Meadowlands: Saturday 7/1 Analysis
Best Bet: WESTERN HILL (8th)
Spot Play: ROSE RUN QUICKLEY (4th)
Race 1 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 3 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
Race 7 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
MEET STATS: 70 - 172 / $346.50 (+$2.50)
BEST BETS: 10 - 15 / $25.80 (-$4.20)
Race 1
(3) MR JULIAN has won three straight and goes for the grand slam now in a new barn. New driver Allan Davis is very good at sending horses down the road. (2) HONEYS DRAGON just missed versus the top choice last time. He also enters a new barn so improvement isn’t impossible. (5) WALKS OF LIFE comes off a decent mile and rates a chance if the top two fail to respond for new connections.
Race 2
(5) ROLL N CATCH raced very well off the bench in trainer Brett Pelling’s first start back in North America. A repeat performance should result in a victory. (7) ONE TOUGH NUT won at this level three starts back and had no chance last time at Vernon. (8) TIMCAT HANOVER raced very erratically as my top pick last week. I want to give him another shot but not sure I can before taking a look at him in the post parade. (6) MEDIEVAL DRAGON kept up nicely in a fast mile; possible on the win end.
Race 3
(4) LAST GUNFIGHTER is prone to mistakes at times and made one last week. There is no reason he can’t go right back to dominating. (1) TALENT SOUP went into the Hempt with hope but an outside post and a break did him in. He should be very competitive in this spot. (7) MR VARSITY blew away lesser a week ago and merits consideration against better now.
Race 4
In a formless race, (4) ROSE RUN QUICKLEY returns to The Meadowlands at a reduced level and has no excuses for failure. (7) LUV AT FIRST SITE pulled off an upset at this level a handful of starts back. (5) GENIUS AT WORK fits on paper but has missed more than a month and had no form when he was racing.
Race 5
(7) TWICE AN ANGEL was a solid second in this class two starts back before getting toasted trying to leave at Yonkers last time. With her main competition on the outside of the gate a wire to wire victory seems well within reach. (9) JOYFUL GAME & (10) DECAR HALL HEIRESS finished-one-two last week in a cheaper condition but face a similar field here. (3) MOJARRA HANOVER has a chance with a smooth trip.
Race 6
(6) VILLE VALO has looked super since adding Lasix and should prove very difficult to beat despite the sharp competition in this mini-series final. (4) SPICEBOMB has taken advantage of weak foes in recent races. He is clearly a threat here but I’d want at least 5-2 to roll the dice. (2) TO BEACH HIS OWN has the early speed to get around the #1 and sit a close up trip. (7) THAT’S MY HARLEY is another that is fast off the gate. He could provide some nice value in the exotics.
Race 7
(6) MAXDADDY BLUE CHIP is a horse that has shown flashes of high speed that moves into a new barn this week. A step forward is not out of the question. (8) ONTARIO SUCCESS is probably the horse to beat in here and has the early zip to overcome the outside draw. (1) IWILLMAKEYOUSAYWOW has raced better when near the lead and hopefully will fire out from the cones. (2A) TITUS SEELSTER may have been my top pick from a better post, but winning from the 10-hole might be too much to ask.
Race 8
(1) WESTERN HILL exits the North America Cup for shallower waters tonight. Three-year-old has ability and should flex his muscles. (3) MATTAMERICAN was a good second in a fast mile last time; dangerous class dropper. (9) R J P was handled patiently and had no shot of circling the field last time; threat but bad post again. (2) CHUCARO ACERO BC has a win in this class two starts back but this group is tougher than that field.
Race 9
(6) WHATAORSE raced well from behind with no chance last time. Veteran campaigner is sitting on a win and should have a big chance in this spot. (5) JUSTIFIED left and was a good second the last time he raced at this level. (2) ROCKET DA RED finds the best spot he has seen in a while and the price should be right with the trainer in the bike.
Race 10
(4) PIERCE gets a nice driver change to Marcus Miller and should take care of business. (2) QUALITY BUD put in his best mile yet last week for new trainer Eric Foster. Maybe this 4-year-old is finally ready to wake up. (5) CAMTURO BEACH switched barns and stayed sharp; using underneath. (1) JETSKI LOUIE gets some post relief and should be much closer to the action. (9) TWINCREEKS JACK is a speedy sort that moves into a new barn.
Race 11
(9) ARSENIC saved ground in a steady effort moving into this barn up at Saratoga. There is more in the tank than we saw last week and the 1:51 1/5 win at Mohawk last year is proof of that potential. I’m taking a shot here against a suspect group. (5) DEMOCRACY N went too fast two starts back versus better and had no shot last time from post seven at Yonkers; chance in here. (4) SILVERADO is another with early speed; driver change this week could help.
Race 12
(7) YACHT KING couldn’t seal the deal last Saturday but deserves another shot against a similarly weak group. (2) STORMIN RUSTLER draws better this week. Veteran could save ground and shake free for an upset. (3) AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL drops down in claiming price and goes from a sharp field to a dull one. (1) ALLEN THE OPTOMIST can save ground and pick up some pieces like last time.
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