Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 2/19

MEET STATS: 64 - 283 / $423.40 (-$142.60)
BEST BETS: 9 - 21 / $32.20 (-$9.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 21 / $75.80 (+$33.80)
BEST BET - ELYSIUM LINDY (4th)
SPOT PLAY - OUR ART AND HEAVEN (12th)

Race 1 - NW4500L5/15000CLM Trot

(6) ALL CHAMPY woke up last Friday when he got some class relief and picked up Dexter Dunn. Dexter is back in the bike again here, and the horse gets to drop again. (3) NEXTROUNDSONME ships up from Dover where he's been facing better, and he did have a good 2020 campaign, winning five times. (4) ST JAMES GATE just missed by a nose when favored in a NW7500L5 event on Saturday night. He'll probably get his share of the wagering attention in here as well, and while I'll try and beat him on top, I will include.

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Race 2 - F&M Winners of 1 But Not More Than 2 Extended PM Races Life Pace

(4) UPTOWN CALLIE makes her second start after a bit of a layoff tonight. I used her over at Yonkers last time, and it looked like she needed that race, and I'll hope for some improvement. She also races out of the high-percentage Paul Stafford barn. (2) LAURIE LEE got the nod from Dunn over another one in here and qualified nicely at Yonkers behind an Open-type mare in Maczaffair N. She owns eight career wins but fits this class as most of them were in non-wagering Florida Sires Stakes races. (5) P L NOTORIOUS owns a prior win at the Meadowlands on 1-8 and drops after posting a third-place finish in the NW4 class at Yonkers.

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Race 3 - GSY Series Pace

(8) NIALL HANOVER sat back off a battle up front and rallied to finish second in the GSY Series last Friday. I like to look for closers in these races given they often shape up that way, and James Foley is driving pretty well right now. (6) ALWAYS A FORCE has been knocking on the door in recent weeks against the $10,000 claimers and has shown the ability to race up front and off-the-pace. (1) PREPPY ART was one of the horses mixing it up on the front-end in the GSY Series event a week ago. That kind of aggressive handling could have been an indication of positive intent, and I'll put on the ticket.

Race 4 - NW2500L5/TrackMaster Rating 75 or Less as of 2-16-21/10000CLM Trot

(6) ELYSIUM LINDY got jammed up in the pocket on the final turn when last seen on 2-5 and then broke stride when trying to squeeze out. He drops to the bottom level tonight, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go right down the road. (1) ALEXANDER HANOVER took one chance against NW4500L5's and now returns to the level of his win two back. He gets reunited with Dunn, and Dexter picked him over another one. (3) MARK OF A BEAST has a third chance against the NW2500L5's this week and was a good second to a game foe in Barley last Friday.

Race 5 - GSY Series Pace

(2) SUGARTOWN returns to the Meadowlands tonight after racing at Freehold lately. This looks like a pretty wide-open group, and I think he might get a good trip from the inside post. Driver Marianna Monaco is usually reliable in the GSY events, and I will give this horse a chance. (8) SO SO DE VIE gets the services of Foley tonight after a rallying third-place performance last Friday and gets some post relief, moving from from the ten-hole to post eight. (9) ROCKINWITHTHEBEST has a good history at the Meadowlands, and while not in the best form from down at Freehold, maybe he'll appreciate getting a chance back on the mile track.

Race 6 - F&M Play Meadowlands Final Pace *$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool*

(5) WINDSONG PARISIAN is another Stafford trainee I'll roll with tonight after she rallied from tenth to third in the back-half of her mile last Friday. She also starts from an improved post this week. (4) ITS MESMERISE N will likely be the one to beat again as she won comfortably on the front-end a week ago and drew well. (9) SHELLIE DE VIE moves outside but has plenty of early foot to overcome the nine-hole and was a gaining second to Its Mesmerise N last week.

