Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 6/5

MEET STATS: 33 - 93 / $227.30 (+$41.30)

BEST BETS: 5 - 7 / $17.50 (+$3.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 7 / $43.40 (+$29.40)

BEST BET: JK AMERICAN BEAUTY (3rd)

SPOT PLAY: CUPID HANOVER (4th)

Welcome back everybody! This is certainly a great night for harness racing with the long-awaited return of racing to the Meadowlands.

Race 1 - Preferred Trot

(3) CRYSTAL FASHION was a stakes winner last summer but seemed to tail off a bit as the year went on. He looked ready in his qualifier as he closed nicely, and I'll shoot for a bit of value. (1) MANCHEGO should take plenty of action and rightly so given her stout qualifier and the way she finished up 2019. I just didn't want to take a short price in this quality group, but couldn't blame anybody for going with her. (4) LINDY THE GREAT has had a barn change since a season ago and is now with Julie Miller. He also qualified sharply and has shown the ability to go with these types.

Race 2 - 3YO NW1/7500LT Trot

(3) SOLAR qualified for the Kentucky Sires Stakes final last year, which I think shows he's got some class to him. The fact he hasn't shown a line since April is a bit of a concern, but I'll trust Erv Miller has him ready. (4) FASHION CHARMER made a couple stakes appearances as well in 2020 and showed a bit of late interest in the qualifier. Jim Campbell's charges, by and large, have shown readiness in the morning trials, and I think can be backed with some confidence. (8) MISS MCKEE started out in the PA Sire Stakes program last summer but was shut down early. Showed a nice closing kick over at Gaitway.

Race 3 - F&M Winners of 4 But Not 7 Extended PM Races/75000LT Pace

(8) JK AMERICAN BEAUTY stormed to an easy win in her qualifier and catches a much softer field than back in March when she was in against the likes of Caviart Ally. (2) I'M VERY SPECIAL gets to stretch out on the mile track this evening after qualifying at Goshen. She was super-sharp at Yonkers before they had to stop racing, and it appears to have held based on that mile at Historic Track. (5) ALII NUI kicked home with interest in the qualifier won by JK American Beauty and had a good 2019 campaign, winning six times.

Race 4 - NW2/25000LT / NW3/30000LT, NW Last 3 Starts Trot

(1) CUPID HANOVER hasn't lived up to his strong breeding yet (half-brother to Glidemaster), but did win down in Lexington last year and qualified well at Gaitway. I think he meets up with a field he can make some noise against, and I'll use. (3) CAVIART EVA raced against some of the top 2YO fillies at The Red Mile and won a Kentucky Sires Stakes leg. She's another Takter pupil who qualified back nicely. (5) ABS HANOVER went four-for-four up at Saratoga in 2019 but hasn't made a pari-mutuel start since last May. Slowed down in the final quarter in the qualifier, but did go some solid fractions.

Race 5 - 3YO Fillies NW1/7500LT Pace

(2) ROSE RUN VICTORIA did win a race last fall at Harrah's Philadelphia and just slips into this class under the money-won condition. Closed well at Gaitway to get up late and win after sitting in third. (1) JK FINENDANDY was unable to find the winner's circle during her freshman campaign but raced in several big stakes against the division's best. Had a bit of a rough journey in the qualifier, but shifts inside tonight. (6) EYE POPPING has missed the board just once in five starts and had some late interest in her morning trial. Has shown speed before, so that gives Tetrick some options.

Race 6 - F&M NW15000L5/Winners of NW12500L5 or Less Last Start Pace

(3) BYE BYE FELICIA shipped down to Bongiorno from Saratoga and rolled in the qualifier at Gaitway. She should be in-line for an up-close trip from this post. (7) ELENIARK A made a pair of appearances at the Meadowlands before racing was halted and then came back with a solid mile in her Gaitway qualifier. Probably hoping they mix it up some up front so she can close home. (5) APPLE HANOVER was victorious a couple times locally this winter and picked up a new lifetime mark in her qualifier. She usually does her best work a notch or two lower on the class ladder than this.

