Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 6/25

2022 STATS: 4 - 26 / $23.60 (-$28.40)
BEST BETS: 1 - 2 / $3.40 (-$0.60)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 2 / $0.00 (-$4.20)
BEST BET - CARBINE (9th)
SPOT PLAY - GRACELYN HANOVER (5th)

Race 1 - Inside Harness Series Final/Top Money Winners from NW10500 Condition Series Pace

(7) WHOLE LOTTA LOU couldn't hold on last Saturday but went a pretty quick clip in the middle-half before getting caught. I think that'll help his price tonight, plus the outside post. (4) CAVIART LUCA is the one that was able to chase down my top pick, and the 11-year-old is in sharp form with that victory adding to a second and a third prior to that. (1) I'M A BIG DEAL backed up his tally over NW7500L5's on June 11 with another score a week ago. He'll be involved from the pole position.

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

Race 2 - Graduate Series 4YO Mares Trot

(2) HERCULISA beat Atlanta in impressive fashion in the Miss Versatility Series at the Meadowlands on May 6, and I have to think she needed that start last Saturday night in the Armbro Flight as she wound up with a gap of just over a month in her schedule heading into that contest. (5) BELLA BELLINI ran into traffic trouble in the Armbro Flight and had to settle for third. She's a well-known commodity and is the one to beat. (3) CINDY MICHELLE finished a solid second in a fast mile won by Rattle My Cage on June 11, and I'll use underneath.

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

Race 3 - TrackMaster Series Leg 2/TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 6-21-22/Leg 1 Starters Pace

(4) HENRICO debuts for Jenn Bongiorno here and catches a field of question marks. Sometimes horses need a start out of this barn before they hit top gear, but I'll bank on him being ready. (2) BILBO HANOVER had no shot last Saturday when he started from an outside post and took back to near the tail of the field. He drew inside tonight, so I am anticipating he'll be put in play. (5) SUNSHINE'S FINEST went off as the favorite in this event a week ago despite his poor win record this year and couldn't deliver. I will use in the hopes of a cleaner trip, but not on top.

Race 4 - Graduate Series 4YO Open Trot

(6) CUATRO DE JULIO is getting along very well since Andy McCarthy took over driving him in the Cutler Memorial. He's back at the Meadowlands tonight off a track-record victory out at Oak Grove in Kentucky, and he'll be my selection. (4) RATTLE MY CAGE comes in off back-to-back blowout victories and finished a game second despite being two-wide throughout in a leg of the Graduate on May 7. (2) MYCROWNMYKINGDOM broke stride last time out at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but he won at the Meadowlands last year and trainer Luc Blais always seems to get something extra out of his horses here.

Race 5 - NW4 Ext. PM Races LT/NW6 Ext. PM Races LT May Enter and Draw Outside Trot

(3) GRACELYN HANOVER moves up from the NW2 class but won in a lifetime-best mile last time out, and I think she might have a chance to steal this race on the lead. (2) LETSDOIT S was a solid enough fourth against older horses last time out and gets reunited with Brian Sears tonight. (8) KING OF THE NORTH won the Dan Patch Award for best 2YO male trotter last year, but I thought he tailed off as the season went along. He qualified back fine and I'd expect him to be closing in the stretch.

Race 6 - Graduate Series 4YO Mares Pace

(3) MIKALA has been about as sharp as a horse can be so far at age 4, including a 1:49 1/5 win in the Graduate on May 14. She hasn't made a pari-mutuel start since then, but I anticipate she'll be ready and try her. (1) TEST OF FAITH needs no introduction and won both her elim and the final of the Roses Are Red in impressive fashion. (7) FIRE START HANOVER makes her fourth start of the year tonight and has gotten better with each appearance thus far. She had a good kick on the end of her mile to finish second to Test Of Faith in the Roses Are Red.

Race 7 - Graduate Series 4YO Open Trot **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

(2) AHUNDREDDOLLARBILL put it all together on June 17 with a lifetime-best victory, and I think he'll keep it going tonight. (4) SONOFAMISTERY couldn't hold off my top pick in that race on the 17th but was a strong second and won in the Graduate Series on May 7. (6) DEE'S RED DELICOUS was third in that same event and appeared to lack racing room in the stretch.

