Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 2/21

2025 STATS: 6 - 28 / $49.60 (-$6.40)
BEST BETS: 0 - 2 / $0.00 (-$4.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 2 / $0.00 (-$4.00)
BEST BET-PUSSYCAT DOLL GB (12th)
SPOT PLAY-UNEXPECTED TWIST (3rd)

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

(7) YAYAS HOT SPOT N probably needed his start last week as it was his first since mid-December of last year. I'll look for him to be tighter and sharper tonight and use. (1) CHECKONWILLIAM GB had two qualifiers and then a pair of starts at Monticello since coming over from Great Britain. He starts from the pole here and it's often a positive sign when the owner goes in the bike in these amateur events as is the case with this horse. (3) CAPTAIN TERMINATOR hasn't been seen since early January but did well in the MADC 1 races back in the fall of last year.

Race 2 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 68.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 / 6YO NW1000LT Pace

(7) TARGARYEN EMPRESS picked up a check last week against TrackMaster 71.5 or Less rivals and drops a notch tonight. (1) EA MUSHU was third two back in this class and then gained spots and ground in the final quarter of her mile last Friday. She slides in from the nine-hole to the pole position off that effort. (5) SHOPPING SPREE qualified fine over the oval on 2-15 and was facing tougher at Freehold to wrap up 2024.

Race 3 - 7500CLM Pace

(10) UNEXPECTED TWIST starts from post ten but shows hitting the board and getting checks against NW5000L5 rivals at Dover and makes his first start out of this stable tonight. (3) I'M BURLINGTON N has posted a win and two seconds in his last three appearances against $7,500 claimers and landed another good draw to aid his chances tonight. (6) ARTSPIRE worked hard to get to the lead last week but hung around to get a third-place result. I'll include.

Race 4 - TrackMaster Rating 73.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 Trot

(4) SOUTHWIND BIANCA closed well in a second-place finish a couple of weeks ago and owns a win in this class in mid-January. (2) HURRIKANE WILLIE G came in third at this level on 1-24 and had no chance last time from the ten-hole last time. He gets significant relief in that department here as he departs from post two. (7) FASHION CANTAB has had a couple of tough trips in-a-row but has taken wagering support in both of those tries. He's a second-time starter out of Paul Fusco's stable.

Race 5 - MADC 1 Pace

(2) BARGAIN SHOPPER went a long way on the engine before he gave way very late in the mile last Friday and gets another shot to partner with Tony Beltrami here. (8) WARRAWEE YANKEE worked out the winning trip a week ago and gets to slide in a couple of notches on the gate from the ten-hole this time. (6) LINCOLN BOULEVARD performed pretty well in his last two appearances against TrackMaster 77.5 or Less company and returns to the amateur ranks here.

Race 6 - NW2 Ext. PM Races LT / Maidens Draw Inside Trot ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(7) DEVILLE HILL hasn't been seen in a pari-mutuel race since back in August of 2023 but had a good enough campaign as a 2-year-old to qualify for the Ohio Sires Stakes Championship and qualified back well at the Meadowlands last Saturday. I'll take a flyer that he's ready and give him top billing. (4) ROCKET MAN HILL beat DEVILLE HILL in their qualifier on 2-15. He has raced out of the Bongiorno stable before and is back with them to kick off 2025. (2) INDUSTRIALISTS is a lightly-raced 3-year-old but showed talent up at Woodbine Mohawk Park with three second-place finishes to start his career.

Race 7 - TrackMaster Rating 71.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 Pace

(3) HOMESTRETCH WES gets post relief tonight after he worked his way to the top from the nine-hole and wound up fourth a couple of weeks ago. I'll hope he has a smoother journey to the front tonight and put him on top. (2) NATIONAL SPORT battled hard in a second-place finish from first-up on 2-7 and had missed some time coming into that tilt due to a sick scratch. (7) A B COLLINS hasn't won in a while but does slide down from the TrackMaster 74.5 or Less class and made a couple of moves in a fifth-place effort against TrackMaster 71.5's back in early December.

