FALL MEET STATS: 69-31-9-10 / $186.20 (+$48.20) BEST BETS: 5-3-0-1 / $9.20 (-$.80) SPOT PLAYS: 5-3-0-1 / $25.40 (+$15.40) BEST BET: CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC (9TH) SPOT PLAY: WALSPEA (11TH) Race 1: Trackmaster 68 (NW L2 70) or less - Pick 5 (1) CHEDDAR SHREDDER drops back down to TM68 and really doesn’t face a very talented field. While it is hard to love her, the spot seems ideal for a wire-to-wire or pocket trip. (2) EA MUSHU owns as many wins this year as the rest of the field combined. The move to an inside post should perk her up. (4) WIGGLING JENNA also gets some post relief. Her efforts when she can save ground and pounce have been good. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Trackmaster 71 (3YO 71.55/NW L2 73.70) or less Truth be told I really don’t like any of these horses but I don’t have the option of skipping the race. (6) C KAN TROT drops back down to the TM71 condition where he won his last race. (4) BRUHA could be interesting if he improves on the switch to the big track; adds Lasix. (1) YOUMEANDWHISKEY should fire out from the pylons and have a decent shot of getting at least an exotics slot. (9) BANK BOX TREASURE has the early speed to overcome the post and tends to get onto the ticket in this class. Race 3: $150K NJ Classic 2YO C&G Pace Final - Survivor 7 (2) BOOKIE J blew out a monster qualifier last weekend in preparation for this and I have to give him the edge even if he’ll be the chalk. Just don’t take something crazy like 2-5. (7) CALLMEBIGPAPI clearly had some sort of issue last time as he was throwing his head around and never seemed comfortable. I trust that trainer Noel Daley will figure it out. (3) ROCKNACIOUS has finished ahead of the top pick before and would be no big surprise here. (1) AZRAEL BLUE CHIP is the wildcard in the field. The Lexington lines look good but I’d like to see him do it here before getting too excited. Race 4: $100K NJ Classic 2YO Filly Trot Consolation (3) ISABELLA BI made two moves before appearing to run up on the leader and breaking last time. She’s clearly the most talented filly in the race if Svanstedt can somehow get her to trot the mile. (2) R CANDY was in a bad spot fourth over and that hurt her chances greatly in the elimination round. If the top pick doesn’t behave, she’s as fast as any in here. (7) WALDON FASHION is another with ability that doesn’t have the right attitude quite yet. She was throwing her head around last week and stopped on the lead. Race 5: $250K NJ Classic 2YO Filly Trot Final (6) SOUTHWIND CHASKA worked out a nice cover trip and got the job done in the elimination round in a time that was quite a bit slower than the other division. That said, the temperature dropped 7-8 degrees and the wind was a good 5 mph higher with gusts up to 20 mph at that point. Don’t discount her chances as third choice. (3) EMMAS MYSTERY CCL has won from a number of different trips already this year. I wouldn’t say she is much the best but she definitely deserves respect as long as her odds don’t drift below 6-5. (1) DAYS AWAY had dead aim on the top pick last time and couldn’t pass. She’s a clear threat but one that seems a bit win shy. (4) SUGAR PACKET clearly has a big win chance yet her best efforts have come off really nice trips. She seems like an underlay in terms of odds. Race 6: Miss Versatility Open Mare Trot 5th leg - $50K GTD Pick 4 (3) ELISTA HANOVER should be firing out in this spot with her next race not for a few weeks. At worst she’ll sit the pocket and have every chance to sprint past late. (6) NELSONBRITEAGLE NO seems to be in the right spot to take a shot on the lead. Last year it took five starts before she hit her best stride. (4) BRAVO ANGEL S and (5) DIAL SQUARE S are both capable horses on their best day given the right trip. Race 7: $150K NJ Classic 2YO Filly Pace Final (7) NAPALM could be a value play here after tracking Perfect Thought’s cover last time and proving no match. Notice she goes on Lasix tonight and perhaps looking back maybe that mile on August 1 took something out of her and started some issues that the medication will solve. She’s certainly worth a flyer here as the third or fourth choice. (3) PERFECT THOUGHT has won every race where the fractions weren’t overly taxing. She’s the one to beat but not a horse I’m excited about at 4-5. (5) CAR KEYS had to wait for room versus the former but really had every chance to win last time. Maybe she improves again in just her fourth start. Race 8: $250K NJ Classic 3YO C&G