Race 8 - 3YO C&G NW4 Ext. PM Races LT Pace

(2) LOUKES PERRY ended up as the Burke horse that Gingras drives in this race. He's always hinted at some ability, and he was a good-looking second to a stakes-caliber foe last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia. (3) CAPTAINRYANMICHAEL has also won at the Meadowlands in the past and ships in off a blowout victory in the NW4 class at Pocono. (4) CODE CRACKER is the current king of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series, having won three straight in that program. He's the one I prefer out of the two Ron Burke pupils.

Race 9 - Graduate Series 4YO Open Pace

(1) CARBINE turned in one of the most impressive performances of 2022 last time out at Woodbine Mohawk Park, holding off multiple challengers. That was his third straight win, and when he raced at the Meadowlands on 5-28, he clocked a sub-1:48 mile. (5) BETTORS DONTTELL faces just 4-year-olds here after narrowly missing in the Open last Saturday and was third in the race won by Carbine before that. (4) CHARLIE MAY has been off since finishing seventh in the Juravinski Memorial Cup final at Flamboro Downs. He was fine in his qualifier last Saturday and can definitely be in the mix.

Race 10 - Inside Harness Series/NW20000L5/TrackMaster Rating 92 or Less as of 6-21-22/NW10 Ext. PM Races LT/Leg 1 Starters Pace

(8) STONE HANOVER saw his run of top two finishes end last Saturday but he still closed well. He'll probably offer some value and I'll swing with him. (5) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N was loaded in the pocket a week ago but had nowhere to go after the leader slammed the door on the inside. Expect aggressive handling by Joe Bongiorno. (4) BACKSTREET SHADOW has just one win this season, but Ron Burke is a master at getting classy horses like this guy to fire.

Race 11 - Graduate Series 4YO Open Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool**

For my money, there's no better horse (as long as he's not on a half-mile track) right now than (6) BULLDOG HANOVER. He was sent by Jack Darling in Canada to race with Noel Daley here, and I am banking on him putting in another top performance. (5) LINEDRIVE HANOVER is right up there with Bulldog Hanover in terms of sharpness, and he just missed to the #1 horse in the current Hambletonian Society poll, Jimmy Freight, in the Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational last Saturday. He faces only 4-year-olds tonight. (7) ABUCKABETT HANOVER chased Bulldog Hanover willingly in the Graduate on June 4 and will probably be following cover here after having to do the first-over work that night.

Race 12 - 3YO Fillies NW2 Ext. PM Races or 22500LT Trot

(5) PEYTON HANOVER scored in a leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes the last time Tim Tetrick drove her on May 6, and he hops in the bike tonight. She also faces only fillies after meeting Open NW2's on 6-11. (6) PENELOPE J also meets up with only ladies here and was a good second two back at this level. (1) PINK COCO CHANEL gets significant post relief here after grinding uncovered and finishing second on June 17.

Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Race 13 - NW14500L5/TrackMaster Rating 89.55 or Less as of 6-21-22 Pace

(6) HAIL CHRISTIAN N drops out of the NW20000L5 class after a rallying fourth-place finish last Saturday and gets Todd McCarthy back in the bike. (2) SHAKE THAT HOUSE also exits the NW20000L5's and scored handily at this level on May 28. (4) HURRIKANE EMPEROR hasn't raced much in the last couple of years but has shown lately at Pocono that he's still capable of going fast miles. Trainer John McDermott has been sending out live horses pretty often lately as well.

Race 14 - NW10500L5/TrackMaster Rating 87 or Less as of 6-21-22/Not 3rd or Better L4 Pace

(4) THEFLYINGROCK sizzled around the oval at Harrah's Philadelphia for two straight wins and trainer Per Engblom has been pretty hot overall lately. (5) LEON DAVID takes a double-drop out of the NW20000L5's and should be competitive in this spot. (1) SEEUINNASHVILLE A shows three straight final quarters in or under 27 seconds and is well-slotted for another stalking journey from the pole.