CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 194-58-33-25 / $320.10 (-$67.90) BEST BETS: 14-5-3-1 / $27.00 (-$1.00) SPOT PLAYS: 13-3-1-4 / $18.00 (-$8.00) BEST BET: FALLOUT (5th) SPOT PLAY: WORKLIFEBALANCE (6th) Race 1: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2 76.5) or less - Pick 5 (2) SAULSBROOK RAPTOR moves to the inside of the gate and picks up Bartlett in the bike. He’s one of the few that have been a consistent performer in this class and I give him the slight edge. (4) LOCKDOWN LOUIE N has the early speed to make the front and if he isn’t pushed to hard the results could be good. (6) JOJO’S PLACE moves into a new barn and picks up the leading driver at the track. On those angles alone he’s worth a look. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Trackmaster 77.5 (NW L2/2L4 79.5/79.96) or less (2) VICTORY JOE woke up with a pretty nice mile at Vernon last time and he doesn’t exactly land in the toughest field in the world here. With any similar performance he can win. (1) SAN JOSE has some early speed and plenty of form; one of many players in this short field. (5) LYONS PEGASUS never got into the race last time after chasing some pedestrian fractions. He drops tonight and adds Bartlett; very playable. (3) MIDNIGHT NATION closed well in a fast mile last time and the start before saw him on the rim a couple of times. Five-year-old would’ve been my top pick if trainer Vallee elected for a catch driver. Race 3: NJSDF Final for 3YO C&G Pacers - Survivor 7 (1) SMOOTH DREAM has taken care of business on all fronts in these New Jersey-sired races and there are no signs of that coming to an end. (4) TWIN FURY has really picked up his game in recent weeks. He should be firing out here and in prime position to complete a $6 exacta. (6) ODDS ON BROWARD will wait and pounce. The question is whether he’ll be close enough and whether the pace will be fast enough for his rally to be effective. Race 4: Trackmaster 83.5 (NW 2L4 85.5) or less/NW $1,200 p.s. in 2024-25 (4) NINETEENTH MAN A had to scratch out of a series final last time which clearly wasn’t the plan, but this guy has been so sharp since the claim and tonight he even reunites with Dunn. (1) DIVINE RIGHT has hit the board in consecutive starts in this class. Six-year-old has some class and certainly has a chance here with a decent trip. (7) JK BLACK GOLD won by four lengths in his last start here. (9) CAPTAIN MARVEL is a horse to consider on the driver change angle to Zeron alone. Race 5: Winners 2-4 (NW L2 3) races or $61,000 life (7) FALLOUT is a horse that I may consider fading in a spot like this under normal circumstances but he hasn’t raced in a couple of weeks and won’t race for two more after this start. Standout 3-year-old could use a confidence building win and I expect he’ll crush this field. (6) LOU GRANT comes to town with a three race winning streak and the ability to leave for position right behind the top pick. (1) LAUGH STOP comes off the best mile of his career. If he can sit and get clear the chances of hitting the exotics is very high. Race 6: NJSDF Final for 3YO Filly Pacers - $50K GTD Pick 4 (2) WORKLIFEBALANCE should be able to push away in this spot and secure the pocket behind (3) SHESGOTTHEJACK. Assuming that trip develops she’s very capable of sprinting past her late. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t even be shocked if she raced on the lead here. The latter has found herself in this lower rung of the NJ-bred races and she deserves plenty of respect now. (6) TH SUMMER LOVIN has a big late burst in her arsenal but she’ll need some luck here and I’m not sure the pace or outer flow will work to her favor tonight. Race 7: Graduate Trot leg 3 This exact field will likely come back to race for $250,000 or so in the final in two weeks, so keep that in the back of your head when wagering. Let’s try (5) AMAZING CATCH, who might lose some support after two less than eye-catching miles to start the year. Notice that he dropped time last week and he’s a clear candidate to gun off the gate in a race where I think many could be going to conservative route. (1) SIR PINOCCHIO has inside speed, plenty of form and class. He got away with soft fractions last time and may get that favorable setup again. (3) DATE NIGHT HANOVER was coming hard in the stretch last week and there is no doubt in my mind that he’s as fast as any in this field. I’d still want at least 8-1 to back her here. (4) PRIVATE ACCESS is perfect in two starts and if you think he’s going