Meadowlands: Saturday 11/2 Analysis

MEET STATS: 52-17-12-10 / $77.60 (-$26.20)
BEST BETS: 4-2-1-0 / $5.40 (-$2.60)
Best Bet: OCEAN COLONY (2nd)
Spot Play: BACKSTREET LAWYER (12th)
Race 1 – GSY Amateur Series - **$25K GTD Pick 5**
(2) BORN TO BE BAD doesn’t look great in terms of form and he’s only won two races over the last two years, but this seems like a soft spot for this gelding for a top trainer/driver combination in the amateur ranks. (1) THE DARK SHADOW should push away strong from the inside in a field that seems to lack early speed. (4) REAL KID comes down from Saratoga off a good qualifier. (10) DA MAGICIAN would be the favorite with an inside post. Will Silva gun from post 10?
Race 2 – Non-winners $6,500 in last 5
(7) OCEAN COLONY gets the class break he needs to take charge at the start and roll down the road. (1) DRAGON STRIKES arrives off a good effort but needs to stay close enough to the action to menace. (6) DUBIOUS CLAIM comes out of the same class as the top pick but lacks much form. (5) MAJOR DECEPTION has been competing in a tough class and might enjoy this condition change.
Race 3 – Trackmaster Rating 83 or less
(5) BAY RUM comes to town by way of Vernon in fine form. Veteran has won here in the past and finds a decent spot. (1) CHIP WALTHER won at a similar level here three starts back and seems to have kept his form nicely. (2) HAPPY TRIO blew them away in the amateur race last time and seems worth a look here. (4) BORN OF FIRE raced well in this class last Saturday.
Race 4 – Kindergarten Final 2YOC&G Trot
(3) EL IDEAL sprinted home very impressively in the final leg of this series and also shows a fast mile at the Red Mile from just off the pace. Colt should be sitting no worse than second here with a big shot to win. (9) MAESTERAEMON looks every bit as good as the top pick but drew much worse. He’ll be on my Pick 5 tickets at what should be a fair price. (6) SKY CASTLES hasn’t done much wrong lately and is impossible to toss. (5) CHESTNUT HILL exits the Breeders Crown where he put in a solid performance. That said, the price won’t be great for a horse that is likely going to have to pass many to win.
Race 5 – Winners 4-7 races life
(5) DA DELIGHTFUL looked great sprinted home to win in a similar class here last week; why not again? (8) AFLAME HANOVER deserves some respect on the class angle but you can’t love his recent string of settling for second and third. (2) DUDDIE’S LOR hasn’t been seen in nearly a year but did display some ability back then. He might need a start but could definitely get into the exotics. (3) BRO took down a series from the cones at Saratoga and is fast enough to battle with this group.
Race 6 – Kindergarten Final 2YOF Trot
I’m going to take a swing against the chalk here with (10) DIP ME HANOVER. Donato Hanover-sired filly put in two even efforts in the Breeders Crown and looks to be in a bad spot from post 10 here, but she has just enough early speed to get position and could be rolling by some used-up favorites late. (7) SENORITA RITA is clearly fastest here but did tire to second in the one race where she was pushed to a quicker half-mile time. (1) HALL OF AM S looks to be a talented horse that may wind up first-over in this spot; mixed feelings. (6) CREATURE OF HABIT has won two straight and merits consideration.
Race 7 – Non-winners $10,000 in last 5
(3) GIFFON HANOVER marched down the road from post 10 last time. While this looks like a class jump on paper, overall this field is rather soft for NW10000. (4) NASCAR SEELSTER gets post relief and an upgrade in the sulky to Tetrick. (5) AWESOMENESS also gets a new driver with the aggressive Gingras. (1) NO EASY DAY should flash some speed from the cones and be in with a chance.
Race 8 – Kindergarten Final 2YOF Pace - **$50K GTD Pick 4**
(8) MARLOE HANOVER just missed in the Breeders Crown last Friday and had no shot in her last Kindergarten race when chasing slow fractions. Nifty Norman trainee should offer fair value in this spot. (5) HEN PARTY is on a roll right now for Team Burke. She’s slated to sell as HIP 1404 next Friday, so I’m sure they’d like to go out a winner. (2) ROCKNIFICENT was spectacular last time and hard to leave off your Pick 4 tickets. (4) LOVE FOR SAIL has some ability but needs to find a bit more versus this field.
Race 9 – Non-winners $15,000 in last 5
(5) QUALITY BUD had no chance from post 10 last time. Veteran likes this track and seems capable of an upset in a field without a clear standout. (2) ANOTHER DAILY COPY just missed last week in this class. (6) BLOOD LINE has class but doesn’t appear to be the horse he was at one point. (7) ANYTHINGFORLOVE A has big speed. Perhaps the track change will help.
Race 10 – Kindergarten Final 2YOC&G Pace
(5) MAJOR BETTS didn’t show much in the Breeders Crown but looked great winning at the Red Mile and has a Kindergarten win here early in the summer. Don’t be surprised if he wakes up with a big mile in this spot. (4) IDEAL PERCEPTION was Bongiorno’s pick over a bunch of the Alagna horses last time and the colt dug in nicely to win. He could be a decent price play in his last start before selling as HIP 1407at Harrisburg. (2) CHIEF MATE finally came through with a win after a drought and might be ready to turn the corner. (3) SEA OF LIFE was moving fastest of all in the stretch last time; exotics player at a huge price?
Race 11 – Non-winners $10,000 in last 5
(5) OFFICIAL DELIGHT gets post and class relief, plus a driver change to Miller. Five-year-old might finally be ready to roll for trainer Kevin McDermott. (7) CITY HALL will be heading to the front as usual and should give another honest effort. (6) SOLO STORY double-drops in class and looks worth using on your Pick 4 tickets. (1) ELECTRIC WESTERN has early speed and adds Gingras.
Race 12 – Non-winners $3,500 in last 5
(4) BACKSTREET LAWYER drops to the basement condition and has won here in the past. This looks like a prime spot for him to shine. (2) MELODIES MAJOR & (3) REAGAN’S AVENGER are also moving down the condition ladder, with the former also getting a nice driver change to Gingras.
Race 13 – Trackmaster Rating 79 or less
(4) JUST N BERLANDER couldn’t handle the trip on the rim last time and now catches a very weak field. There are no excuses for failure. (3) MASTER OF PUPPETS would be well-served to gun off the gate in this spot and try to steal this race. (7) SIR BRADFORD comes off a win and while it looks like a class rise, this field seems similar. (1) HURRIKANE ALI returns from a long break but used to be pretty good.