2025 STATS: 49 - 196 / $524.30 (+$132.30)
BEST BETS: 7 - 14 / $28.70 (+$0.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 5 - 14 / $144.80 (+$116.80)
BEST BET-AARDIE B MIKI N (11th)
SPOT PLAY-BLARNEY CASTLE (13th)
Race 1 - F&M NW2500L5 (NJSO or NW L2 NW3000L5) / TM 77.5 (NW L2 79.5) or Less Pace - Pick 5
(5) TH SANDRA DEE exits what looks to be a tougher class than this over at Yonkers, and I like to see several recent 28 second final quarters over there. She also gets some post relief after she had the seven-hole most recently. (4) MS FRANCES ASSISI was scratched last Friday but was second against TrackMaster 77.5 company back on December 5. (1) SHANGRI LA HANOVER came up empty on 12-18 at Yonkers but her form wasn't bad prior to that, including a second versus $20,000 claimers on 12-4.
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Race 2 - TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 or F&M 73.55) or Less Trot
(3) ZLATAN catches a wide-open field tonight off an even fifth a week ago and gets to team up with a catch driver for the second time. (1) POKER PLAY has burned quite a bit of money in his last two tries as he was beaten as the favorite both times. However, he moves inside to the pole position and switches drivers to Brett Beckwith tonight. (8) KNICKKNACK HANOVER took one chance against tougher TrackMaster rivals on December 18 and now drops back to the class where he prevailed on December 11.
Race 3 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 73) or Less Pace - Survivor Pick 7
(5) PEAKS CRUISER ships down from Saratoga off a rallying victory most recently, and we've seen several horses from that track do well at the Meadowlands in these low-end TrackMaster events. (6) DREAM PILLAR is just one-for-19 in the win column in 2025 but is on a three-race streak of runner-up results. That's where I'll slot her again. (2) SWEET SANDY was third in the same race that DREAM PILLAR exits from last Friday and owns a recent triumph against TrackMaster Rating 68 company.
Race 4 - 10000CLM Pace
(1) ILIKEMEBETTOR A wound up with an impossible trip last Thursday and predictably tired, but he took quite a bit of wagering action in that event and moves inside to the pole position this time. (6) FULL DISCLOSURE had a win and a second in two tries at the Meadowlands in November, and I'm just going to throw out his last try at Yonkers as I'm not sure he likes the half-mile track much based on that and his form at Flamboro in October. (5) DANCING LEW just missed in a rallying runner-up effort on 12-18 and moves in a couple of notches on the gate this time.
Race 5 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 or F&M 76.50) or Less Trot
(3) OURMOMENTNTIME steps up in class tonight but won last Thursday and now adds leading driver Brett Beckwith. (6) WOODSIDE GABE hit the board in three of five outings against NW5000L5s and NW7500L5s at Saratoga and has had success on the seven-eighths-mile track oval at Vernon in the past. (4) HERMOSO REY was third at this level two back and gets a good deal of post relief this time.
Race 6 - NW7500L5 (NJSO/NW L2/F&M NW8300L5) / TM 83.5 (NW L2/F&M 85.5) or Less Trot - $50K GTD Pick 4
(10) IWON'T BACKDOWN AS will have to overcome the ten-hole but drops a notch on the ladder off a third-place result against tougher NW12500L5 foes a week ago. (8) SATURDAY hit the board in four straight tries to close out the meet at Saratoga and now comes south for a stable that's been doing well at the Meadowlands overall. (2) AARDIEBYTHEHILL N hasn't been seen since 11-28 after a sick scratch on 12-11 but was sharp prior to that, including a third at this level in his last trip behind the gate.
Race 7 - F&M NW7500L5 / TM 83.5 (NW L2/3YO/NJSO 85.8) or Less / NW5 (NW L2 6) Ext. PM Races LT /20000CLM Pace
(2) PERFIDIOUS CROWN prevailed at this level at the Meadowlands on December 5 and backed that up with a second against NW10000L4 company at Harrah's Philadelphia last Friday. (6) MORE GOODA N came in second in her U.S. debut in this class a week ago, and I could easily see her being sharper tonight. (1) NILA MAREE N qualified well at Yonkers on the 5th of December and is a first-timer for a high-percentage stable.
