Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 4/30

MEET STATS: 362-87-62-56 / $531.00 (-$193.00)

BEST BETS: 27-15-4-2 / $52.40 (-1.60)

SPOT PLAYS: 27-7-8-2 / $54.20 (+$.20)

BEST BET: J M MANDAMIN (9th)

SPOT PLAY: MARSALA HANOVER (6th)

Race 1: Non-winners $14,000 (NW 2L5 $15,400) in last 5/TM 89 or less - Pick 5

(1) TOOKADIVEOFFDIPPER was stung a bit too much in the opening quarter and that likely cost him the race as he couldn't fend off a fresh foe late. An inside post this week should mean a less taxing early portion of the race. (4) JACK'S SHADOW N had to need that race last week after more than six months on the sidelines. He can go with these if ready. (2) HAIL CHRISTIAN N beat the top pick last time and could certainly do it again with another good trip.

[DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card]

Race 2: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L3 $8,250) in last 5/TM 83 or less

(5) ELVER HANOVER had no shot from the outside on Monday, faced much better foes before that at Pocono and broke in his try three back. I can find enough excuses to take a shot with him stretching out on the big track. (6) BETTER TAKE IT has been steady versus some good competition lately and should enjoy this group, though Miller chose #2. (1) PALOMAR drops out of the same race as #6 and finished just a neck behind him.

[DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!]

Race 3: $20,000-$25,000 Claiming Handicap - Survivor 7

(7) COOL BLUES MAN drops back down to the claiming level where he has won his last two starts. All he needs is a decent trip to have a big shot again. (8) RAPTORS FLIGHT N won in this class last weekend and certainly remains a serious threat. (6) WINDSONG JACK has the early speed to make the front and should be in the exotics somewhere.

Race 4: Non-winners $10,000 (NW L3 $11,650) in last 5/TM 87 (NW L3/5 87.5/88) or less

This might be a short field but it is a tricky race as many of these horses come in with questions and it isn't very clear which ones will look to take charge early. I'll lean to the sharp shipper (2) LETS ROLL, who has been timed in 1:50 and change twice over the last month at Pompano. Those are certainly 1:49 miles here and notice he has a mark of 1:48 over the track. (5) GAMBLIN MO gets a condition change and that could be what the doctor ordered. (3) TYGA HANOVER switches venues and notice his career mark came on a bigger track at Mohawk. (4) DECISION DAY drops a notch but would be better served getting a smaller check and taking a bigger drop next week; your call.

Race 5: Non-winners $5,000 in last 5/TM 79.5 (NW L3/2L7 80.02 /80.71) or less

Here's another field where none of these jump off the page for me. (6) STELLENBOSCH isn't one of my favorites but she should certainly be ready to fire a big shot in her third start back from nine months on the sidelines. She also gets a class drop but so do many of these, including (1) LAURIE LEE, who finished well ahead of the top pick a week ago but gets a slightly less favorable post shift. (3) WESTERN SHOWGIRL finds a field without a ton of early speed on paper and she could definitely fire out and get involved.

Race 6: Non-winners $14,000 (NW L3 $15,400) in last 4/TM 87 (NW L3 87.5) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4

(7) MARSALA HANOVER may have left some disappointed last time when she couldn't last on the lead, but considering she hadn't started since December and prepped on a smaller track, the effort was quite good. Any small step forward would be enough to win here. (1) SCARLET HANOVER looked in over her head at Yonkers in the Matchmaker and now gets a chance to prove herself in 2022 versus more of her peers. (6) BETTORS HEART N steps up in company but is more than capable of sweeping by them if given some early pace to track.

Race 7: $35,000-$55,000 Claiming Handicap

(8) MOTIVE HANOVER is never going to get a good post entered for this claiming tag at this level, so sooner or later they are going to have to put him in play and this seems like the perfect spot. While there are a couple of potential early speed horses to the inside of him, there are no killers in the field. (6) HOT DEUCE blasted away from the gate and just missed in this class last time. (1) COLOSSAL STRIDE A burned a bunch of money when he broke last week. I'm off the bandwagon so maybe that means he'll finally win?

Race 8: Non-winners $10,500 in last 5/TM 84.5 (NW L3 85.35) or less - Pick 6

(5) FOX VALLEY EXPLOIT won in this class last time and looking back was a huge overlay considering her past performance in the class. She has the early speed to make the front and every chance to repeat in a race that is perhaps soft for the condition. (8) CYCLONE SISTER finished a few lengths behind the top pick last week but wasn't bad at all. Tetrick joins the team now and perhaps we see more. (6) UPTOWN LADY N is certainly capable in this class and only needs a smooth trip to have a shot.

Race 9: Non-winners $20,000 in last 5 or 1 race in 2022/TM 92 or less

(7) J M MANDAMIN gets gifted a spot in this race as he was written in on the "NW 1 race in 2022" condition. Last week's race versus much better should have him tight and I'd expect a wire-to-wire attempt. (3) IGNATIUS A has looked like the real deal and gets tested for class here; playable. (8) DRAGON SAID exits stakes competition and is certainly capable of stepping up.

Race 10: Open Pace Handicap - $50K GTD Pick 4

(2) BACKSTREET SHADOW seemed short to me in the qualifier and clearly didn’t race great two weeks ago, so the addition of Lasix here is no surprise. This millionaire is very capable of stepping up in a hurry and the price will certainly be right. (6) LET IT RIDE N is certainly the one to beat but hardly a lock in a field like this one. Don't take a short price. (3) VETTEL N has speed, form and rarely puts in a bad race.

Race 11: Winners 5-7 races (NW L2 8) lifetime

(5) GALLANT STAR was aired out on the lead last time by a very aggressive driver and now switches to a much more patient man in the bike. Four-year-old looks ready to win in his third start of the year. (3) CAVIART LOTUS rallied nicely from the back in his first start with Lasix added and doesn't need to improve much to best this group. (6) UCANTTOUCHTHIS is back on the big track where he tends to make the front and turn in good performances; using underneath. (1) I'LL DRINK TO THAT faces a good group here but has speed and form on his side.

Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Race 12: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L3 $5,575) in last 5

Could this finally be the week where (5) CALIBER breaks out? He drops to a new low condition and really hasn't been that bad against better, closing reasonably well with no shot. I'd love to see them send him off the gate and see what is in the tank. (7) HEZA REAL DIAMOND is very comfortable in this class and finished second last time. (2) PRO BEACH is another getting a class drop and he was just a neck behind the top pick most recently.

Race 13: Non-winners $3,000 (NW 3 races 2021/21 $4,050) in last 5/TM 76.5 (NW L2 77) or less

Hopefully the Hernandez/Boyd team has a good night because we are on board again with (4) ELEGANT BLUE. This gal gets a smidge of class relief here and is in better form than it seems with a quick look on paper. Hopefully she too is sent to the top. (5) BRUSH N CRUSH exits the same race as the top pick and was just ahead of that foe at the wire. She's a great fit in here. (2) NIMAH FRANCO N had no shot recently from outside posts; moves inside but needs best. (1) SOMTHNGABOUTMARY N wasn't bad in her first start for the new barn; more now?