Meadowlands: Friday 3/29 Analysis
Best Bet: BLUSH HANOVER (2nd)
Spot Play: BETTOR CHILL OUT (12th)
Race 1 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 8 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
MEET STATS: 188 - 596 / $1095.50 (-$96.50)
BEST BETS: 15 - 47 / $51.40 (-$42.60)
Race 1
(7) QUALITY BUD raced well in defeat last week and rallied strongly in the amateur ranks two starts back. This guy seems to be sitting on a win and only needs a smooth trip. (1) RATHER SWELL goes for three straight but does switch barns and moves to an amateur driver. I’m not sure he’ll be worth the odds-on price. (5) CC BIG BOY SAM was used early in the mile and came up short in the lane a week ago. He’s a contender.
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Race 2
(5) BLUSH HANOVER wound up second best last week to a pretty nice mare. There are no excuses in this spot. (4) DO YOUR JOB, (8) SHEWEARSTHEPANTS & (3) KEYSTONE NIKKI are all dropping in class and any could step up enough to threaten the top pick.
Race 3
There isn’t much to get excited about in this field and outside of a lukewarm feel for my top pick, none of these excite me. (6) MASTER OF EXCUSES raced well when last here and he should be ready for a peak effort in his third start back from break. I also like the fact that he has early speed in a dull field. (5) DEWEY HAVA WINNER moves away from sharper foes to face this group. Maybe the condition change will help. (1) TT CONWAY raced reasonably well a week ago.
Race 4
(5) ATOMIC REI moves into a high percentage barn that sits second in the nation in wins and adds Gingras as well. Veteran should find some form at short odds. (2) COLONIAL ROAD comes in from Freehold with form and should have a say. (4) BUCKEYE IN CHARGE doesn’t do it often, but in a soft spot like this he can step up.
Race 5
There are a few ways to go here. I’ll give a narrow edge to (1A) FINAL CLAIM, who cruised to an easy qualifying win and showed some ability in stakes races as a rookie. (7) WINGS OF SPEED was no match for the winner last time but put forth another solid showing. (3) FOREVERHILLREIGN was well out into the center of the track in his career debut. If they keep his mind on business there is definitely room to improve.
Race 6
(5) WARRAWEE SHIPSHAPE looks like a private purchase by these connections. He is certainly fast enough on paper and can also improve with Cullipher now calling the shots. (3) DOUBLE L LINDY wasn’t quite ready to roll in his first start since July, but the talent is there; using. (2) MIAMI has early speed and good form; underneath for me.
Race 7
(1) HIGH BLUE faces a blank field lacking much form. Veteran drops down for a barn that can get them going in spots like this one. (2) LUCRATIVE SON hasn’t raced in over a month after finishing well back in a fast mile, but maybe that is a good thing. A similar four-week break from January to February produced a win at this level. (7) TECH TITAN looks like a must use on your tickets in the exotic slots.
Race 8
(6) U NEED STONES reunites with Gingras here and should be much tighter in his second start back from a three-month vacation. (2) DOVER DONY got blocked in the stretch last time and wouldn’t have finished ninth with clearance. I’m going to use him, but we can’t get too excited on a horse that is 2 for 33 in his career. (4) HAMMER TIME never got involved last time but should have a fair pace to close into this week with the top pick putting up the numbers.
Race 9
(5) SHADY MCCOY raced ok from the back of the pack last time and now finds the perfect spot to flash early speed and take charge versus a field lacking great form. (8) MAYFAIR JOHNNY B was finally handled aggressively and came up short in the lane. I’m not ready to give up on him yet. (1) ROUNDTOWN ROCKER can flash speed from the cones and work out a good trip, though that might only net him an exacta or trifecta spot.
Race 10
(5) BELIEVE IN ME finds a good spot where she can go to the front or be more patient and work out a cover trip. (8) DONGAL RUNDLSCRK N was right with the pack last time and now she gets Gingras at the controls. (9) OCEANIA has won three straight for a barn that seems to be winning every race they enter right now. (4) NEWSDAY improved in her second start off the bench and could step up even more here.
Race 11
(2) IF NOT WHY NOT put in a good qualifier and was sharp as can be here when we last saw him. I see no reason why he can’t be ready off the bench. (7) RESITA is down in class and should be handled more aggressively now. (1) LINDY’S BIG BANG comes into town in fine form and he does own a 1:52 2/5 win from last year.
Race 12
(6) BETTOR CHILL OUT rallied nicely last week from an impossible spot and faces a very soft group here. (2) FUTURE LIFE arrives from Monticello in great form against a mostly dull bunch. (4) MISTRESS ANGELINA didn’t fire with Lasix added but perhaps we’ll see more now.
Race 13
(4) MAGNUM MIKE should get a fair pace to close into this week and he tends to offer decent value in the 3-1 range. (2) AMERICAN RAGE was racing well before the recent scratched-sick line and he moves into a live barn. (1) ABBEYLARA is on a four-race winning streak but changes barns; don’t take a short price. (7) POP POP JOE has the early speed to make noise and was Gingras’s choice over #s 1 and 1A.