Meadowlands: Analysis for Saturday 8/22/26

2026 STATS: 13 - 72 / $124.80 (-$19.20)

BEST BETS: 0 - 5 / $0.00 (-$10.00)

SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 5 / $0.00 (-$10.00)

BEST BET - AROLNDAHAYBLUECHIP (3rd)

SPOT PLAY - MARSHALL ZHUKOV (5th)

Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace ***Pick 5***

(3) URBAN RENEWAL had an excuse on 8-7 as he was interfered with early. His second and win prior to that were good, though, and hopefully he can get back to that sort of performance here. (2) SEIZE CONTROL was second as the favorite in a MADC 1 contest on August 7 and drew another inside post tonight. (7) A LITTLE KICK makes his third start on Lasix and he has a better post tonight than he did in his one MADC 1 appearance on the 7th of August.

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Race 2 - TrackMaster Rating 68 (NW L4 69/L8 69.22) / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start Pace

(1) TAKARA STING was a gaining second against TrackMaster 68s on 6-26, which is also the last time he had an inside post. I'll give him the nod against a wide-open group. (4) HUNGRY FOR PROFITS has hit the board in three of his last five outings, including a victory at this level back on June 26 when TAKARA STING was the runner-up. (7) BOURBONS COURAGE tired off a tough trip when last seen on the 6th of August but has shown the ability to finish in the top three in this class when the journey has been smoother.

Race 3 - TrackMaster Rating 80.5 (NW L2 82.5) / TrackMaster Rating 83.5 (NW L2 85.5) or Less Drawn Outside Pace ***Survivor Pick 7***

(3) AROLNDAHAYBLUECHIP won the last time he raced in this class on July 25 and moves in on the gate off a series of outside or mid-pack posts. (1) STOP THE SHOOTIN' has hit the board in four of his last five tries between here and Tioga and starts from the pole position. (7) COMPENSATE ME downed TrackMaser 80.5 or Less foes two back and returns to the level tonight after he raced in a $20,000 claiming handicap pace a week ago.

Race 4 - TrackMaster Rating 68 (NW L4 69/L8 69.22) / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start Pace

(3) DIRT ON MY BOOTS closed well in a third-place finish up at Vernon Downs a week ago and faced tougher TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less foes when last at the Meadowlands on August 6. (6) UILLIAM was a winner the last time he got to face TrackMaster Rating 68 or Less company on July 25 and I can excuse his poor result most recently as he had a difficult trip in an amateur event. (2) AIN'T I GOOD drops back down to the level where he was victorious on the 6th of August and gets post relief to go with it.

Race 5 - MADC 1 Pace

(2) MARSHALL ZHUKOV has had a series of bad posts since his win on 7-10 and was also interfered with in his most recent try on August 7. Given the much-improved starting spot tonight, I'll look for him to return to his victorious ways. (3) MASTER MIKI won handily in an amateur race at Harrah's Philadelphia on Sunday and was third (although placed 10th for causing interference) at the Meadowlands prior to that. (8) WHAMMER JAMMER returns to MADC 1 competition off consecutive on-the-board results against TrackMaster 77.5 or Less company and won in the MADC 1 back on the 18th of July.

Race 6 - TrackMaster Rating 80.5 (NW L2 82.5) / TrackMaster Rating 83.5 (NW L2 85.5) or Less Drawn Outside Pace *** $50,000 Est. Pick 4***

(3) CAVEMAN A is just one-for-16 in the win column this year but was knocking on the door at this level before he had a tough trip from a bad post a week ago. He moves in on the gate here and can hopefully break through tonight. (8) GOOD ROCKIN went up to Vernon to post another victory last Saturday and gets a good test for his current form here against tougher company. (5) MUSCLE FACTORY A gained spots and ground in the final quarter in a fourth-place effort in this class last week and gets a bit of post relief here.

Race 7 - NW7500L5 (NW L2 or NJSO NW8250L5) Pace ***Hi-5***

(8) SOUTH BEACH STAR drops out of the NW10500L5 level, and I hope he's going to flaunt his speed against this group and try to wire them. (5) HIRANYA N has a couple of recent on-the-board results against NW10500L5 company and gets some class relief tonight. (4) MOVING ON OVER shows a couple of breaks on five-eighths-mile tracks in Pennsylvania but hasn't seemed to have any of those issues at the Meadowlands. He took his lifetime mark here back on June 26.

Race 8 - 20000-25000CLM HCP Pace

(9) ROCKNROLL GOLD will have to overcome the outside post, but he did that in style two back, and I think he prefers the Meadowlands over smaller tracks he's been on lately. (1) MIKI RAY has hit the board in five straight starts between the Meadowlands and Tioga and moves in on the gate to the pole position tonight. (2) CRUSH KILL DESTROY exits what are likely tougher spots at Yonkers and Harrah's Philadelphia and does show a victory on July 19.

Race 9 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 76.50) or Less / 10000CLM Pace

(1) HES A SWEETHEART backed up his win over TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less foes on 7-31 with a second in this class last Saturday and moves in from post ten to the pole position. (4) CAVIART SKIPPER has been outside the trifecta just once in his last five outings, and that was from a bad post over at Pocono. (3) LYONS LIBERTY invades from Pennsylvania in the same sharp form as CAVIART SKIPPER, and he's had success at the Meadowlands before as well.

Race 10 - TrackMaster Rating 77.5 (NW L2 79.5 / NWL4 79.65) or Less Pace ***$50,000 Est. Pick 4***

(7) BIG HESS debuts for a high-percentage stable tonight, and I expect improvement to result from that, even with the horse's current 0-for-18 status in the win column. (2) HUNGRYHUNGRY HIPPO hit the board in this class on 6-26 and 7-9 and moves in on the gate this time off a fourth when last seen on August 1. (6) DUNSAN HARRY has had success at the Meadowlands in the past and makes his second start back after a layoff here.

Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 74.5 (NW L2 76.50) or Less / 10000CLM Pace

(5) KNOCKIN OUT keeps pacing solid final quarters but hasn't gotten a result to go with it as of late. He catches a wide-open group tonight with some post relief to go with it, though, and hopefully that will mean a trip to the winner's circle. (2) SELECT FRIDAY tends to do his best work against TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less company, but this doesn't appear to be the toughest edition of a TM74, and he moves in on the gate, so I'll include. (8) COASTLINE flopped as the favorite last Saturday but his qualifiers at Harrah's Philadelphia were quite sharp coming into that event. You'll likely get a better price tonight if you go back to him.

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Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 68 (NW L4 69/L8 69.22) / Not 1,2,3 This Class Last Start Pace

(7) SPIRIT OF TRUTH posted a win against TrackMaster 68 or Less company back on 7-9 and has a couple of excuses since then as he was in against TM71 or Less rivals and then had a rough trip most recently. (5) ALWAYS A WAY turned in an improved final quarter in his last outing at the TrackMaster 71 or Less level and drops a notch tonight. (2) ROJAN'S WAY returns to the Meadowlands this time and just missed in the event won by my top selection back on July 9.

Race 13 - TrackMaster Rating 71 (NW L2 73) or Less / 7500CLM Pace ***Hi-5***

(6) SHORE OF HIMSELF came in third from the outside post in an amateur event at Harrah's Philadelphia on Sunday and won handily the last time he raced at this level at the Meadowlands on July 25. (8) PUCKY should have picked up some confidence as he broke his maiden in career start 47 last time out at Harrah's Philadelphia and has hit the board in his last four tries overall. (2) WARRAWEE XCEED doesn't have a great win record this year, but his one victory did come at the Meadowlands, and he landed an inside post here for the first time in his lines.