MEET STATS: 320-89-64-43 / $492.70 (-$147.30) BEST BETS: 23-12-3-2 / $49.60 (+$3.60) SPOT PLAYS: 22-5-7-2 / $19.80 (-$24.20) BEST BET: LITE N SWEET (2nd) SPOT PLAY: WARRAWEE TOTAL (11th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 2 Pace - Pick 5 (8) YER SO BAD is certainly the King of this class right now and his reward for success is post nine. Luckily he lands in a field that seems to have ample early speed types to set up his rally. (4) MASK ON MASK OFF is one of those horses likely heading to the top and if by some chance the pace isn’t hot, he’ll prove tough. (6) SUNSHINE’S FINEST took plenty of air and faded last weekend. A smoother trip could produce much better results. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Non-winners $3,000 in last 4 - Survivor 7 (1) LITE N SWEET gets class and post relief, and it is worth noting that he had no room to stretch his legs in the stretch last Saturday. Four-year-old should prove tough in here as the odds on chalk. (4) MONTANA STORM N could be firing to the front in this spot. He’s won here in higher classes. (7) THREE IN HEAVEN A comes out of the same race as #4 at Freehold most recently and he beat him by quite a bit. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: $15,000-$22,000 Claiming Handicap (6) HUNT FOR CASH stopped last time at first glance but really didn’t race badly from a time perspective as he paced the same 1:52 2/5 mile as his previous start. He’s clearly going to the top here and seems unlikely to have to work too hard. (2) THE WILL TO PLAY was used early in the mile and had nothing left late in last Saturday’s finale. He’s sharp enough to play with this group. (1) MCCLINCHIE N drops in for a tag and has every right to awaken; using in Pick 5. (8) SEEUINNASHVILLE is capable given the right trip but I’ll probably use him underneath only. Race 4: Non-winners 1 (NW L2 2) races or $10,000 (NW L2 $12,500) life - Pick 8 I wish I could’ve seen the most recent qualifier from (9) LAST POUND but it isn’t available. Still, he came home nicely in 27 2/5 and we’ve seen this barn pop them off the bench many times before. I’ll take the price and roll the dice. (5) TENANCIOUS HANOVER sort of hung from my point of view last Saturday. That said, on paper that was probably a better group. He should be a player in here. (6) CRUSH KILL DESTROY dug in gamely to win his last qualifier and did nothing wrong in the prior morning effort. Betterthancheddar-sired colt could be the one to beat. Race 5: Non-winners $14,000 (4YO $15,501) in last 4 or 8 races life/TM 85 or less (8) OH LOOK MAGIC brushed and took care of business last weekend and seems like the clear horse to beat again. (6) OUTSIDE THE FIRE should be leaving hard off the gate and that should result in no worse than a pocket trip. (7) DELAYED HANOVER has the class to play with these if ready to fire in start three of the year. He’s probably worth using in the Pick 5. Race 6: $25,000-$40,000 Claiming Handicap - $50K GTD Pick 4 (1) ALTA BLUES A moves to the inside of the gate and finds a field without much early zip. Dunn should be pushing away hard and figures to be sitting in prime position. (3) SHOOBEE DOO A has missed a few weeks but that could’ve been because he couldn’t find a spot to race. The form and class are both there. (2) NEEDHAM HANOVER hasn’t missed the board in nine starts this year. Race 7: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,500) in last 5 (1) MR MATT MAJOR N took care of business nicely last week versus an easier group. I think he’s fast enough to handle the jump up against a mostly duller field; we’ll see. (7) TRENTE DEO drops tonight and adds Gingras to the team. I would be interesting to see different tactics here. (6) BATTLEFIELD dropped to this level last week and raced well for second. Race 8: Non-winners $12,500 in last 4 or 7 races life/TM 86.5 or less - Pick 6 (5) MISS CHANTILLY N has been a model of consistency and tends to make her own luck with good early speed. (9) ZANATTA has plenty of class but likely needed her first start of 2024. She has the early speed to overcome the post tonight. (4) IN THE SPOTLIGHT N qualified well for a Cullipher barn that has done well with returning horses at the meet. Race 9: Play Meadowlands Non-winners $7,601 in last 4 Final (7) JACK’S SHADOW was super last week to make this final as the veteran flaunted his class. A repeat effort seems very possible, though I wouldn’t accept a price under 8-5 or so. (2) LOORRIM LAKE A and (6) CAVEMAN A were both victims of a very slow pace last week and had no chance to win. Notice that both also raced very well the prior week; good price options. (8) STONEBRIDGE REEF has turned the corner with two nice efforts in this mini-series; trip will be key with plenty of early speed to his inside. Race 10: Winners 5-8 (NW L2 or 4YO 9) races life/NW 5 draw inside - $50K GTD Pick 4 (6) COMBUSTION was handled patiently and did everything he could but a 26-second final quarter couldn’t quite get the job done last time. There is no guarantee he’ll be kept closer to the action this time but if he is, a win is very possible. (4) HUNTINTHELASTDOLAR was driven out with purpose to prepare for his 4-year-old debut and the fact that Gingras sticks here over two Burke horses (one that won in 1:49 2/5 last time) is a clear indication of this guy’s worth. (7) ERVIN HANOVER has plenty of ability, but one has to wonder whether he’ll need to get lucky on trip considering he draws outside of other contenders and hasn’t shown early speed yet this year. Race 11: Non-winners $7,500 (NW 2L4 $8,620) in last 4 (5) WARRAWEE TOTAL tends to get very aggressive when in the right spot and this looks like a week to fly off the gate and secure a pocket trip behind likely fellow leaver (7) PRIMARY COLORS. The former technically won in this class two starts back but was dq’d. The latter just missed in his Engblom barn debut after missing a few weeks and now tries again off an even longer layoff; ready to fire? (1) ADAM CROCKER A is capable of a big mile at times. Race 12: Non-winners $14,000 (NW L2 $15,400) in last 4 or in 2024/TM 90.3 or less (2) ITALIAN LAD N missed a year of action and now has two nice foundation miles under his belt. The stretch out to the big track seems to be coming at the perfect time and the price should be better with Gingras opting off. (8) BIG SKEWY N and (5) ROCKIN ON VENUS are two early speed players dropping out of a tougher race. Either is capable if the trip is smooth. (7) AMERICAN DEALER N has plenty of class and past success here. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Non-winners $2,000 (NW L6 $2,551) in last 4 (2) HEZA REAL DIAMOND tends to perk up in a big way when he visits these basement classes. (3) MINDTRIP raced well two starts back in this class and was stuck taking too much air last time. (8) LYONS PEGASUS has the early speed to fire to the front and hang on for an exotic slot. Race 14: Trackmaster 77 (NW L2/2L4/NWL6 77.5/78.57/79.44) or less (2) CAHOOTS went an impossible trip at Freehold last time with Lasix added and paid the price. He also went a tough trip last time here a few starts back in this class. Sooner or later things are going to go his way. (4) FERRAGAMO HANOVER is certainly sharp and Miller put a perfect trip on him last weekend to win. (6) SHIPSAWAY lured David Miller off my top pick and two others. Perhaps this guy will perk up on the trainer change.