Meadowlands: Friday 12/13 Analysis

MEET STATS: 218-69-30-28 / $311.60 (-$124.40)
BEST BETS: 17-8-2-0 / $23.90 (-$10.10)
BEST BET: MIDNIGHT ROMANCE (2nd)
SPOT PLAY: PIERCEWAVE HANOVER (10th)
Race 1 – Non-winners $6,500 in last 5 - **$25K GTD Pick 5**
(6) KADABRA QUEEN drops down to the level where she won by more than six lengths as the heavy chalk. (4) LUCKY SHEILA also moves back down the condition ladder, but she hasn’t been able to finish ahead of the top pick lately. (3) CALL FOR JUSTICE gets a better post to work with tonight. He’s fast enough if feeling good.
Race 2 – Non-winners 2 races or $20,000 life
(1) MIDNIGHT ROMANCE has looked good in qualifiers as she finally prepares for her career debut. As a daughter of millionaires Captaintreacherous and Romantic Moment, this Brittany Farms homebred is certainly bred to be a winner. (5) CLEARLY BETTER has clearly been facing better company than she faces tonight; player! (2) WATCHFUL EYE came up short in her first start since August and could move forward now.
Race 3 – Non-winners $3,500 in last 5
This could be the most perplexing race in a card with many head-scratchers. (5) CHIEF JUSTICE raced reasonably well in his second start back from a break and seems well-spotted for a good effort. (3) SHAMROCK SHAKER gets into an easier class upon arrival from Yonkers. Maybe she’ll enjoy stretching out on the big track. (1) CREDIT FRAUD has been stuck outside versus some sharp foes lately. She’ll definitely be on my Pick 5 ticket.
Race 4 – Non-winners $3,500 in last 5
In a field where no one stands out, I’ll roll the dice with (1) KABOOM POW on the trainer change angle. His races at the Red Mile say he fits if new trainer Sheridan can move him forward just a bit. (3) DANCIN DOUG also changes barns but hasn’t been seen since July; chance, but at a shorter price. (5) MRS BROWNS BOY has raced well here since arriving in this barn and this field is softer than what he faced most recently.
Race 5 - $10,000/$12,500 Claiming Handicap
(7) STEVE SAID was racing ok at Yonkers and returns to a track where he has multiple wins in 2019. I’m expecting an aggressive try here. (8) AMERICAN MUSIC comes off a win, which is saying a lot in this group. (1) T’S ELECTRIC is likely to fire off the gate from the cones but may be a bit short after four weeks on the sidelines. (6) FANCY COLT should be competitive on paper but made a break for no reason last time.
Race 6 – Non-winners 6-8 races or $75,000-$100,000 life
(8) SPECTRE lands in a sweet spot this week and has no excuses for failure unless (9) UNION FORCES shows up with a big mile. The latter probably deserves a pass for his last performance when everything went wrong, but making breaks is nothing new for him. (2) LUCIUS VORENAS has early speed and form; contender. (1) VICTORYISALLUNEED comes over from Yonkers off consecutive victories, but I need to see a race over the big track before accepting a single-digit price.
Race 7 – Preferred
(2) MELADY’S MONET isn’t the fastest in this field but he’s made more money than all of them for a reason. Ten-year-old shows up every start and seems well-spotted from the inside post in a short field. (7) SOUTHWIND CHROME came to play last time and refused to lose. That said, he’s still risky as the favorite due to breaking issues. (5) JL CRUZE isn’t as consistent as he once was but could get to the front here and get away cheap.
Race 8 – Trackmaster Rating 74.5 or less Final - **$50K GTD Pick 4**
(5) MAKE IT BIG rolled down the road in an impressive performance to get into this mini-series final. He’s the clear horse to beat for a barn that is having a great start to the meet. (1) DUCKIES DYNASTY is the other preliminary leg winner in the field. He may be overlooked slightly because of the slower winning time but this guy is more than capable of showing more. (7) MACH UP A raced well last time considering he hadn’t raced in a month; more now?
Race 9 – Non-winners $6,500 in last 5
(3) THE LADY SHERIFF steps up in class but might be too sharp to deny. (4) ILANA Z TAM comes to town off a series of non-descript even effort at Philly. I’m not so sure we won’t see more on the big track; McCarthy drives. (8) UNDENIABLE looks like a player and gets a barn change, but I’m inclined to watch one as this barn hasn’t had the new acquisitions cranked up.
Race 10 – Non-winners $6,500 in last 5 - Final
(5) PIERCEWAVE HANOVER was trapped in the pocket for a while and shook free too late to get to (2) PRESIDENTIAL ZETTE. With a clean trip, Piercewave Hanover can get the job done versus the sharp likely favorite #2. (7) INUCHUK CHUCK is probably not going to win, but he can take air on the rim and should get into the number.
Race 11 – Non-winners 4-5 races or $50,000 life
(1) AIRMAN KELLY qualified nicely in his first start for these connections and might just be able to pick up his game further. (6) WARRIOR ONE was second versus a red-hot foe last time. (5) SKYWAY KON MAN went off the favorite versus many of these last week but broke again; capable but risky. (8) DEPLORABLE TOM has raced best from off the pace and perhaps he’ll switch to those tactics here.
Race 12 – Non-winners $10,000 in last 5
(5) BELIEVE IN ME is clearly feeling good now and more than capable of besting this group. (4) ODDS ON ST LUCIE raced well despite missing more than a month of action and is a big threat to pop a huge mile at any time. (3) AMERICAN SARA gets a better post now and might be heading to the front.
Race 13 – Non-winners $3,500 in last 5
(8) CHELSEES A WINNER looks awful on paper but takes a big drop in class and you know Gingras will give her every chance. (3) BROADWAY BRUISER moves into a new barn and might just awaken. (5) GUILTYWITHANEXCUSE changed barns himself last time and raced well. (6) ILLINIMIGHT wasn’t very good last time on the lead. Maybe he’ll do better from off the pace.