2025 STATS: 44 - 168 / $467.70 (+$131.70)
BEST BETS: 6 - 12 / $22.50 (-$1.50)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 12 / $134.40 (+$110.40)
BEST BET - CHRISTOPHER DANCE N (10th)
SPOT PLAY - KNOCKIN OUT (13th)
This is the last Meadowlands analysis before the holiday, so all of us at DRF Harness would like to wish those celebrating a Merry Christmas!
Race 1 - TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 73.35) or Less Pace *Pick 5*
(6) UNCLE TED cut the mile and wound up second over at Harrah's Philadelphia on December 7 and makes his second start on Lasix tonight. (4) BOBBY G came up empty on 12-11 but won the last time he raced at this level on 11-29. (7) GAITWAY PATRIOT just missed against tougher TrackMaster 74.5 or Less foes on the 29th of November and then closed well in a third-place effort in this class on the 6th of December.
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Race 2 - NW5000L5 (NJSO or NW L2 NW5500L5) / Starters NW2500 or Less Last Start Pace
(1) OURMATEMENKO N prevailed against NW2500L5 rivals last Saturday and was a fast-closing fourth in this class prior to that. He also gets to team up with Brett Beckwith again. (7) EFFINGHAM was fourth against NW7500L5 company a week ago and drops a notch here. (10) TWIN FURY was Braxten Boyd's choice of several horses in here, so one has think he'll be put in play, even from the ten-hole.
Race 3 - TrackMaster Rating 80.5 (NW L2 82.65) or Less Pace *Survivor Pick 7*
(8) POMPEO HANOVER wound up two-wide and behind dull cover on 12-6 and couldn't deliver as the favorite. He takes a second crack at this level tonight and hopefully will both have a smoother trip and offer a better price. (3) IN THE MOONLIGHT was third against TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less company last Saturday and moves in on the gate this time. (4) WHAMMER JAMMER cut the fractions and wound up third against TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less rivals a week ago. He had to settle for seventh in this class on 12-6 but that was from post nine, so I can excuse that.
Race 4 - 15000-20000CLM HCP Pace
(2) NEYREIT was one of the top $15,000 claimers at Yonkers not all that long ago and has had been stuck with tough posts against $20,000 claiming company in his starts over there in December. (8) BELMONT MAJOR N comes in with five straight on-the-board results, and he performed well from post nine last Saturday as he led much of the way and wound up third from post nine. (6) ACAPULCO SUNBURN prevailed over TrackMaster Rating 74.5 or Less company on 12-6 and returns off a second in a subsequent effort at Saratoga.
Race 5 - TrackMaster Rating 83.5 (NW L2 85.5) or Less Pace
(1) AGEDCHEDAR HANOVER drops a notch off a closing fourth against TrackMaster Rating 86.5 or Less foes last Saturday and gets post relief to go with it. (10) MOMAS SON BYRNE steps up and will have to overcome post ten but certainly looked the part in his debut for a high-percentage stable a week ago. That was also his first try in over a month, so he could certainly be sharper here. (3) CAPTAIN BAZINGA doesn't show a lot of obvious form other than the runner-up result on 11-1, but he has post or trip excuses in all of his other recent appearances.
Race 6 - 25000-40000CLM HCP Pace *$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool*
(7) LUPA captured the Open at Monticello most recently, and tonight he debuts for a stable that's been doing well with first-timers all meet. (2) SMOOTH LOU comes over from Yonkers for a stable that often does well with horses that get to stretch out on the mile track and shows a couple of recent 28 and change final quarters. (9) CAVIART LOTUS rallied well in a third-place effort last Saturday and will likely need pace to chase given how he's been handled since he came east from Indiana.
Race 7 - TrackMaster Rating 77.5 (NW L2 79.55) or Less Pace
(3) DREAMLANDCAPPUCINO merits another chance after his gaining third-place finish last week. He also makes his second start on Lasix here. (2) MARCUS SEELSTER won the last time he was at this level on 11-22 and drops after two tries against TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less company. (5) HUNGRYHUNGRY HIPPO had a third and then two wins in amateur races at the Meadowlands since 11-21 and races out of a stable that's been sending out several live horses overall lately.