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Race 8 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 71.5 or Less as of 2-18-25/7500CLM Pace ***Pick 6***

I'm not sure what happened to (1) DREAM PILLAR two weeks ago, but prior to that she showed solid final quarters against TrackMaster 74.5 or Less foes and drops to the 71.5 or Less level tonight. (3) ILLUSTRIOUSARDEN N tallied in this class on February 7 and backed that up with a third against TrackMaster 74.5 or Less rivals last week. (4) PRINCESS ARONA moves inside on the gate after she drew post seven and then the ten-hole in her two 2025 outings thus far. Hopefully the improvement in that area will put her in play.

Race 9 - 15000/17500/20000CLM HCP Trot

(8) ALLSUMMERLONG AS continues to trot solid final quarters and makes her second start for these connections off the claim tonight. One of these times the trip will work out for her and hopefully that'll be tonight. (7) SHINKANSEN has hit the board in his last four efforts with two victories part of that run. He gets to move inside on the gate a bit and debuts for new connections off a claim. (6) ECHO DE MEAUTIS FR turned an inside trip into a win in this class last Friday and also owns another triumph at this level back in late December.

Race 10 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 74.5 or Less as of 2-18-25/12500CLM Pace ***$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool***

(9) IDEAL SKIES moves out on the gate but shows a pair of victories at the Meadowlands this year, including one a week ago, and also a couple of other on-the-board results. I'll hope maybe the bad post inflates the price some and give her the nod. () DREAM DANCING prevailed at this level back on January 31 and returns to it tonight after she met TrackMaster 74.5 or Less foes in her last two appearances. She also gets post relief. (8) LYONS MIKI rallied to capture a TrackMaster 71.5 or Less contest last Friday and also beat TrackMaster 74.5 or Less company on the 31st of January.

Race 11 - NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 Trot

(3) GO LONG didn't have it a couple of weeks ago as he made multiple breaks, but he closed well in a second-place result prior to that, and hopefully he'll return to that kind of performance here. (2) FLIGHT LANDING qualified fine over the track last Saturday and is another one debuting for the Bongiorno stable tonight. (1) P CHICO has had success at the Meadowlands before and returns from Yonkers. He was favored in the NW5000L5 class over there on 2-7 and wound up fourth in a race he got no pace to close into.

Race 12 - F&M NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.65 or Less as of 2-18-25/NW7500L4 or TrackMaster Rating 83.5 or Less Drawn Outside Pace

(1) PUSSYCAT DOLL GB appeared ready in her qualifier last Saturday as she blew by the leader out of the pocket on her way to a handy victory and trainer Ron Burke seems to have a knack with these shipper from Great Britain overall. (6) RACIN HUNGRY closed out her qualifier in 26 and change. She's been in the Bongiorno stable in the past with plenty of success and has re-joined that stable now. (3) PAIGE PERFECT won in this class on 1-10 and then went on the bench for a bit. She qualified fine behind my top pick and I'll toss her in the mix.

Race 13 - F&M NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 Pace

(5) SANTAFE'S APPETITE slides down from the NW5000L4 class and posted her last win against NW3000L4's back in mid-December of last year. She also gets reunited with driver Johnathan Ahle, who has gotten along well with her in the past. (9) OAKWOODJUSASNOB IR is another mare from Great Britain who is making her debut for Burke on the program. She won her qualifier last Saturday but did lose a bit of her leading margin in the final eighth. (4) SWEET CAROLINE IR returns from Saratoga off consecutive victories for a stable that often sends out live horses.

Race 14 - TrackMaster Rating 68.5 or Less as of 2-18-25 Pace

(4) SELECT FRIDAY switches to a catch driver tonight, moves in on the gate from the nine-hole to post four and drops from the TrackMaster 71.5 or Less class. I think all of those are positives and I'll give him a try. (5) SARGEANT SONNY went a big trip on the front-end last Friday in a second-place effort and won at this level back on December 12 of last year. (8) GAIUS CRASTINUS gained spots and ground in the final quarter of a runner-up finish on 2-7 and returns to meet TrackMaster 68.5 or Less foes after he faced tougher TrackMaster 71.5 or Less company a week ago.