Meadowlands: Saturday 12/21 Analysis

MEET STATS: 7 - 25 / $34.10 (-$15.90)
BEST BETS: 1 - 2 / $2.10 (-$1.90)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 2 / $11.00 +$9.00)
BEST BET- SHARP ACTION MONEY (3rd)
SPOT PLAY- CITY HALL (9th)
Race 1 - TrackMaster Rating 82.5 or Less as of 12/17/19 Pace *$25K GTD Pick 5*
(3) POLAK A sat back and got zero pace to chase last week. His efforts the prior three weeks in the GSY Series were excellent, and I'll look for a bounce-back effort with a better post tonight. (1) BORN OF FIRE also has a positive post switch for this race after being stuck with an eight and two sevens in his last three. Has been finishing with interest. (9) DUBIOUS CLAIM found his form recently at Harrah's Philly and kept Dunn's services in here. He has a positive Meadowlands history with his season's mark coming here.
Race 2 - NW5000L5 Pace
(10) HOO NIEN A went a huge mile two back to just miss and then finished well despite the break after the start last time out. I'll hope that was a one-time thing and Smith can get spotted from the outside here. (4) ROCKINWITHTHEBEST has plenty of winning experience at The Big M and finds a soft spot here off the victory at Freehold. (3) INTERNET HANOVER picked up a win down at Dover and that might be a confidence boost. He was racing against better than these earlier in the meet.
Race 3 - NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(1) SHARP ACTION MONEY continues to drop down the class ladder and looks like he's in a winnable spot tonight after closing well in his last two against better. Gets Gingras back as well. (5) ABERDEEN HANOVER has been racing at higher levels at both Yonkers and Freehold, gets a chance to stretch his legs on the mile track tonight, and picks up a catch driver. (2) STARZNHEAVEN closed well at Saratoga most recently and may have needed that race off the sick scratch.
Race 4 - NW10000L5/30000CLM Pace
(7) DECOY makes his second start for Cullipher tonight. Rallied some in the final quarter off a slow pace last Saturday and stays at the same level. (3) EVER AGAIN had little chance last week when he ran into the well-meant Angers Bayama but was racing well before that and gets Gingras to drive this time. (1) RANCOUSY is another Yonkers shipper who was facing some stout foes across the river and could improve on what appears to be a bit of class relief.
Race 5 - NW15500L5/TrackMaster Rating 89.01 or Less as of 12-17-19/NW8 or 100000LT/50000CLM Pace
(2) SHOREVIEW has been sharp as a tack over at Yonkers, including a win from post eight last out. Harris brings him over to the mile track tonight and I'll give him a shot from a good draw. (4) OLLIE'S ZTAM kept Gingras over many in here. Raced well for Burke in both starts down at Harrah's Philly. (3) MINDTRIP rallied from way, way back to win nicely last Saturday. Jon Roberts is up from Delaware to drive him tonight, and he got a chance to know him in that qualifier two back.
Race 6 - NW4 or 50000LT Pace
(2) WESTERN EXPOSURE qualified very well for this appearance and lured Gingras off a Burke pupil in here. Picked up two checks in the Kentucky Sire Stakes out at The Red Mile against the likes of eventual Breeders Crown winner Dancin Lou. (5) TAP TAP TAP ran into a stakes-caliber foe in Semi Tough in his last two at Yonkers but has been racing well since joining the Harris barn back in October. (6) DUDDIE'S LOR backed up his win at the Meadowlands over NW2 with another triumph over NW3 at Harrah's Philly. Steps up again here but is obviously sharp right now.
Race 7 - NW15500L5/TrackMaster Rating 89.01 or Less as of 12-17-19/NW8 or 100000LT/50000CLM Pace
(3) CASTLE FLIGHT worked his way up to the open level out at Harrah's Hoosier Park and took a fast mark there this summer. Raced well down at Dover as well last out and Davis had Mindtrip ready off a similar profile last Saturday. (2) OCEAN COLONY is reunited with Andrew McCarthy tonight, has a positive post change, and gets back on a weekly rotation after the sick scratch on 12-7. (6) TALBOTCREEKWHISKEY joined the Burke Brigade recently and performed well for him in similar classes to this one at Harrah's Philly. He makes his Meadowlands debut tonight.
Race 8 - NW10000L5/30000CLM Pace *$50K GTD Pick-4 POOL*
(6) TYMAL PEACEMAKER keeps racing and closing well, and maybe can find the winner's circle tonight on the shift to the Meadowlands. His third-place efforts at Yonkers against NW30000L5's last month stand out a bit here, and hopefully he can deliver. (7) PALOMAR battled hard from first-over last Saturday and only faded a bit late. Drops a little here and gets Dunn in the bike again. (2) KEPT UNDER WRAPS A finished a solid third in this class two back and can probably work out a similiar stalking trip.
Race 9 - NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(6) CITY HALL receives the drop in class he's probably been looking for tonight, and I'll expect much more aggressive handling from Buter. (7) LAREDO TORPEDO N performed well in his U.S. debut last week, closing for second after sitting in and faces similar tonight. (1) MAJOR BUCKS has been knocking on the door recently with rallying efforts and gets a chance with Dexter Dunn this time.
Race 10 - Preferred Pace
(4) ENDEAVOR stayed near the back of the pack throughout in last week's preferred, then made up ground in the last quarter. Maybe he's tailed off some from his win in the Potomac last month, but I'll give him a shot from a better post and hope for the best. (6) FRANCO TOTEM N showed his recent wins were no fluke as he stepped up to this level and was a rallying second. Probably the one to beat here. (1) WHEELS ON FIRE threw in a clunker last Saturday but switches back to Gingras and his effort two back in the preferred was strong.
Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 86 or Less as of 12/17/19 Pace
(8) DA MAGICIAN thumped that group he was in against last week and finished with something left. Switches pilots to Dunn with Marcus Miller not here, and I'll look for the double-up. (2) YOUCANIKNOW won two straight down at Harrah's Philly, then had to step up at Yonkers and didn't fare as well. I think this is a more reasonable spot here, and he has won at the Meadowlands this year. (1) ALL IT TAKES came up with a much-improved performance last Saturday and keeps McCarthy in the bike.
Race 12 - NW5000L5 Pace
(2) SMILEANDSAYCHEESE ships in from Freehold off three straight on-the-board finishes, was Dunn's choice in here, and I think is better on a mile track as four of his five wins this year are at the Meadowlands. (3) PARTY BOY has some efforts at Yonkers against their bottom level NW5000L5 class that fit here, and Tyler Buter takes over the driving. (7) TRUMP THAT closed with some interest last Saturday and gets some class relief here for the Burke/Gingras duo.
Race 13 - TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 12/17/19 Pace
(1) MRS BROWNS BOY remained in good from last Friday with a gaining runner-up finish. He switches back to Tyler Buter tonight, and he guided him to a victory three back. (4) OHIO LARRY gapped his cover on the last turn a week ago but did close late. Maybe Bongiorno will put him back on the lead tonight and take his chances. (3) WHATSTROUBLNUROCKY won at Harrah's Philly two back and Gingras takes a turn in the bike tonight.
Race 14 - NW3500L5 Pace
(4) SISKEL doesn't have much current form but did win at the bottom level at the Meadowlands earlier this year and was facing much better in his last appearance here. (6) ROUGH ODDS continues his retreat down the class ladder here. Raced vastly better horses in his starts at the Meadowlands on 11-16 and 11-23. (3) MIDNIGHT LIGHTNING rallied well to finish third against the NW5000L5's at Yonkers on December 12 and goes to catch driver Austin Siegelman here.