Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 12/18

MEET STATS: 36 - 166 / $216.00 (-$116.00)
BEST BETS: 5 - 13 / $20.00 (-$6.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 13 / $27.80 (+$1.80)
BEST BET - GET LEGS (8th)
SPOT PLAY - GENESSEE SEELSTER (3rd)

Race 1 - F&M NW7500L5/Winners Base Class NW6000 in 1 of Last 2 Starts/TrackMaster Rating 79.70 or Less as of 12-15-20/20000CLM Pace *$50K GTD Pick 5 Pool*

(7) ALWAYS MINDY didn't have a great trip last Friday as she ended up three-wide around the last turn. She did finish with interest despite that, so I'll give her a shot in hopes of a smoother journey tonight. (2) BEST HONEY HANOVER kept her form going in her debut for trainer Paul Fusco a week ago. She's back in for the same tag tonight and has Dexter Dunn again, so she's a logical one to include. (5) SHEIKH YABOOTY N was used pretty hard last week and tired from first-over in the final quarter. They might switch back to off-the-pace tactics tonight since she was much better with that strategy on 11-28.

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Race 2 - NW2/20000LT / NW3/30000LT, NW Last 3 Starts Trot

(10) FOCUS POCUS finally gets away from the impressive-looking Get Legs tonight, and though he has to overcome post ten, I think he should be able to do so again a soft-looking group. (6) SCIROCCO PATRICK finished with a 27 2/5 final quarter behind Get Legs and Focus Pocus last Friday and will look to build on that in this race as that was definitely an improved performance. (9) GERARD is just a one-time winner in 2020 but has been hitting the board with regularity against NW3's over at Harrah's Philadelphia and adds Dunn in the bike here.

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Race 3 - 7500CLM Pace

(5) GENESSEE SEELSTER made a miscue last time out at Freehold, but we've seen trainer Izzy Estrada dominate these low-end claimers with other horses in the recent past, and I'll swing with him. (2) WALKS OF LIFE is likely the one to beat in here as he's right back in for the $7,500 tag after a comfortable win in the class last Friday. (10) ALWAYS A FORCE was a good second behind Walks Of Life a week ago, and I can't see Yannick Gingras taking back to last, so I think he'll push out of there.

Race 4 - F&M NW2500L5/TrackMaster Rating 73 or Less as of 12-15-20/10000CLM Pace

(4) DIXIE STAR N has made breaks in her last three starts over half-mile tracks, but those issues haven't cropped up at the Meadowlands, so I'm going to trust she can keep flat and use her as Dunn's choice since this is a very soft spot for her. (8) BE BEST drops after a solid rallying performance on 12-4 and has David Miller to pilot her again. (9) PRETTY IMAGE got the nod from Gingras over another one in here and gets the same class relief as Be Best.

Race 5 - NW7500L5/Winners Base Class NW6000 or Less or an Amateur Race Last 2 Starts/20000CLM Trot

(4) FINGALS WAVE never got involved last Friday from an outside draw, but he gets considerable post relief tonight and retained David Miller over another horse. (9) SILVERMASS VOLO hasn't won in 2020 but comes in off good solid performances, including closing from tenth to third in the last quarter a week ago. (6) GIGFY drops a notch and moves inside some in his second start out of the Chartrand barn. I'll include in the hopes of getting some value underneath.

Race 6 - NW6/75000LT / NW8/100000LT Drawn Outside Trot *$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool*

(1) SWAN IN MOTION drew post nine in both of his attempts at the Meadowlands prior to this one. He switches to the pole position tonight, and trainer Dylan Davis has had two starts to get to know him, so I think we could see an improved performance. (6) SOME CHAPTER won in impressive fashion on 12-4 and was Dunn's pick over a couple of others in this event. (3) WINNERUP gets a catch driver to pilot him tonight as Andy Miller takes over for Trond Smedshammer, and he has a recent second-place finish in this class.

