nds just prior to that - at that 20-1
ML price, he may be worth including in exotics, hoping to add some value to the ticket. (1) UNIQUE BEA
CH wasn't close in either local start but he drops, gets major post relief, and may be able to be a bigger part
of the action now. (6) OURRHYTHMNBLUES N basically stole a win 2 back but showed little in his starts
prior to that, and was no factor again last week - leaning towards others. (5) MISTER SPOT A hasn't been
able to turn things around even with the recent class drops. (8) PRAIRIE HANDSOME will likely be happy
just to get a clean mile here for his new connections (8 hole off the qualifier).
RACE 9 - (3) ITALIAN DELIGHT N saw his 3 race winning streak snapped last week but he may have
raced "better" in that 2nd place finish than in any of the 3 victories - good spot to start a new streak. (5)
SOUTHWIND ONYX really upped his game after changing barns 4 back and now joins another new barn
for tonight - he was totally trapped last week (or could have been closer), and looms the main danger IF his
form holds for new connections. (1) BARRYWHITE HANOVER was in a hopeless spot last week and did
well to rally late for 3rd - figures to be much better place tonight, and should be able to grab another good
chunk. (2) IM J BEE N landed on a good trip in his YR return and was able to rally for 2nd behind the
runaway winner - no reason he can't grab a piece tonight too. (8) TWIN B SPEED DIAL returns to the barn
where he recently picked up a 2nd and a 3rd - tough spot, but still could add some value to the exotics with
some trip luck. (6) SWAGASAURUSREX drops back to 20s but seems a bit off form - if he's going to have
a wake up call tonight, the tote board may offer some clues. (7) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN is struggling -
Post 7 isn't going to help. (4) AINT HE SPECIAL hasn't beaten a single horse in weeks.
RACE 10 - (5) OZONE BLUE CHIP hasn't won in some time and obviously is not the same horse we saw
much of last year - it's not like he's been "bad", though, and perhaps tonight's class drop will be enough to
help him find the winner's circle. (6) HAMMERING HANK has raced "well" vs. better, but he still hasn't
been able to WIN since joining this high % barn in August - another that may be able to take advantage of
tonight's class drop. (4) ANOTHERSTATEMENT A was a sharp winner in his YR debut but vs. an easier
field - we'll see if he can continue to succeed against this tougher bunch. (1) SAUVIGNON HANOVER
may benefit greatly from last week's confidence building score at Monti - this level is well within his
comfort zone when sharp, and a good price makes him worth a look. (2) INDICTABLE HANOVER was a
solid 2nd to #4 last week and that was on the heels of a blowout win upstate - playable underneath. (3)
HEART ON MY SLEEVE is good right now, but will be facing much tougher tonight - not sure he can
have the same success. (7) MR PERFECT N can hold his own with better than these, but another bad post
may see him waiting for a better spot (and class drop?) next week. (8) AIR FORCE HANOVER gave it a
good speed try last week, but this is the kind of spot that will usually slow him down considerably.