Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 12/27

2024 STATS: 44 - 192 / $287.30 (-$96.70)
BEST BETS: 8 - 14 / $35.40 (+$7.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 14 / $10.60 (-$17.40)
BEST BET - MCNUGGET (3rd)
SPOT PLAY - UNHYNGED SPEED (2nd)

Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace ***Pick 5***

(4) GAZOO makes his third start back after some time off and gained several positions in the final quarter of a TrackMaster 77.5 or Less race on 12-7. He gets significant post relief off that effort tonight. (6) HES A SWEETHEART has hit the board in three straight appearances and slides down from the tougher MADC 2 class. (10) MEET THE CREEPER starts from the outside but won a MADC 1 race on December 13 and drops after one try against MADC 2 foes a week ago.

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Race 2 - 7500CLM Pace

(5) UNHYNGED SPEED doesn't have a win in 2024 but is taking a pretty big drop tonight, and I'll hope a good performance is ahead with the owner going back in the bike. (1) RAPTORS FLIGHT N finds the bottom claiming level here and starts from the pole. I wouldn't be surprised if he won, but I think he'll be overbet and will try and beat him. (4) ITS ABOVE ME NOW had pace in the final quarter a couple of weeks ago in his first try up from Dover and moves in on the gate this time.

Race 3 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 71.5 or Less as of 12-22-24 Pace

(3) MCNUGGET turned in a good closing effort on 12-5 in this class and moves in from post eight to the three-hole against a beatable group tonight. (4) EILEEN'S WISH has been facing tougher foes over at Yonkers in her last three outings and was fourth in one try at this level back on November 22. (10) ANNE BONNEY N owns a recent victory at Harrah's Philadelphia and was favored against TrackMaster 71.5 or Less rivals at the Meadowlands on the 5th of December.

Race 4 - 10000-12500CLM Pace

(9) Y S BETTORS LEGACY romped in a $10,000 optional claiming event at Freehold on 12-14, and hopefully can duplicate that result here against a wide-open group. This stable has also been sending out some live horses at the Meadowlands lately. (1) QUAGMIRE BLUECHIP comes south from Saratoga in sharp form and starts from the inside post. (6) SEE YOU FRIDAY doesn't have a great win record this year but has hit the board in two straight outings between here and Harrah's Philadelphia and could provide some value underneath.

Race 5 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 74.5 or Less as of 12-22-24 Pace

(2) AT THE HOP got a cure for her case of bad post-itis tonight, and I expect that's going to mean she's handled more aggressively. She shows a second in this class back in mid-November and closed in 27 and change from last a week ago. (1) DISARONNO HILL overcame the ten-hole to land a runner-up result at this level a couple of weeks ago and moves all the way inside to the pole position here. (7) UTE BLUE CHIP posted a third-place finish against much tougher NW5 rivals over at Harrah's Philadelphia on the 5th of December and hails from a stable that's been hot both at the Meadowlands and at Yonkers.

Race 6 - NW7500L5/NW1750 Per Start in 2024/TrackMaster Rating 84.15 or Less as of 12-22-24 Trot ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(5) NO DRAMA PLEASE tallied in back-to-back outings over at Yonkers on 11-22 and 12-6 before he drew poorly on 12-13. One of those victories was in the corresponding class to this one, so I'll swing with him. (1) PINEWOOD HANOVER qualified well at the Meadowlands on December 21 and was sharp out at Harrah's Hoosier Park in the summer. (2) ABRUZZO won at this level two back but then made a break before the start last time. He's a contender if he minds his manners.

Race 7 - F&M NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 12-22-24 Pace

(5) SHEZAFREAKLIKEME finds a more reasonable spot tonight than she's been in her last two tries and also gets significant post relief after she had the ten-hole most recently. She was second against NW5000L5 rivals at Harrah's Philadelphia on 11-24. (4) MIKI THE CLOWN has been facing tougher foes over at Yonkers and has been drawing poorly, too. She departs from the four-hole here and this stable has been sending out some live horses. (1) ILLUSION SEELSTER moves in from post nine to the pole position and drops as well. She was second in a NW3000L4 contest a couple weeks ago.

