MEET STATS: 139-51-25-17 / $275.00 (-$3.00) BEST BETS: 10-4-1-0 / $15.20 (-$4.80) SPOT PLAYS: 10-2-4-1 / $7.20 (-$12.80) BEST BET: THANEEYA (7th) SPOT PLAY: BRAZEN BRAZILIAN (5th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5 (5) FIRSTUP took plenty of air and hung around valiantly in one of the slowest final quarters you’ll see here due to a stiff wind. Improved post tonight should help the cause. (1) KISSINBYTHEBEACHES is in a very good spot but you always have to worry when a horse returns from a layoff and is scratched sick after one start. (4) HARRY HANOVER picks up the hottest amateur driver around. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L2 $3,571) in last 4 or $1,250 p.s. in 2024/TM 77 (NW L2/2L4 77.5/78) or less (5) HOBBS hasn’t been very sharp but he’s also been in difficult spots lately. If he can’t wake up against this group it may be time for a brief vacation. (2) MISSILE comes off an even performance. You have to like his ability to stick close to the action in a field with plenty of sluggish horses. (3) LOUIS has finished ahead of the top pick in each of his last two starts and seems like a must on your Pick 5 tickets. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: Non-winners $5,000 (NW 2L5 $5,501) in last 4 or $1,500 p.s. in 2024/TM 80 (NW L2 80.5) or less - Survivor 7 (4) KEYSTONE APACHE did his best but couldn’t close on a night that was clearly favoring speed. I can see a change of tactics coming this week. (6) DRIBBLING BI can be fast off the gate when he wants to be and this field is right up his alley; using on win end. (2) MR KNOWITALL needs a ground-saving trip but is not without a chance in here. Race 4: Non-winners $12,500 (NW L2 $13,750) in last 4/TM 86 or less (6) LEXUS KODY has developed a breaking problem over at Hoosier and now returns to the Burke barn’s east coast operation. Consider that he owns a 17-10-3-1 record here the last three years and he’s much the best if he trots. (4) STABLE GENIUS finished a good 13 lengths back of the top choice when last seen on Hambletonian Day. Now he’s freshened up with a strong qualifier and could be ready to roll. (5) RESOLVE TO WIN comes to town in fine form and may make his presence known. Race 5: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace (7) BRAZEN BRAZILIAN wasn’t going anywhere from post 10 last time. He moves in a few spots now and is very capable of firing out when the situation calls for it; take a shot. (10) HELLO ROCKY couldn’t be any sharper for a barn that has come out firing on all cylinders. The post isn’t ideal but he’s proven capable of circling the field. (1) BETTER THAN SOME should sprint off the gate like last week and get a good check at the worst. Race 6: Trackmaster 77 (NW L2/2L4/2L10 77.5/78.05/79.80) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) LOUIS LITT N stepped up in class last time and raced well but couldn’t quite overcome post 10. He moves into an ideal post now and only needs a reasonable setup to threaten, which could very well occur with some early speed to his outside. (8) SINATRA HANOVER has been a different horse since coming down from Saratoga. Along with (7) GEMINI EXPRESS, both horses should be put in play and either could win. (2) PADUKA N rarely wins nowadays but he’s decent at sitting close and getting into the number. Race 7: Trackmaster 71.5 (NW L2/2L4/NW in 2024 72/72.5/73.35) or less (7) THANEEYA gets a major driver change and while she doesn’t look great on paper, she’s been here before and raced reasonably well, including winning a race last year. (5) SANDY COURT is another potentially live horse picked up by one of Northfield’s top drivers Justin Irvine. Three-year-old takes on her elders but seems to be a contender if she picks up her game stretching out on the big track. (3) JUST MY MAMA has been racing competitively in the same class as the top pick at Freehold. (2) PULL ME THROUGH is hard to like on the win end considering her zero wins in 34 starts this year, but she has finished in the top three 15 times! Race 8: Trackmaster 74 (NW L2/2L4 74.5/75.3) or less - Pick 6 (7) DISARONNO HILL closed ok from an impossible spot in her first start in seven weeks. Six-year-old should be sharper now and will certainly enjoy the slightly better post. (5) LADY WISHES missed by just a head in this class last weekend. (1) ROMA AMOR gets class and post relief tonight. Race 9: Trackmaster 74 (NW L2/2L4/L8 74.5/75.10/75.35) or less (8) CAVIART CAMDEN has a bit of class to him and has always been a horse that can chase and pounce. Five-year-old ships into a soft spot and only needs a reasonable journey to menace. (3) FERRAGAMO HANOVER took too much wind and faded, and that really isn’t his trip anyway. Gelding can be a threat with a clean journey. (2) ER VEGAS qualified back nicely with a pair of efforts that could have him ready. This is certainly a class where he can succeed if ready and Boyd chose here over #3. Race 10: Trackmaster 80 (NW L2/2L4/L8 80.5/81.10/82.95) or less/NW $2,561 L4 - $50K GTD Pick 4 (1) IDEAL COVER has been keeping better company at Yonkers but it is hard to know how good she’ll be here seeing as she has never raced on a mile track and her only start on the seven-eighths was two years ago as a 2-year-old. If she picks up her game, watch out! (6) ILLUSION SEELSTER didn’t have it in her first start back here but that race may’ve done her some good. (4) SHELTER IN PACE is yet another returning horse with two qualifiers under her belt. She can certainly go with these. Race 11: Trackmaster 71.5 (NW L2/2L4 72/72.55) or less (2) BOLT THE COURT has a couple of even miles in two starts over the track. I’m not running to the windows to bet him but this really does look like a sweet spot. (5) AINTNOBETTOR A gunned to the top and got second in this condition a week ago. (8) NATIONAL SPORT took a ton of air and still finished third as the 4-5 chalk last time. A better trip can result in a better finish. Race 12: Trackmaster 77 (NW L2/2L4/3YO 77.5/78/79.05) or less (2) CITY OF STARS seemed to regress in her second start over the track. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt as fillies sometimes have “off” days. She gets one more try on the class dip tonight. (8) RAISE THE ANTE has the early quickness to make the top and she was third in this condition last time. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races life/TM 78.6 or less/Maidens draw inside (2) BLARNEY CASTLE gets a free ride of sorts after winning in this condition last Saturday. That said, I’d hardly call him anything close to a lock. (4) KELLY’S GREATEST has made a good living this year by finishing second and third a lot. (10) HL OLMAYA might have a chance here as the race is loaded with early speed types. If the pace is very hot she could be flying late. Race 14: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace With a few outside speed types signed on and the likelihood that this race doesn’t wind up going fast as it will be somewhat cold by 11:45 at night, (1) THNDRFRMTHETHRON N is somewhat appealing at a price. He’s won a number of times over the track and should be able to sit fourth or so and kick in late. (6) COACH WENDL gets in off the AE list and seems to fit my closers theme nicely after finishing strong for second last time. (7) KIMANI N comes off a decisive win at Monticello and this barn has done well in the amateur ranks.