Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 4/30

MEET STATS: 289-73-41-41 / $380.00 (-$198.00)

BEST BETS: 22-12-1-1 / $40.20 (-3.80)

BEST BET: SKYWAY KON MAN (10th)

SPOT PLAY: MAJOR OCASSION A (12th)

$9,992 Pick 6 Carryover Ticket: 5 / 1,4,7 / 2 / 7,8,9 / 2,4 / 1,7,8,9 = $14.40

Race 1: Non-winners $2,500 (NW L3 $3,000) in last 5/TM 78.97 or less/$12,500 Clm or less L3 - Pick 5

(6) ALKIPPE, like each of my top three picks, is dropping in company this week. Five-year-old mare was a bit flat in her first start since December and should be ready for more now. (5) RED DIRT STAR moves into a new barn, though it seems like the whole stable moved after shipping down from Canada. This one finished ahead of the top pick last time. (7) MAJESTIC VIRGIN closed well from a tough spot most recently and drops here for the third straight start. There are things to like but this barn is 3-for-79 at the meet. (8) JENORA N was never put in play in her first start on Lasix; more here?

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Race 2: Winners 2-4 (NW L3 5) races life/3-year-olds

(1) BEAUTIFUL GAME is by far the best horse in this field. Yes, she should've won last week and didn't, and yes, she is facing males and older foes tonight, but it won't matter if Nifty Norman has her ready. (5) BEYOND ORDINARY has been done in by tougher competition of late. Expect to see early speed here. (6) SHESWILDNFREE has some pretty lines up north but hasn't started since March 22. I'm inclined to pass on her unless she looks super in the post parade.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L3 $8,900) in last 5 - Survivor 7

(1) STEUBEN HANOVER was handled very patiently as the 4-5 chalk after missing three weeks in his first start here and then caught a very tough field last week. Trixton-sired 5-year-old finds the perfect spot here and should fire a big shot. (4) KENZIESKY HANOVER was used early and paid the price most recently. She should have an easier time making the front here. (7) WINNING LYRIC was up the track last out versus a few foes that would be odds-on in this field. He clearly needed the start anyway after missing two months of action and could be a wake-up candidate tonight. (5) MEMO moves into the Burke barn with racing shutdown in Canada; missed a month of racing.

Race 4: $7,500 Claiming

(1) S MCKEE was aimed too high last week and now dips in claiming price. Five-year-old had been in form prior to his last start and he finds a field without much early speed, which means he'll be close to the action. (5) BETTOR BB moves into a good percentage barn and won in this class two starts back. (6) MOON DOGGIE has missed a few weeks but shows some decent performances for this claiming price. (9) ALWAYS A FORCE gets a barn change and a major driver change.

Race 5: Winners 0-2 races life

(4) RITSON was driven very conservatively and charged home like a rocket in his Meadowlands debut. Normally I'd be scared of an underlay price, but with the undefeated (8) REALLY FAST signed on we shouldn't have to worry. The latter looked good qualifying and took care of business in his debut. How sharp will he be off four weeks? Will they press this 3-year-old hard from post 8? (3) SEVENSHADESOFGREY did some decent things chasing as a 2-year-old and while he wasn't great in the qualifier, his trainer was in the bike that morning.

Race 6: $12,500 Claiming - $50K GTD Pick 4

Certainly a bit of a puzzler to kick off the Pick 4. (4) PANTHEON HANOVER has been claimed a couple of times recently, so there must be something to this guy. He really hasn't shown much lately but does move into a new barn that has seen some success at the meet and there is some speed to the outside to set him up from off cover. (7) KINGOFTHEJUNGLE switches from an amateur driver to a top Canadian pilot. (1) PREPPY ART picks up Dunn and will certainly be the post time favorite. He certainly has a shot but will be an underlay. (2) IDEAL SON was racing well before the claim and should keep his form.

Race 7: TrackMaster Rating 77 (NW L3 78) or less

(5) P L LEEROY switched drivers and put up a monster performance last weekend. Anything close to that mile and none of these are coming close. If he bounces, it's anyone's race. (6) MASTER CONRAD exits the amateur ranks and hooks back up with MacDonald, who steered him to victory three back. (2) DATELINE HANOVER did all he could to be third in the big mile by the winner last time. He's a player here if the top one doesn't reproduce that mile. (1) JUMPING JAKE was flat in his first start since September and he should be better tonight.

Race 8: $10,000 Claiming - $9,992 Pick 6 Carryover

(5) ROCKIN RAMBARAN gets a pass for the lackluster performance in the amateur race last time. Veteran won at this level two starts back with Gingras in the bike and they team up again here. (3) MAJOR ASSET gets a barn change and picks up Dunn; could improve. (1) ROLLIN IN NEW YORK has been caught in some quick miles in recent weeks and he does have speed from the inside. He's tough to love on top at 0-for-16 this year, but this isn't the best field. (10) BEBOP ON THE BLOCK is one of the sharper horses in the field starting in a new barn from a bad post; mixed feelings.

Race 9: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L3 $8,500) in last 5 or $21,000 life/TM 83.85 or less/Opt. $15,000 Clm.

(7) STEPHANIE DEO finds a soft NW7500 field as he gets written into the class on the A.E. condition. Four-year-old is still hitting her stride this year but should be able to handle these with a reasonable trip. (1) GOTTALOVEMYSHADOW has been a very consistent performer in this class. (4) BUZINGA N drops as he comes over from Yonkers. Barn has slumped a bit since starting hot, but this guy showed some good miles last year and should be ready for a top effort in his third start of the year.

Race 10: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L/S $8,900) in last 5 - $50K GTD Pick 4

(2) SKYWAY KON MAN is technically in the same class on paper but in reality this field shapes up more like a NW4500, and this guy owns that condition, having won his last three appearances. (8) ALL AMERICAN N has gotten along with new driver Luke Hanners perfectly and he has the speed to overcome the outside post. I'll use him on at least one multi-race ticket as a backup option. (4) ZLATAN picked up some confidence down in class.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 11: Winners 1-2 races life

(7) STAYCATION HANOVER lays over this field on paper, though the outside post could present an issue if she can't find at least some early speed. (9) ALWAYS B FIRST has finished within a couple of lengths of the top pick on multiple occasions and does show some early speed. (8) OURLITTLEMIRACLE also has early speed and that makes her dangerous.

Race 12: Winners Over/Preferred Handicap

(2) MAJOR OCASSION A was a bit short last time after missing three weeks of racing and really didn't have much of a chance anyway after the leader set soft fractions. Classy mare finds a short field and I think we'll see early speed tonight. (4) GIA’S SURREAL has put in two big efforts since shipping south but was finishing behind the top pick up north. (5) BLUE IVY and (6) MACHNHOPE both raced big in the Matchmaker final and either could threaten here, though neither has a lifetime mark on a big track, which tells me something.

Race 13: TrackMaster Rating 73.5 (NW L5 75) or less/NW 1 race in 2019-21

(1) AMRCANBOOTSCOOTA A looks pretty awful on paper, but this is a HUGE class drop into the bottom TrackMaster condition and those types of moves tend to provide HUGE wakeup calls. (7) NOTORIOUS has proven much better with Lasix added in his last two starts. (9) STIRLING ENSIGN has good early speed and decent form, but he hasn't been able to close the deal in this company. (8) SONIC FLARE is a bit of a mystery horse. His best is probably good enough and the trainer change is interesting, but he's missed four weeks and might get a passive drive.