Meadowlands: Saturday 1/4 Analysis

MEET STATS: 18 - 53 / $148.50 (+$42.50)
BEST BETS: 2 - 4 / $6.30 (-$1.70)
SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 4 / $45.40 +$35.40)
BEST BET - SOMEBADDUDE (7th)
SPOT PLAY - BICORNE HANOVER (1st)
Race 1 - NW4/50000LT / NW6/75000LT Drawn Outside Pace - **$25K GTD Pick 5 Pool**
(4) BICORNE HANOVER didn't win a race in 2019 but maybe he can start the new year out on the right foot tonight. He looked like he had plenty of pace in the lane a week ago but had no room at all, so hopefully a good trip and a clean shot at them in the lane is coming this time. (8) DUDDIE'S LOR was two-wide all the way last Saturday but rallied off cover to get up and win. He stays in the same class, gets a slightly improved post and picks up Dexter Dunn with McCarthy not here tonight. (3) JK CAPTAIN JACK got parked all the way last week and predictably faded in the final quarter. He has a much better post tonight.
Race 2 - NW22500L4/TrackMaster Rating 91.5 or Less as of 12-30-19/75000CLM Pace
(2) ENDEAVOR gets to drop out of the Preferred tonight and looks like a major player here. He ended up three-wide around the last turn on 12-21 but put in a game effort to finish second. (1) KEYSTONE PHOENIX has been very sharp at Yonkers against $75,000 claimers and stretches out on the mile track tonight. He does have a bit of a gap in his schedule, but those 51 and change miles at Yonkers certainly stick out. (7) FRANCO TOTEM N was favored in the preferred on December 21 but appeared to put in some steps on the first turn and ended up parked the whole mile. He's certainly capable of winning, but I will try and beat him off that line.
Race 3 - NW5000L5 Pace
(7) SMILEANDSAYCHEESE got shuffled back just a bit after leading early in that contest on 12-21 and then finished well after angling out in the lane. I'll give him another shot tonight as he gets another shot with Dunn at the same level. (1) MR PROFETA closed nicely in that TrackMaster rating event last Saturday, and this looks like an easier spot from an improved post. (2) INDEPENDENT ONE makes his fourth start back off the layoff tonight and also has post relief off a rallying performance.
Race 4 - NW7500L5/NW8600L7/20000CLM Pace
(1) SHARP ACTION MONEY did the hard work first-over when last seen on December 21 and couldn't hold off Starznheaven, who got towed along on his cover. He sticks in the same class and has the rail again off that improved performance, so I'll put him on top again. (3) JK WILL POWER has a barn change tonight to Andrew Harris and brings Jason Bartlett in to drive. He was in the opens at Dover in December, so this should be a spot much more to his liking. (5) LAREDO TORPEDO N finished second in his U.S. debut on 12-21 but then was scratched last Saturday. He adds Dunn here and should be a contender provided there are no lingering issues from a week ago.
Race 5 - NW15000L5/NW8 or 105000LT/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 12-30-19/50000CLM Pace
(8) ODDS ON LAUDERDALE steps up tonight, but that was a game rally and win last week from post ten into a slow pace. He gets away from the ten-hole this time and should get some pace to chase in here. (5) GINGER TREE MARTY was stacked up on excess cover a week ago but did finish well. Draws a mid-pack slot to give Bongiorno some options as far as racing style. (2) INCREDIBLE SHARK put up some big fractions on December 21 and tired in the final quarter. He switches pilots back to Pat Berry in here and may switch back to off-the-pace tactics.
Race 6 - NW5000L5 Pace
(9) BUSHWACKER ended up with just a one-for-20 record in the win column in 2019 but gets what should be class relief here and wound up with Dunn in the bike. I expect him to be going forward. (1) NASCAR SEELSTER appears to be another logical one in here off a much-improved performance a week ago, and like my top choice, this seems to be a much softer spot. (5) SEEING EYE SINGLE took a sub 1:50 mark at the Meadowlands last year but has been coming up dry in recent weeks. He gets a bit more class relief here, and maybe that's enough to end his drought.