Race 7 - NW10000L5/Winners of NW8000 or Less Last Start/30000CLM Trot

(4) LIMERENCE normally races over at Yonkers, but with that track still closed, he takes a chance at the Meadowlands tonight. He's beaten these types across the river before and draws much better in this race than he did in the qualifier. (9) RESITA found the winner's circle at this level back in February and finished behind the classy Dayson in the qualifier. I expect Tetrick to send him out a bit and look for position. (5) EXPLOSIVE RIDGE has a good history at the Meadowlands and has enough early foot to work out a stalking trip.

Race 8 - NW22500L5/Winners NW17500 or Less Last Start/NW10 Trot

(8) EUROBOND went 1:50 1/5 at the Meadowlands last year and is now in the Takter barn. Gained late in the qualifier behind two horses who are in the preferred tonight and should be sending from the gate as David Miller's choice in this contest. (5) OBRIGADO raced his way into shape before the break from racing, and the veteran has plenty of back-class to go with these. (9) MUSCLE DIAMOND is another classy veteran in this race. If he gets some fractions to chase, he should be rallying late.

Race 9 - F&M Preferred Pace

(9) CAVIART ALLY will probably have to work a bit to get positioned from this outside post, but her credentials speak for themselves, and I think she's a notch better than these. (5) KISSIN IN THE SAND did hold serve over Caviart Ally in the qualifier, so she gets full marks for that, and retained Gingras's services. (3) TRILLIONS HANOVER was a stakes winner as a 3-year-old and just missed in the Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands. I expect her to sit in and finish up well.

Race 10 - F&M NW10000L5/Winners of NW8000 or Less Last Start/30000CLM Pace

(2) OCEANIA owns a good record at the Meadowlands and sprinted home well in her lone qualifier. This is the type of group she can definitely be a contender. (6) YOU SHOULD BE HERE won by open lengths at Gaitway in her comeback and also took her lifetime mark at The Big M. (7) SUDDEN PASSING visited the winner's circle at the Meadowlands twice this winter at a slightly lower level than this. She does have the Gingras/Burke tandem working in her favor.

Race 11 - NW4/50000LT/ NW5 who are NW2 in Last 3 Starts Trot

(3) CAPRICORNUS demonstrated a good bit of a talent through his rookie season and returns after finishing second to one of the Hambletonian favorites in the qualifier. One of two for Melander in this race. (4) SPOILED PRINCESS was a stakes winner last year and trotted home well down at Magical Acres. She was Dunn's choice of many in here. (7) REIGN OF HONOR is Melander's other charge. Been freshened up since taking shots in the Reynolds and Hambletonian elims a year ago and was the runner-up to the ultra-talented Gimpanzee in the qualifier.

Race 12 - F&M NW22500L5/NW10 or 125000LT Pace

(5) BETTOR JOY N spent much of last year chasing her stablemate and eventual Horse of the Year Shartin. She gets away from those types of mares tonight and will be looking to take advantage. (9) PHILLY HANOVER was one of the top 3-year-old fillies in the PA Sire Stakes program in 2019. Finished with interest behind the likes of JK American Beauty in the qualifier. (4) FEELIN RED HOT ruled the roost at the top level over at Yonkers for quite a while last year. Went a quick mile in the qualifier at Gaitway.

Race 13 - Winners of 4 But Not 7 Extended PM Races/75000LT Trot

(6) CHIN CHIN HALL posted second-place finishes in a couple Grand Circuit stakes events last fall and has won here at the Meadowlands before as well. I'll slot on top. (8) PRINCESS DEO finished well in the qualifier at Magical Acres and has turned in many solid performances at The Big M for trainer Noel Daley. (7) GRANDMA HEIDI raced well against NW6's this winter and closed with interest at Gaitway.