Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 8/21/26

2026 STATS: 13 - 72 / $124.80 (-$19.20)

BEST BETS: 0 - 5 / $0.00 (-$10.00)

SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 5 / $0.00 (-$10.00)

BEST BET- PAPI'S CRUSH (11th)

SPOT PLAY - CHECKMATE HALL (13th)

Race 1 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 68 (NW L4 69.15/L8 69.89/NW 2 Races in 2026 70.54) or Less / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start Pace ***Pick 5***

(8) KIT KAK gained spots and ground in this class two back and drops after she faced TrackMaster 71 or Less foes last Saturday. (7) WOODMERE LEAH was third in her Meadowlands return on August 6 and can hopefully build on that here against a wide-open group. (9) BABY DOLL JEN moves out from post one to the nine-hole but put in an improved effort in a runner-up result in the same event WOODMERE LEAH exits.

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Race 2 - New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund 3YO Filly Trot

(3) LEADING LADY didn't threaten in the Hambletonian Oaks final but faces softer company here and should get the job done. (6) WHATARACE HANOVER has hit the board in three straight, including a third on Hambletonian Day in the Continentalvictory. (2) DIAMOND BAY won at Harrah's Philadelphia two back and then was a solid third from first-over in her division of the Continentalvictory.

Race 3 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 or F&M 76.50) or Less / NW14200LT / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start / Winner TM 71 Last Start / 10000CLM Trot ***Survivor Pick 7***

(4) JACKED raced well in a second-place finish when he debuted for this stable in an amateur event at Pocono last Saturday, and I'll give him a chance against this wide-open field. (1) ALL TOO WELL tired from the pocket on the 15th but that race went pretty fast for this class. He has hit the board in half of his last four tries, so I'll toss him in underneath. (2) IN SECRET steps up in class but does so off a win and moves in on the gate.

Race 4 - Garden State 2YO Filly Trot

(4) OLBIA was good throughout the NJSS Silver series, posting a win and three seconds, and that form sticks out quite a bit in here. (6) PURE LUXURY is two-for-two in overnight races in Pennsylvania so far in her career and will look to keep that going tonight. (7) FASHION DIVA had a couple of third-place results at the NJSS Silver level and gets a driver switch to Todd McCarthy here.

Race 5 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 68 (NW L4 69.15/L8 69.89/NW 2 Races in 2026 70.54) or Less / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start Pace

(3) HELEN BACK AGAIN owns a victory at this level back on July 17 and was a solid third most recently. (4) COUNTRY DANCING tired after setting a fast pace on 8-6 but had three straight runner-up finishes in this class from 6-26 to 7-24. (7) ALMOST KAREN rallied to just miss by a nose in the same race my top selection exits on the 6th of August and did post a win on the 9th of July.

Race 6 - Garden State 2YO Filly Trot ***$50K Est. Pick 4***

(1) GRANDIFLORA showed what she's capable of with a handy NJSS win on 7-17 and gets significant post relief. (4) CAUGHT SPEEDING hit the board in all of her NJSS prelims and slides in a couple of notches on the gate this time. (6) RIO DE JANEIRO won a leg of the NJSS on July 10 and was second when my top selection tallied on July 10. She was hampered by the ten-hole in the NJSS final, so she should enjoy getting to start from an improved post tonight.

Race 7 - F&M NW2500L5 (NJSO or NW L2 3575L5) / TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less (NW L2 79.5) / 12500CLM ***Hi-5***

(3) SAMMY JO HANOVER exits what look to be more difficult spots at Harrah's Philadelphia and Yonkers and won at the Meadowlands earlier this year. (4) DANCING DRAGON and (7) DRUNK DIAL give a high-percentage stable an uncoupled duo in here. DANCING DRAGON shows a win on 6-10 out at Scioto and DRUNK DIAL romped over TrackMaster 71s in her first outing for the barn last Saturday.

Race 8 - Garden State 2YO C&G Trot ***Pick 6***

(5) WRONG SOUNDS RIGHT ran into a buzzsaw in the NJSS final and had to settle for second in a world record mile. He won two straight prior to that and meets up with a beatable group here, though. (4) EASY DOWN BLONDE was third in the NJSS final and can build on that tonight for top connections. (1) JAZZY BLUES starts from the pole again raced well in the Silver level of the NJSS, including a gaining third in the final.

Race 9 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 76.5) or Less Pace

(7) PERFECT AND SWEET doesn't have a great win record at just one-for-24 but debuts for a high-percentage stable and has been facing what are likely tougher NW3s foes over at Harrah's Philadelphia. (3) TRICKY WICKY gets post and class relief and won the last time she raced at this level on July 18. (8) LYONS TRINA has finished first or second in four of her last five outings, including a two-for-two mark finishing in the exacta since she came to the Meadowlands.

Race 10 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 or F&M 76.50) or Less / NW14200LT / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start / Winner TM 71 Last Start / 10000CLM Trot ***$50K Est. Pick 4***

(6) CAPTAIN CODE broke in his debut for this high-percentage stable on 8-4 at Pocono but qualified fine at Harrah's Philadelphia prior to that. I'll trust all systems are go and give him top billing in this one. (2) GIUSEPPE C was racing well in Pennsylvania until he had a couple of outside posts. He moves in on the gate here and gets a driver change to Andy Miller. (3) GILLYS DE VIE has finished second in two of his last three tries in this class and gets a bit of post relief this time.

Race 11 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 73.05) or Less Pace

(1) PAPI'S CRUSH finished a good second against TrackMaster 74.5 or Less rivals last Saturday and now drops back to the level where she won handily on 7-31. (5) PEARL HARBOUR N was scratched out of a scheduled appearance at Vernon on August 15 but had been knocking on the door in this class at the Meadowlands prior to that. Since she's right back in the box, I'll use underneath. (3) DREAM PILLAR gained spots and ground in the final quarter from the ten-hole on the 6th of August and gets significant post relief here. She also makes her second start on Lasix.

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Race 12 - New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund 3YO C&G Trot ***$5 LATE DD***

(1) KINGMEN has been facing many of the top horses in this division as of late and avoids them tonight. I think this is a spot the connections would like to take advantage of, especially from an inside post, so I'll put him on top. (3) CAPTAIN JORDAN comes in off a handy victory in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series at The Meadows and should have picked up plenty of confidence off that performance. (4) DAVID SEAMAN S also returns to the Meadowlands off a victorious effort in Pennsylvania and took his lifetime mark here earlier in 2026.

Race 13 - TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 or F&M 73) or Less / 7500CLM Trot ***Hi-5***

(1) CHECKMATE HALL is just two-for-33 in the win column lifetime but drops out of the TrackMaster 74.5 or Less class and starts from post one. I think that merits a chance on top against a wide-open field. (3) MR GRANT hasn't been seen since 7-25 but does show a victory at this level on 6-26 and was third most recently. (8) MR INSTIGATOR has shown the ability to beat TrackMaster 71s but tired pretty badly despite a slow pace last Saturday, so I think he's a use underneath only.