Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 4/7

MEET STATS: 7 - 53 / $38.60 (-$67.40)
BEST BETS: 3 - 4 / $10.20 (+$2.20)
2022 SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 4 / $0.00 (-$8.00)
BEST BET - PLATINUM AS (10th)
SPOT PLAY - MISTER HAT (8th)

Race 1 - Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club Pace

(8) JONAH comes in from Pocono where he's been racing in some tougher spots and he gets to partner with one of the top amateurs in Joe Lee. (4) SUNSHINE'S FINEST gained several spots in the final quarter of his race a week ago and moves inside on the gate after two straight outside draws. (3) SHANGHAI BOBBY has a similar profile to SUNSHINE'S FINEST, as he's getting considerable post relief off an effort where he advanced from tenth to sixth in the last quarter.

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Race 2 - TrackMaster Series/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 4-4-23/Leg 1 Starters Pace

(4) VASARI N was third against TrackMaster 83.5 or Less foes after a first-over trip last Saturday and gets to drop a level tonight in the second leg of this series. (6) OAKWOOD VEGAS IR is two-for-two in this class and gets to take another crack at it here. (7) JJ FLYNN won in impressive fashion from first-up last Saturday and his trainer is putting lots of live horses on the track right now.

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Race 3 - Standardbred Retirement Foundation Series/3YO Fillies NW2 or 35000LT as of 1-1-23 Trot

(5) THE EMPRESS ICE has closed well in both of her starts thus far in 2023, and I'm going to hope she's closer to the action in this short field with a couple also coming in off qualifiers. (4) SHEER FAITH couldn't chase down the winner last week after sitting in the pocket, but it was still a good effort, and she looks like the other logical one in this race. (1) JET ZETTE was fifth in the first round of this series a week ago and can probably sit in and hit the ticket from the pole position this time around.

Race 4 - NW10500L5/TrackMaster Rating 85.30 or Less as of 4-4-23 Trot

(2) AMADOR turned in a better effort in his last start two weeks ago, finishing third at this level, and tonight he hooks up with a group either coming off qualifiers or moving up in class. (4) TAXI OUT S advanced from seventh to fourth in the back-half of the same race my top pick exits on 3-24 and was victorious in a NW5000L5 test at the Meadowlands three back. (6) HEAVENS PIC invades from Dover in pretty sharp form, and I don't think trainer Victor Kirby would ship him north unless he thought he had a chance to be competitive on the bigger track.

Race 5 - Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club Pace

(5) TISADREAM N makes his second start back after a layoff tonight and like stablemate JONAH in the first race, this should be a softer spot than what he's been in over in Pennsylvania. (4) SNOOPY SNOOP finished second after working out a much better trip last Friday and gets further post relief tonight. (3) BRUCE'S MAGIC has been getting a little better with each appearance since finishing tenth on March 10 and hit the board in an amateur race a week ago.

Race 6 - TrackMaster Series/TrackMaster Rating 83.5 or Less as of 4-4-23/Leg 1 Starters Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(1) I'M BURLINGTON N joins this series after being claimed by trainer Cameron Capone on 3-25. He's on a four-for-four run at the Meadowlands with another horse named Magritte, and maybe lightning can strike twice. (4) LONE WOLF AMERICAN rallied to a clear win after a stalking trip last Saturday and trainer Justin Sodano is very hot right now. (2) EXOTIC SAND converted off a second-over trip in another division of this event last Saturday and is now riding a two-race win streak. He gets post relief to go with his sharp form.

Race 7 - TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 4-4-23 Trot

(8) HOROSCOPE hit the board in both of his starts at the Meadowlands against NW3000L5's last month and the bottom level TrackMaster class should be softer than that. Add in that he hails from the Ron Burke barn, and I'll give him top call. (3) MATS PALEMA rallied to finish second off a cover trip last Friday and takes a second crack at this level here. (4) NORTHERN BLIZZARD looked like he had some trot in the stretch a week ago but made a miscue and lost all chance after that. He hasn't won in a while, but he did take some wagering action in that last appearance.

