Meadowlands: Saturday 6/29 Analysis

MEET STATS: 3 - 13 / $8.60 (-$17.40)
BEST BETS: 1 - 1 / $2.40 (+0.40)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 1 / $0.00 (-$2.00)
Race 1 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 8 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
BEST BET-PRINCE OF MINTO (6th)
SPOT PLAY-QUALITY BUD (8th)
[SUN STAKES: Free Harness Eye PPs, 20% Rebate & Live Video for Sun Stakes Saturday at The Downs at Pocono.]

Race 1 - GSY SERIES Pace - $25K GTD Pick 5

(7) STORMONT CZAR appears to have been facing off against the best company, albeit over at Pocono, and should get the pace to chase that he needs given his closing style. (3) VILLAGE JACKSON got going too late last week but did close again. Does change barns off the claim. (6) SERIOUS MAJOR turned in a speed-and-fade effort last week. Any softer fractions would greatly improve his chances.
Race 2 - NW3500L5 Pace
(5) PEPPER GUY isn't having nearly the same results this year that he did last season, but he gets to drop all the way to the bottom level condition here and retained Victor Kirby. Note his one win this year was here at the Meadowlands. (3) ALL IT TAKES went some big fractions last Saturday and folded in the lane. Might switch back to an off-the-pace style tonight with Marcus Miller hopping in the bike. (9) MAKE IT BIG closed very well at this class last Saturday night. Stuck in the same bad post again.
Race 3 - TrackMaster Rating 80 or Less as of 6/25/19 Pace
(5) DAVID THE SAINT was passed in the lane after a first-over trip but battled back to get the win last Saturday night. That was his first start back off a bit of a layoff, so you'd hope for some further improvement tonight. (4) EVERY WAY OUT has been performing well in these TrackMaster races and gets an improved post to work with for this try. (6) SPONDULICKS N should be up close with his speed. Was out-finished after a good pocket trip a week ago.
Race 4 - F&M NW4/50000LT Pace
(2) WELL SAID MARIA showed speed from post ten and then was blocked behind horses in the lane last Friday night. Getting some major post relief tonight and hopefully she'll be raring to go after being boxed in. (1) PACE BABY PACE beat many of these in that event eight nights ago and certainly looms an imposing presence from the pole position. (3) WINDSUN BROOKLYN also gets an improved post to work with tonight like her stablemate. Closed well but was in a tough spot being so far back.
Race 5 - 10YO & Up, Winners of at least 20 Races and 200000LT Pace
(2) BIG JER took an amateur race last Saturday and now switches to this class, adding Marcus Miller. Looks like a spot he can double up in. (1) ROCK THREE TIMES had been racing well out of town and then got a nice drive from Abbatiello to beat many of these a week ago. Certainly could see a similiar trip and result tonight. (9) VICTORYDAZE WILWIN has been doing well against the War Horses, even showing speed, and can't be overlooked, even from post nine.
Race 6 - NW9000L5 Trot
(3) PRINCE OF MINTO looks like a big drop-and-pop candidate here as he has been facing stronger stock both at the Meadowlands and Harrah's Philadelphia in his recent appearances. (1) CHELSEES A WINNER had to step up against tough foes over at Pocono and had post eight last time to boot. Draws the rail in her Meadowlands return and has a victory over the track this season. (8) PIERCEWAVE HANOVER comes off a sick scratch, so that is a concern, but closed strongly behind the likes of JL Cruze when last seen at the Meadowlands.
Race 7 - TrackMaster Rating, Dash for the "G" Notes Final
(7) TAILGUNNER HANOVER parked a long ways to make the front and then tired last Saturday night. I'll hope Mike Cole can work out a softer trip tonight and roll by them late like two weeks ago. (6) ROCKS NOBLE ARTIST cruised to the win over some of these a week ago and is certainly a double-up candidate here. (2) BECKYS DREAMBOAT raced quite well coming off the layoff and ship east from Cal-Expo. One would hope for some more pop in the lane with a start under his belt.
Race 8 - NW6000L5 Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4
(2) QUALITY BUD sat back and closed a week ago. Gets the class relief he's probably been after, and I expect a lot more speed tonight. (9) SAMS A CHAMP A rallied strongly but just couldn't chase down Mike's Powerhouse last Saturday night. Drew another bad post tonight, but he'll likely float and hope the cover can tow him into the race. (8) WISE IMAGE switches classes tonight after being in some fast contests recently. His speed should help him overcome post eight.
Race 9 - NW9000L5 Pace
(8) BIG STRETCH MARK switches drivers back to Abbatiello for this try, and will be speeding away from post eight. Has beaten this class before. (3) MUSIC IS ART gets some class relief tonight and the drop and should be a major contender. Marcus Miller takes over the driving assignment. (4) CHANGE STRIDE N had some sneaky pace up the inside last week and sticks at this level.
Race 10 - NW17500L5 Pace
(5) OCEAN COLONY steps up the class ladder tonight but won very impressively last week from the pocket. (6) SWEET ROCK let down the favorite players a week ago on the drop but retained Marcus Miller over others. Probably needs a cleaner trip tonigt. (4) WHEELS ON FIRE set all the fractions but tired late a week ago, and I assume we'll see him on the front again this time.
Race 11 - NW6000L5 Pace
(8) SISKEL journeys down from Plainridge for tonight's race. Drops down two levels from the last time he was seen at the Meadowlands on 6-8 and has scored a win at The Big M already this year. (2) BRAVO TEX N hasn't won yet this year, but this is probably the class he does his best work against. Hooked wheels with a rival when tracking cover last Saturday, so just draw a line through that mile. (3) SPORTS VISION got rebuffed from first-over last Saturday night. Gets another chance at this level tonight and maybe he can work out a smoother trip.
Race 12 - TrackMaster Rating 80 or Less as of 6/25/19 Pace
(2) SOUTHWIND DARWIN wound up with another horrible trip last week, making it two in-a-row. Switches to Ginsburg this week from an inside post, and hopefully he can find him that clean journey like on 6-8. (7) JUST N BERLANDER exits the amateur races tonight. Doesn't usually leave the gate, so he'll need some pace to chase and a trouble-free trip. (5) TECHINO HANOVER wasn't racing badly when last seen at the Meadowlands, though he seemed to go off-form at Harrington and Harrah's Philadelphia. Hopefully the big track will wake him back up.
Race 13 - 7500-10000CLM HCP Pace
(3) MCCITO keeps racking up the second-place finishes, but I'll bank on this being the week he breaks through. Been in good form and Abbatiello is a good driver on a speed horse like he is. (1) MIDNIGHT DYLAN N gives the claimers a try after racing mainly in the TrackMaster races. Got an aggressive drive last Saturday but just couldn't finish it off. Pat Berry gets another chance in the bike. (7) DAYLYN HORIZON woke up at 26-1 a week ago. Not the most consistent horse, but he usually finds a way to close ground.
Race 14 - NW3500L5 Trot
(4) MA WAS RIGHT stayed flat in the qualifiers, so hopefully that's a step in the right direction. Filly showed class last year as a stakes winner, so the bottom-level condition should be a spot she can win at if she will trot. (9) SHADY MCCOY drops to his most productive level tonight but is also coming off a mile where he broke. (8) ARCH CREDIT strolled to win last time out up at Vernon and returns to the Meadowlands tonight where he has won previously in 2019.