2024 STATS: 1 - 14 / $16.80 (-$11.20)
BEST BETS: 0 - 1 / $0.00 (-$2.00)
SPOT PLAYS: 0 - 1 / $0.00 (-$2.00)
BEST BET - AMERICAN WAY (9th)
SPOT PLAY - GLIDE IN THE WIND (13th)
Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace - Pick 5
(3) MILADY DENVER A enters off a scratch but was second in an improved effort at Monticello before that, has a good history at the Meadowlands and catches a wide-open group tonight. (5) LANESIDE LOGIC GB looks like the probable favorite in here as he was second last Friday and makes his second start on Lasix. (6) ARYIANA STAR was too far back to make an impact a week ago, but that was her first appearance in over a month and she was second in a MADC 1 test back in early January.
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Race 2 - TrackMaster Series Leg 2/TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less as of 2-20-24/Leg 1 Starters Pace - Survivor 7
(5) PACK YOUR BAGS wound up on dull cover on the final turn a week ago and was unable to threaten. He had won two straight down at Freehold prior to that when he was closer to the pace, and I will hope for a more aggressive approach this time. (10) SKYWAY BILLY starts from the ten-hole but had obvious traffic trouble as the favorite last week before rallying late to get second. (2) STONE COLD SAVAGE rallied from ninth to fourth in the final quarter of his event last Friday and moves inside on the gate from the eight-hole to post two.
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Race 3 - TrackMaster Series Leg 1/TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW1000L4/NW Starters This Class Last Start Trot
(9) BINGO BRAIN delivered when she switched from the NW2's to this class last Friday and since he was able to overcome a poor draw in that victory, I don't mind that she is stuck outside again. (1) I'LL OWE YOU ONE has hit the board in three of four outings thus far in 2024 and I can excuse the fourth-place finish as the favorite on 2-9 as he was used hard in the opening-half in that contest. (5) BROOKROAD MASTER shows a couple of third-place results thus far in his 8-year-old campaign, including last Friday. He could be sharper tonight as he had a gap in his schedule coming into that appearance.
Race 4 - TrackMaster Series Leg 1/TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW1000L4/NW Starters This Class Last Start Trot - Pick 8
(3) SHINKANSEN had better luck in the draw this time as he avoids the ten-hole he's had the last two weeks, and he gained a number of spots and a bunch of ground in the final quarter last Friday. (7) BET BIG ON BLUE turned in an improved effort to finish second to my top pick from race three in this class a week ago and has David Miller to drive again. (6) POKER PLAY wound up fourth as the favorite at this level last week but did finish with plenty of trot in that race. I'll toss him in underneath.
Race 5 - MADC 1 Pace
(9) GOTTA MINUTE N went a big trip in the MADC 1 on 2-9 to finish second despite getting parked all the way and returns to the amateur ranks after a speed-and-fade try versus TrackMaster 74 foes last Saturday. (4) ROCKABILLY CHARM has a good race-bad race pattern going and would be sitting on a good effort if that holds. He also gets a new driver with Tony Beltrami taking over. (1) ATTA BOY DAN didn't have much to offer a week ago but was third in the MADC 1 prior to that and gets significant post relief here.
Race 6 - F&M TrackMaster Series Leg 1/TrackMaster Rating 73.5 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW1000L4/NW Starters This Class Last Start Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool*
(2) MISS ITALIA closed well to finish third in her first start for trainer Edwin Quevedo last Friday and I will bank on improvement coming here as she'd been idle since January 11 coming into that try. (1) BADDITUDE has two wins and a second in her last three starts and starts from the pole position for a high-percentage barn. (4) EILEEN'S WISH ships from Freehold in razor-sharp condition with three runner-up results and a win thus far in 2024.
Race 7 - NW2 Ext. PM Races LT/Maidens Draw Inside Trot
(8) JET ZETTE qualified nicely last Saturday, finishing up with plenty of trot, and I will use her against this group off that performance. (6) LOVELY HEART gets to move inside on the gate this time after finishing fourth in this class from the nine-hole on February 9. She's making her second start with trotting hobbles on. (2) GUEST OF HONOR broke on February 9 but was a good second in his career debut and gets reunited with Andy Miller this time.
