2024 STATS: 17 - 56 / $122.80 (+$10.80) BEST BETS: 2 - 4 / $7.00 (-$1.00) SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 4 / $5.00 (-$3.00) BEST BET - MCCRUNCH (9th) SPOT PLAY - TAILGATE BUZZ (14th) Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace (3) SUNSHINE'S FINEST exits the tougher MADC 2 class tonight and gained a number of positions in the final quarter of his race last Saturday. The last time he was in a MADC 1 event back in early March he won by four lengths. (9) WAY TO CLOSE went right down the road to win a MADC 1 tilt a week ago and if anything could be sharper here as he did have a gap in his lines coming into that test. (4) MARTY MONKHOUSER A tired after an impossible trip last week but won impressively on April 5 and gets significant post relief. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2 - NW5000L4 Pace (6) BOBCAT BAY hasn't fired his best in his last two tries, but this is the right class for him (he was favored in it two back) and I think he'll offer some value. (2) WHOLE LOTTA LOU drops out of the NW7500L4 level and gets major post relief to go with it. (5) BRUTALLYHANDSOME A also slides down the ladder and moves inside on the gate from the ten-hole. This horse was facing the likes of American Dealer N and Binge On Yankee recently, so he's been keeping much tougher company. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3 - New Jersey Breeders Maturity Final 4YO H&G Pace (3) VOUKEFALAS held on to dead-heat for the win in the elim of this event. I anticipate a stronger effort this time around as he makes his second pari-mutuel appearance of 2024. (4) HANDLELIKEAPORSCHE was the other dead-heat victor a week ago. I respect his connections, but he's rarely been able to beat VOUKEFALAS when the big money has been on the line through their respective careers. (2) CAPTAIN BATBOY was third in the elim after cutting the fractions, and the best I can see happening is a duplication of that result. Race 4 - TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 4-23-24 Pace (1) MISTER SPOT A came to life on 4-18 at Harrah's Philadelphia as he departed Yonkers and got to partner with Todd McCarthy. McCarthy is back in the bike here from the rail and he doesn't meet up with anybody overly imposing. (5) TWIN B RISENSHINE won first time out for trainer Izzy Estrada down at Freehold last Saturday. I expect he'll fire again but I do believe this is a much tougher test. (3) BIG BAD BILL exits the amateur ranks and picks up a catch driver. He hasn't won yet in 2024 but did pace a good final quarter in his last outing. Race 5 - MADC 2 Pace (1) HEZA REAL DIAMOND packs plenty of early foot and I expect he'll work out an up-close trip from the pole position. (4) RANDOM HANOVER overcame post ten to finish a solid second a week ago and moves way inside on the gate tonight. (8) WARRAWEE YANKEE moves up from the MADC 1 class but has been racing well and was nearly able to chase down Way To Close to get the victory last Saturday. Race 6 - 4YO Open Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool** (6) MAC'S DELIGHT is at a deficit to the others in here as he hasn't made a pari-mutuel start yet in 2024, but he qualified back very well, including coming up just a neck behind last year's North America Cup and Little Brown Jug champion last Saturday. (5) BINGE ON YANKEE saw his win streak end a week ago but he raced well, especially since he wound up first-over rather that on the lead in slow fractions or in the pocket like in his victories. I'll include. (1) HUNTINTHELASTDOLAR finished a length behind BINGE ON YANKEE when they faced off on 4-13. This horse is making his second start back after a layoff and could easily be much better tonight. Race 7 - NW7500L4/TrackMaster Rating 87.29 or Less as of 4-23-24 Pace (1) WARRAWEE TOTAL enters with off-the-pace tries in his last three outings. I suspect he'll be ready to return to more aggressive tactics here, especially with the inside post. (3) MAYHEM HANOVER drops out of tougher classes both here and over at Harrah's Philadelphia