Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 12/8

2023 STATS: 33 - 176 / $275.30 (-$76.70)
BEST BETS: 8 - 13 / $25.60 (-$0.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 13 / $103.40 (+$77.40)
BEST BET - LET'S MISBEHAVE (2nd)
SPOT PLAY - DBLDELITEBRIGADE N (9th)

Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace

(2) BACKSTREET LAWYER returns to the Meadowlands after one start at Freehold and is back in the amateur races. He had a win and a second in this class back in early June and catches a beatable group. (4) FERDINAND A hasn't been able to hit the board in his last four outings but he's often dangerous at this level and meets up with a soft bunch. (9) MEET THE CREEPER turned in a much-improved effort in his second start after a layoff last week. He drew poorly again and is winless on the year, so I'll have to slot him underneath.

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Race 2 - F&M NW2 Ext. PM Races LT Pace

(5) LET'S MISBEHAVE exits good efforts against stakes company in Indiana and Kentucky and should be able to deliver. (7) RACIN FOR ROYALTY is sharp right now and won in a life's-best clocking two back at the Meadowlands. (4) SANTAFE'S APPETITE rallied from ninth to second in the final quarter of her race last Friday and gets significant post relief off that mile.

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Race 3 - NW7500L4/TrackMaster Rating 82.5 or Less as of 12-5-23 Trot

(8) NEW RULES tired after an extended two-wide journey to get to the point last Saturday. He drew poorly again tonight but gets to drop back down to the class he won easily in on November 17. (7) BETTERINPINEHUST exits tougher levels over at Harrah's Philadelphia and tallied by open lengths the last time he was in against NW7500L5 company over there. (6) BALENCIAGA finds a very soft spot tonight but has burned plenty of money in three of his last four efforts, and I'll take a stand against.

Race 4 - MADC 1 Pace ***Pick 8 Carryover: $16,541.82***

(7) ROCKABILLY CHARM comes north from Freehold off three straight on-the-board finishes, and the last time he was in the amateur races at the Meadowlands, he was in against tougher MADC 2 company. (4) UNIQUE BEACH likely finds a softer spot here than he's been in over at Yonkers, and trainer Vicki Stratton guided him to a third-place result at Monticello back in October. (8) THNDRFRMTHETHRON N starts from a bad post but has shown the ability to race competitively in this class, and I will include.

Race 5 - NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80 or Less as of 12-5-23 Trot

(5) PINEWOOD HANOVER slides out of higher classes here and over at Yonkers for a driver (Rikard Skoglund) and a trainer (Per Engblom), who combined for a victory last Friday. (7) BELIEVER has hit the board in two straight since coming to the Meadowlands from out-of-town, and he's usable again here. (9) DRIBBLING BI should have picked up some confidence with a romping win over NW3000L4's a week ago and was third at this level prior to that.

Race 6 - MADC 1 Pace ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(4) CAMLACHIE CHROME picked up a win and a third last month and returns to the MADC 1 level here after one unsuccessful try against stronger MADC 2 rivals. (6) WHAMMER JAMMER won a MADC 2 race on the 10th of November and rallied from last to third in this class a week ago. He also gets significant post relief tonight after starting from post 10 in that tilt. (8) ATTA BOY DAN couldn't deliver as a heavy favorite most recently at Saratoga but won on the front-end at the Meadowlands prior to that.

Race 7 - F&M NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 12-5-23 Pace

(7) GET ANSWERS looks like she's lost form since that win at Harrah's Philadelphia on 10-19 but finds a great spot to get back on track tonight as she slides down to the bottom level. (9) CASH ROLL starts from a poor post but kicked home well last Friday to finish third as the favorite in a NW3000L4 contest. You might get a better price on here this time around. (3) BOLT OF BEAUTY is another one in here looking for a better performance, and she has a class drop/post relief combo going for her.

Race 8 - MADC 2 Pace

(1) GOOD DEAL owns back-to-back wins and makes his first start in the amateur races for a trainer that's sending out live horse after live horse. (9) PRINCE MCARDLE N and (8) ITS SHOWTIME are both racing well right now and were first and second, respectively, when they met up in a MADC 2 test last Friday. I'll slot them in underneath my top selection.

Race 9 - F&M NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 12-5-23 Pace

(5) DBLDELITEBRIGADE N gained spots in the final quarter of her most recent mile over at Yonkers and gets to stretch out on the big track tonight. She's had success here in the past and hopefully can tonight, too. (6) CHEVRONS BYPASS N takes a second shot at this class after finishing second as the favorite last Friday. She hasn't won a pari-mutuel race in the U.S. yet, but was victorious in a qualifier at The Big M on 10-28. (2) BEACH MOMENT got up to defeat CHEVRONS BYPASS N a week ago in an upset and gets to move in a couple of notches on the gate.

Race 10 - Winners of 2 but not more than 4 Ext. PM Races or NW50000LT / 5YO & Under 50000CLM Pace ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(1) ERINWOOD YVES closed in 27 seconds flat last Saturday to finish fourth in a quick mile and starts from the inside again here. (6) FLIRTIN JK won the race that my top pick comes out of and is making his third appearance out of the Ron Burke barn tonight. He's a definite threat. (3) BARRIER is stepping up in class but won in a life's-best effort on 12-2 in his first try for trainer Bill MacKenzie.

Race 11 - NW2000L4/TrackMaster Ratng 78.54 or Less as of 12-5-23 Pace

(8) SPRINGSTEEN lands in the basement class tonight, and while not in great form, still packs speed and can probably wire these on the front-end. (7) MISTER HAT has been off since 11-18 but advanced to fifth in the final quarter of his race that night and also got a check at this level prior to that. (5) MAXIMUM IDEAL finished third in a NW2000L4 test last week and took his life's mark at the Meadowlands last year.

Race 12 - NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80 or Less as of 12-5-23 Trot

(4) HAZYSHADEOFWINTERS debuts for the Skoglund/Engblom duo tonight after a solid-enough qualifier behind an open-type horse in Lexus Kody last Saturday. (7) PENCILS DOWN drops a notch after finishing third in a NW7500L4 race a week ago, and (2) SWAN CAPTAIN was sixth in the same event that PENCILS DOWN comes out of. SWAN CAPTAIN also has an inside post this time after a series of outside draws.

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Race 13 - 7500-8500CLM HCP Pace

(2) BLUEBERRY HEAVEN took an unsuccessful shot at a higher claiming level last Friday. Here, he drops down to the level where he came up just a head short of winning on November 17 and starts from an inside draw. (4) SMILEANDSAYCHEESE rallied from last to first in the back-half of his latest appearance down at Freehold and was favored in a $10,000 optional claimer at the Meadowlands on the 10th of November. (8) SPORTS HERO returned to his winning ways a week ago with a hard-fought victory. He also tallied on 10-28 and was third on 11-17, so he's sharp overall.

Race 14 - NW2 Ext. PM Races LT/3YO TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 12-5-23 Trot

(5) CHEZACTIC and (9) ITS YOUR CHOICE give trainer Ron Burke two horses in here. I think CHEZACTIC will offer the better price of the pair and will put him on top as he invades from Pennsylvania in solid-enough form. (4) CANDY BOMBER makes his second start back after a qualifier and was third at this level last Friday.