MEET STATS: 169- 595 / $1,033.10 (-$156.90)
BEST BETS: 30 - 57 / $139.10 (+$25.10)
SPOT PLAYS: 7 - 57 / $88.40 (-$25.60)
BEST BET - KISS MY CHEEK (4th)
SPOT PLAY - AIRY SHADOW (7th)
Race 1 - 20000CLM Pace
(6) KEYSTONE DASH stopped last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia but returns to Yonkers tonight. He won in impressive fashion over $15,000 claimers here on 7-20 and then backed that up with a third against $20,000 claimers the following week. Trainer Gil Garcia-Herrera sent out a pair of winners on Wednesday's (August 7) card at Yonkers. (3) ALOTBETTOR N has hit the board in four straight appearances, including a victory in this class on June 29. He gets a new driver with George Brennan taking over. (5) ON THE VIRG drops out of the $30,000 claimers this time and gets driver Brent Holland in the bike for the first time since they partnered for a runner-up result in a $40,000 claimer back on the 8th of June.
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Race 2 - 3-5YO 20000CLM Pace
(1) CAMLACHIE CHROME downed open $15,000 claimers last week, and this barn continues to send out plenty of live horses. He also moves in from post four to the pole position. (2) WESTERN NOB had some pace in the stretch last Saturday in this class and adds Joe Bongiorno in the bike here. (4) CHIEF CORLEONE is winless this year but has hit the board in all of his outings at this level since July 4.
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Race 3 - 30000CLM Pace
(2) RANDOM HANOVER makes his second start for trainer Scott Di Domenico tonight and has a much better post than he did last time out. He did gain some ground in the final quarter in that race, and hopefully the improved draw will allow for him to be handled more aggressively. (3) PINEBUSHDRAGONROLL was victorious in a $30,000 claimer on 7-27 and has a second prior to that. He's definitely a threat to get the job done again. (5) BAD BOY TOO steps up from the 3-5YO $20,000 claimers here but has romped to three straight victories and teams up with Holland again.
Race 4 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace
(2) KISS MY CHEEK just missed by a head in this class on 7-20 and then closed with pace from post eight on 7-27. She drew inside tonight, gets a driver switch to Brennan and I'll put her on top. (3) URSULA BLUE CHIP finally broke her maiden on July 20 in her 40th start. This is a step up the ladder tonight, but she has been racing well and often offers value underneath. (7) FLAMBOYANCE starts from the outside but did hit the board at this level on the 27th of July.
Race 5 - NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT / NW1 Ext. PM Race LT Assigned Inside Trot
(4) STOCKHOLM HANOVER finally has something other than an outside draw tonight. He has been gaining ground in the last quarter of all of his recent appearances, so hopefully that trend continues and he can be closer to the action. (7) NYMERIA starts from a poor post but has won two in-a-row. Tyler Buter tallied with her at Tioga on June 7 and Monticello on July 15 and returns to the bike tonight. (5) THE K BAR held sway on the front-end to score at this level and has missed the board just twice in eight appearances overall in 2024.
Race 6 - F&M NW1/15136LT Pace
(7) SHE'S GOT IT didn't have any luck in the draw but picked up checks in her last two tries against New York Excelsior "A" Series foes and did defeat NW1's at Tioga on 6-14. She's now with trainer Cory Stratton and adds Jordan Stratton in the bike, too. (3) JENNA'S COURT shows three victories in the NW1 class at Tioga and was third in a race won by a heavy favorite two weeks ago. (2) I'M ALL YOURS hasn't found the winner's circle yet but has hit the board in three out of four outings between here and Harrah's Philadelphia. She usually offers some value, too.
Race 7 - 15000CLM Pace
(5) AIRY SHADOW interests me here as he's been facing some tough customers in those age-restricted $20,000 and $30,000 claimers, including the red-hot Bad Boy Too. He also has a trainer change and switches pilots to Dan Dube. (1) LIBERTY N FREEDOM got the job done for trainer Travis Alexander a couple weeks ago. He could be sharper here since this is his second start back after some time off, and Buter hops in the bike. (4) VICTOR HIC rallied to win in this class on 7-27. Brennan guided him to that victory and is back at the controls tonight.
Race 8 - NW7500L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace
(4) ITALIAN LAD N has had nothing but outside draws lately but landed a good post here. He was a solid second the last time he raced in this class on 6-22 and driver Austin Siegelman and trainer Jose Godinez had a winner together on Wednesday's card at Yonkers. (3) LOU'S SWEETREVENGE beat NW20000L5 foes on the 4th of June but hasn't gotten a check since then. He could probably win as he continues to work his way down the ladder but isn't worth a short price in my opinion. (2) MIDNIGHT THUNDER gets significant post relief this time after starting from the seven-hole on July 27 and has been finishing all of his recent miles out with pace.
Race 9 - NW10000L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace
(4) SAMHARA N was a solid second when he dropped down to this class on 8-1. He takes a second crack at NW10000L5 foes tonight and moves inside on the gate. (5) STRENGTHFROMABOVE has just one win this year but was facing NW15000L5's when last seen locally and makes his third start on Lasix. (3) THE REAL ONE picked up a confidence-boosting victory over NW7500L5 company on the 27th of July and shows a third at this level on July 9.
Race 10 - F&M NW of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace
(7) BOUT DAMN TIME A starts from the outside post but has won both of her starts at Saratoga since coming to the U.S. from Down Under and is four-for-five overall between the two continents. I'll swing. (1) CRUISERSFOXYJUDY won two back in this class. She moves inside on the gate to the pole position this time and gets reunited with Jim Marohn Jr. (5) SWEET CAROLLOU finished a solid second behind a heavy favorite in this class a couple of weeks ago and gets to team up with Holland again.
Race 11 - NW10201L5/Winners in the Last Start of the Base Class NW7500L5 Pace
(5) HUNTERS HERO drops out of the NW15000L5 class and also moves in on the gate after having post eight in his last start. (1) YOROKOBI N gained ground in the final quarter in a quick mile at this level on July 23 and kept Stratton over two others in this race. (2) THE IDEAL DANCER A makes his second start back after a layoff and closed out his mile with pace on 7-27. He also slides in from the eight-hole to post three.
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Race 12 - 15000CLM Pace
Just take the 1-9 that (3) ITALIAN DELIGHT N is going to offer and call it a night. He hasn't lost since back in May and I see no reason that the same won't happen here. (5) MOTIVE HANOVER makes his second start back after layoff and shows a victory over $40,000 claimers at Yonkers in early April. (1) MINGO JOEL has hit the board in three of his last four appearances, including a runner-up result in the corresponding class to this one at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently.