Race 7 - NW4500L5/Winners Base Class NW3500 or Less or TrackMaster 75 Last Start/15000CLM Trot

(3) MAGICAL WINNER K slides down from the NW7500L5's after a tough trip last Friday. This horse topped NW10500L5's as recently as October 9, so I'll hope everything comes together for him tonight as he kept Todd McCarthy over others. (1) CHIEF JUSTICE put in a good effort behind the well-meant St James Gate a week ago and moves in from post nine to the pole position. (9) CHIPLOSIVE has been facing better lately and is the one of the two Cullipher trainees that George Napolitano Jr. will drive. He probably needs to find some early speed but has the right driver to do that.

Race 8 - NW4/50000LT Trot

(4) GET LEGS steps up from the NW2 level but looks like a star in the making for Andy and Julie Miller, and I don't see the class hike being much of an issue. (1) MOVEOUTOFMYWAY K lured Dunn off a Lorentzon trainee in this race, so I respect that decision. He was a gaining third as the favorite in his last try on 12-4. (8) QUESTICHAP is another Smedshammer pupil getting a try with a catch driver tonight, and I'll include.

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Race 9 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 78 or Less as of 12-15-20/NW4500L5 or Winners Base Class NW3500 or Less in Last Start/15000CLM Pace

(3) TWINSBURG found a nice spot up at Monticello to gain some confidence and now returns to the Meadowlands in a lower class than she was at back in late November. (9) EXOTIC DANCE closed very well off cover last Friday, giving David Miller some options on how he wants to drive her here. (6) TALL POPPY N retained Dunn over my top pick after a dominating victory over NW2500L5's a week ago.

Race 10 - NW14000L5/Winners Base Class NW12500 or Less Last 2 Starts/NW10500L5 Drawn Inside Trot *$40K GTD Pick 4 Pool*

(8) ALL CHAMPY was not David Miller's choice in here, but I prefer him dropping off a gaining third-place performance behind JL Cruze and Warrior One last Friday. I definitely don't mind that he got Dunn to replace Miller, either. (5) ALEX THE GREAT has now won three straight between Saratoga and the Meadowlands and gets a shot with Gingras tonight. (10) JOEY dominated NW10500L5's a week ago and kept Miller over my top pick, but I have to play against for win given the class hike and move from the pole position to post ten.

Race 11 - NW7500L5/Winners Base Class NW6000 or Less or an Amateur Race Last 2 Starts/20000CLM Trot

(7) DRAZZMATAZZ switched barns to the red-hot Vincent Stallworth's last time out and won an amateur race for him down at Freehold. I guess we'll see how that translates here, but he was 7-1 against NW10000L5's at Yonkers on 11-24, so I'm willing to give him a try. (6) ST JAMES GATE continues his march up the class ladder for Gingras and Burke and has two comfortable wins for them thus far. (1) LION SAFARI AS couldn't get the job done at even-money in this class on 12-4 but has the Dunn/Lorentzon tandem going for him.

Race 12 - F&M NW12500L5/NW8 or 80500LT/TrackMaster Rating 86.05 or Less as of 12-15-20 Pace

(3) ALEXA SKYE overcame a first-over trip and a duel to score on 12-4, and though this is probably a tougher race, I'll use again. (1) MARLOE HANOVER returns to the Meadowlands tonight after finishing third in the Open down at Dover behind Soho Burning Love A and Machnhope, who would both be heavy favorites in here. (6) ROYALTYWESTHO was a good fourth against stout competition over at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently and has won at the Meadowlands this year.

Race 13 - NW2500L5/TrackMaster Rating 75 or Less as of 12-15-20/10000CLM Trot

(8) AUTEUR HANOVER makes his second start off a bit of a freshening tonight. This horse has always done his best work in this class, and he gets reunited with Dunn to aid his chances. (1) MARK OF A BEAST was second to the classy Henderson Seelster at a much higher level than this as recently as 10-30, so I think he's a threat as long as he can avoid a mistake like what happened last time at Yonkers. (10) FIJI held well for third last Friday after making front from post eight and battling around the far turn.