Meadowlands: Saturday 12/28 Analysis

MEET STATS: 11 - 39 / $69.30 (-$8.70)
BEST BETS: 1 - 3 / $2.10 (-$3.90)
SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 3 / $11.00 +$7.00)
BEST BET - SOMEBADDUDE (6th)
SPOT PLAY - OLLIE'S ZTAM (7th)
Race 1 - TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 12/21/19 Pace
(6) LEGION OF BOOM gets another try with Berry this week from a better post in the same company. Might see speed this week after he gapped cover and rallied late last Saturday. (2) JUSTIN CREDIBLE didn't have anything to offer last time but gets a much better post after two straight ten-holes and his prior two efforts at this level certainly fit. (5) CHEYENNE SEEBER finished with some interest a week ago from a tough spot and remains in the same class.
Race 2 - NW3500L5 Pace
(1) JIMS PERFECT TEN has rallied in both starts for Alexander since coming in from Ohio, drops to the bottom here, and has an inside draw. Keeps McCarthy in the bike also. (6) MARINER SEELSTER is another dropper in here, and that should make him more competitive. Nice third to NW10000L5's on 11-23. (7) MR CARROTTS isn't always the most reliable sort but he can threaten in this class when the trip works out right and he stays flat.
Race 3 - NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(7) DEERFIELD BEACH performed well in his last two over at Yonkers and Bamond had a horse named Drawing Dragons with a similar profile who was able to win at the Meadowlands last Saturday. (4) KHUN RATHA A had some late pace against better foes a week ago and now gets a bit of class and post relief for this chance. (6) P L LEEROY rolled through hot fractions last time and only gave way late. Similar tactics could be coming as he remains at this level.
Race 4 - NW4 or 50000LT Pace
(7) WESTERN EXPOSURE delivered off the bench with a strong finish from the pocket and gets another crack against NW4's tonight. Buter takes over with Gingras not here. (10) DUDDIE'S LOR was the runner-up to Western Exposure last Saturday and moves outside here. He remains razor-sharp and could definitely turn the tables. (1) IN ROCK WE TRUST exits that same race as my top two picks, finishing fifth from post ten with a good kick. Gets major post relief here.
Race 5 - 12500-15000CLM HCP Pace
(5) STEVE SAID worked hard from post ten last Friday and flattened out in the lane. Draws perfectly here and can hopefully get a smoother trip. (7) JET AIRWAY made it to the open level at Hoosier and has been facing better at Dover, but he's been a money-burner in his last few and I'll try and beat him. (8) FOREVERNALWAYS goes for his fourth straight win tonight and handled this class hike with no issue on 12-20.
Race 6 - NW10000L5 Pace
(3) SOMEBADDUDE makes his third start off the shelf tonight. Gets to drop a notch after a good close last Saturday, and I'll expect Bongiorno to have him in play. (9) HOO NIEN A hikes up after a game win over NW5000L5's a week ago. He was a stout second from first-over at this level three back, so I think he does have a chance. (7) PARTY BOY is also moving up off a win but retains Buter in the bike and was full of pace finishing last week.
Race 7 - NW15000L5/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 12-22-19/NW8 or 100000LT/50000CLM Pace
(8) OLLIE'S ZTAM was shuffled back and then couldn't find room in the lane to boot last week. I'll be looking for some value here and a smooth trip. (3) SOLO STORY returns tonight after racing at Yonkers recently. Last time he was at the Meadowlands was in this class on 11-9 and he charged home for second. (2) MINDTRIP wound up with a first-over grind last Saturday and didn't have the same punch. Switches to Callahan here and maybe he can give him the journey he needs.
Race 8 - NW15000L5/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 12-22-19/NW8 or 100000LT/50000CLM Pace
(7) BELL I NO is another horse who never got to see the light of day in the lane last Saturday as he was boxed in the pocket. He has plenty of winning experience at the Meadowlands and Berry gets a crack in the bike. (6) DRAWING DRAGONS continued his run of success with a win a week ago. McCarthy takes over for the absent Dexter Dunn. (8) DECOY got into contention from first-over last week but flattened out late. He might get to track cover from this post tonight.
Race 9 - NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(10) ODDS ON LAUDERDALE received coal in his stocking from the draw again as he has post ten for the second straight week, but he was airborne in the stretch last Saturday and drops some here. (7) ONE LUCKY DRAGON was dead-game a week ago, finishing a resolute second after being parked all the way. Loses McCarthy to my top pick so Pat Berry gets to drive another Harris trainee on the card. (6) TOM ME GUN N qualified very strongly at Yonkers with an eye-catching final quarter, and I'll be watching him.
Race 10 - TrackMaster Rating 85.5 or Less as of 12/21/19 Pace
(2) GRIFFON HANOVER ended up in a tough spot on bad cover in a slow pace last time but did finish well again. Wouldn't mind seeing Marohn Jr. take a speed try like back on 12-7. (1) BAY RUM is on a run of four straight second-place finishes, and he looks like a contender again in here. (7) TUAPEKA TRICK N invades from Saratoga tonight. He just toured the track off a sick scratch last out, and I think horses exiting that NW8500L5 class up there have been having some success at The Big M.
Race 11 - NW22500L5/TrackMaster Rating 91 or Less as of 12-22-19/NW10 or 125000LT Pace
(1) MIKE'S Z TAM should be the better of the two Lachance entrants in here as he comes off a winning effort in a similar class over at Yonkers. Lachance has been aggressive with him in his last two, and hopefully that continues. (5) KEEP ON ROCKING A won a leg of the Great Northeast Open Series this summer and has a fast mark down at Dover. Last qualifier was very good as he finished well and dug in. (2) HARMABE DEO is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. He was full of pace last Saturday and won easily after tiring in the lane two back.
Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 82.58 or Less as of 12/22/19 Pace
(8) SHATTERED GLASS did have pace in the stretch from way back last Saturday and stays at this same TrackMaster Rating level. He also gets Ginsburg back in the bike. (5) BOYS TURN is a newcomer to the Burke barn and exits some tough NW4 and NW5 races at Yonkers. Bongiorno was listed on both Burke horses in the race and is on this one. (4) KARPATHIAN KID has three straight wins but steps up here, which I think makes him vulnerable.
Race 13 - NW3500L5 Pace
(7) HEARTLAND REVENUE probably gets the drop he needs here, but I wouldn't take a short price on a horse who is 0-for-22 in 2019. If he can perform like he did against NW6500L5's on 11-22, that'd probably be pretty tough to beat. (8) MISTER INDIANA was favored the last time he raced at this level at the Meadowlands but couldn't deliver. That event did go much faster than this one looks like it will, and owner Austin Siegelman drives this time. (4) MACH ONE has his mark this year at the Meadowlands and gets a chance to race on the mile track tonight after being at Yonkers in all his recent efforts.
Race 14 - NW5000L5 Pace
(6) RON'S EOM ships north from Dover tonight. He was in the Open down there last month and has been working his way down the ladder since. That wasn't a bad effort last out after a stout second quarter brush, and he picked up Tyler Buter at scratch time. (3) MR CENSI has previous winning experience at the Meadowlands in 2019 and has hit the board in his last two over at Harrah's Philly. (5) FIZZING N gets off a half-mile track tonight as he's made all of his starts since coming to the U.S. at Yonkers. Showed improvement in his last two in Westchester.