Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 3/2
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MEET STATS: 168-45-30-22 / $264.30 (-$71.70)
BEST BETS: 12-4-3-1 / $17.20 (-$6.80)
SPOT PLAYS: 12-3-4-1 / $11.20 (-$12.80)
BEST BET: MARINER SEELSTER (1st)
SPOT PLAY: DUDDIE’S LOR (4th)
Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5
(10) MARINER SEELSTER couldn’t be any sharper as he has dominated while flaunting his class despite being 15 years old. The outside post is of no concern since he has plenty of early speed. (5) WHAMMER JAMMER raced well two starts back then got hung last time. Perfect post this week gives Slendorn options. (9) CAMLACHIE CHROME will need plenty of pace help but if the top one faces major resistance early this one will be taking dead aim late.
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Race 2: $11,000-$15,000 Claiming Handicap - Survivor 7
(7) POSH ON THE BEACH A drops back in for a claiming tag tonight while facing a field that seems to lack early speed. Stratton figures to be firing out and might not have any company on the engine. (8) NEEDHAM HANOVER is hard to ignore riding a three-race winning streak. That said, he will likely have to pass them all at very short odds. (1) CONCUR has been trying to close lately into slow fractions. The inside draw and shorter field play to his advantage; Miller drives!
Race 3: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,251) in last 4/TM 83 (NW L2/2L4/2L9 83.5/84.33/85.33) or less
(7) GLOBAL BELIEVER S looked like he wanted to go most of the mile as McCarthy kept him along the cones. When set free he still seemed to have go but trotted off his feet. He’s the best in here if he behaves and an equipment adjustment would make me feel even better about his chances. (5) SIDD FINCH drops back down to the level of his last win. (4) DRIBBLING BI is certainly capable of wiring this field on his best effort despite the jump in class.
Race 4: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,500) in last 4 - Pick 8
(5) DUDDIE’S LOR was parked every step last time from an outside post, so that race is a throw-out. Quite frankly, I think he needed that start anyway. Earlier in 2023 he raced twice in this class and won both times; value play. (2) MISTER DONALD A has finished second in both recent races in this condition. (9) TORRID SAINT A gets a new driver and a class drop; could be firing out.
Race 5: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 2 Pace
(2) BICORNE HANOVER drops in claiming price to compete in the amateur series and certainly has been keeping better company in recent weeks. If he is going to perk up this would look to be the right spot. (3) PASSA-GRILLE BEACH rolled to an easy score versus softer last time and as a nine-time winner last year, maybe he’s about to go on a form spree. (5) BIG BAD BILL gets Lee over the top pick. He is racing better than it seems on paper but he’ll need a good trip to succeed.
Race 6: Non-winners $10K-14K (NW 2L8 $16K) in last 4/TM 85 (NW L2/2L4 85.5/86) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4
(4) BETTERINPINEHURST rolled down the road in his last try at this level and the return qualifier was sharp as well. The seven-week layoff could mean we get some value. (7) NEXTROUNDSONME seems likely to gun to the front and he’s had good success at the NW10000 level. (5) KING ALPHONSO is right there every week; trip threat.
Race 7: Trackmaster 80.01 Final
(8) BETTER THAN SOME took the week off from post 10. We should see big early speed this week in this mini-series final. (6) WARRAWEE TOTAL rolled to a lifetime best win last time and anything close to that performance would make him tough here. (5) BOILER MAKER has yet to fire since the barn change. I still think there is a wake-up call coming. (10) TRENTE DEO has won two straight and three of four but is stuck in the worst post.
Race 8: Winners 2-4 (NW L2 5) races life/Opt. $50,000 Claiming - Pick 6
(2) TACK ROOM CHATTER is a bit of a speculative play since we don’t know how fast he can go on the big track, but the form seems good. Dunn chose elsewhere and we get a nice replacement with Zeron back in town. (6) GRETZKY THE GREAT showed he can handle some air in that last victory. Any decent trip would make him a serious contender. (5) SHEER TERROR has returned to the races in fine form and is hard to toss off your tickets.
Race 9: Non-winners $10,000 (NW 2L4 $12,061) in last 4/TM 86.5 or less
(4) PRIMARY COLORS gets a barn change here and also switches to the big track. Those changes could very well be what this speedy guy needs to perk up. (2) EARLY ACTION looked short in his return from a long stay on the sidelines. He faces much easier here and should be tighter. (6) IDEAL FEELING is capable of firing out and pulling off an upset if one of the top two don’t bring their absolute best.
Race 10: Non-winners $20,000 in last 4/TM 91.55 or less - $50K GTD Pick 4
This is a very competitive event where any of these could win given the right trip, so demand some value. (3) DEWEY ARNOLD went a decent mile at Pocono after a winter freshening. Six-year-old got his picture taken the last time he raced over this surface and could offer some value with Bartlett choosing #7. (6) STABLE GENIUS was sharp out of the pocket with Lasix added last time. Could he be ready to come into his own? (4) SWAN FLYER has been on quite a roll at Yonkers and now tries his luck versus tougher.
Race 11: Play Meadowlands Non-winners $2,000 (NW L2 $2,251) in last 4 Series Leg 2
(8) INCREDIBLE BADGER gets considerable class relief here after a steady effort despite taking a ton of air and winding up fourth over. You have to expect he’ll bring a big mile tonight. (4) VEL LETSROLL SOUTH aborted a leave attempt last time on the drop to this level versus a better overall field than he sees tonight; big early speed here? (5) AIR GUITAR rallied well last week in this condition.
Race 12: Non-winners $14,000 in last 4 or TM 89.5 or less/TM 91.4 or less draw outside
(1) AMERICAN DEALER N picked up his game as expected in his second start off the bench and now he should be primed for a peak effort. (5) DRAGONONTHEBEACH beat up on lesser last time but appears to have the ability to climb the ladder. (7) STELLAR YANKEE moves in a few slots on the gate and seems unlikely to get parked again. (9) OAKWOOD PADDY IR beat a bunch of these last Saturday; outside post hurts.
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Race 13: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,250) in last 4/TM 83 (NW L2/2L4/2L9 83.5/84.33/85.33) or less
(5) ROCKIN ON VENUS went a big mile off the bench from an outside post for a barn that has been firing on all cylinders this meet. Any small improvement would make him very tough to beat. (1) KOLBY TWO STEP is an uncoupled stablemate of the top pick. He returns from a break as well and qualified well enough to think he can make some noise. (2) NINETEENTH MAN A won his last start here in a higher condition.
Race 14: Play Meadowlands Non-winners $2,000 (NW L2 $2,251) in last 4 Series Leg 2
(3) C-BET HANOVER finished third three classes higher when last here and was an even seventh four classes up five starts back. There are a number of horses that could awaken in this spot and he is definitely one of them. (9) GOOD ROCKIN is getting a huge amount of class relief dropping out of claiming races. His best beats these for sure and his B game puts him in the competition. (6) GLOBAL CRUSH raced well in leg one and lures Miller off an Estrada horse.

