MEET STATS: 58 - 253 / $394.20 (-$111.80) BEST BETS: 9 - 19 / $32.20 (-$5.80) SPOT PLAYS: 4 - 19 / $75.80 (+$37.80) BEST BET - BUCK DANCER (6th) SPOT PLAY - HUDSON PHIL (10th) Race 1 - NW7500L5/Winners Base Class NW6000 or Less Last Start/TrackMaster Rating 86.3 or Less as of 2-2-21/20000CLM Pace (5) INCREDIBLE SHARK picked up his game when he dropped down to the NW4500L5's, posting a second and then a win. He hikes up tonight, but given his form, I'll use. (4) SWEET ROCK draws a better post tonight after sitting off-the-pace and picking up positions in the final quarter a week ago. (6) LIKE CLOCKWORK took all the wagering action last Saturday and delivered. He takes the same step up in class my top choice does, but also has Yannick Gingras to drive again. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2 - Winners of 4 But Not More Than 6 Extended PM Races Life/NW75000LT Pace (1) MCMIKE shows racing in the Open at Hollywood Dayton in early December, and I think he's been facing better than these since joining the Ron Burke barn. (2) ALWAYS AND AGAIN seems to be a threat every time, including on 1-23 when he faced off against NW11500L5's. He hasn't been able to win, though, and I'll take a stand against. (5) CENTURY FURY invades from Yonkers where he dominated a group of NW6's on 1-12 and then closed in 27 4/5 to advance from seventh to fourth in a subsequent start in their NW8 class. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3 - NW2500L5/Winners TrackMaster Rating 73 Last Start Pace (6) SADIQ HANOVER lands at the bottom level this time. The connections tried to get Dexter Dunn, but he went elsewhere, so Scott Zeron gets the call. I'll look for him to try and get this guy some cover to follow. (3) GENERAL JOY A got the nod from Dunn. This horse just missed on 1-16 and has been trip compromised in his last pair. (1) OURLITTLEGENERAL A has more class relief this evening, dropping down to the NW2500L5's, and he also draws inside. That should give new driver Simon Allard some options with him. Race 4 - Winners of 2 But Not 4 Extended PM Races Life/NW35000LT Pace (5) GENIUS MAN ships in from Yonkers with several good results lately against NW6's and NW8's in Westchester. This seems like a reasonable spot for him to be a threat. (4) WINDSUN AZAR kept Andrew McCarthy over three others in here and held on well for third after doing the hard work from first-up last Saturday. (3) IM A GIGOLO N cruised to a facile triumph against NW2's back on 1-15 and gets extra points from me for that second-place effort to the sharp Italian Delight N prior to that. Race 5 - Big Game Series Consolation Pace (9) GODS SPIRIT N likely needed that mile over the track last Saturday given he'd had just one qualifier since last August. He wasn't bad either, looming from first-over before fading in the last eighth. Tonight, he adds Dunn's services, and I'll give him a chance at what should be a solid price. (3) PATERNITY SUIT A moves inside after having posts nine and ten in his last pair. It also looks like, at least on paper, that he should get some pace to chase to set up his kick. (5) IMA REAL LADYS MAN had to work very hard to get to the front a week ago and paid the price in the lane. He has post relief tonight, and I will look for him to bounce back. Race 6 - Winners-Over 11500L5/Winners-Over 50000LT Trot *$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool* (7) BUCK DANCER saw his win streak end last Saturday, but was still a strong second after racing in mid-pack and not getting much pace to chase. I think Mark MacDonald might look to be more aggressive with him tonight. (10) JL CRUZE picked up yet another win in his brilliant career a week ago. I think you have to take a shot against him tonight from post ten, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he won again. (2) KENZIESKY HANOVER raced quite well in her 2021 debut last week, rallying from seventh to fourth in the last quarter. George Napolitano Jr. gets a chance with her as Corey Callahan isn't here. Race 7 - Big Game Series Final Pace (3) REGGIANO broke after the start and finished with broken equipment last Saturday. Despite that, he charged from tenth at the half to second at the wire, so any improvement in his luck or trip makes him dangerous, I think. (4) FOREVERNALWAYS converted a week ago off the claim for trainer Nicholas Sodano and retained Dunn in the bike tonight. (9) RUTHLESS DUDE delivered at a nice number in his first appearance out of the Izzy Estrada barn last week. He has enough early foot to get positioned well from out here. Race 8 - NW11500L5/Winners Base Class NW8000 or Less Last Start/30000CLM Trot (8) EXPLOSIVE RIDGE is two-for-two since the claim by