WINTER MEET STATS: 28-7-2-3 / $35.60 (-$20.40) BEST BETS: 2-1-0-0 / $2.80 (-$1.20) SPOT PLAYS: 2-0-1-0 / $0.00 (-$4.00) BEST BET: CHASIN’ SUNSHINE (4th) SPOT PLAY: LADY WISHES (13th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5 (5) T DOG left, sat behind the two chalks and rallied well for second last week. He’s back in MADC now and at the lower of the two levels (though this race plays close to the higher); big shot. (4) ROCK ON LINE and (3) YER SO BAD are as consistent as they come in these amateur races and either could score with a decent setup. (9) SAVE ME A DANCE wasn’t bad at all in his debut for the new barn and notice that this guy has plenty of back class. If the new connections have figured him out he could score at huge odds. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Trackmaster 69 (NW L2/2L4 69.5/70) or less (5) BROOKLYN MOONSHINE shows a line three starts back here where she wired the field and there doesn’t appear to be much early zip signed on to this event. (1) QUEEN SUN RYSER has a pair of seconds in her last appearance at this level; big threat but doesn’t love to win. (7) THANEEYA comes in from Freehold sharp but didn’t exactly do well when last here; mixed feelings. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: Trackmaster 71.5 (NW L2/2L4 72/72.75) or less - Survivor 7 There is plenty of early speed on the inside of the gate and (1) CLAYTONS BETTOR N is the sharpest. He should get away close and have a big shot in a race that could also fall apart and produce a huge price if things don’t go his way. (4) THE OPENER isn’t exactly fast away and he’s been stuck with outside posts; bad combination. (6) TERRE HAUTE hasn’t been quite as awful as his recent lines look. He might be worth throwing on your Pick 5 tickets. Race 4: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $20,000 (NW L2 $30,000) life/Maidens draw inside (3) CHASIN’ SUNSHINE has been brought along very patiently with just six starts prior to his 4-year-old debut. That last qualifier was everything you could ask for as he handled starting behind the car exhaust without issue and was a willing second behind a much better foe while dropping three seconds off his first qualifier. (7) ROCK MY UNIVERSE looks like the clear one to beat off a solid try last time, but he did break his prior two starts and we have no idea if he can repeat his good effort for new connections after the $20K online purchase. (10) FURST IGOR S made a speed break after getting away cleanly last time as the 1-9 chalk. His best is clearly good enough to compete for the win spot. Race 5: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L2 $3,350) in last 4/TM 77.5 (NW L2/2L4 78/78.5) or less (1) ILLUSION SEELSTER was used hard as the chalk last time and tired badly. Her prior start in this class was a good second and a rebound is certainly very possible. (10) PROBERT drops again in his third start for new trainer Stratton. Notice that she got caught in a very fast 1:51 mile last time. (3) FIRSTUP gets clear class relief here and should bring a good mile. Race 6: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,500) in last 4/TM 80.5 (NW L2/2L4 81/81.5) or less - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) SHESNOAPRILFOOL IR was used to the front, yielded, got shuffled back and then ran into the foe in front of her in the stretch as the seam she was going to disappeared. Any reasonable trip will give her a big shot to rebound. (3) PATTYCAKE MOOSS raced ok from off the pace in her first start in two months; expecting much more and using in the Pick 4. (5) OUR SHELL BELLE steps up off a win but remains capable. (6) CRÈME DELIGHT drops down and in theory could show more. Race 7: $7,500 Claiming (4) IT’S ABOVE ME NOW gets in off the AE list and finds a cozy spot as he drops back in at the level of the recent claim. He didn’t get away fast enough in his first start for the new barn and wound up parked to the half. Things should be easier here. (5) HASHTAG MONEY is another adding a claiming price and getting a new pilot; early speed now? (10) LEON DAVID has missed four weeks but certainly faces the softest group he’s seen in some time. Anything close to his “A” game wins but he’s definitely lost quite a bit off his fastball. (7) INDIGENOUS HANOVER has a win in this class but will need a smooth trip so demand value. Race 8: Winners 2-4 (NW L2 5) races or $50,000 life - Pick 6 (5) THE THING IS gets a nice driver change here and picks up hobbles to make sure he behaves. We could be getting a more aggressive steer this week. (4) FINITE is certainly going to be the favorite here and he’s hard to leave off your tickets despite failing in his last two starts. (2) ALL TOO WELL was in good position when he broke for no apparent reason last time. Four-year-old is still as fast as any in here if he gets his act together. Race 9: $15,000-$20,000 Claiming Handicap (8) HAVEHORSWILTRVEL N made his debut for this barn last time and rolled despite taking pressure from #7. A repeat certainly seems within his reach, though there is a lot of early speed surrounding him. (6) ALLSUMMERLONG AS hasn’t thrown in a bad effort since November and she could take advantage if the pace is crazy. (10) MONI’S HEAVEN CENT has hit the board in each of his last three starts and two of those came from post 10. Race 10: $20,000 Claiming - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) IDEAL SKIES came up big in her first start for Bilach and there is no reason she can’t bring an encore performance. (1) CELCIUS chased home the top one a week ago and might be destined for a similar fate. (7) PREMIER DESIREY has put in a decent attempt in all of her recent starts over the track. Still, using underneath only. Race 11: Non-winners $5,000 (NW 2L5 $5,501) in last 4 or $1,500 p.s. in 2024/TM 80.5 (NW L2/2L4 81/81.5) or less (5) TOM SWIFTY is a 4-year-old trying to find his comfort zone versus more experienced foes. He dropped to this level last time and put in an even effort on the face of it but let’s consider that the mile went in 1:53 1/5, which is very fast for the class in January. Let’s give him the slight edge at good odds in a wide-open race on paper. (7) WOODSIDE GABE tried to rally off somewhat pedestrian fractions and came up lacking last time; just needs some pace help. (1) LABYAD BROS S simply lost his gate in the stretch most recently. Do you want to bet him as the potential favorite now on the class drop? I have mixed feelings. Race 12: Non-winners $3,000 (NW L2 $3,471) in last 4/TM 77.5 (NW L2/2L4 78/78.5) or less None of the horses that are moving up or remaining in this class look very good so we’ll focus on the three dropping in company. Of those, (6) MOCHA JAVA is the most interesting because he’ll probably offer the best price and showed forward progress last time from an impossible spot in post nine. I think we may see early speed from this guy tonight. (3) TOCCOA FALLS is a very capable horse when he decides to behave. He really hasn’t been in this cheap in three years. (4) HANKINS HANOVER could be the chalk here off one solid flat line despite breaking in his previous three starts. I’ll likely fade him here but recognize he could beat me. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: $12,500 Claiming (5) LADY WISHES cuts her claiming price dramatically and you have to think there is a chance she’s getting claimed tonight. Four-year-old had no shot from post nine when dropped to this class last weekend and seems likely to find early speed tonight; Boyd’s choice over #3. (3) ILLUSTRIOUSARDEN N also gets post relief and she did win her previous start in this class. (7) ANNE BONNEY N has good early speed and decent form; using underneath. Race 14: Trackmaster 73.5 (NW L2/2L4 74/74.50) or less (9) FASHION CANTAB switched out of the amateur ranks last time and got disconnected from the field early when a bunch of horses broke and then raced evenly. I’d argue that this is the easiest field he has seen in a long time and just maybe Herschberger will fire him off the wings of the gate. (1) LIONHEAD went parked every step of the mile last time and kept trying hard through the wire; moves inside. (4) SOUTHWIND BIANCA was parked and being used to the front when she broke last time. The road to the front should be easier this week.