Best Bet: EXPLOSIVE MAN (6th) Spot Play: ALLBLACK STRIDE N (8th) Race 3 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool Race 8 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool MEET STATS: 63 - 214 / $386.50 (-$41.50) BEST BETS: 9 - 17 / $32.50 (-$1.50) Race 1 (5) BRUCE’S MAGIC fits into one of my favorite angles for handicapping. He won his last race by at least three lengths, steps up in class and should be a fair price. Veteran is capable of going back-to-back. (6) JOHNNY Q drops back down to the level of his last win two starts back. (1) K-LEES SHAKENBAKE was handled as expect and just came up empty last week. He drops this week and is in the sale, so a wake-up call is possible. (8) SOUTHWIND GENERAL raced huge last out and merits a serious look here. Race 2 (3) NOBLES FINESSE was sent down the road in his last start in the NW5000 condition. He is perfectly spotted against a mostly formless group tonight. (1) FEEL THE NEED A is down in class and he picks up Gingras fresh off a vacation. (2) DREAMLANDS ART makes his third start back from a break; veteran can save ground and get a nice piece. Race 3 This is a difficult race to decipher and proof that we probably need more claiming racing on the mid to upper levels. (6) R M BLACKHAWK is as sharp as any of these horses but may not be as fast. That said, with weather conditions expected to be cold and windy, that could neutralize any advantage others may have. (7) COPPER COAST A was super two starts back and awful last time. If you can get 3 or 4-1, he looks like a play. (9) KINGS BARNS did his best to close from last in his most recent race. There seems to be enough pace in here to set him up. (2) FLEM N EM N bested many of these last time but he didn’t exactly blow them away; demand value. Race 4 (6) CENTURY CHURCHILL took a tour of the track from an outside post while facing straight NW11500 foes last week. This group is more of a mix of a few classes and I expect Bongiorno will put this guy in play. (1) JACKSRLUCKYTOO drops down to the level of his last win and adds Gingras; must use. (3) PRINCE OF POPS N has a big turn of early speed and should last for a spot in the exotics. Race 5 (1) CITY PIE is one of many contenders in yet another competitive claiming event. He should be able to sit early on and take advantage of what looks like an abundance of early speed players. (3) IDEAL SHADOW picked up a win in this class two weeks ago and hasn’t missed the board in some time. (6) WORKANDPLAYHARD seems to thrive with Napolitano in the sulky, with a win and a second the last two times he drove. (5) DR C’S Z TAM has been racing pretty well; new barn now. Race 6 (7) EXPLOSIVE MAN was once a potential Hambletonian entrant and it simply took a long time for him to learn how to stay trotting. He seems to have figured it all out now and could continue this run for some time. (1) CRESURREY has speed and form from an inside post. (8) SOUTHWIND FLASH was racing well before a break in his most recent start. He can play with these. Race 7 (8) BIG TOP HANOVER is one of a few in here getting class relief. He dealt with traffic last time and raced evenly; price play here. (3) SPEED AGAIN picks up Gingras from a good post and finds a prime spot to show early speed. (6) MACHAMILLION N drops a notch after two decent closing efforts; player. Race 8 (7) ALLBLACK STRIDE N woke up with lasix added in his second stateside start and lured Callahan off two other legitimate contenders. Twenty-time winner in 58 career starts could be ready to pop a big mile. (5) ALLSTAR PARTNER has big early speed and plenty of form. (4) STARZNHEAVEN is another with early zip. He could wind up sitting a nice trip behind the #5. (1) ALOTBETTER N comes off an impressive win here last time. Race 9 (10) BRONZE OVER N won like a champion in her U.S. debut and seems worth following. (7) COUSIN MARY has good early speed and this seems like the right spot to put it on the display; contender. (6) BEYONCES ROCKN got locked in the pocket last time and could only finish third. It seems unjust that she is forced to move up two classes. (8) SASSA HANOVER has the class but not the form. Race 10 I liked the effort turned in by (3) CHIP WALTHER last week. He showed some early speed and finished with pace from behind bad cover. Let’s see if he can step up here. (4) ONEISALONELYNUMBER drops down and really should show more. (2) CONTINUAL HANOVER rallied well last out. He seems like a fit in this class. Race 11 (2) SOFER was used hard early and paid the price last time out. The road to the top should be easier here. (8) HEADLIGHTS ON has put in two strong efforts in this class; outside post the only issue. (4) BET THE DRAGON moves up from NW2 to NW3 off a win. Typically that is a big leap but this field seems on the softer side. Race 12 (4) ROCKIN HAWK was stuck behind a wall of horses with no shot last week and finished within two lengths of many of the more logical contenders tonight; value here. (3) MT STERLING MAFIA raced well while dealing with some traffic last week. I’m expecting another nice performance. (6) BIG STRETCH MARK should be able to make the lead without working as hard as he did in previous races. (2) CLOUSEAU HANOVER is another who worked hard making the front most recently and that was following a three month layoff. Race 13 (5) MAJOR WAR comes off a nice score and should be sitting no worse than second in this spot. (4) TORRID BROMAC N gets some class relief after an even effort. (6) MAJOR LEGACY is another that is moving down the class ladder; longshot contender. (8) TEMPSTER HANOVER steps up looking for three straight wins. Race 14 (3) DANISHDUJOUR came up with a big effort last time out of nowhere. If he can repeat that he wins. (2) CHARMBRO CURIOUSITY is more than capable of saving ground and pouncing late from the inside post. (7) ISE THE BY BOY flashed speed when last seen in for this claiming tag; playable. (10) WINDSONG GORGEOUS improved in his last race; tough post now. [DRF HARNESS NEWSLETTER: Sign Up for the FREE DRF Harness Newsletter. Fresh content and insights delivered each Thursday.]