CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 28-8-8-1 / $66.00 (+$10.00) BEST BETS: 1-1-0-0 / $2.80 (-$1.20) SPOT PLAYS: 1-0-1-1 / $0.00 (-$4.00) BEST BET: WISHES FOR ASHLEE (11th) SPOT PLAY: ISLANDGIRL HANOVER (12th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5 (4) SERIOUSLY HANOVER was recently purchased online for $10,200 and seems like a good purchase consider his class and ability to still pace in 1:50. Nine-year-old enters a barn that has had a strong meet and the amateur series – even this strong field – should suit him nicely. (9) LYONS LIBERTY has been up against it versus some sharp foes on the claiming side. He has enough early speed to overcome the post. (3) AMERICAN MERCURY had no shot from post 10 last time and should fit nicely in here. (7) WARRAWEE YANKEE is certainly capable given the right trip. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2 76.50) or less (6) MAGIC MELVIN was perhaps too excited after missing a few months and almost seemed to try to duck under the gate to start early, which resulted in a miscue. If you draw a line through that mile this horse has the early speed to control the race and certainly seems capable in this class. (4) BIG NUDGE is the sharpest horse in the field by far. (5) HOOFBEATS DE VIE gets some class relief off a somewhat improved mile. Race 3: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races life/Maidens draw inside - Pick 6 (3) GRAND PRIX DEO was perhaps handled cautiously coming off consecutive breaks but had plenty left late in the mile. There should be opportunity for value here if Smith puts her in play. (7) RANI HANOVER found a seat from post 10 but had to wait for room before finishing up willingly. Will the gloves come off this week? (5) FRATTINA DIABLO S came up second best in her two qualifiers but did face good competition in both. I give her a chance tonight. (4) CAVIART QUEEN EMMA comes off a pair of decent qualifiers and this barn tends to send them out ready. Race 4: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace (9) STAR X is fairly new to the Mark Silva barn and for me he’s a genius at waking up horses that have ability but haven’t shown it or have had issues. Three-year-old is coming out of a very fast 1:51 2/5 mile at Philly and lands in a great spot where the winning mile will be a couple of seconds slower. (6) ADVANCE MAN exits claiming action at Yonkers for this amateur race and he should be a major player. (5) DUCK INTO THE NITE has been keeping somewhat better company outside of the amateur ranks and now returns to a condition where he is very comfortable. (1) MARSHALL ZHUKOV is one of many inside speed horses and he’s going to have to hustle to keep position or maybe let others go and hope for cover; recent form – outside of last week when he got parked – is good. Race 5: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $84,100 life/Maidens draw inside (6) CREATE ESCAPE has a 1:54 3/5 win at age 2 that ranks him as the fastest horse in the field; return qualifier was fine. (5) READ THE ROOM appeared to have plenty of talent heading into and through the elimination round of the Big Apple last year but went insanely fast on the engine and stopped as expected in the final. He was then put on the sidelines and while he was just fourth in his qualifier, the winner looked very impressive and the runner-up is a Breeders Crown winner that won his Oak Grove Trotting Derby elimination first out on Monday. (8) PRACTICAL MAN brushed to the front in a slow quarter and just held on in his 3-year-old debut. He can certainly win here but I wouldn’t want a short price. Race 6: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4 (2) JONAH has been stuck with outside posts for some time. He finally lands in a good spot and should be able to get around #1 to sit a good trip. (1) SEIZE CONTROL is more of a closer that needs the right setup and he certainly hasn’t been getting them lately. With the temperatures warming up, perhaps the pace will get faster. (4) FLYING TIGER has been racing pretty well and the move inside this week will allow driver Shults to be a bit more conservative. Race 7: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,250) in last 5/TM 83.5 (NW L2 85.80) or less (8) GIGGLINGONTHEBEACH fired out in her 4-year-old debut but was met by four fellow eager leavers to her inside. McCarthy wisely