Race 7 - F&M NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 79.3 or Less as of 2-16-21/NW 2 Races in 2020-21 Pace

(3) ZOE ELLASEN was rejected by Dunn, but I think finds an easier spot after finishing third from post seven against NW8000L5's at Freehold, and she wound up with a quality replacement in Todd McCarthy. (1) WESTERN SHOWGIRL picked up a check against NW15000L5's at Yonkers on 2-11. This is a much more reasonable class for her tonight, especially given her recent win over NW5000L5's at Freehold. (7) BEST AMERICAN CHIC finished fifth in a NW4500L5 when last seen here at the Meadowlands on 1-2. She got to the lead in the lane despite being parked that entire race, so that was a quality effort, and she's backed it up with on-the-board performances in her last two at Yonkers.

Race 8 - F&M NW7500L5/TrackMaster Rating 81 or Less as of 2-16-21/20000CLM Pace

(1) DARKRSHADEOFPALE N should be a bigger threat for the win tonight as she gets class relief following three appearances against NW11500L5's. She won in her last chance at this level on 1-8 and gets Todd McCarthy back in the bike. (9) SHEIKH YABOOTY N topped NW7500L5's two back and was Andrew McCarthy's choice of several in this race. (3) TALL POPPY N gives trainer Kelvin Harrison another one in here to go with Sheikh Yabooty N. She was Dunn's pick of a pair and returns from Freehold in strong form.

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Race 9 - Play Meadowlands Final Trot

(7) TAKE A WISH will be well back early and will need some sort of pace to chase, but I think she should get it with big money on the line in the final of this two week series, and she should be a price. (6) LIFE WELL LIVED responded to Dunn last Friday with an improved second-place effort, and he has another chance with Dexter tonight. (3) GRUDEN suffered a brutal beat a week ago when tagged right on the wire. He has burned a bit of money lately, so I'll include underneath but look elsewhere for win candidates.

Race 10 - F&M NW11500L5/TrackMaster Rating 84.3 or Less as of 2-16-21/NW7 Pace *$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool*

(2) TANGO DANCER N ran into the likes of Alexa Skye in her last race on 2-5, so she should appreciate the class relief tonight. She won in her last try against NW11500L5's on Janary 22. (3) STELLENBOSCH is another one dropping back to the level of her last victory after facing better in her last two. She was also Scott Zeron's choice. (4) ROCKNROLL ANNIE comes in from Yonkers. She was second over there against NW15000L5's two back and then never could get involved from an outside post in a subsequent effort. Zeron stuck with Stellenbosch, so Todd McCarthy takes the lines.

Race 11 - F&M NW2500L5/TrackMaster Rating 73 or Less as of 2-16-21/10000CLM Pace

(6) ENCHANTED EVA motored home in 27 2/5 last Friday in her first start since November 25 of last year. She remains at the bottom level and could definitely improve with that race under her belt. (2) MANHATTAN PLAY responded when paired with Simon Allard last Friday as she was third. She's just one-for-29 in the win column over the last two years, so I think you have to look elsewhere for a win play, but she is usable underneath. (7) TEAM KIWI N is the likely favorite, I'd guess, as she drops from the NW4500L5's and goes for the Dunn/Harrison tandem.

Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 73 or Less as of 2-16-21

(5) OUR ART AND HEAVEN has an angle I like to use as he makes his first start out of the Izzy Estrada barn. That has clicked for some prices lately, and I'll shoot for the same thing here. (7) MAJOR JESSE retained Corey Callahan over another horse in this race and was a good third after having to do the first-over work against the well-meant Rockin Panda last Friday. (9) S MCKEE gained positions and ground a week ago in a better performance, and he has beaten the TrackMaster 73's before.

Race 13 - 7500CLM Pace

(8) SPORTY SPOOK A didn't show much in that NW2500L5 race on Saturday, but he did have a little gap in his schedule coming into it, and I have a lot of respect for trainer Shane Tritton. He gets Dunn back in the bike again as they shift him over to the $7,500 claimers, and I'll use in this wide-open nightcap. (2) TWO FIFTYEIGHT N posted a second-place finish to the well-meant Statesman N last Friday and owns a prior win over $7,500 claimers on the 9th of January. (6) NORTHERN ROCK picked up checks in his three GSY Series appearances. He exits those tonight and gets a chance with Yannick Gingras.