Race 8 - Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club Pace

(5) MISTER HAT scored at Monticello two back and then in his start at the Meadowlands last Saturday he had pace but got blocked behind a wall of horses and had nowhere to go. I'll bank on him being sharp again tonight and use. (8) TRASHYTONGUETALKER shows a couple of recent second-place finishes against TrackMaster 80.5 or Less foes, and if he can put up a performance like that here, he'd definitely be in contention. (2) HARRY HANOVER moves inside on the gate in his third local try and driver James Slendorn often puts his horses in play with early speed.

Race 9 - NW5000L5 or since 6-5-22/TrackMaster Rating 80.05 or Less as of 4-4-23/NW $1 L3 Starts Trot

(9) HOCKEY HANOVER owns little in the way of current form but tumbles two levels out of the NW10500L5's and could easily wake up here, especially if he shows the good gate speed he possesses. (3) DONATO PATRIOT K qualified pretty well last Friday and won off the bench at the Meadowlands back in January. (5) DEBS PRINCE HALL closed in 27 and change to finish fourth last Friday night and gets post relief in this race tonight.

Race 10 - NW14000L5/Non-Starters in 2023 that have raced for a purse of 19500 or less in 1 of their Last 3 Starts Trot **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(3) PLATINUM AS landed an inside post here after starting from the eight-hole against NW20000L5's last time out, and he's sharp, too, including on-the-board finishes in both of his starts in the Open last month. (1) MON AMOUR gets the same class relief as my top pick does and hails from the high-percentage Per Engblom barn. (5) GOTWUTEVERITTAKES seems to be minding his p's and q's lately, and although he saw his win streak end on 3-25, it was still a pretty good effort as he made up ground into a soft pace.

Race 11 - Mares TrackMaster Rating 74.25 or Less as of 4-4-23/NW841L5/Winners Base Class NW1100 or Less Last Start Pace

(7) ODDS ON GAMMA starts on Lasix for the second time tonight, drops out of the NW3000L5's to the bottom level TrackMaster class, and adds Joe Bongiorno in the bike. (8) UNSTOPPABLE HALL won in this class a week ago and overcame post nine prior to that to pick up a third. I'll include. (4) LOVIN MISS DAISY N picked up a confidence-boosting win at Shenandoah Downs in Virginia last weekend and did close with some interest to get a check when last seen at the Meadowlands in early March.

Race 12 - NW2000L5/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 4-4-23 Pace

(9) LYONS PRIDE is on a quick turnaround as he won in Virginia on Sunday. He returns to New Jersey tonight, and the last time he was seen locally, he paced a strong final quarter and got up to finish third in a TrackMaster 77.5 or Less tilt. (6) YAYAS HOT SPOT N and (4) PARTY BOY both have recent victories in amateur races. I'll put YAYAS HOT SPOT N second as he comes off a fourth against NW3000L5's last Saturday.

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Race 13 - Standardbred Retirement Foundation Series/3YO Fillies NW2 or 35000LT as of 1-1-23 Pace

(2) ALWAYS A DANCER paced home in 26 and change last Friday in a quick mile, and I'm going to hope she's at her best in her third start back off the bench and with a driver switch to go with it. (4) SUPER GIRL won the contest my top pick comes out of. That was a strong victory with a fast final panel, and she could definitely double up. (3) ANNA'S WISH won another division of this series a week ago but has to face SUPER GIRL and the others coming out of the faster split here.

Race 14 - NW3000L5/NW3831L7/TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 4-4-23 Trot

(7) GOLDEN CROSS STONE broke on the first turn last Friday but was well-bet in that race and switches barns to Engblom tonight. That's helped lots of other horses lately. (9) TAD KRAZY HANOVER gives Engblom another one in this tilt, and she's been racing well with a second and a third in her last two outings. (4) BOASTER COASTER won two back and drew better tonight after finishing fifth from the nine-hole a week ago.