WINTER MEET STATS: 98-18-17-15 / $93.60 (-$102.40) BEST BETS: 7-2-2-1 / $7.00 (-$7.00) SPOT PLAYS: 7-1-1-2 / $4.20 (-$9.80) BEST BET: COSTA DIVA (11th) SPOT PLAY: ALWAYSBPUFFING IR (10th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5 (5) LOU ON THE BEACH sat the pocket behind ho-hum fractions and absolutely blew them away in the amateur ranks last time. Six-year-old should be forwardly placed again with a big shot of repeating. (9) ROCK THE CAPTAIN N went a tough trip in his last amateur try here and was a winner in his prior start in the series. He’s got longshot potential and will probably sneak onto at least one of my Pick 5 tickets. (3) THE OPENER has been excellent at getting checks and seems like an exotics must. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: $7,500 Claiming (2) LYONS LIBERTY took a big shot last time and tired after an impossible trip. Barn change here is interesting as he moves to the inside of the gate. (6) MOTIVE HANOVER hasn’t been able to come from behind on the smaller track at Monticello but owns plenty of form; Beckwith drives. (5) LOORRIM LAKE A was a winner in this class two starts back and had no shot last time from the outside post. (9) HUNTANOVER adds Beckwith to the team as he chose here over #6. Race 3: Trackmaster 68 (NW L4 69) or less - Survivor 7 (2) BRIGHTEN YOUR LIFE probably catches an easier field than last week and I like that she’s back on a seven-day rotation; Veteran campaigner should be able to push around the inside horse and sit a good trip in a field without much power. (4) WISHIN FOR KISSES makes her big track debut and as such is certainly capable of dropping time. Newly turned 4-year-old is certainly capable of showing more and improving. (7) ROSEY TIME has 11 wins in 2025-26 while the rest of the field has 10 combined. That alone makes you think she’s at least a horse to consider. Race 4: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace (5) SEIZE CONTROL has turned in his best efforts with Neil Glasser in the bike. Eight-year-old needs some pace help but could certainly get it with a few early speed types in the group. (10) ADVANCE MAN lands in a good spot if ready following four weeks away and able to work out a decent trip from the tough post. Yogi takes over the lines and you know he likes to push away from the gate. (2) FRAZIER HANOVER is always a threat in these amateur races but just doesn’t win often enough. Race 5: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,500) in last 5/TM 80.5 (NW L2 82.5) or less (8) CERTIFY has been here a few times before without much success but does seem to land in the right spot this week. Gelding ships over in fine form and could be tough if he doesn’t have too much company pushing hard off the gate. (6) BANK ON ME has burned a bunch of money in his past two starts and I’m a bit gun-shy now; obvious threat. (2) GILLYS DE VIE drops back down to the level of his last win and rarely takes money. (3) HERMOSO REY gets a new driver this week. Race 6: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,250) in last 5/TM 83.5 (NW L2 85.5) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) ABSOLUTE POWER was placed in an impossible spot behind two gappers while fourth on the pylons. In the stretch he ran into traffic until late and rallied for a minor award. A smoother journey can produce better results. (10) CHANCEOFLIGHTNING was parked out every step and really didn’t tire that badly considering the trip. The outside post won’t help his chances but I respect his form. (5) GOING AWAY has steadily been on the board in four straight starts and certainly merits some consideration here. Race 7: $10,000 Claiming (6) DANCING LEW has turned in two big efforts in this class if you look past the one start where he had some trouble and got impeded. Gelding remains sharp and should have a big chance. (5) SKYWAY MASTERPIECE hasn’t been out in six weeks but certainly fits with this group if ready. Notice that they drop him back in for $10,000 tonight and Beckwith sticks here over my top pick. (4) ALTA BLUES A just hasn’t been able to figure things out since the claim on December 5 and now drops below that tag. If he can’t do it versus this field than he’s not going to get going for this barn. Race 8: Non-winners $12,500 (NW L2 $14,000) in last 5 or 9 (NW 2L4 11) races life/TM 86.5 (NW L2 88.5) or less - $7,802 Pick 6 Carryover (4) FINITE picked up the only win of the meet for trainer Ron Burke two starts back when he went a career-best 1:52 4/5 mile. Last week he was