RACE 1 – (4) YS DO IT RIGHT has hit board in 4 of 7 starts this year, finishing 4th in the other 3 – he charged
home to just miss 2 back (racing off a sick scratch) then just couldn’t overcome last week’s tough trip – Marohn may
look over and see this as an opportunity to leave the gate and make his own luck for tonight, but he’d still have a
decent chance racing from off the pace – should offer some good value here. (1) SHARK PLAY never really clicked
after being claimed by our leading barn but he was a close 2nd 2 and 3 back before having no chance from Post 7 last
week – has to be respected from this spot, but also figures to be overbet, (6) KB MAC had been “sneaky ok” for a
few starts before getting parked on 3/15 – was solid again last week from well back, and he’s always a huge price –
good bomb for those hoping to start the night with a longshot. (7) HIGH ON ROCKNROLL is a solid weekly player
but he’s just 1 for 24 at Yonkers and has to deal with the bad draw – make sure to get a good price if using him here.
(2) KERFORD ROAD A, like many of his barnmates, tends to be highly inconsistent – he doesn’t win very often, so
consider for a smaller piece only. (5) FLOW WITH JOE was a nice 2nd in his first start of the year but has struggled
in 3 starts since then – would need a big price to consider. (3) QUATRAIN BLUE CHIP has many more lesser tries
than good ones but he does get Gingras tonight, and that will sometimes wake one up in a hurry – still leaning
elsewhere, though. (8) HURRIKANE GEORGIE made a break last week and does feel like he’s heading in the
wrong direction.
RACE 2 – (1) DONTLIKEITLEAVE was on a serious roll at Dover before a couple of tough trips in his last pair –
he hit board in all 3 local starts this fall, and may be worth a shot in a field with no big stickouts. (2) TWIN B DELU
XE is more dangerous vs. a bit easier but he holds his own against these too – logical player. (5) JUST ENUFF
STUFF had an off week on 2/19 but has otherwise hit board in 6 of 7 starts this year – he’s rock solid against these
types, but he was scratched sick from his last and that does cast at least a bit of concern for tonight. (3) LOUS THE
ATTITUDE had a spotty work schedule to start off this year – he was finally right back in the box last week, was
well backed dropping back down to this class but folded badly after cutting the mile – connections always need to be
feared, but this guy is tough to endorse right now. (4) SPORTS FAN charged home to win a “fall apart” race 2 back
(at 27-1) but could only kick home evenly off an easy trip last week – leaning more towards others. (6) AUSSIE HA
NOVER started the year with a pair of wins and a 2nd but has leveled off since then – tough draw doesn’t help.
RACE 3 – (2) TUGGIN ON MY HEART is on a good roll right now, winning three straight and seemingly getting
sharper each start – he was claimed away from the Dynamic Duo last week (usually a “negative”), but his new barn
has won with an incredible 10 of 19 starters off the claim this year – we’ll stay on board, though there probably
won’t be much of a price. (1) THRASHER has only been able to manage a pair of 4ths since moving up from 40s to
50s but he may end up with a much better trip tonight – his start may help determine his finish. (4) FULSOME has
been a model of consistency, hitting board in all 9 starts this year (7 for 7 at Yonkers) – he’ll probably see the top 2
choices leaving hard to his inside so Gingras will probably try hard to blast around them at the start – hard to say if
he can make that happen. (3) ALEX TYE has done good work since the recent claim, including a huge 26-1 upset 2
back – definitely worth including in exotics. (5) SAILBOAT HANOVER hasn’t been a threat in his 2 starts since the
recent claim – he’s capable of better, but not sure we’ll see it tonight. (6) SHAKESPEARE has been inconsistent at
best this season, and the outside draw certainly won’t help his chances tonight.