trainer Ray Vizzi and topped optional $30,000 claimers last Saturday. He gets a chance with Dunn tonight since Callahan is not available. (7) CUE HALL drops out of the Open at Dover Downs and his other apppearances on the page here at the Meadowlands, making him a logical inclusion. (4) ALL CHAMPY has been in deep water lately, racing in the Open at Dover and against the likes of JL Cruze a week ago. I think this is a much more reasonable spot, as evidenced by his victory over NW14000L5's in mid-December. Race 9 - Big Game Series Final Pace (5) THATSWHATISAID N flashed strong early speed last Saturday, but got shuffled back after that. Todd McCarthy takes over the driving tonight, and we'll see if he can get him a smoother trip. (4) THNDRFRMTHETHRON N rallied from tenth to fourth in the final quarter last week. He draws a much better post this time and kept Dunn over my top pick. (1) TULHURSTSANTANNA A worked out a cover trip and exploded home to win a week ago. I'm not sure the pole position helps a horse with his racing style, but I definitely respect his chances. Race 10 - Winners-Over 11500L5/Winners-Over 50000LT Pace *$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool* (4) HUDSON PHIL finished out his mile in 27 and change last Saturday and gets to start from a better post tonight. I think there's room for improvement in his second start off a bit of a break, and I liked his qualifier on 1-23. (8) WESTERN JOe wound up first-over a week ago and was out-kicked in the stretch. This horse has plenty of back-class, obviously, and any smoother trip raises his profile. (2) DECISION DAY saw his run of on-the-board efforts end last week, but he still closed with interest off excess cover.  Race 11 - NW7500L5/Winners Base Class NW6000 or Less Last Start/TrackMaster Rating 86.3 or Less as of 2-2-21/20000CLM Pace (8) ROCKIN THE ACES wound up first-over back on the night of the stiff winds on 1-23, and that was not the trip you wanted. I think he merits another chance as he drops and gets reunited with Dunn. (7) ANOTHER DAILY COPY rode the rail and was third in his comeback race last Saturday and could take a step forward off that. (4) PASSA-GRILLE BEACH won in this class a week ago and gets another chance to compete in it tonight. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 12 - NW4500L5/Winners Base Class NW3500 or Less Last Start/15000CLM Pace (4) WHITTAKER N flattened out in the lane into those stiff winds on January 23, but that was a mile he can build on in this wide-open field, and he gets a rare chance to partner with Dunn. (7) EDDARD HANOVER took advantage of a chance against NW2500L5's with an easy win. He moves up tonight, but has plenty of back-class and should have picked up some confidence. (9) CHIEF ALTAWICK dropped down to this class last week and was fourth after a first-over trip. I think he should get some cover to follow from this outside draw, and he's shown the ability to hit the board at this level before. Race 13 - NW4500L5/Winners Base Class NW3500 or Less Last Start/15000CLM Pace (1) ROLLING WITH SAM has a barn change everybody is sure to notice, going to Burke. He's just two-for-30 lifetime, but this is a field filled with horses in questionable form, so I'll swing with him. (4) SEEUINNASHVILLE A was third when he slid down to this level on the 23rd of January and should be stalking the pace again. (2) JK WILL POWER went off as the favorite against NW7500L5's on 1-23 but could only manage a sixth. He gets further class relief tonight, and Andy Miller picks up the call. Race 14 - NW2500L5/Winners TrackMaster Rating 73 Last Start Pace (5) SOMEBEACH BARON will break behind the gate on occasion, like he did last Friday, but he gets out of the ten-hole tonight and gained ground in the qualifier on 1-23 against Hudson Phil, who I picked earlier. Nobody stands out in this race at all, so I'll go with him. (8) NOX VEGAS BLUECHIP finished fourth when he met up with NW2500L5's on January 16, and maybe Mark MacDonald takes a chance and sends him given the lack of early speed in here. (3) THUNDER SOME WHERE jumps up with an improved performance now and again like he had last time out. If he can duplicate it here, he could definitely win. Race 15 - Big Game Series Consolation Pace (4) DAVIDS COMING HOME paced home better last Saturday than he has lately, perhaps signaling he's ready for a good performance against this wide-open crew. (1) DEERFIELD BEACH passed several foes in the last quarter a week ago and now moves inside and picks up Dunn's services in the bike. (8) UPTOWN FUNK races for a trainer in Mike Russo that's had some recent success in these low-end claiming races, and he just missed by a nose two back.