to fire off the gate you have to like his chances. I just don’t think he’s worth betting as the likely favorite. Race 8: Open Trot/NW $15,000 in last 5 or 7 races life draw inside - Pick 6 Unlike some of these, (8) ARI FERRARI J doesn’t have the Crawford Farms Trot next week to point towards. He’s a sharp horse that should be pointing to the front early and figures to offer a reasonable price. (4) LEXUS KODY has been super over his last three starts. My only concern here is that maybe he’ll be too fresh after missing a few weeks of action. (5) GET A WISH DK hasn’t been given a chance in his two starts thus far and you know the price won’t be great with Dunn taking the lines. I’m going to wait until next week unless he goes off over 4-1. Race 9: Graduate Pace leg 3 When it comes to betting you have to zig when others zag. That’s my thought process on (7) SABONIS. He has burned tons of money in his first two starts as people watched sparkling qualifiers and expected it to show in the races.  It didn’t as he hasn’t been able to fire from behind. Tonight I expect big early speed at much better odds to change things up as his connections look to get into the final. (5) NIJINSKY has speed and form, and he rarely tosses in a bad effort. This guy always gives his all. (3) CALICOJACK HANOVER looks to have returned at 4 better than he was last year. He’s sharp and will provide value. (10) CAPTAIN ALBANO is perhaps the best horse in the race but he has little incentive to go all out from post 10 ahead of the final. (11) CHAIN GANG was coming hard late in the mile last week. If you want to roll the dice with a bomb that could get lucky, this is your guy. Race 10: Open Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4 (2) MAXIMUS MIKI was typically a better horse from just off the pace but last time he gunned down the road in a monster performance. Perhaps that shows a horse who is still getting better at age 6. I’ll stick with him. (4) RUTHLESS HANOVER is the other end of the spectrum in that he hasn’t been very good in his two starts this year. Has he reached the end of the road at age 8 or is he simply taking a bit longer to find his form. I’m not sure yet. (6) IT’S MY SHOW has looked good in his qualifiers and the short field will allow Zeron to race from behind and make a late bid. Race 11: Trackmaster 80.5 (NW L2 82.5) or less (5) ARDEN MESSI N has been showing subtle signs of better form here as he’s dropped time in each of his last three starts. Some of his best races this year have come at this TM80 level. (1) GAZOO had an unsuccessful run at Oak Grove and now returns to his preferred track. Qualifier was just ok but should have him prepared for action. (4) SAULSBROOK HERO hasn’t been worse than second in his last three starts in this class; obvious threat. Race 12: Non-winners $12,500 (NW L2 $14,000) in last 5/TM 88 (NW L2 90) or less/NW $2,000 p.s. in 2024-25 (7) SOUTH BEACH STAR sat a good trip and was bested by a classy foe last week. The road to the top should be relatively easy in this short field and I expect him to cut the mile. (6) TICKERTAPE HANOVER seems to be back on the right track after a nice qualifying win at Gaitway were he was in-hand late in the mile. The price could be right to take a flyer on him. (5) CAPTAIN CRUSADER A steps up in company off a nice score. As a horse who can pop a 1:49 mile at any time, he definitely fits here even if more comfortable down a level. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Trackmaster 77.5 (NW L2/2L4 79.5/79.96) or less (1) MIDNIGHT THUNDER stays in the same class in theory but is clearly tackling a softer group. Beckwith joining the team is also a big plus. (4) LOU ON THE BEACH was handled very aggressively and tired in the lane last time. He lands in another decent barn and goes from the amateur series to having Scott Zeron at the lines. (5) FERRAGAMO HANOVER could get lost in the shuffle a bit with others focusing on the driver changes for the two above. Five-year-old is definitely capable in this class. Race 14: Trackmaster 71 (NW L2 73) or less (7) GEMINI EXPRESS was fourth in this class from post 10 the last time he was here. Bartlett joins the equation tonight and you know he’ll put this guy in play. His best is definitely good enough. (8) SPIRIT OF TRUTH is clearly the sharpest horse in the field and he’s proven lately that he can take some air and still get a big piece. (4) COLE ON THE BEACH picked up some confidence versus cheaper and Beckwith seems to get along nicely with this guy.