Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 6/30

MEET STATS: 24 - 122 / $128.30 (-$115.70)
BEST BETS: 6 - 9 / $20.00 (+$2.00)
2022 SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 9 / $0.00 (-$18.00)
BEST BET - SPORTS HERO (7th)
SPOT PLAY - VANQUISHED N (6th)

Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace

(4) DRY RIDGE ACE left last Friday but ended up getting parked. Despite the ultimately disappointing result, I take the aggressive drive as a positive sign and will use him on top. (7) MASTER CONRAD has just one win over the last two seasons but I'll toss him in underneath as he did hit the board two back. (2) DEERFIELD BEACH finally landed an inside post here and I could see him putting in an improved performance.

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Race 2 - TrackMaster Rating 74/10000CLM Pace

(6) VEL LARRY closed nicely after being taken back last week. He's shown much more early speed in the past, and perhaps a change in tactics will be coming here. (2) WOODMERE ANDROLLI has finished second in both outings since joining Juan Cano's barn and was second in the same race my top pick comes out of. (8) ROJAN'S WAY is very sharp, topped off by a lifetime mark in his victory on 6-24.

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Race 3 - Tompkins-Geers Stake 2YO C&G Pace

(6) LOU'S WORLD turned in two sharp qualifiers up at Woodbine Mohawk Park and I like to see the versatility where he won once from stalking and then once after brushing to the top. (4) NEWSROOM debuts for high-level connections off two baby races at Gaitway, the second of which was a very quick mile. (3) MIRAGE HANOVER is a brother to Graduate Series star Mad Max Hanover and went for big money at Harrisburg. He showed a good kick in both of his qualifiers.

Race 4 - NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.1 or Less as of 6-27-23 Pace

(5) GOTWUTEVERITTAKES is tough to endorse with full confidence given his well-documented breaking issues, but if he minds his p's and q's, he should be able to out-class this group. (8) PLUMB was second at this level on June 9 and had a trip excuse in a subsequent effort on June 17. My only concern is the sick scratch last Friday. (3) PARODY hit the board twice in amateur events down at Freehold recently, and I think he faces a softer field here than he did in his fifth-place finish a week ago. He also switches drivers to Joe Bongiorno.

Race 5 - MADC 1 Pace

(2) NATHAN FEELSGOOD gained a couple of spots in the last quarter in his first outing of the year at Harrah's Philadelphia on 6-18. Now-trainer Peter Kleinhans doesn't often show up on that side of the ledger any more, but when he used to more regularly he was very sharp, including with the top trotter Enough Talk. (4) RISKY BUDDY was Anthony Verruso's choice and was pretty good in finishing third at Harrah's Philadelphia on June 7. (7) RED DIRT BOOMER ended up with an impossible trip last Friday but moves out of post eight here and I'll include.

Race 6 - NW5000L4/Winners Base Class NW2000 or Less 1 of L4 Starts Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(4) VANQUISHED N picks up a catch driver here in Jonathan Ahle, and like back in race one, I'm going to take it as a good sign that he tried to leave last time at Yonkers even though he got parked and tired. (6) BOILER MAKER drops out of the NW7500L4 class and paced home in 26 4/5 last Saturday. (3) STRENGTHANDHONOR N raced much better at the Meadowlands last Saturday than he did in his U.S. debut and has post relief in this spot.

Race 7 - MADC 1 Pace

(7) SPORTS HERO makes his third start back after a layoff tonight. He had a pretty awful trip last Saturday but did take some wagering support, so I think he's probably live and will swing. (6) KEEP US HAPPY joins the amateur racing ranks from Harrah's Philadelphia. That fifth-place finish in a NW3 over there on 6-1 stands out a bit in here, and he picks up Verruso. (1) JOHNNY Q starts from the pole and has picked up two straight second-place results in MADC appearances.

Race 8 - NW3000L4 Pace

(5) REAL LUCKY N should find this class much more hospitable than what he's been facing lately, and he flashed a 26 and change final quarter last Saturday. (7) LIKE A SHADOW drops from the NW5000L4's but made a break in his last try and his apparent lack of early speed doesn't help either. (2) FIREBALL FREDDY has significant post relief tonight after gaining a number of positions in the last quarter from the ten-hole on June 16.

Race 9 - MADC 2 Pace

(3) SPIRIT OF TRUTH was a rallying third the last time he was in an MADC event late in May. He's had to do the first-over work in his last two tries, so hopefully James Slendorn can work out a better trip tonight. (4) BANK SEA should have picked up some confidence with an easy win at Harrah's Philadelphia on Sunday and cut the fractions at the Meadowlands prior to that before being overtaken in the stretch. (2) DONT GET SHOCKED scored in an amateur tilt at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently and had been keeping good company at Pocono prior to that.

Race 10 - NW7500L4 Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(9) TAM MAJOR A didn't draw well but drops out of tougher spots and keeps Joe Bongiorno. (5) BETTER TAKE IT makes his third start back off the shelf here and was a good second in a quick mile last Saturday. (4) AS ALWAYS finished a closing third in this class on 6-3 and slides down from the NW10000L4 level.

Race 11 - F&M NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 6-27-23/12500CLM Pace

(8) I SPY N ships down from Plainridge having won three straight for a trainer who can have one ready to fire. She was also Todd McCarthy's choice. (7) TRANS MEANIE gets reunited with Bongiorno tonight and has two seconds and a win in her last three appearances. (2) BLUEBERRY SHAKE moves inside on the gate here and was victorious at Yonkers earlier this month. She gets another chance with David Miller in the bike, too.

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Race 12 - F&M NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 6-27-23 Pace

(6) ROCKNROLL NELLA has been finishing her miles well from outside posts and has a perfect draw here to pounce off cover. (3) WATCH ME NOW N should definitely appreciate not having to start from the ten-hole tonight and is probably the one to beat. (1) RIGGINSWIND drops tonight and gets reunited with David Miller.

Race 13 - MADC 1 Pace

(7) FERDINAND A couldn't fend off Yer So Bad a couple of weeks ago but his sharp early speed always makes him dangerous, and I'll hope he can wire this bunch. (1) COLT FOURTY ONE shows up here for Ron Burke. Burke doesn't usually put horses in amateur events, but this 4-year-old is, and he picks up an often-aggressive driver in Yogi Sheridan. (6) MEET THE CREEPER put in an extended two-wide move to get to the front last Friday and ended up second. That was a strong effort and I will toss him in the mix.