Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 10/3

MEET STATS: 2 - 13 / $15.40 (-$10.60)

BEST BETS: 0 - 1 / $0.00 (-$2.00)

SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 1 / $0.00 (-$2.00)

BEST BET - FRANCO TOTEM N (13th)
SPOT PLAY - MOTIVE HANOVER (5th)

Race 1 - NW2500L5 Pace

(6) ALL IT TAKES closed well after a shuffle from post ten last Friday. Cullipher's barn has been chilly to start the meet, but this horse kept Simon Allard over others and can maybe start the stable on the right track. (1) MORE THE BETTER N got bet down to favoritism a week ago against NW4500L5's but was nowhere to be found. He drops to the bottom here, and I expect him to be much closer from the pole position. (3) WILLIE BOOTS usually does his best racing when his classes like this one, and he finished up with a good final quarter in that same race More The Better N exits.

Race 2 - NW2/25000LT / NW3/30000LT, NW Last 3 Starts Pace

(4) CLAYTONS BETTOR N enters off a victory over NW2's at Pocono and has a major age advantage over most of the rest of the field since he's a 5-year-old. (10) DIAMOND HEAD ships back east after taking a shot in the Little Brown Jug. He owns a prior win over NW3's at Harrah's Philadelphia on August 14. (7) ACES ROCK made up a bunch of ground in the last quarter a week ago after getting intefered with and having to go wide on the far turn.

Race 3 - NW4/50000LT / NW6 Drawn Outside Pace

(6) SOMBODYITREASURE steps up tonight but has looked vicious in his last pair at the Meadowlands and Harrah's Philadelphia. (2) ACTOR HANOVER has significant post relief this time after starting from the nine and the ten in his last two. Expect George Nap to show speed with him again. (1) MY PAL JOE upset a couple weeks ago in this class and could have a similar trip coming from the pole position.

Race 4 - 12500-15000CLM HCP Pace

(3) DUCKIES DYNASTY owns a good history at the Meadowlands, and I think he has two excuse lines coming after being used hard at Harrah's Philadelphia and racing against better when last seen here. (2) PAPIAMENTO put in a strong effort last Saturday, just giving way late after taking the lead from first-over. Dube drives this trainer's horses with a lot of confidence. (8) IMAGEOFAROCKER was able to win after chasing down Papiamento a week ago. He has two wins and a second in his last three appearances at the Meadowlands.

Race 5 - NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 9/29/20 Pace

(4) MOTIVE HANOVER ships in from Yonkers off two good efforts against stronger NW8's and was a good second in a NW6000L5 at Pocono on 9-1 behind the classy Rockin Ron. (2) WHITTAKER N took advantage of the drop to the NW4500L5 class to win a week ago. Dexter Dunn is not here tonight, so Jason Bartlett gets the live assignment. (9) TOPVILLE OLYMPIAN had a no-chance trip last Saturday, getting parked out the whole way first-over. He drew badly again here, but maybe he can pick up some cover.

Race 6 - NW7600L5 Pace

(3) DECISION DAY slides down from the NW10500L5 class after closing with two sub 27 final quarters. Marohn drove him well back in August at Yonkers, finishing second in their NW10000L5 level. (6) STONEDUST wound up on bad cover on the last turn a week ago, hampering his chances. He makes his third start of the layoff here. (2) BLUEBIRD RECON has been facing better competition out of town and has raced well in spots like this at the Meadowlands before.

Race 7 - NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 9/29/20 Pace

(1) SPIRIT OF TRUTH woke up with a much better performance last time out at Freehold, and he won twice at the Meadowlands this summer against similar. (7) CHEYENNE RYAN LEE is on a three-race win streak and went a giant mile last Friday in the amateur event. Dube scored with him at Harrah's Philadelphia on 9-7 and picks up the call here. (4) YACHT WEEK is just one-for-18 this year but does drop from the NW6000L5 class at Pocono and races out of the Burke barn.

Race 8 - NW10500L5/TrackMaster Rating 85.5 or Less as of 9/29/20 Pace

(5) ISLANDSPECIALMAJOR took advantage of a crafty Dexter Dunn steer to win from post ten against NW7500L5's last Saturday. He steps back up here but was a solid second at this level two back. Tyler Buter has the drive. (3) TRUMP NATION finished third against NW14000L5's a week ago after a bit of a traffic-troubled journey. He drops and was Simon Allard's choice tonight. (8) RESPECT OUR FLAG went off as the favorite in the contest Trump Nation comes out of. He receives additional relief in this spot and races out of the high-percentage Bongiorno stable.

Race 9 - Preferred Pace

(6) HIGHALATOR couldn't have been gamer in winning last Saturday and races on a regular rotation tonight. He also doesn't have to start from post ten, though he's shown that's not really a bother to him. (4) IDEAL FEELING challenged Highalator through the stretch a week ago and finished just a head behind him. That was another quality effort for him, and he's a contender here, too. (8) WESTERN JOE just missed in the Canadian Pacing Derby consolation in Canada back on the 5th of September. He hasn't raced since but has turned in many big miles at the Meadowlands before, so I don't see it being a huge issue.

Race 10 - NW14000L5/Not 3rd Last 4 Starts/NW20000 in 2019-20 Pace

(5) JESSE DUKE N was one of the horses who challenged Highalator last Saturday and got repelled in the lane. He drops down a level tonight, and I think he can take advantage. (2) SPRINGSTEEN kept Allard over a number of others in this race and closed well in the same race my top pick exits. (1) COVERED BRIDGE gets the class relief he's probably been looking for tonight, and Dube might be keen to deliver in a chance to drive for Burke.

Race 11 - NW7600L5 Pace

(5) HEISMAN PLAYER stretches out on the mile track tonight and has been turning in solid efforts against tough NW8 foes at Yonkers. (2) WARRAWEE UNIQUE returns to the Meadowlands after a couple of tries against NW9000L5's over at Pocono. He was victorious when last seen here against similar on 9-5. (4) PADUKA N hasn't been worse than third in his last five appearances and battled gamely from first-over in Harrah's Philadelphia's NW7000L5 class most recently.

Race 12 - NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 9/29/20 Pace

(4) A MAJOR OMEN rallied stoutly against NW7500L5's last Saturday and now drops back to the class where he was a dead-heat winner on September 12. (3) SEEING EYE SINGLE burned some money a week ago when he was runner-up to the sharp Last Gunfighter. He gets a second shot against NW4500L5's here. (5) MITCH MAGUIRE N makes his third start off the layoff and sharpened his speed with a decent front-end try last time.

Race 13 - NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 9/29/20 Pace

(9) FRANCO TOTEM N got knocked off the track by a breaker in the stretch last Saturday while sitting in a good position in the pocket. I think this is a low a class as he's raced in since coming to the U.S., and I expect him to deliver. (5) IM A DIRECTOR N didn't have a very smooth trip last week and gave way. His effort prior to that with a good journey was much better, and he's capable of a quick rebound. (1) BARIMAH A doesn't show much in the way of current form but has come to life before in spots like this, especially when drawn inside.