Race 7 - NW15000L5/NW8 or 105000LT/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 12-30-19/50000CLM Pace
(2) SOMEBADDUDE crushed that group of NW10000L5's last Saturday and finished up super. He steps up here but draws well and retained Bongiorno over a Burke horse. (5) MCTHRILLER rallied to hit the board in two straight from outside posts. He has a mid-pack slot to work with tonight and could be closer to the action. (6) ELECTRIC WESTERN came up just a head short of winning a week ago. He remains in the same class and was Buter's choice here.
Race 8 - NW15000L5/NW8 or 105000LT/TrackMaster Rating 89 or Less as of 12-30-19/50000CLM Pace (*$50K GTD Pick 4 Pool**
(1) CLOSING STATEMENT raced conservatively last week in his first start off the bench. Dunn takes back over in the bike, he drops slightly, and moves inside this time. I'll look for a much more aggressive and improved effort. (8) WHEELS ON FIRE should take plenty of attention dropping out of the preferred, but he does move outside, and I'll hope he has to work a bit to get to the lead. (3) MINDTRIP came up just short in the lane last week, but it was a quality performance, and he stays in the same class by entering for the claiming tag.
Race 9 - TrackMaster Rating 82.6 or Less as of 12/30/19 Pace
(1) LEGION OF BOOM takes a step up the ladder on the TrackMaster scale tonight, but he won stoutly last Saturday, and although he loses Berry to one he owns in here, he wound up with Dunn in the bike. (9) BOYS TURN forged his way into the lead in the lane from first-over a week ago but couldn't hold on. It was a strong effort in his first start for Burke, and he remains at the same level, though he does move outside. (5) WEEKEND ATNANNIES comes in with solid form from Batavia and gets to stretch out on the mile track tonight.
Race 10 - TrackMaster Rating 85.5 or Less as of 12/30/19 Pace
(3) WHITTAKER N ground down the leaders from first-over back on December 14 and held sway in the lane in a game victory. He makes the lateral move back to this TrackMaster class where he's raced well from outside posts recently and should be a threat. (6) ALL IT TAKES has been knocking on the door in his last two, including a second to my top choice in that race two back. Bartlett takes over the driving assignment. (5) TUAPEKA TRICK N wasn't disgraced in his first local effort, showing speed and then finishing evenly. Let's see if he can show a bit more tonight.
Race 11 - NW10000L5/30000CLM Pace
(2) BELL I NO tried to brush to the lead last Saturday but got parked out. He hung around in the lane despite the rough trip and gets some class relief tonight from a better post. (5) SOLO STORY took his mark at the Meadowlands in 2019 and is another horse dropping down in company in this spot. (1) TOM ME GUN N came up just a nose short of winning his U.S. debut a week ago. He remains a threat from the pole, but he is stepping up, and I'll try and beat him since he'll probably take action.
Race 12 - NW7500L5/20000CLM Pace
(5) ROCK THE NITE picked up a check against the likes of Franco Totem N when last seen at the Meadowlands on November 23, so this is a significantly easier spot here, and I will use him. (6) BRALEY HANOVER rallied to finish third on 12-21 in his first start after almost a year on the shelf. Burke listed Bongiorno on both of his horses in here, and this is the one he wound up on. (2) MAKE IT BIG finished evenly to get a fifth in this class last week. He draws much better here, and maybe Buter can be more aggressive with him since he isn't coming off a breaking line like he was a week ago.
Race 13 - NW3500L5 Pace
(7) ITSONLYROCKNROLL A took some wagering attention on December 21 and finished fifth against NW5000L5's. He drops to the bottom level here, and I'll look for a bit of value with him. (3) CONSTNTLYSIDEWYS A should be a serious player this low on the class scale, but he hasn't won since last July, so I'll try and knock him off. (5) MESSI N is certainly capable against these types, but he did get rough-gaited near the start last week, so I can only put him underneath.
Race 14 - TrackMaster Rating 79.5 or Less as of 12/30/19 Pace
(3) STEVE SAID moves over from the claimers to this TrackMaster Rating event. His miles there look like they should fit well here. (1) TIME OUT I'M TIRED has hit the board in three straight for trainer Dane Jr., and this is probably an easier spot than that NW5000L5 he was in last time out. (2) I'M AN ATHLETE flattened out in the lane after a long first-over grind last Saturday. He draws a much better post here and gets Dunn back in the bike.