WINTER MEET STATS: 123-28-21-19 / $188.60 (-$57.40) BEST BETS: 9-0-5-2 / $0.00 (-18.00) SPOT PLAYS: 9-1-1-1 / $5.00 (-$13.00) BEST BET: NICHOLAS BEACH (10th) SPOT PLAY: MIGHT BE RIGHT (2nd) Race 1: $25,000-$27,500 Claiming Handicap - Pick 5 Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment but going to stick with (2) RESTAURANT BULLY here after the lackluster effort last time. Circling from last isn't exactly the recipe for success but it was a promising effort compared to his previous start. Price should be healthy again. (1) TAM MAJOR A raced big last time with the claim in and moves to a capable barn. (8) MACHIAVELLI has the early speed to make the top. Yes, he was way overbet last time and didn't deliver, but he remains capable against this bunch. (7) I'M J BEE N is a bit pace dependent and I'm not sure this mile is going to be fast enough. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Non-winners 2 (NW L3 3) races or $20,000 (NW L3 $30,000) life/Maidens draw inside (1) MIGHT BE RIGHT was handled aggressively and raced well with Lasix added last time. He may be 0-for-12 so far but Saturday looks like Graduation night versus a sketchy field. (10) ICANGOGO had some late life and went a bit faster in his second start back after missing 15 months of action. Post 10 isn't ideal but there may be more than meets the eye to this guy. (3) CROWN OF THORNS returns from winter break and perhaps has matured/grown some during that time. (8) OAKWOOD VEGAS IR lured Gingras off #3, so perhaps this one is the better option? Race 3: TrackMaster 80.5 (NW L3/2L5 81/81.64) or less - Survivor 7 (6) KEYSTONE STEAM has been racing very well of late while staying slightly under the radar in terms of his odds. In a field without a clear standout he looks very playable. (5) JK WILL POWER was super the last time was saw him but comes off a scratched-sick line. If on his game, watch out. (3) SPORTS ADVISOR gets a nice post switch after a long mile last weekend. (1) HOMESTRETCH WES burned a bunch of money as the favorite a week ago. That said, he remains in a decent spot for success. Race 4: Non-winners $20,000 (NW 2L5 $22,000) in last 5/TM 91 or less I try to stay away from trip handicapping on the big track, but in this shorter field it sure does look like (5) RICH AND MISERABLE is going to wind up sitting a perfect pocket trip behind last-out winner Dee's Red Delicious. At worst he'll end up third and can certainly shake free and win from there as well. (6) PIKACHU HANOVER fits like a glove in this class and gets Dunn in the bike. Sharp shipper has a big shot. (3) DOUBLE ACCOUNT needed the race last time and now he moves inside. He's dangerous if Miller can get him away first or second. Race 5: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L3 $8,531) in last 5 (2) DECISION DAY is 100% in better form than it seems on paper and tonight he not only faces the easiest field he has caught in some time, but he draws a nice post for Miller to work with. A win is coming soon and perhaps tonight. (4) GOOD ROCKIN should be firing to the front this week and it all comes down to whether he decides to show up, which is always a guessing game. (1) BAILEYS ROCK N is in decent form and only needs a clean trip to have a chance. (5) CHASER HANOVER drops and keeps McCarthy over #4. Race 6: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L3 $8,250) in last 5/TM 83.16 (NW L3/2L5 83.5/84.21) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 The AE conditions of this race were basically written to get (6) FOX VALLEY EXPLOIT into the fray. She's had success here in the past and gets a huge class drop in her second start since September. (1) GOLDEN QUEST N is another making her second start off the bench and she's adding Lasix here as well. (7) SO IRRESISTIBLE drops out of the same class as the top pick and actually finished a few lengths ahead of her that night. Race 7: Non-winners $10,500 (NW L2 $11,831) in last 5 (4) MIKE'S Z TAM gets a significant drop in class this week and let's remember that this guy earns big every year. Whether he still has the same life in his legs at age 9 is yet to be determined but he's unlikely to be the chalk here. (1) AS ALWAYS returns to The Meadowlands at a reduced level and should have a chance. (6) BETTER TAKE IT comes to town with high speed, sharp form and past success over