Meadowlands

Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 10/30

Derick Giwner|Oct 28, 2021

MEET STATS: 86-36-14-15 / $150.80 (-$21.20)

BEST BETS: 7-5-0-1 / $12.40 (-1.60)

SPOT PLAYS: 7-2-2-3 / $7.40 (-$6.60)

BEST BET: ALTAR (7th)

SPOT PLAY: RAMONA HILL (5th)

Race 1: Non-winners $14,000 (NW L3 $15,400) in last 5 or 7 races (NW L3 8) life - Pick 5

(4) CAPTAIN BARBOSSA was up against it racing in the Breeders Crown elimination last weekend from post 10 in his first start since August. You have to expect we'll see much more in an overnight race. (6) LET IT RIDE N is back on the big track today and that certainly suits him better from what we've seen over the last year; threat. (5) ROCKIN THE ACES has the early speed and form to get into the number but he's not as good as the top pair.

[DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card]

Race 2: Non-winners $7,000 (NW L7 $8,200, NW L8 $8,500) in last 5

(7) HAIL CHRISTIAN N slides into a very favorable spot here at The Meadowlands for new trainer Brett Pelling. The one caution is that he hasn't raced in five weeks, but the field quality isn't overly strong. (1) QUALITY BUD ships in sharp and has done well here in the past. (3) BIGONPERSONALITY N might have enough form right now to get into the exotics at this level as he was second in a similar class at Philly last tme.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3: Winners 2-4 (NW L3 5) races or $50,000 (NW L3 $60,000) life

(9) RED RIGHT HAND has turned into a new horse with Lasix added. Colt should romp if he can produce anything close to his recent miles. (5) HIS BEATS HANOVER chased home the top pick for second last time. With six seconds to one win, that seems to be his thing. (3) TABOOMA arrives from Hoosier with decent form but doesn't seem to be in the class of the top pick.

Race 4: $600,000 Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Pace - Survivor 7

(8) TEST OF FAITH will likely have to work hard but she'll make the lead sometime past the quarter and prove best in what is clearly a four-filly race on paper. (7) BLUE DIAMOND EYES finally changed tactics last week and raced very well. That "breather" could be just what she needs to step up again. (5) GRACE HILL rarely throws in a bad race and will certainly be a major player in here, but if I'm betting one of the favorites #8 seems to be more talented. (9) FIRE START HANOVER has the toughest assignment of the quartet in terms of getting into the race since she drew worst. Will Dexter Dunn leave hard and keep going until he makes the top? Will he find a tuck early?

Race 5: $300,000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot

(5) RAMONA HILL has been working her way back to form for eight weeks and the bulb finally seemed to go on in last week's elimination as she rallied from an impossible spot with a 26 3/5 final quarter. There's a chance we are getting sucked into a horse that simply doesn't have it anymore, but there is also a chance she is ready to pop a huge mile and make up for an awful season. The price should be right to take a chance. (2) ATLANTA gutted out a win last week on a night where she wasn't at her best. All-time great deserves respect. (6) FELICITYSHAGWELL S got locked in the pocket last Saturday. She has the early speed to make the top and sit a good trip. (7) WHEN DOVESCRY has only missed the board once in 15 starts this year but does find herself outside of a speedy mare and that could hurt her chances. (4) SORELLA, like the top pick, was better last time with no shoes and Lasix added. If the shoes stay off, she's worth consideration as a longshot.

Race 6: $600,000 Breeders Crown 3YO C&G Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4

No horse racing in the Breeders Crown needs a win more than (5) PERFECT STING. Everything is on the line: divisional honors and an immediate stallion career. The son of Always B Miki showed me something last time when he powered away from his foes impressively. This field is much tougher but I think he may have found his groove just in time. (2) CHARLIE MAY also won his elimination with a quick brush and crush move. He'll be a handful here. (3) HEART OF CHEWBACCA took a bit of a shuffle in his elimination and raced well. He's a good horse who can threaten with the right trip. (4) ABUCKABETT HANOVER is more reliant on the right trip than the top two but is very capable if he can get into a live flow. (1) SOUTHWIND GENDRY displayed some heart to get second last time. This is the best he’s raced all year, but Yannick will have his hands full trying to work out a trip.