Race 8 - TrackMaster Rating 77.5 (NW L2 or F&M 79.5) or Less Trot - $3,928.61 Pick 6 carryover
(3) MASSIVE MATTER posted a runner-up finish last Friday and appears like he's been facing tougher company both here and over at Harrah's Philadelphia. (7) STORMONT HAPPY DAY won at Saratoga on 11-24 and 12-1 and has a bad post excuse and a break in two appearances since then. (2) PARODY owns a win and a third in his last two tries at this level on November 28 and December 19.
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Race 9 - F&M NW5000L5 / TM 80.5 (NW L2/NJSO 82.5) or Less Pace
(7) MISS DOTTIE MAE drops and gets a bit of post relief this time and her last win came in the corresponding class to this one at Yonkers on December 5. (8) GOING AWAY has hit the board in four of five outings since November 21, including three of her four appearances at this level. (5) NITE TIME DEAL pulled off a big upset at the Meadowlands on the 28th of November and picked up checks in two outings against $20,000 claimers at Yonkers after that.
Race 10 - NW12500L5 (NJSO/NW L2/F&M NW14000L5) or 9 (NW L2 or F&M 10) races life / TM 86.5 (NW L2/F&M 88.5) or Less Trot - $50K GTD Pick 4
(8) BESTFRIEND VOLO comes over from Yonkers with a second and a win two and three starts back and his fourth last Friday came on a day where the front-end struggled. He also cuts back in distance from a mile and a quarter to a mile. (2) SUPER DUPER COOPER has hit the board in four of his last five appearances at the Meadowlands and out of town and was second to his rallying stablemate a week ago. (9) TOP MAST moves out on the gate but exits fast miles in his two local efforts thus far.
Race 11 - F&M NW12500L5 (NJSO/NW L2 NW13750L5) or 9 races (NW L2 10) life / TM 86.70 (NW L2 88.5) or Less Pace
(9) AARDIE B MIKI N makes her second start back after a bit of a layoff tonight, closed with pace from the back of the pack at Yonkers last Friday and lays over this field given she's a legit stakes performer. (3) PRESSURE COOKER was the runner-up in the Invitational at Yonkers two back and gets significant post relief off her last appearance over there. (4) TAKE YOUR PICK steps up in class off a win, races out of a red-hot stable and has had plenty of success at the Meadowlands this year.
Race 12 - NW5000L5 (NJSO/NW L2/F&M NW5500L5) / TM 80.5 (NW L2/F&M 82.5) or Less Trot
(4) IKON VANG DK got the job done in each of his last two appearances at Saratoga and gets to partner with co-owner Beckwith again tonight. (5) PISCES RISING drops in his second start back after a layoff and his last victory came in the corresponding class to this one at Pocono back in late July. (7) KINGPIN HANOVER has been second or third in his three recent efforts against NW5000L5 company at the Meadowlands.
Race 13 - 3&4YO TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 73.55) or Less Trot
(4) BLARNEY CASTLE doesn't show much form since he returned to action but his last three outings came from bad posts. He gets some relief in that department tonight, has won at the Meadowlands before and races out of a stable that's capable of having one ready to fire a big mile. (3) VANGUARD doesn't have a great win record but has hit the board in his last four appearances and his lone triumph in 2025 did come at The Big M. (7) CHASING CRYSTALS defeated NW3 foes at Harrah's Philadelphia on the 11th of December and backed that up with a third at this level last Thursday.
Race 14 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 76.55) or Less Pace - Hi-5
(7) NOT THAT HILLARY was second and then fourth against what I believe are tougher horses over at Yonkers on 12-10 and 12-17 and recently went on Lasix. (3) SUNBURNT came in second to a well-meant rival last Friday in this class and moves in a couple of slots on the gate tonight. (6) PRINCESS ARONA checked in third against $20,000 claimers at Yonkers two back and gets some post relief after she had the eight-hole over there last time out.