the track. (3) DE LOS CIELOS DEO goes his 1:51 mile every week but may need another half-second to beat these tonight. Race 8: Sweetheart Pace - Winners over $10,500 in last 5/TM 85.75 or less - Pick 6 (3) JODY went a huge mile when finishing fourth last weekend. Just a slightly better trip would make her tough to handle here. (8) MAJORCA N moved inside and picked up an Open win over at Dover last time. Down Under mare has some class to her and should be heard from on a track where she set her career-best mile. (5) MOMENTARILY qualified back sharply and did some good work as a 3-year-old in restricted company. How good is she? Race 9: Big Game TrackMaster 89.55 final (4) MYSWEETBOYMAX has been everything you could ask for in a horse this year: versatile, sharp, game. Despite four wins in five starts he hasn't really been bet heavy at the windows and in a contentious final here, you should get another fair price. (8) SERIOUSLY HANOVER is certainly one of the fastest horses right now on paper and it will be interesting to see if Stratton, who chose off my top pick, guns him off the gate. (2) BALLERAT BOOMERANG hasn't finished worse than second all year and has plenty of back class. (7) HIGH BALLER owns a big late kick and if they mix it up he could be coming late. Race 10: Non-winners $20,000 (NW 2L5 $22,000) in last 5 or 10 races-$125K life/TM 93.5 or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 (7) NICHOLAS BEACH was absolutely loaded in the stretch last week and really had no chance of catching a rated leader. Making his third start back from vacation, I expect Bongiorno will send him off the gate and he'll probably be my key on most Pick 4 tickets. (3) BELMONT ROYALE N scratched out of a Meadowlands race to start in a five-horse Open at Yonkers and then wound up chasing slow fractions and losing all chance. He's the only serious threat I see to the top pick. (10) BURNHAM BOY N actually finished ahead of the top pick last week and it seems he has plenty of talent, but post 10 for a horse that hasn't shown early speed might be too difficult a task. I'll use him underneath only. Race 11: TrackMaster 86.5 (NW L3 87) or less (1) LADYFORD DOLLAR GB just missed to a nice horse in a very salty NW7500 last time, so the slight bump in class on paper doesn’t bother me much. (10) THE BIRD DANCE N has the early speed to gun to the front and make some serious noise if he is tighter in his second start back from a short break. (7) GENERAL MONTANA N has been burning money lately and tonight he adds Lasix. Does that cure all? (9) OHOKA CHOPPER N is capable of making a sick last to first move if the pace is hot enough. Race 12: $20,000 Claiming (1) THANOS has found himself and his comfort zone in recent weeks. While I can make a case that he could lose at even money or so, it is much more difficult to pick out the horse that could pull off the upset in a wide-open group. (3) MIDNIGHT DAY moves inside after some tougher trips. I'm inclined to think he'll be fine on the barn change. (9) BIZYS BEATLE moves back into the barn that scored with him two starts back. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: TrackMaster 83.5 (NW L3/2L5 84/84.5) or less (4) ROCKIN MARTY A fired home strongly last time after chasing slow fractions from an outside post. Now in start three in this country and from a better post, we should see what he has in the tank. (7) REAL PEACE comes out of the same race with the same results as the top pick; no shot of rallying wide from the back. He's also making his third start back from rest and could be ready for a big mile. (3) ALWAYS BETTER moves inside and switches conditions this week for a barn that is hitting at 25% during the meet. Race 14: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L3 $3,300) in last 5 (1) LIKE CLOCKWORK was used up vying for the lead on the drop to this basement condition last time. He's worth a second chance moving to the inside post where perhaps one brush move will do the job. (8) JK STANDINGOVATION closed very well from the back after drawing post 10 in his first start back from a few months on the sidelines. He's a must-use tonight. (2) PICK A GENRE moves to the basement condition and could awaken. (5) SPRINGSTEEN has class but might need a race. (4) DENMARK SEELSTER drops out of the claiming ranks and could enjoy the condition switch.