Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 2/18

MEET STATS: 4 - 25 / $18.20 (-$31.80)
BEST BETS: 2 - 2 / $6.20 (+$2.20)
2022 SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 2 / $0.00 (-$4.00)
BEST BET - DOUBLE ACCOUNT (5th)
SPOT PLAY - TOATSMYGOATS (2nd)

Race 1 - NW2/20000LT Pace

(5) ALL ALONE had two good qualifiers to prep for his 3-year-old debut, stalking and rallying by the leader on both occasions. I'll give him the nod. (8) IDIOSYNCRATIC just won in this class two weeks ago and looks like the better of the two Ron Burke entrants. (1) MIGHT BE RIGHT comes in with back-to-back runner-up finishes at this level.

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Race 2 - 12500-15000CLM HCP Pace

(6) TOATSMYGOATS put in a big effort from post eight at Yonkers on Tuesday night to finish second and trainer Paul Blumenfeld has been doing well thus far in 2023. (1) MADDOX HANOVER couldn't deliver last Friday when he dropped to this class and went off as the favorite. He does have post relief tonight. (3) SAFENSOUND HANOVER owns a win at this level back on January 20 and also gets to move inside on the gate here.

Race 3 - 20000CLM Pace

(1) BETTER THAN SOME finished up his mile in 26 and change last Saturday and trainer Dan Morrissey had an impressive winner on that program. This horse also moves in from post six to the pole position. (5) BIZYS BEATLE won nicely after showing speed and then coming first-over from post nine in the same race my top pick exits. (4) MISTER HAT has hit the board against $20,000 claimers before and slides to a mid-pack post position.

Race 4 - TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 2-14-23 Pace

(6) SEAL O'NEILL rolled to a facile win in his qualifier at Pocono on 2-14 for a high-percentage barn, and I think he was facing better than these before he went on the shelf last year. (3) HOMESTRETCH WES has been sharp in recent weeks with just one off-the-board result (a fourth) in his last four appearances. (9) ART SCAPING prevailed in this TrackMaster class two back and returns to it here after one unsuccessful try against TrackMaster 83.5 company.

Race 5 - NW14000L5/NW10000L5 or NW5 Ext. PM Races LT May Enter and Draw Inside Trot

(8) DOUBLE ACCOUNT makes his third start off the bench tonight and was third last week to two horses who are in the Open Trot later on the card. (3) A NEW LEADER and (4) FRANK THE ELDER both exit the same race on 2-10 where A NEW LEADER won and FRANK THE ELDER was third. The former has two straight victories and the latter is racing for the second time after a layoff.

Race 6 - NW7500L5 Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Early Pick 4 Pool**

(9) RAUKAPUKA RULER N has had a barn change to Jenn Bongiorno since his last start of 2022 at Yonkers and stormed home to finish a gaining second to a stakes-level foe in Jimmy Freight in a qualifier last Saturday. I'll give him a chance. (5) OHOKA CHOPPER N rallied from last to finish third and second in his last two outings. They've been very careful with him since his breaking issues returned on January 21, so I'll try and beat him on the win end. (4) REVOLVER N woke up a week ago with a much-improved effort/final quarter and took his life's mark at the Meadowlands last year.

Race 7 - TrackMaster Rating 86.5 or Less as of 2-14-23 Pace

(3) ADRIANO HANOVER turned a covered trip into a victory at this level a week ago and meets up with a group here that he either defeated in that race or are moving up in class. (1) TAM MAJOR A comes into this contest fresh off a lifetime mark in his victory last Saturday, but I believe he faces tougher company tonight. (7) SHINE A LIGHT gained spots and ground in his qualifier last Saturday and makes his 2023 debut for the red-hot Per Engblom barn.

Race 8 - NW20000L5 or in 2023/NW24701L6/TrackMaster Rating 92.5 or Less as of 2-14-23 Pace

(5) CARBINE was second to the well-meant Nicholas Beach last Saturday and has paced two strong final quarters back-to-back. (1) LOVE YOUR WORK A makes his second start in the U.S. tonight and zipped home in 26 3/5 last Saturday. I'll include. (6) JIMMY FREIGHT is no doubt the class of this field but has much bigger races ahead and needed a few starts last year to find his best.

Race 9 - NW10500L5/Winners Base Class NW8000 or Less in 1 of Last 2 Starts Pace

(2) THE CLAW finds a much more reasonable spot here than the ones he's been in lately and should get back into contention. (3) LIVINTHEBEACHLIFE also drops out of tougher classes and was recently fourth to the red-hot Seriously Hanover. (5) BETTER TAKE IT went a long way on the lead last Saturday before getting overtaken late and could be sharper here in his second try in from Ohio.

Race 10 - Open Trot **$50,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4 Pool**

(5) AHUNDREDDOLLARBILL appeared ready in his qualifier last Saturday and prevailed in the Open at the Meadowlands to finish out his 2022 campaign. (4) HILLEXOTIC makes his second start back after a layoff and had a tough trip in the Open at Dover on February 7. He won in 1:50 3/5 at the Meadowlands last year. (6) RICH AND MISERABLE has finished first or second in four of his last five starts and won easily last Saturday.

Race 11 - NW5000L5 Pace

(8) MUSCLE FACTORY A takes a big drop here in his second start of 2023, and I was encouraged by his sharp final quarter two weeks ago. This horse is a former multi-time Group 1 race winner in Australia, so he does have plenty of class. (10) ROCKIN THE ACES was a big disappointment as an odds-on favorite on 2-4 but gets further class relief and a driver change to Dexter Dunn. (4) ANGERS BAYAMA got a start under his belt a week ago and exits the NW7500L5's.

Race 12 - Winners of 2 but not more than 4 Ext. PM Races or NW50000 LT/50000CLM Pace

(2) PJ LOU prevailed in dead-heat fashion two back and then was full of pace from an impossible spot two weeks ago. He gets significant post relief tonight. (1) STONEBRIDGE REEF won at this level three back and gained spots and ground off excess cover last Saturday. (5) HP LIS SHADOW forged his way into the lead in the stretch on 2-4 and was a game runner-up. He makes his second start at the level here.

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Race 13 - TrackMaster Rating 83.5 or Less as of 2-14-23 Pace

(5) SHORE OF HIMSELF is making his 2023 pari-mutuel debut off two qualifiers that I liked, especially the way he dug in for a bit in the stretch last Saturday before being overtaken by Jimmy Freight. (2) TUFFENUFTOWEARPINK gives this class a second try and gained spots after sitting on the pylons and taking a shuffle a week ago. (8) ACTON HANOVER won at this level two back and drops back down to it after a good fourth-place effort from first-up against TrackMaster 86.5 foes last Saturday.

Race 14 - NW3000L5 Pace

(9) LEON DAVID lands at the bottom level tonight and sharpened up his speed with a cut the fractions-and-fade effort versus NW5000L5's most recently. (2) LETSGOTOBRAZIL A turned in a much-improved performance a week ago, gaining spots and ground from an impossible spot. He moves way inside on the gate tonight. (1) THE COOKIE MONSTER missed by just a neck in this class back on the 13th of January and is going to get a driver change to David Miller.