Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 7/8

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 217-74-42-26 / $386.10 (-$47.90)

BEST BETS: 16-9-2-0 / $29.50 (-2.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 16-4-6-0 / $40.80 (+$8.80)

BEST BET: CONFEDERATE (10^th)

SPOT PLAY: ALLYWAG HANOVER (7^th)

Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 - Pick 5

(3) ITS ROCKN RANDY finished well in what is a better mile than the recent seventh-place finish will indicate. He's back at the MADC 1 level where he scored a victory three starts back. (9) TAKEITTOTHEFACE moves back into the amateur ranks and retains his regular driver; expect early speed. (2) ITS SHOWTIME has been racing from behind with no success lately. Will Cano change tactics on the class drop? (6) BIG BAD BILL has been consistently good of late and only needs some pace help to succeed.

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Race 2: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L2 $3,300) in last 4/TM 77.5 (NW L2/2L4 78/78.75) or less/Opt. $12,500 Clm.

(5) TO ALL A GOODNIGHT is back in against older but clearly facing the softest group she has seen in a while. If she can't wake up in this spot then she's in trouble. (3) HEAVENS SHOWGIRL has missed a month of action but hails from a barn that tends to bring down live horses. (6) MONEYMAKEHERSMILE was just even in her first start for this barn. Let's give her another chance to shine on the class drop.

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Race 3: Non-winners $7,500 (NW 2L4 $8,251) in last 4 or in 2023/TM 83.5 (NW L2/2L4 84/84.94) or less – Survivor 7

(2) WHITECOOKIE won against better three starts back and was written into this race tonight. He's no lock but should be handled with purpose. (1) CONTROL HEAVEN adds Lasix and if that cures his issues, watch out, because he is fast enough. (9) WINBAK WILLY T comes to town for a barn that is 7-for-13 at the meet.

Race 4: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 2

(6) KERFORD ROAD A raced evenly after missing four weeks of racing. Veteran drops in for a claiming tag tonight and should make some noise in this amateur race. (4) I’M BURLINGTON N and (5) FERDINAND A should be flying off the wings of the gate and ensure a fast pace. Either is capable of winning if the fractions are kind.

Race 5: Non-winners $12,500 in last 4/TM 86 (NW L2/4YO 86.76/87.7) or less

(2) COACHELLABOUND N broke in her U.S. debut over the half at Yonkers. I'll stick with her here in a field that seems to be loaded with early speed and could set her up from behind. (9) SHESASHARPSHOOTER should be the last of the speed horses to the front and if by some chance she doesn't have to work too hard, the results could be good. (8) GOO GOO WON rallied from the back for a live barn last time; threat again.

Race 6: Meadowlands Pace Elimination - $50K GTD Pick 4

I'm very much undecided on whether (3) FULTON or (1) VOUKEFALAS is the better horse in this race. Ultimately I land with the former because he'll likely offer a slightly better price, but I'd be quick to pivot if that wasn't the case. These two look somewhat evenly matched at this point. (4) HUNGRY ANGEL BOY hasn't been able to get over the top but has been racing well. Lasix is added to the equation now and perhaps that makes the difference.

Race 7: Non-winners $20,000 (NW L2 $22,000) in last 4/Opt. $75,000 Clm.

I tend to shy away from stakes horses like (10) ALLYWAG HANOVER in overnight races like this one that don't matter, but I see this as a mile he needs to get up to speed ahead of last week's Haughton. While I'm not sure he’ll gun off the gate, I do believe McCarthy will send him forward and give it a try. (7) P L OZZY is WAY up in class but has unbelievable form and might just be able to beat these. (2) MY PAL JOE tends to race well in overnight spots, though this one did come up tough.

Race 8: $230,000 Graduate Trot Final - Pick 6

(1) JIGGY JOG S has dominated this crew twice already and I've seen nothing to make me believe that will change tonight. (6) KEG STAND stepped up with Lasix added last time. (2) LOOKS LIKE MONI seems to be getting better each week; big exacta threat.

Race 9: $240,000 Graduate Pace Final

(5) STONEBRIDGE HELIOS has turned in back-to-back super efforts and deserves a narrow call over the very gutsy (4) MAD MAX HANOVER, who is a bit slower away from the gate than some others but a horse that refuses to lose once he gets the top. (1) DREAMFAIR ARNIE B has been right there at the wire in consecutive 1:47 and change miles.

Race 10: Meadowlands Pace Elimination - $50K GTD Pick 4

(1) CONFEDERATE's best mile is simply better than these unless one of the others steps up their game tonight. I'd expect Tetrick to make a backstretch brush after the dust settles and look to secure the best post possible. (6) CHRISTCHURCH does his best work near the lead and you have to expect an aggressive start. (5) EL REY, like seemingly the entire Alagna barn this weekend, is adding Lasix. Maybe that's the key to waking up a talented horse. (4) GUNG HO moves into the Burke barn and is certainly eligible to improve; Gingras' choice.

Race 11: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $20,000 (NW L2 $30,000) life/Maidens draw inside

A number of these are Hambletonian eligible and that leads us to wonder which of them will bring their 'A' games ahead of major stakes in the coming weeks. (8) POINT OF PERFECT figured it all out last weekend and will probably be forwardly placed in this spot. (3) CHALLENGER was good enough to race in the Goodtimes and now he likely needs a strong mile to tighten up for stakes engagements. (6) EXACLIBER BI was a stakes winner at 2 and he certainly returned with a credible qualifier.

Race 12: $20,000-$30,000 Clm. Hcp.

(5) BETTER THAN SOME was a victim of the pace scenario last time out on the barn change. Seven-year-old deserves a second look here with a great mid-pack post. (2) RAPTORS FLIGHT N is perhaps not as sharp as he was a month ago but he's still in good shape and drew nicely. (9) MONGOLIAN HERO N blew out a big mile on the engine in a mini-series final. Can he overcome post 9?

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Race 13: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L2 $3,300) in last 4

(3) LYONS PEGASUS improved on the class drop last week and now he takes another step down the ladder. We'll give him the narrow edge here but fellow class-droppers (9) STRAIGHT TALK and (6) MARCUS SEELSTER are both capable of stepping up and making some noise as well. For what it's worth, Andy Miller chose #6 over #3.

Race 14: Non-winners $7,500 (NW L2 $8,261) in last 4 or 4 (NW L2 5) races life

(3) DISTANCE LEARNING drops back down to the level of his last win and may get overlooked a bit with Dunn choosing #1. (9) DREAMONHIGH has the best résumé but is coming off a break and drew the far outside. (1) DRIBBLING BI has raced well in this class previously. That said, before you take too short a price, his last win came two levels lower. (4) CHAKE is very consistent and can menace with the right trip.