Race 8 - NW7500L5 (NW L2 or NJSO NW8250L5) / Starters NW6400 or Less Last Start Pace *Pick 6*
(9) BUILD THE WALL landed an outside post but makes his second start back after a layoff and has had plenty of success at the Meadowlands in the past. I'll hope that he's ready to be driven aggressively and give him top call. (2) SOUTH BEACH STAR finished second a couple of weeks ago against what are likely tougher foes and starts from another inside post. (4) CHEVRON ART N gained with a 26 and change final quarter in his qualifier on the 6th of December and makes his U.S. debut here.
Race 9 - NW12500L5 (NJSO or NW L2 NW14000L5) / TrackMaster Rating 88 (NW2 in Last 4 Starts 90) or Less / Starters NW10000 or Less Last Start / NW155300LT who are NW L3 Starts Pace
(2) BLAZE ON N doesn't look like he cares for the half-mile oval at Yonkers, but both of his qualifiers at the Meadowlands were solid, and he races out of one of the high-percentage stables at Yonkers. (3) DELE ROW A makes his U.S. debut here off a qualifier where he paced home in 26 seconds flat, and he raced in two Group 2s and one Group 1 event (the two fourths and one 12th in his lines) in Australia prior to export. (5) CAPTAIN CRUSADER A is up in class tonight but won handily a week ago and has won plenty of other times at the Meadowlands before.
Race 10 - Open Handicap Pace *$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool*
(8) CHRISTOPHER DANCE N is back from Yonkers off three straight victories over there and prevailed a couple of times at the Meadowlands in August and September as well. This will be a good test against Open company, but I think he's capable of handling it. (5) GO GO GRASSHOPPER was a rallying second last Saturday and was victorious in two straight at the Meadowlands prior to that. He slides in from the ten-hole to post five here. (1) MAD MAX HANOVER checked in third in the same race GO GO GRASSHOPPER exits, and I think we all know a grinding first-over effort is likely coming.
Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 86 (NW L2 88) or Less Pace
(7) SEASIDEESCAPE faces what I think is a softer group in this class this time and also gets reunited with Joe Bongiorno for a high-percentage stable. (8) PACK A PUNCH gained in a second-place effort against winners of 2 but not more than 5 company most recently and partners with leading driver Brett Beckwith again. (2) DA DELIGHTFUL is on a run of three straight finishes in the trifecta and was second to the classy Captain Crusader A last Saturday.
Race 12 - 3-5YO 15000-20000CLM HCP Pace
(10) BETTING ON CAESAR shows a 1:51 4/5 mark at The Red Mile earlier this year and has been facing what I think are tougher horses over at Yonkers lately. He'll obviously have to overcome the ten-hole, but I expect he'll be put in play. (8) LMC PEANUTS WATCHN prevailed a couple of times in November and faces age-restricted company here rather than open $15,000 to $20,000 claimers. (4) OVER THE HORIZON has been one of the top $15,000 claimers at Yonkers as of late and gets to stretch out on the big track here.
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Race 13 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 76.5) or Less Pace
(3) KNOCKIN OUT never got involved last Saturday but has an inside post for the first time in about a month and also gets a new driver with Boyd taking over. (1) MANSERTIVE exits a fast mile for this class from last week and slides in on the gate to the pole position from post ten. (4) SONO CONFUSO held sway on the engine to defeat TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less rivals a week ago and has had success at this level before also.
Race 14 - NW2500L5 (NW L2 or NJSO NW3000L5) Pace
(3) BLACK EDITION N recently went on Lasix and drops out of tougher spots both here and over at Yonkers. (5) SPINDOCTOR HANOVER finds the bottom non-winners of $X last five class at the Meadowlands tonight for a high-percentage stable and was Beckwith's choice over my top selection. (9) THE BIGBOSS A had no luck at the post position draw again but gained spots and ground in a fifth-place effort at this level last Saturday.