RACE 4 – (1) FORTIFY caught a couple of hot miles returning from the layoff and really didn’t tire all that badly
(pair of 4ths) – may be ready to strut his best stuff tonight, and he may even be a decent price if #2 just gets wildly
overbet. (2) NANDOLO N recently had a pair of close 3rds behind Borgata horses before a dud in his last – he drops
down to a level where he certainly has to be seen as the one to beat, but he HAS lost at short prices several times in
the past, and may prove a bit vulnerable tonight, as well. (3) HEAVEN ON HIGH N looked ready to fold from the
pocket 2 back (first time new barn) but stayed with it and salvaged the place spot – he definitely disappointed in his
last, but maybe an easier trip could help him grab a small piece here. (6) AMERICAN DEALER N shipped in sharp
and looked very good disposing of cheaper 2 back – his last was a little disappointing, however, and now he’s stuck
with a tough post – he’ll need some trip luck in order to be a player here. (4) ROCKIN JUKEBOX had a promising
first start off the layoff but weakened in his next pair – leaning towards others right now. (5) ALWAYS A MIKI gave
it a good try upstate in his first start off the layoff and he does have plenty of back class – might find these a little too
tough at the moment, however.
RACE 5 – MGM Borgata Pace, Leg 3: (6) LINEDRIVE HANOVER qualified like he was going to be ready to do
damage in this series right off the bat and that’s exactly what happened, jogging with ease (1:51.2) in Leg 1, before
coming up 2nd best to the equally sharp DESPERATE MAN in the 2nd leg (unable to go by despite pacing his final
quarter in a blistering :27) – the one to beat, despite the draw. (4) FUNATTHEBEACH N went a HUGE mile last
week, moving from the second turn and pacing by the leader (into a :27.1 third panel!) before getting run down in
the lane by a very sharp winner – it’s his best mile in a long time, and it seems that much of his barn has come to life
again as well – we’ll see if the former champ can continue to thrive. (1) COACHES CORNER had a couple of lesser
starts towards the end of February but is back hitting on all cylinders right now, picking up 2nds in both legs – can
be right there again from this spot. (3) SUMOMENTSOMEWHERE A quickly proved he belongs with a pocket 2nd
to DESPERATE MAN in Leg 1, followed by a “best he could do” 4th from a tough spot last week – a good trip puts
him in play for a good piece. (5) STRENGTHFROMABOVE didn’t have the greatest trip in his first series start and
may do a bit better tonight – still prefer a few ahead of him, however. (2) LEONIDAS A hasn’t been himself for
weeks but continues to drop in the box, hoping to turn things around – waiting for some better signs before using
again. (8) VENTURESESOME ARDEN N hasn’t embarrassed himself at all after being ambitiously entered in the
Borgata...but the draw likely kills his chances again for tonight. (7) MAGIC FOUR N draws poorly again after a no
factor try last week.
RACE 6 – (4) LOUS SWEETREVENGE ended up sitting the cones to the stretch last week, then kicked home full
of pace for 2nd once clear (behind the classy, front end winner) – he’s the very logical choice here, but he’ll likely be
way overbet, and CAN be prone to tough trips at times – may not be the best one to bet the rent money on. (5)
CADILLAC BAYAMA was no good in his 3 local starts to close out 2023 but the winter break served him well, and
he’s come back much sharper in ‘24– could be a legitimate threat, especially if Lachance handles him aggressively.
(8) DP REALORDEAL broke a long local losing streak in style last week (2nd time Super Siblings) – he moves up in
class while also drawing Post 8, but a good price would make him worth at least a look. (1) MIGHTY SANTANA N
just didn’t bring his best last week when a “weak” 2nd (at 2/5) at the bottom level – he’s absolutely capable of better,
though, and worth using in exotics despite tonight’s double class jump. (3) CARABAO A started at the top levels
after arriving from Down Under but just hasn’t been able to really get his act together, even as he’s dropped – he can
also be a hard horse to drive, and gets a new pilot. (7) ON ACCIDENT has been racing well for a while but seems to
draw horribly almost every start – maybe 3rd/4th? (6) GINGRAS BEACH put in a pair of excellent starts but ended
up parked last week, and may be more conservative now. (2) MIND HUNTER seems better suited vs. a bit easier.
