Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 7/3

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 70-20-13-10 / $93.20 (-$46.80)
BEST BETS: 5-1-2-1 / $4.40 (-$5.60)
BEST BET: ROCK ME HARD (5th)
SPOT PLAY: DANGEROUSPRECEDENT (11th)

Race 1: GSY Amateur Series - $40K GTD Pick 5

(2) HIGHVIEW CONALL N displayed good speed at both ends of his mile last week. Veteran should be close to the action for a barn that has been going good. (7) SAPPHIRE CITY just missed after the break. Classy veteran should be heading to the front and prove tough. (1) WALKS OF LIFE comes off a win and will likely be blasting off the gate from the cones.

Race 2: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Trot Final

(6) PLAY TRIX ON ME showed a new dimension by leaving the gate and going wire to wire last time. Colt seems to be a step faster than these right now. (4) BARLEY has the post advantage, which should ensure him no worse than a pocket trip. (5) JULA TRIX TREASURE raced well in both preliminary legs but needs to find more to tackle the top one.

Race 3: Non-winners $4,000 in last 5

(8) BIZET has caught some tough foes in his last two starts and was used hard last time. Veteran takes a meaningful drop in class this week and has no excuse for failure. (9) CREDIT FRAUD has big speed off the gate and really doesn't face the best field here; using. (2) FRENCH MONI stayed flat last time. That's a step in the right direction for a horse that used to be decent. (6) CROSSFIT also kept his act together most recently with hobbles added.

Race 4: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Pace Final - Pick 6

(2) KELLEY'S CHAMP was handled conservatively and charged home two starts back. Last time she was again kept glued to the cones and found no place to stretch her legs late. I fear she is going to be first-over here and I still think she is good enough to win. (7) ODDS ON SARASOTA is clearly the one to beat after she swept the preliminary legs. (3) DUCK N ROLL found herself with a fast finish last time. Can she do it again? (4) THUNDRA has never missed the board and should get a nice piece here.

Race 5: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Pace Final

(2) ROCK ME HARD was forced into making a tough wide move and just came up a bit short after getting used hard in the final three-eighths. With any reasonable trip, he'll be taking pictures. (4) ROCKIN THE ACES has a huge late kick, but I expect he'll need to make up too much ground to get to the top pick. (5) ROCKIN THE GATES and (9) ROCK N TEEN have early speed and should be factors in the race.

Race 6: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Trot Final - $50K GTD Pick 4

This race could be the best on the card, with many viable options on the win end. (1) COMMON SENSE S gave her absolute all with a 26 1/5 final quarter in her 2020 debut for second behind (7) DUBAI PRINCESS. She seems as fast as any in this field and will offer good value. The latter rated and sprinted for the impressive win on June 19 and deserves plenty of respect now. (5) VIOLET STRIDE never got involved last time and really hasn't been great yet this year, but there is ability inside if she is feeling good. (6) AB’SATTITUDEEXPRESS also rated and sprinted to victory last time. This is a much better field.

Race 7: Non-winners $7,000 in last 5/$20,000 Clm

(2) SOUTHWIND FROST flashed speed at both ends of the mile last time while losing to a runaway winner. This looks like a good spot. (5) INFINITI AS jumped it off and burned lots of money most recently. Still, he's a player in here. (1) WARRAWEE SHIPSHAPE looked like he needed the last start. He could show more here.

Race 8: Non-winners 4/6 races or $50,000/$75,000 life

(4) MARLOE HANOVER displayed more speed last time but settled for second again. Talented filly is getting down to her peak speed level and could even offer value this week with (2) LADY LOU signed on. The latter looked great in her qualifiers and proved even better in pari-mutuel action. (1) THE BETHINATOR tightened up for this with a solid mile on Sunday. We’ll learn a lot about her tonight.

Race 9: Non-winners $10,500 in last 5

(4) RESITA was empty last time. He's better than that and can show it in this spot. (1) CARRICK and (3) ZLATAN both got caught in a fast mile last Friday. Either could step up here. (2) LION SAFARI AS was bet heavy last week and came up big. Maybe he's turned a corner.

Race 10: Non-winners $20,000 in last 5/10 races or $125K life - $40K GTD Pick 4

There are times when you want the trainer in the bike (or in this case the trainer's Hall of Fame father) and in the case of (6) DON'T LET'EM I much prefer when Jimmy Takter drives. This horse is a head case and Jimmy seems to keep his mind on business better than anyone. He's fast enough to win and should actually offer a good price this week. (4) DAYSON has been in too tough lately. This is a great spot for him and I'm expecting early speed. (10) THE VETERAN is another who has been in more difficult races and has been holding his own. The post is not ideal, but he can play here. (3) COMPELLING comes down for Verlin Yoder and he usually has them ready when he visits.

Race 11: Non-winners $4,000 in last 5

(3) DANGEROUSPRECEDENT put in the same effort last week when she was fifth as the prior week when she won easily, the field was just much tougher. She drops down tonight and figures to bring a big effort. (2) HP XANADU gets into this race on the Trackmaster AE condition. When last here she faced multiple foes that would be odds-on in this field. (9) SHELLIE DE VIE is down in class but has no form; tough call.

Race 12: Trackmaster Rating 73.5 or less

(5) OUR ART AND HEAVEN had early stretch traffic issues and simply lost interest late in the mile. That was his first start since March and he may have simply needed it. Previously, this was a class where he was quite successful. (1) SPONDULICKS N rallied from the parking lot to be third last time, but the 3-for-47 record for 2019/20 doesn’t inspire confidence. (10) NAMEISONTHEHALTER comes off a good effort. Post 10 may be too much to overcome, but he does have some early speed.

Race 13: Trackmaster Rating 73.5 or less

(8) WHITEHAVEN LASS A came up empty at Pocono as maybe the 27-second opening quarter took too much out of her. In a weak field, I'll take a shot that her second U.S. start is much better. (7) POINTTOHEAVEN faced some monsters in that qualifier last time, so don't hold the 21-length loss against her. She was racing well earlier this year. (3) LITTLE HONEYBADGER flashed early speed and finished second most recently. (10) STICK THAT LIP OUT put in a decent effort on June 19 and gets her nose on the gate now, even though it is post 10.