gathered her up for a four-hole trip and she was full of pace when clear in the stretch to just miss. This should be her week. (10) ABSOLUTE POWER drops back down to the level of her last victory and you have to think she’ll be firing off the gate. (4) TH SANDRA DEE reeled off a 1:51 1/5 career best mile last time on the switch to the bigger five-eighths track. Does the mile oval bring out even more in her? (2) MANHATTAN PROJECT has hit the board in half her starts over the last couple of years; Herschberger chose here. Race 8: Trackmaster 71 (NW L2 73) or less - Pick 5 (4) BRICCO lands in a much softer spot this week after tackling younger horses with a potential future last time. He seems better coming from behind and became a victim of a soft pace when the half came up in a pokey 59 1/5 in that race. There is a big chance for a confidence-building maiden victory tonight. (1) C KAN TROT doesn’t look great on paper with no in-the-money fishes lately but she’s in better shape than you think and will benefit from the inside post. (3) GREY CLOUDS is worth a look on the barn change angle. Race 9: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2 76.5) or less/Opt. $10,000 Clm. (7) COCCO PUFF POWER was first over in her initial try for this barn and was the victim of a very slow pace last time. Let’s give her one more shot before jumping off the bandwagon. (5) DREAM PILLAR came back from a couple of months of rest and caught some salty foes in her qualifier before running into a good winner in her return mile. She deserves another look tonight. (8) GONNA BE A STAR looked really good in her first start here but was entered over her head and couldn’t stay close last time; chance. (9) PEARL HARBOUR N has early speed and form; using underneath. Race 10: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,300) in last 5 0r 8 races life/TM 83.5 (NW L2 85.67) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 (3) INTERVIEW FRA A had tons of trot between breaks last week and probably would’ve at least been in the photo for win had he behaved. While this horse clearly has some issues (only 22 starts in the last two years), he also has ability. (9) WALSPEA and (7) WARRIOR are two returning 4-year-olds with plenty of talent. Either could take this field to task if ready off the bench. (4) FARAH TRIO IT didn’t catch the easiest field this week and she doesn’t behave often enough to trust. She could win but seems like a bad investment. Race 11: Trackmaster 68 (NW L2/L4 69/70) or less (1) WISHES FOR ASHLEE did what she could last week but the pace wasn’t fast enough to set her up from behind. She sticks at TM68 and couldn’t have found a softer field; graduation time! (3) BABY DOLL JEN moves to the inside of the gate and should be able to stick close enough to potentially upset. (4) BRIGHTEN YOUR LIFE could fire to the front against this group. She needs to stay pacing. Race 12: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $6,316) in last 5/TM 80.5 (NW L2 82.5) or less (4) ISLANDGIRL HANOVER was stuck behind dull cover in her 3-year-old debut and trotted home willingly in the lane. We should get to see more of what’s in the tank this week. (5) SOUTHWIND MAC is sharp as can be right now but lacks the upside of others. (2) SUGAR PACKET blew up in her seasonal debut but she does have talent. (8) CALL OPTION adds hobbles. Will it help? [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 79.5) or less/Opt. $12,500 Clm. (6) ABBYS DANCE was over bet last time but can’t be faulted for the fact that the pace of the race was really slow. Maybe we can blame the driver for electing to stay on the cones and ultimately winding up in a stretch traffic jam. Hopefully we get a more aggressive steer tonight. (9) MISS DOTTIE MAE drops in class and figures to find early speed. (3) TRICKY WICKY has been very consistent of late in this condition. (5) KNOCK TWICE qualified back well and she returns from vacation at a lower level; Pick 4 worthy. Race 14: Trackmaster 68 (NW L2/L4 69/70) or less (4) DIVIDED WE FALL wasn’t bad in her debut for this barn after missing almost four weeks. She can improve on that tonight. (6) SHEISHUNGRY won her first start for this barn two starts back and drops back into that condition here. (7) HELEN BACK AGAIN should be firing to the front and early speed is always dangerous if left alone in this bottom condition.