RACE 7 – (2) REIGNING DEO is getting the tepid vote here – he finished full of pace last week (after finally
shaking free) and his overall form has been pretty solid for some time – on the flip side, he has a poor win % here at
Yonkers, and is listed at 8/5 ML...which means he’ll probably be overbet. (4) PRETTY HANDSOME seemed to
disappoint off the two hole trip last week but it may have been more of a case of the winner being very good, rather
than any “weakness” on his part – could easily be a part of the equation here. (1) GDS THUNDER GB added Lasix
last week for his new connections and became one of the barn’s 10 “off the claim” winners this year – he’ll likely be
calling the shots again tonight, but the move up to 40s may make him a bit vulnerable. (3) POUND FOR POUND
has been in several no-chance spots lately and may be a little sharper than he looks on paper – decent value horse for
the bottom of exotics. (5) KOUNT BLASTER is another that has been in some tough spots, and may be able to
outrace his odds tonight – consider for a small share. (7) URBAN RENEWAL was a very good 2nd shipping in from
PcD 3 back – was given no real chance in his next, but was a decent 1st over 3rd in last week’s quick mile – he would
have been listed higher up with a better draw! (8) SAN DOMINO A really hasn’t been all that sharp– seems damned
if he leaves and damned if he doesn’t. (6) OSTRO HANOVER may end up too far back to really threaten.
RACE 8 - MGM Borgata Pace, Leg 3: (6) BACKSTREET SHADOW seemed to be a little behind in his preparation
for this series and that led to him qualifying in Florida on 3/16, shipping up North and qualifying just FOUR days
later at Pocono and then racing here in the 2nd leg just FIVE days after that – he was pretty good when 3
rd that night, and now finally has a “normal” week – look for a big one here. We knew (1) DUNKIN loves to win races but he
quickly proved his class when 3rd in Leg 1, then was a sharp winner in Leg 2 – the main danger from the pole! (3)
FOUREVER BOY seems to be slowly sharpening, gets a better draw, and may be able to grab a small piece here. (4)
I DID IT MY WAY came in with a questionable half-mile history and he failed in both legs as the odds-on choice –
not ready to just write him off just yet, but he really needs to find a better effort. (7) HELLABALOU still hasn’t
found his top form and tonight’s draw won’t help his cause – leaning towards others right now. (5) NATURALLY
GIFTED A is a nice horse but in another tough spot – maybe he can show up late for minor spoils? (2) TORRID
SAINT A just seems overmatched against these types.
RACE 9 - MGM Borgata Pace, Leg 3: (3) DESPERATE MAN showed enormous ability as a youngster but seemed
to be dealing with issues for a couple of years – he arrived at the barn of one of the game’s leading trainers last year
and has been able to show his true ability ever since, sporting an amazing 9-7-1-1 Yonkers record – he’s been beastly
in his 2 series wins so far, and remains the one to beat tonight. (4) WHATS STANLEY GOT A failed to earn a check
vs. cheaper in his 4 starts leading into this series but had a timely reversal of fortune after that, racing super for a win
and a 2nd in the first 2 legs – sharp enough for a big piece tonight, as well. (6) COVERED BRIDGE is an amazing
animal, having already raced 47 times over the last 15 months and STILL a huge threat at the top levels – he’ll need
a bit of trip luck starting from this spot, but he’d still be hard to leave out of your exotics. (5) SEMI TOUGH rattled
off 4 straight wins heading into the Borgata but has only been able to pick up a pair of 4ths so far – may be looking
at another smaller share tonight as well (7) ROCKNROLL RUNA A has been both sharp AND opportunistic,
scoring a “pocket rocket” victory in Leg 1 and then just “stealing” Leg 2 on the front end – he’s a very nice horse,
but may have some issues tonight starting from out here. (1) THUNDER HUNTER JOE will look to get away
decently and try to tow along for a decent piece – probably a little overmatched here. (2) CRANBOURNE N is
really struggling!