and won in a similar spot to this at Pocono on 3-23. (4) PRIMARY COLORS hasn't won yet in 2024 but raced well last week in getting second while chasing the classy Stonebridge Reef. Race 8 - TrackMaster Rating 89.5 or Less as of 4-23-24/NW12850L4 or in 2023-24 Pace (3) ONE EIGHT HUNDRED comes in off a lengthy layoff, having been idle since November of 2022. I loved both of his qualifiers, though, and trainer Nancy Takter's horses usually fire off the shelf. (7) LYONS STEEL drops out of the top winners-over class at the Meadowlands and will likely be forwardly-placed again. (2) CAPTAIN CRUSADER A closed with a strong kick last Saturday and gets major post relief. Race 9 - 3YO C&G NW2 Ext. PM Races or 20000LT / Maidens Draw Inside Pace (7) MCCRUNCH miscued on the first turn over at Harrah's Philadelphia most recently, but both of his wins and qualifiers at the Meadowlands were very strong, and the connections opted to go with Yannick Gingras at the helm tonight. (5) ITS SATURDAY NIGHT had a solid 2YO campaign that included a runner-up finish in the Governor's Cup. He looked good in his two qualifiers and has picked up Dexter Dunn's services. (9) PRINCIPLE INTEREST scored in his qualifier last Saturday morning but starts from an outside post. You have to respect anything out of Brett Pelling's barn, but I think off-the-pace tactics may be coming. Race 10 - Winners Over 14000L4 or Winners Over 50000LT Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool** (1) SOUTHWIND GENDRY gapped cover last week but had plenty of pace in the lane. I think he'll be on or near the lead tonight as he makes his second start of the year. (5) MAXIMUS MIKI won impressively from first-over last Saturday and hasn't been outside the trifecta in his seven tries in 2024. (3) AMERICAN DEALER N was the runner-up to MAXMIUS MIKI a week ago and gets post relief off that mile. Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 4-23-24 Pace (9) THE OPENER drew the far outside, but the drop from the TrackMaster 77 to the TrackMaster 74 level is usually a fairly substanial one and his mile two back was pretty solid. (6) CAMLACHIE CHROME comes out of the amateur races, catches a wide-open group and won at the Meadowlands earlier this year. (5) CLAYTONS BETTOR N was third-placed-second in a TrackMaster 74 test last Friday. He takes a second shot at the class here and has a catch driver again. Race 12 - 15000-22000CLM HCP Pace (5) SHOOBEE DOO A returned to his winning ways last Saturday and meets up with many of the same foes he just beat in that race here. (8) NEEDHAM HANOVER closed well again a week ago to finish a rallying second behind SHOOBEE DOO A. He often struggles on the far turn, but if he can keep close enough, he normally charges in the lane. (1) CONCUR had a poor trip last week and had to settle for seventh. He has post relief here and gets reunited with Todd McCarthy. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13 - 3YO Fillies NW2 Ext. PM Races or 20000LT / Maidens Draw Inside Pace (9) YOUCANCALLME DAISY put in several good efforts against NW2 rivals over at Yonkers and gets to stretch her legs out on the mile track tonight. I will hope she gets fired out of there like she did on 3-20. (4) COCCO PUFF POWER hasn't made a pari-mutuel start in her career but qualified strongly, especially last Saturday when she beat a stablemate who won several stakes races last year. (3) BELLUCCI is also unraced but looked good in the morning and fetched $200,000 at the Lexington Sale as a yearling. Race 14 - NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80 or Less as of 4-23-24 Trot (2) TAILGATE BUZZ drops out of the NW7500L4 class and won't have to chase the likes of JL Cruze this time. His 27 and change final quarters in his last two outings against those tougher foes signals he may have some sneaky form. (5) PAPA DOC broke twice over at Yonkers but was sharp at the Meadowlands prior to that and was racing at this level. (7) DRIBBLING BI continues to work his way down the ladder tonight and is capable of threatening.