Trot Final - Pick 6 (6) ONAJETPLANE is a bit of a conditional pick on the assumption that trainer Noel Daley will pull the shoes this week. That makes this guy a second faster and means the others will have to find a new career best to compete. This is a pretty talented group of second-tier 3-year-old trotters and if the pace gets hot (2) THE ROGUE PRINCE is certainly the one to watch out for on the win end. He doesn’t seem to possess the highest gear but he can grind them down with a steady strong rally. (3) WARRIOR jumped up with a big mile last time as he was shuffled a bit and finished very willingly. He could be on the improve and the price will be right with a new driver in the bike. Race 9: $150K NJ Classic 3YO C&G Pace Final (3) CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC is the best horse in this race and I’ll be a bit surprised if he finds a way to lose. Let’s look for much more aggressive tactics this week and hope for 4-5. (5) MANOLETE stole the prep race last time but still has to prove he can win faster than 1:50. In his defense the track was probably a second slow by the time he got out there, but he still needs to find more or sit the right trip. (1) PAPIS PISTOL has one huge mile on his résumé. Can he reproduce that effort from back in June? His last mile was pretty good. Race 10: $250K NJ Classic 2YO C&G Trot Final - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) APEX was used a bit to the front, got passed by at least a half-length and battled back like a champion to win easily in the elimination round. I’m not sure he can’t lose but he looks every bit like a 3-5 shot off that performance. (1) CAPTAIN JORDAN flashed speed and sat the pocket behind the top pick last time. Driver Tim Tetrick seemed somewhat happy to just get third while perhaps saving something for this week. (6) DIABOLIC HILL is clearly a talented colt but maybe one that needs to time his vicious turn of speed properly. Race 11: $250K NJ Classic 3YO Filly Trot Final While I don’t do this often, I’m convinced that the driver change from Smedshammer to Gingras on (1) WALSPEA will make this talented filly a second faster, not just because Gingras gets more out of a horse but also because he often moves a horse up the first time he drives. That improvement should bridge the gap that separates her from (5) YO TILLIE, who has yet to taste defeat in seven starts this year. While she won easily last time, the 3-year-old clearly wasn’t on the top of her game as she was drifting out in the stretch and reportedly didn’t train much due to sickness. She could certainly be even better a week later; obvious chalk. (7) CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS can fly off the wings of the gate and did that last week to be a good “no match” second behind Tillie. She’ll need even more to win but looks like a must to use underneath. (2) CONVERSANO is a clear trip player given the right setup. Race 12: $150K NJ Classic 3YO Filly Pace Final (6) ASPHALT comes off a pair of scary line son paper but does get Lasix this week. Filly has won here before and owns the fastest mile of the year from this group. (4) TH SUMMER LOVIN is another with a win here this year and that came off a cover trip. She’s likely to come away last here and might latch on to the right trip at big odds. (5) WORKLIFEBALANCE is probably going to be the chalk and I won’t deny that she’s the horse to beat in some respects, but she’s burned plenty of money this year. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Trackmaster 68 (NW L2 70) or less (2) IN ERA’S IMAGE was much better last week as she fought nicely to get up for third in a rather quick mile for the class. Filly seems to be getting better and might respond on the class drop tonight. (7) THANEEYA has hit the board in six of her last starts in this TM68 class. Nine-year-old has the early speed to get into the race. (1) BULVILLKIDUNOTEDNA was loaded in traffic last week at Tioga. Does she move up in her big track debut? (8) HOLD MY TIARA also performs very well in this class. Race 14: Trackmaster 71 (NW L2 73) or less/TM 74 or less draw outside (1) PULL ME THROUGH gets post relief and lands McCarthy this week. If she has a win in her at this level it is likely to come tonight. (10) ALMOST KAREN has beaten many of these before and the outside post may help to offer value on her. (2) MS FRANCES ASSISI raced well to be second in a pretty quick mile last weekend. (6) JUST MY MAMA is sharp and she is good at getting checks in this class.