RACE 10 – (4) DEETZY is never too hard to make a case for as he LOVES to win races (11 wins in 2023!), and he
still pays good prices (4-1 and 6-1 in his 2 local wins this year) – his barn has been winning at a similar rate to most
of the “better known” local outfits, but they’re showing a 40% flat-bet profit this year...something few other big
barns can boast of – good value play with the move back inside. (5) ALL ALONE has hit board in a zillion straight
starts, handles any trip, and hails from our leading trainer/driver tandem – hard to fault, but he’ll surely be overbet.
(6) MOVIN ON UP has been razor sharp, taking 3 of his last 4 starts (and 4 of his last 6) – the new barn and class
jump aren’t nearly as big a concern as the tough draw, however – still worth considering at the right price! (1) REAL
WILLEY ended 2023 in fine form and has returned in similar fashion – he does face tougher tonight, and we’ll see
if he can be as effective against this better bunch. (7) MACH N CHEESE was hurt by an unusually unaggressive
drive from Gingras last week when 3rd (and lacking room in the lane) – the concern for tonight is that he may get a
bit lost at the back starting from Post 7. (2) SEVEN HUNDRED looked short in his ’24 return and now faces a very
tough field. (3) ITALIAN LAD N wasn’t bad last week considering he had missed a year...brutal spot tonight,
however.
RACE 11 – Tough race! (3) MY ULTIMATE STAR A was caught in impossible spots the last 2 weeks and never
had a prayer – he already has a couple of wins this year, Bartlett sticks with him, and he does figure to be a fair price
– one of several with a chance in here. (5) GINGER TREE PETE loves to win races, and is tough as nails any time
he’s close turning for home – he does face an uncertain trip tonight, but he’s never a bad one to use if the price is
good. (2) AS ALWAYS is one of the more inconsistent ones from our leading barn, but he’s won 3X already this
year and anything close to his best would make him dangerous tonight. (1) BIG SIR was 0 for 20 in ’23 but he’s off
to a much better start this year, already visiting the winner’s circle 3X – he moves up in class off a solid win, and
can’t be counted out after drawing the pole. (6) MOTIVE HANOVER was able to complete the wire to wire score
last week, though helped a bit by a couple of rivals being trapped for too long – tonight’s draw may compromise his
chances a bit. (4) TUFFENUFTOWEARPINK seems a bit iffy at the moment as he drops to 40s off a dull try last
week (after being scratched injured, the week before). (7) ROSE RUN X CON will have a tough time getting
involved from all the way out here – may look good in NW5000 next week.
RACE 12 – (5) URIEL BLUE CHIP wasn’t always the smoothest horse getting around Yonkers but really started to
look better early in February – he threw a bit of a dud on 2/26, then took a month off...returning with a beautiful
“just what the doctor ordered” easy trip 3rd last week – ready to hop back on board. (2) SULLIVAN had a rough
patch recently but has clearly come back around – major player here with the right trip. (1) ARTIST BEST is off to a
slow, inconsistent start this year – perhaps a live trip from this spot can help him find one of his better efforts? (3)
PASS A GRILLEBEACH seemed way overbet shipping in 2 back but delivered the front end score - no chance in
his last (8 hole vs. 40s) but has to get respect here dropping back down, and moving inside. (7) LUCIANO N rarely
wins and draws Post 7 – still, an ok bomb for 3rd/4th . (4) NOWHERE CREEK A hasn’t improved at all since the
recent barn change but we’ll see if some post relief can help him find a better effort. (6) BLUEBIRD RECON is well
off his best form and hard to endorse right now. (8) ON THE VIRG tends to not get involved from spots like this –
wait for a better scenario.