Race 7: $650,000 Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Trot - Cross Country Pick 5 (Med 7-9; Belmont 7-8)

No matter how you evaluate this field, (5) ALTAR is the fastest filly in this race by far. That 1:51 2/5 elimination win was the co-fastest trotting mile on the card by almost a second. Atlanta only trotted in 1:52 1/5! Driver Yannick Gingras seems likely to float away, let the outside speed do their thing and then slowly make his way to the front down the backstretch. Once on the point, baring a miscue, the race is over. (3) BELLA BELLINI has overcome some tough trips this year, so that isn't a concern. The main concern is whether she is fast enough to take on the top pick. (2) SHIRLEY GOODNESS did well to make the final after an early break which cost her a few lengths. She could sneak into the exotics here. (9) YOU ATO DREAM definitely has the early speed to make some noise and she's proven capable of taking a lickin' and still getting into the exotics.

Race 8: $650,000 Breeders Crown 3YO C&G Trot - Pick 6

(6) JUJUBEE took a conservative approach in his elimination and that proved to be costly. Driver McCarthy also said that maybe he wasn't grabbing the track that well. Either way, he'll be leaving strong this week and should prove very tough to catch once he clears. (4) CUATRO DE JULIO sprinted home better and got the best of the top one last week. If in the right spot he'll have a chance to repeat. (10) LOGAN PARK chased home Ambassador Hanover in a good mile last time and he should be firing out again here. He could be an exotics threat at huge odds. (9) DANCINGINTHEDARK M is fast enough to contend but was still handled with care last week. Is there any chance Sears throws caution to the wind in this last big-money race and hopes he can keep him trotting?

Race 9: $330,000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace

(3) LYONS SENTINEL elected to race a bit more conservatively from an outside post in an elimination and maybe she even came up a bit short after missing three weeks with only a 1:53 1/5 qualified sandwiched in. Four-year-old has dominated this division all year and seems likely to employ an early brush to the front here. (1) ROCKNIFICENT has played second fiddle to the top pick most of the year but seems to have found more confidence lately; main danger. (4) JK FIRST LADY had stretch pace in her elimination. Was that a tease performance or is she ready to step up? (7) ROCKIN NOLA proved she has the speed to go with these. Now she just needs a better trip.

Race 10: $650,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot - $50K GTD Pick 4

(3) ECURIE D DK comes off a sparkling U.S. debut at The Red Mile where he barely broke a sweat. This group just doesn't seem good enough to beat him. (2) FORBIDDEN TRADE finished strong in the final strides in his qualifier and his prior start at The Red Mile was a solid second behind the top pick. (10) BACK OF THE NECK got unlucky at the draw coming off a long trip in Kentucky. He can spice up the exotics with a smooth journey. (5) BEADS is better than his last performance. Perhaps being on Lasix a bit longer will help.

Race 11: $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace

(8) ALLYWAG HANOVER hasn't had an equal in this division for quite some time. Unless something crazy happens it will be tough to beat him. (7) OCEAN ROCK tired after doing all the heavy lifting through insane fractions in the top one's record-setting 1:46 4/5 win. Ohio import just needs a reasonable trip. (4) THIS IS THE PLAN seems to be rounding back into form. (5) CATTLEWASH drew well but tricky in that a few to his outside could leave and if he takes back he'll have plenty to pass. (3) ENAVANT impressed last week by charging home between horses for third; needs right trip.

Race 12: $100,000-$150,000 Claiming Handicap

(4) GEEZ JOE may have lost a step but is certainly in the right spot to succeed if he hasn't. I'll take a shot with him at a price. (6) TWIN B TUFFENUFF seems like the favorite here, which is tough to swallow on a horse that has finished second four straight times. (1) J M MANDAMIN has big speed from the inside and is certainly fast enough to win with a decent trip.

Race 13: Non-winners $20,000 (NW L3 $22,000) in last 5 or 9 races life

(4) KINGS COUNTY added hobbles and went a solid mile, which he clearly needed after a year on the sidelines. This isn't an easy race but he can go with these. (6) GET LEGS was very impressive in victory last time and a major threat to repeat. (7) GANGSTER HANOVER has big early speed and good form. (5) MAY BABY is a quality mare who drops out of stakes company.