Race 8 - 15000-20000CLM HCP Trot ***Pick 6***

(4) LOUIS was second in this class two back and makes his second start for these connections from a better post than he had a week ago. (8) ALTUS HANOVER turned in another sharp effort a week ago at this level and hasn't been outside the top three in four efforts at the Meadowlands since November 22. (5) ECHO DE MEAUTIS FR ships down from Saratoga with two straight triumphs and also scored back on 11-17. I'll toss him in underneath given that form.

Race 9 - F&M NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 12-22-24 Pace

(3) PEMBROKE SOUTHIE has been facing tougher foes lately and gets post relief to boot after she's had post seven and eight in last two appearances. (9) FADE OUT finished third in this class at the Meadowlands on December 7 and backed that up with a second at Yonkers after that. She does have to overcome a poor draw but packs pretty good speed off the gate. (1) PATTYCAKE MOOSS is making her first start since 11-9 but cruised in a NW5000L5 event at Harrah's Philadelphia the last time she was on the East Coast in this stable.

Race 10 - F&M 20000-25000CLM HCP Pace ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(6) RAISE THE ANTE and (7) BETTER WATCH IT both hail from the same stable and have been racing well over at Yonkers. RAISE THE ANTE also owns a victory at the Meadowlands back in mid-November, so I'll put her on top. (8) PASTA MOMMA had a solid campaign in the Canadian Maritimes and debuts for new connections tonight.

Race 11 - NW7500L4/NW1750 Per Start in 2024/TrackMaster Rating 84.15 or Less as of 12-22-24 Trot

(10) TOCCOA FALLS drew post ten but is dropping out of the NW12500L4's, and he closed for fourth against those foes two back. A couple of recent breaks are a concern, but I think he can win if he minds his manners and the price will be right. (6) NO TURNING BACK won in this class the last time he was seen at the Meadowlands on November 1 and has been facing tougher foes over at Yonkers since then. (5) MAHONE SEELSTER made up a bunch of ground in a third-place result at Yonkers
most recently, and this is probably a softer spot than the $40,000 claimers across the river.

Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 or Less as of 12-22-24 Pace

I think (9) GALLIE GETAWAY raced tougher rivals in this class last week than he meets up with tonight, and he's the only proven commodity against TrackMaster 74.5's at the Meadowlands. (8) AYR PIONEER GB has won two in-a-row and hikes up again here. This isn't the strongest group for this level, so he should be able to contend again. (5) KICK THE DIRT UP posted a couple of runner-up results at higher TrackMaster classes at Plainridge and moves in on the gate after he had the eight-hole at the Meadowlands on December 14.

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Race 13 - NW3000L4/NW1250 Per Start in 2024 Trot

(1) FULL STRENGTH will have to avoid any miscues but drops and moves in from post eight to the pole position against a field he can beat. (4) FAST APPROACH has a couple of third-place efforts in this class and gets to move in on the gate as well this time. (8) LITTLE EXPENSIVE makes his second start on Lasix and finds the NW3000L4 level but has burned lots of money in three of his last four pari-mutuel tries and is a play-against for me.

Race 14 - TrackMaster Rating 71.5 or Less as of 12-22-24/NW of a Race in 2024 with 25 or More Starts Pace

(9) THE OPENER made a huge three-wide move from last to take the lead before tiring last week. Hopefully he can time that brush better this time, and I'll give him a try. (3) LANESIDE LOGIC gets to partner with a catch driver in his third outing for this stable and this is likely a softer spot than he's been in, too. (5) SARGEANT SONNY makes his third start back after a layoff and should have picked up confidence with a victory in a TrackMaster 68.5 or Less contest most recently.