Meadowlands: Analysis for Friday 8/4

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 329-113-58-45 / $602.80 (-$57.20)

BEST BETS: 24-13-3-1 / $42.90 (-$5.10)

SPOT PLAYS: 24-7-7-1 / $58.00 (+$10.00)

BEST BET: BETTER IS NICE (7^th)

SPOT PLAY: ODDS ON STENO (9^th)

Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5

Whether you believe in the Trackmaster Rating system or not, stats don’t lie and they are telling you that (10) FERDINAND A and (9) BANK SEA are simply faster than the rest. The former will certainly be gunning to the lead and speed goes a long way, especially in the daylight hours. The latter was way overbet last time versus a better field. He would probably be the top pick if not for some doubt as to whether Beltrami will leave hard enough off the gate. (4) STOLEN ART goes a big mile now and then.

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Race 2: NJ Sire Stakes 2YO Filly Trot Consolation

(2) TANDEM HANOVER probably shouldn't have been put on the lead two starts back after racing there in her debut and got a conservative steer last time. She faces much easier here and has no excuses. (1) WARRAWEE MICHELLE finished well last week and looks like the main danger. (3) BLAZING DEO looks to be best of the rest.

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Race 3: Kindergarten 2YO C&G Trot - Survivor 7

(7) FLYING KRONOS S finished very well last time and now adds Tetrick to the team. (6) KARL did nothing wrong in his lone qualifier and the only question is how much he'll be stretched out early here. (5) ON TIME ARRIVAL put in a credible mile to begin his career and could certainly improve.

Race 4: Kindergarten 2YO C&G Pace

(5) HUNTINGFORCHROME caught standout Newsroom when last here but got in the win column with a convincing win at Saratoga in NYSS company. Assuming he can get a clear road to the front his win prospects should be good and the price should be fair. (9) CAPTAIN LUKE was perhaps a touch green in his debut but he was most definitely a victim of circumstance. He couldn't leave because too many others left and then the outside flow just didn't get underway. He's a price play here.

Race 5: Kindergarten 2YO Filly Trot

(10) CHEVAL RAPIDE is the best trotting filly I've seen so far at The Meadowlands and assuming she is put in play from the tough outside post, she should win. (7) MISS I LA was perhaps a bit short in her pari-mutuel debut but she did drop three seconds in time. I'm not sleeping on her here. (6) THE MOMENT has looked very good thus far and finished second behind the top pick two starts back.

Race 6: Kindergarten 2YO Filly Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4

(2) SARASOTA HANOVER had a great trip and uncorked a powerful stretch burst to win last week. While some may not be on board since she was 12-1 that night, she's the real deal. (5) TARRIFIC finished up willingly in her debut mile and can certainly show more tonight. (6) MIRACULOUS DEO has yet to miss the board in three starts and perhaps will try off the pace tactics here since being on the lead didn't work.

Race 7: $240,000 NJ Sire Stakes 2YO C&G Pace Final

From everything I've seen thus far, (1) BETTER IS NICE looks like the best pacer in this field and the inside draw should allow him to control his destiny by letting the dust settle and making an early brush. (2) MR THREE O FIVE has raced well in both starts and has a huge post edge on other contenders like (8) CAVIART JUSTICE and (10) WISH YOU WELL, who both could win if able to work out a reasonable trip.

Race 8: Hambletonian Amateur Drivers Trot - $47,167 Pick 6 Carryover

(6) BAR COINS was solid in his first start for this barn before the break last time. The switch to the big track shouldn't hurt and you can expect Dicostanzo to send him to the top. (9) CAL MILES N SHELL has good form and success in this series over this track. (1) HP RUNNING MASS hasn't started in a month but changes barns and shows lines that would make him very competitive with these if he's ready to roll.

Race 9: $240,000 NJ Sire Stakes 2YO Filly Pace Final

(2) ODDS ON STENO pulled just past the half last time and finished up very willingly chasing in a fast final quarter. The big money is on the line now and the pace scenario should be more favorable. She looks every bit as good as the likely favorite (8) PULP FICTION, who is undefeated in two starts and won both by open lengths. I will caution when she left the gate last week it wasn't exactly with blazing speed. I might very well fade her in the Pick 6 carryover. (6) MY SPECIAL EVENT was aggressively driven on the backstretch last week and got a bit leg weary in the final yards. Better timing of her move could make the difference. (10) LOVEVOLUTION needs to prove she has another gear to get down to the 1:52/1:53 range but you can make a case that Tetrick will fire her off the gate and see if that ability exists.

Race 10: Kindergarten 2YO Filly Trot - $50K GTD Pick 4

(3) PAULINA HANOVER was a victim of the outside post last week and did all she could in the final quarter but she was in too deep of a hole. Father Patrick filly has perhaps more ability than it seems on paper and clearly Andrew McCarthy agrees as he chose her over (4) GRACEFUL DESIGN, who rode the rails and shook free to charge home for second behind perhaps the best 2-year-old trotting filly in Cheval Rapide (who was simply coasting). Apparently she is much better than bettors originally thought when she went off at 32-1 in that start. (1) SIERRA GIRL is perfect in two starts and now gets the chance to stretch out on the big track. With this being leg three of the Kindergarten she'll need to step up right away to earn points. (9) GO FOR GAAGAA NO has the early speed to make some noise and she could get an exotics piece at a price.

Race 11: Kindergarten 2YO Filly Pace

(3) TIME OUT HANOVER was reserved in her latest qualifier and finished willingly enough. It is nothing for these 2-year-olds to drop three seconds in their first race so don't get too caught up in the slower time. (7) CAVIART BELLE got beat by a fresh foe who sat a great trip last time. Gingras chose here over another strong contender in #6. (5) PRESSURE COOKER raced very well as expected last time out but will 100% be overbet here as I expect an off-the-pace trip to be coming.

Race 12: Non-winners $5,000 in last 4/TM 80 (NW 2L4 81.85) or less

(7) IMMANUEL K S was a good third last time (finishing ahead of many of these) behind two horses that laid over the field from an ability standpoint. Svanstedt should be firing out this week and looking to take them down the road. (1) NEXTROUNDSONME got bottled up in an awful spot when in the same race as the top pick last time. He finished up willingly while only a length behind for fourth. (4) DRIBBLING BI should be comfortable with this group though Dunn decided to go home rather than stick around for the last few races.

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Race 13: Non-winners $2,000 (NW L6 $2,901) in last 4

(6) BAILEYS ROCK N showed some clear signs of life last week when finishing willingly after dealing with early stretch traffic. Veteran seems ready to step up with a big mile for a barn that usually has them ready on class drops and the price should be right with Smith driving. (4) REACTOR NOW A was used hard early and paid the price last time. He's gone three straight 1:51 and change miles which put him clearly in the win mix. (5) MINDTRIP really wasn't bad closing from the back to finish just a length or less behind the top pair. This guy has all the class and should be seriously considered.

Race 14: Kindergarten 2YO C&G Trot

(2) AMAZING CATCH might have a bit of a tactical edge here on the front if (8) WINTER SOLDIER is raced from off the pace as I expect. If that transpires he'll be tough to catch. The latter won his only start with a strong finish. (7) AMSTEL HANOVER won by less than a length but it was certainly a measured win by a confident Yannick Gingras. I'd expect a strong effort here. (6) THINKER MONKEY showed some improvement last time.