in against much better and wasn’t comfortable sitting the pocket, ultimately breaking. He should take charge here and hopefully he’ll trot the mile. (5) SKY BOX is in good form and well-drawn. If the top one doesn’t behave he’s certainly a win player. (1) CALL OPTION has some ability but hasn’t been seen in over six weeks and broke in his last two pari-mutuel races; lots of questions to answer. Race 9: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2 76.60) or less (6) TWIN B EMPRESS improved as expected and just missed in her first start for this barn. While the final quarter of 29 3/5 doesn’t jump off the page, it was one of the quickest last quarters of any horse over the final few races on the card that night. (4) BELLA ARTISTE adds Lasix this week. Her lone start here was in this class and it wasn’t bad. If she improves just a little her win chances are reasonable. (3) DREAM PILLAR does her best work down a level but has enough form and early speed to make some noise here. (5) SHEZAFREAKLIKEME is plunging in class on paper but shows a number of starts in similar classes in 2025 with little success; demand value. Race 10: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $20,000 (NW L2 $30,000 – NW $22,500 draw outside) life - $50K GTD Pick 4 (3) ALWAYSBPUFFING IR went to Yonkers for her pari-mutuel debut on these shores and chased a 1-5 shot in the pocket before making a break, which seemed to be caused by Gingras pulling the earplugs at the head of the lane. After the miscue she caught on fine and paced home willingly. Notice that Beckwith landed here over four others including (9) YOULLFINDOUT, who was written into the race courtesy of the AE condition. She blew away slightly cheaper last time and is clearly the horse to beat. (2) PAPI’S DREAM was on hold for much of her qualifier and was just ok when asked for speed. She can build on that mile. Race 11: Trackmaster 71 (NW L2 73.05) or less (3) COSTA DIVA was looped away from the gate, found a seat in third and mounted a first-over charge in the second half of the mile last week. She turned in a big effort to be second and seems to be sitting on a win from the improved post. (4) SPROUT was used to the top last time and the road to that spot should be easier this week. I give her a win chance but I strongly favor the top pick. (6) CATCH SOME SUN has been in form for some time in these lower TM classes; exotics player. Race 12: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $20,000 (NW L2 $30,000) life/NW 4 or $34,000 life draw outside (6) NET WEIGHT was not a horse I was planning to bet back after losing a race I thought he should’ve won last time. That said, he takes a meaningful drop in class from W2-5 to NW2 and should be able to get the job done. (3) BROTHER LOVE gets a trainer change to Burke and a new driver as well. He’s a horse I’d want some shares in for my Pick 4 but not one I would back at a short price due to the barn’s slow start and this guy’s two for 46 career win record. (8) SOFT LANDING takes the same class drop as the top pick and deserves some consideration. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Non-winners $2,500 (NW L2 $3,100) in last 5/TM 77.5 (NW L2/2L6 79.55/80) or less This race is a handicapping conundrum and the majority of the field has a win chance. (3) LISA LANE is one of a few dropping in class and while her form doesn’t look great, it really isn’t awful. Six-year-old has never been in this cheap here but did get a pair of seconds and a win in this condition at Philly in 2025. (8) ANIMATION came back from a five week break and was just even at Yonkers last time; Lasix added tonight. (2) I DREAM OF JEANIE finally draws well after a string of eights and nines in her post column. (9) PUSSYCAT DOLL GB and (4) SHUTUPANDDRIVE are two more class-droppers and both of them, are making their second starts in many months. (5) WON’T BACK DOWN is worth some consideration as well with Herschberger taking the lines. Race 14: Trackmaster 68 (NW L4 69) or less (1) PULL ME THROUGH finally lands back at the TM68 level where she is more comfortable. Mare can sit just off the pace and have a big shot to score at fair odds. (2) MISS YOU JOANN missed the board in this class for the first time in months because she drew post 10; obvious contender. (6) AMAZING WISH hasn’t been out in 45 days but does join a new barn that has started the meet very well. Don’t ignore her if the price is right. (3) BOLOGNA N failed as the chalk last time versus softer but could perk up with Lasix added.