Meadowlands: Friday 11/9 Analysis
Best Bet: ODDS ON STEPHANIE (2nd)
Spot Play: WAITING ON A WOMAN (5th)
Race 2 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 7 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
MEET STATS: 28 - 86 / $186.10 (+$14.10)
BEST BETS: 2 - 7 / $5.00 (-$9.00)
Race 1
(6) TAKE A WISH isn’t the best trotting filly in the world, but she seems to have found a good spot tonight where driver Steve Smith may get aggressive. (3) CASH CALF was a solid second in this class last time but still only has one win in 13 career starts. (9) FLEUR DE HILL rallied well from the back last time; outside post hurts. (7) QUIKSILVR BLUECHIP has plenty of form but is a 2-year-old taking on older.
Race 2
(7) ODDS ON STEPHANIE chased slow fractions and couldn’t close the gap in the stretch last time. Big driver change here can only help this week. (9) DELIGHTFUL FEATHER stole a race on the engine last week. She’s now 6-for-6 in the money for her career. (8) SILK REED has been closing well but only owns two wins in 34 starts.
Race 3
(3) PINGALING has early speed and that is something you always like in an amateur race. That said, this is a wide open race where I could make a case for nine out of 10 horses. (4) SHADY MCCOY broke as the chalk last time but is still very capable of rebounding. (9) HOT SUMMER KNIGHT is at the mercy of the pace scenario but can motor home. (6) DOG GONE LUCKY has tons of class but I’m not sure what to make of his driver since she has never competed in the U.S.
Race 4
(10) LARRY KARR switches tracks and seems to have found a soft spot. The outside post doesn’t help, but I expect he’ll be firing off the gate from the word go. (5) YACHT WEEK has been keeping very good company but is a rookie facing more seasoned foes. (9) ROLLING SEA got back on track last time and does have a pair of wins here in 2018.
Race 5
(8) WAITING ON A WOMAN showed clear improvement in his second start off the bench and now we get a catch-driver in the bike. If the 10-year-old has a big race in him, we should see it tonight. (4) STEALTH HANOVER gets a barn change and McCarthy has done well with him recently. (9) SWANCREDIT has a pair of second-place finishes in this class.
Race 6
(4) SKIPPIN BY could be in position to steal this race with others coming back off breaks or possibly eyeing bigger spots down the road. (6) CAVIART ALLY looks best on paper and will be odds-on, but there is at least a chance she gets handled conservatively. (3) MONICA GALLAGHER should be leaving early and sit a nice trip. (2) PENPAL will get a patient steer and could upset if she shakes free. (5) DARLINONTHEBEACH has qualified great but hasn’t raced since May.
Race 7
(1) MISSLAROSE blew up again last time but I’m not losing faith just yet. She drops another class and picks up Gingras, who knows her well. (7) NEW JERSEY VIKING double drops and moves into a new barn; angles to like. (8) TROLLEY is a talented horse that hasn’t been out in seven weeks and drew poorly; needs a start?
Race 8
(6) OK HEAVENLY returns to the level of her last victory. (8) DELIGHTFULMEMPHISN raced well in this class last time but is at the mercy of the pace to some extent. (5) FOLLOWTHEWIND N stole a race here two starts back and handled the class rise reasonably well last out.
Race 9
(6) ANOTHER CHAPTER returned from a long layoff and raced well while more importantly showing no signs of making a break. Chapter Seven gelding could surprise in a mostly dull field. (5) BIZET finished up well in his first start since August; more now? (2) PEGASUS POINT has speed and an aggressive driver.
Race 10
(7) FROG POND PRINCESS hasn’t had much of a chance out of town from outside posts. She shows up here at the basement condition and faces a blank field. (3) DANDY’S BEAUTY has speed, form and set her lifetime mark over this surface. (5) QUIKSTARTMYHEART was a solid second behind a runaway winner last time. (2) GINGER SPICE N is worth a look on the barn change.