Meadowlands: Friday 3/15 Analysis
Best Bet: IDEAL CANDIDATE (5th)
Spot Play: MAYFAIR JOHNNY B (10th)
Race 1 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 8 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
MEET STATS: 174 - 543 / $1008.90 (-$77.10)
BEST BETS: 15 - 43 / $51.40 (-$34.60)
Race 1
(4) REDONKULOUS switched to Yonkers versus softer company and raced well for second on Tuesday. Seven-year-old lands in a great spot this time and should prove tough. (5) ROCKINWITHTHEBEST gets an aggressive amateur and should be put in play. (1) KIWI IDEAL N raced well when last here and should stick close form the cones.
Race 2
(4) OCEANIA sprinted home very confidently to win her comeback qualifier. She seems to be ready for a sharp mile. (7) BELIEVE IN ME is racing well but tends to be reliant on a good outer flow. (8) RAINBOW ROOM looks to put the pieces together after missed time. Her comeback effort and qualifiers were far from spectacular. I’ll give her a look on the track but will likely pass on the win end.
Race 3
(1A) MARTIAL BLISS hasn’t been able to close from off the pace in the upper classes at Monticello but may find that the big track suits that style better. There should be plenty of early speed to track. (5) SO TAKE THAT finished fast last week and could be rounding into form. MODERN YANKEE ships in for a decent barn and could be sharper in his second start after nearly four months on the bench.
Race 4
(2) PRESIDENTIAL ZETTE came up second best versus (5) BIZET last week, but with the latter still prone to mistakes, I’d still rather have the former at a better price while using both in the Pick 5. (4) CHIEF JUSTICE loses Gingras but seems fast enough to compete.
Race 5
(5) IDEAL CANDIDATE got caught up in a very fast mile from post 10 last week, so let’s toss that line out. Veteran claimer drops down to the $7,500 level and is very comfortable against those foes. (6) ABBEYLARA has won two straight in this class and will no doubt be heavily backed. (3) BUCKEYE IN CHARGE has been racing well and should be pointed to the front. (4) SPORTS COWBOY isn’t a win player but can hit the lower exotics.
Race 6
(5) FASHION WINNER has no form, but let’s give him some slack after back-to-back 10-holes against some very tough foes. I’ll take a shot and hope a wakeup is possible. (9) EYORE HANOVER flashed speed and was a good second most recently. A similar effort places him in the mix. (2) PRINCE OF MINTO arrives from Florida and usually I like to give horses a start to acclimate, but this is a weak field and he should be close to the action. (1) BELL A CHICK is off his game now but certainly comfortable at this level.
Race 7
(3) ATABOY HANOVER was handled conservatively and lost any opportunity to finish better than third. Now in his second start since September, I’m expecting a more aggressive steer. (5) CHROMEO shows some breaks but tends to race well at this level. (6) LASA DIDA LADY returned from vacation from an outside post and raced evenly. Perhaps she can show more in her second start for new connections.
Race 8
(2) TAG UP AND GO was fourth last week behind three horses who would be 3-5 in this spot. Nine-year-old is going good now and should be a player in a competitive race. (4) THE LAST CHAPTER raced evenly in his first start of the year and many horses pick up their game as 5-year-olds. He might be worth a flyer at big odds. (8) TWO AM seems like a logical player dropping out of the Preferred.
Race 9
(4) YOU SHOULD BE HERE raced well last time versus much better competition. She brushed and went down the road when last seen in this class. (7) KEYSTONE NIKKI strangely qualified when it doesn’t appear it was necessary. That said, her previous try for this claiming tag was solid. (1) BLUSH HANOVER raced evenly off the bench in the same race as the top pick last time. She is more than capable of winning. (8) ELLA CHRISTINA has missed a few weeks but has some class.
Race 10
(6) MAYFLOWER JOHNNY B has earned a place in a lower condition but gets a bit unlucky to get lumped into a mixed class. That said, he’s every bit as good as any horse in this class and only needs to be put in play to pick up a win. (10) ARRAKIS is fast off the gate and shouldn’t be hurt by post 10. With the class drop here, I’d expect early speed and a big mile. (1) HANKS TANK moves into a good trotting barn, though he exits a high percentage outfit up north. He’s worth some consideration.
Race 11
(4) DO YOUR JOB was done in by post 10 last week. Moving to the middle of the gate should give her every chance to win. (5) TEARFUL OF HAPPY hasn’t been the same since leaving the Ron Burke barn. Perhaps Nick Surick, one of the leading trainers in the country, can get her going again. (7) DUCK DUCK DRAGON is down in class and eligible to improve.
Race 12
(7) DEDI’S DRAGON makes his first start at The Meadowlands since 2014 and sees his claiming tag cut in half to a new low. If this classy 9-year-old has anything in the tank, he should prove tough. (5) RATHER SWELL has kept his form despite moving from barn to barn. (8) OH MY JOEPA come up short in his first start for this barn; another shot.
Race 13
(4) MONTALBANO BI finds one of those soft spots where he can take advantage. (8) SWANCREDIT is supposed to be a big player against this field, but he is winless in nine starts this year. (7) TUCKY’S JACK switches to Gingras and could improve. (1) LET’S BE HONEST drops in for a tag and might be aggressive.
Race 14
(5) CASH FOR GOLD has reached the basement condition and really should take charge. (7) TROPICAL STORM BI has been done in by outside posts at Saratoga and does get an interesting driving change here; using. (2) TECH TITAN & (3) BIG EXPENSE have early speed and should be involved in the bottom of the exotics; maybe higher if the track is playing slow.