Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 2/26

MEET STATS: 0 - 0 / $0.00 ($0.00)
BEST BETS: 0 - 0 / $0.00 ($0.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 0 / $0.00 ($0.00)
BEST BET - UNDERTAKER (12th)
SPOT PLAY - MISTER HAT (11th)

Race 1 - 60000-70000CLM HCP Pace

(2) BLACK CHEVRON N returns to the Meadowlands after a win at Pocono and a second at Yonkers in his last pair. He raced well in this class on 2-5 and adds Dexter Dunn tonight. (1) MOTIVE HANOVER has a barn change to Jenn Bongiorno after a claim and is the one of the two she has in here that her brother Joe will drive, probably meaning this one's the more live of the pair. (7) PALOMAR owns a third and a win since joining Jeff Cullipher's barn. I think he might have to come from last tonight, and I'll slot underneath.

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Race 2 - Winners of 2 But Not More Than 4 Extended PM Races or NW51000 LT Pace

(2) PRETTY RICKI got an acclimating mile over the track a week ago and had to do the first-over work. I think we'll see some improvement out of him tonight, and I liked his efforts in similar classes at The Meadows. (6) TRUFFLE DOG has been knocking on the door, but hasn't been able to finish it off. I expect he's going to take most of the wagering action again. (3) MUDVILLE comes back to the Meadowlands off two good races over at Pocono and now gets a chance with Dunn driving.

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Race 3 - TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 2-22-22 Pace

(9) JUST WAVE GOODBYE didn't race last week due to a transportation scratch, but I think he comes out of the best two races in this class, and I'll trust Corey Callahan to map out a winning plan from the outside post. (1) CONSTNTLYSIDEWYS A has won at the Meaodwlands in the past and exits a victorious performance down at Freehold. (6) MCERLEAN gets a chance to stretch his legs out on the big track tonight after racing at Yonkers lately, and he also picks up Dunn in the bike.

Race 4 - NW10500L5/TrackMaster Rating 87 or Less as of 2-22-22/NW of a Race Since 6-15-21 Pace

(4) BUY IN probably needed that race last Saturday since he'd been off since 11-1-21. I know he's not the Burke horse that Yannick Gingras ended up on, but Joe Bongiorno has a knack for taking advantage of chances to drive for big stables, and I'll give him a shot. (3) STONEDUST gets to drop out of the NW14000L5 class tonight, which puts him in play. He also gets post relief and did have pace on the end of his mile a couple weeks ago. (8) HIPPESTCATINTOWN is the other Burke entrant and the one Gingras will handle. He got shuffled back a bit a week ago when waiting for room to get out of the two-hole.

Race 5 - TrackMaster Rating 80.6 or Less as of 2-22-22 Pace

(7) RUTHLESS DUDE invades from Freehold off a hard-fought win and has had success at The Big M before for trainer Izzy Estrada and driver Todd McCarthy. (5) HES GONE BADDER is super-sharp right now. This is a step up in class from last week's facile victory, but I think he's capable of handling it. (1) CECIL CASANOVA finished with some interest last Saturday after an inside trip and might be rounding into form. I will include.

Race 6 - NW10500L5/TrackMaster Rating 87 or Less as of 2-22-22/NW of a Race Since 6-15-21 Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(8) TAM MAJOR A went a huge trip in this class two back to finish second and gets to slide back down the ladder tonight. I'm going to expect the connections not to take back to last and put him on top. (1) WHITECOOKIE went a long way on the lead and got hooked up in an early pace battle to boot a week ago. He gets some class relief off that mile and moves inside. (6) DECISION DAY scored his last win at this level in mid-January and keeps churning out good final quarters.

Race 7 - 40000-46000CLM HCP Pace

(2) FRONTIER ROLLO had been racing well at the Meadowlands and backed that up with a romping triumph at Pocono two weeks ago. This is a bit of a step up for him, but I'll trust his form to come through. (1) WAY TO CLOSE seems like he might be better chasing horses than on the front-end, as he won from first-over on 2-12 but was defeated on 2-5 and 2-19 when on the engine. George Brennan seems to be getting along well with him and has the call again. (10) THE BOOK OF LIFE drew poorly again tonight but overcame post nine to finish a solid second last Saturday.

Race 8 - NW7500L5/TrackMaster Rating 83 or Less as of 2-22-22 Pace

(3) IMAGINARY LINE didn't fire quite as crisply as many of the Bongiorno horses have coming back after layoffs, but he does drop out of the NW10500L5's this week, and I'll take a chance with him. (2) GOOD ROCKIN has gained spots and ground in the final quarter in his last two tries in this class and now gets to team with Dunn. (5) OCEAN RIDGE N is probably going to be the hot commodity after that romping win last Saturday, but this is quite a hike up from the bottom level TrackMaster class, and I'll try and beat him.

Race 9 - NW14000L5/NW19801L6/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 2-22-22/Non Starters in 2022/NW90000LT Pace

(3) ROCKIN THE ACES was in too tough to threaten in his last two outings, but he won at this level on February 5 and gets reunited with Callahan. (6) SHVAIKO finished a game third in his first start in from The Meadows last Saturday and showed the ability to compete at the Open level in western Pennsylvania. (1) NO LOU ZING keeps threatening but hasn't been able to find the winner's circle so far in 2022. He's likely to go off favored again.

Race 10 - Preferred Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(8) CAPTAIN BARBOSSA finished with a ton of pace against Preferred foes on 2-12. I can see them racing him from the back again and him having too much work to do, but I'm willing to use him and find out. (3) COVERED BRIDGE has won the last two editions of the Preferred and showed the ability to accomplish that feat in different ways, once from off-the-pace and once on the lead. (2) AMERICAN HISTORY was back to his winning ways a week ago, holding sway after some quick fractions. I would expect him to be on the engine or in the pocket.

Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 80.6 or Less as of 2-22-22 Pace

(4) MISTER HAT should continue to offer plenty of value and has some decent form, having finished second against TrackMaster 80's or Less two back and then gaining spots and ground in the last quarter a week ago. (3) DARTH FADER opened up a big lead last Saturday in this class but couldn't hold on into the cold wind in the lane. I'd expect them to try the same tactics again tonight. (10) MUSCLE MACH A raced well at the Meadowlands in January and early February, then got a check over at Pocono against tougher. I'll include.

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Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 2-22-22 Pace

(6) UNDERTAKER rallied nicely from the back of the pack to finish second in his first start for trainer Tahnee Camilleri last Saturday. He gets some post relief tonight off that performance and will be my pick. (8) GAME OF CHANGE defeated TrackMaster 77's or Less two back, and while not McCarthy's choice, he gets Dunn instead. (3) A STUD NAMED SAM drops out of the TrackMaster 80's or Less and has a couple of excuses, too, one being the bad post last Saturday and a wide trip after getting around a breaker before that.

Race 13 - NW4500L5/TrackMaster Rating 82.31 or Less as of 2-22-22/NW of a Race Since 2-20-21 Pace

(6) BETTING EXCHANGE plummets in class out of the NW15000L5's at Yonkers and beat NW10000L5's across the river prior to that. (8) GLOBALDOMINATION N finished a solid second to the well-meant Shnitzledosomethin last Saturday and remains at the same level. (1) ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP made quick work of that NW2500L5 group in his first start for the Bongiornos on 2-18. He hikes up off that victory, but is probably capable of handling it.