Race 8 - MADC 1 Pace - Pick 6
(4) ODDS ON LAUDERDALE enjoyed a pretty good campaign last year with seven victories, and I think he was keeping pretty good company at Plainridge to boot. He's won several times before at the Meadowlands as well. (2) MY WISH CAME TRUE has stepped up with better efforts in his last two tries, including a solid runner-up finish a week ago. (8) WHAMMER JAMMER comes into this tilt having hit the board in his last two tries and won a MADC 1 dash back on December 22.
Race 9 - TrackMaster Series Leg 2/TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less as of 2-20-24/Leg 1 Starters Pace
(2) AMERICAN WAY scored in a qualifier last Saturday and is debuting for trainer Per Engblom, an angle that often results in an improved effort by the horse. (8) ARCHETTO HANOVER has had difficult trips in his last two appearances but did hang on to finish third in a MADC 1 race last week despite getting parked out the whole way. (9) LINCOLN BOULEVARD drew poorly again but won handily at this level a week ago.
Race 10 - Mares NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW7500L4 or TrackMaster Rating 83.5 or Less Draw Outside Pace *$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool*
(5) SIDE PIECE should be ready for her 4-year-old debut after three qualifiers at Saratoga. This mare won 12 times in 16 starts in Western Canada at ages 2 and 3 and trainer Jackie Greene usually has a high percentage. (8) SANTAFE'S APPETITE hasn't fired in her last couple of starts but gets a chance to team up with a catch driver in Johnathan Ahle and perhaps that will result in a bettoer performance. (3) VILLAGE JADE gets post relief this week and shows a third-place finish against much tougher NW30000L5 company at Yonkers in mid-December.
Race 11 - TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW1000L4 Pace
(10) TERRE HAUTE is stuck out in post ten but did take plenty of wagering attention last Saturday in this class and is going to get a switch to a catch driver (Brett Beckwith) after being handled by amateurs lately. (2) BANK SEA disappointed as an odds-on favorite in a TrackMaster 77 event on February 10 but I expect him to get plenty of backers again as he is getting additional class relief. (3) JUMPKING JAKE has finished out his miles well in his last two appearances and is moving in from the nine-hole to post three.
Race 12 - Mares NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 2-20-24 Pace
(4) MISS CHANTILLY N got parked at 1-5 last time out at Freehold and tired badly but was third from the ten-hole in this class at the Meadowlands prior to that. She has a new trainer (Cory Stratton) and driver this time. (6) CASH ROLL returns from Yonkers off a third-place result last time out and was facing much tougher NW7500L5's when last seen at the Meadowlands in January. (5) LAZIN ON THE BEACH makes her second start back after a layoff here, and I'm going to anticipate much more aggressive handling after she sat in and was shuffled last Saturday.
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Race 13 - NW3000L4/NW3901L8/TrackMaster Rating 77.03 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW3 Races in 2023-24/NW Starters This Class Last Start Trot
(5) GLIDE IN THE WIND won the last time he raced in this class back on January 12 and I think he has a little bit of hidden form given his good final quarters in his last two tries. (2) HERE IS HELP went down the road to win a qualifier on 2-10 and debuts for trainer Julie Miller here. He raced in a leg of the Indiana Sires Stakes a year ago, so he has some class to him. (3) MISSILE drops out of the NW5000L4 level and has post relief to go with it.
Race 14 - F&M TrackMaster Series Leg 1/TrackMaster Rating 73.5 or Less as of 2-20-24/NW1000L4/NW Starters This Class Last Start Pace
(9) SAMOSA HANOVER finished third in this class on January 26 and February 9 and has a trip excuse from last week as she was locked in the pocket and never had racing room. (6) MISS MAYCEE comes north from Freehold with two straight second-place efforts from post eight and makes her second start on Lasix. (8) SHELLIE DE VIE hasn't won in a while but has raced better in her last two appearances.
