2023 STATS: 44 - 214 / $353.00 (-$75.00) BEST BETS: 10 - 16 / $29.90 (-$2.10) SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 16 / $103.40 (+$71.40) BEST BET - MIDNIGHT THUNDER (13th) SPOT PLAY - ONE MORE TRY (3rd) Race 1 - MADC 1 Pace (3) ARYIANA STAR didn't threaten last Thursday but was favored in that race. She rallied to win at Batavia on 11-29 and should offer a better price tonight. (1) BILBO HANOVER returns to the amateur races after one unsuccessful appearance at Monticello. He gained spots and ground from post ten on November 10 and starts from the pole position here. (7) HARRY HANOVER doesn't have super form but catches a wide-open group tonight and all three of his victories this year have come at the Meadowlands. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2 - TrackMaster Rating 71 or Less as of 12-12-23 Pace (2) BLAME THE BLKSMITH ships down from Saratoga having raced well in his recent appearances and meets up with a beatable group in this bottom level TrackMaster rating tilt. (3) ALL IT TAKES toured the oval at the back of the pack from post ten last Thursday but had better luck at the draw tonight and was second on 11-28 at Plainridge. (6) ALWAYS A FORCE faded in the final quarter on December 7 but makes his second start back after a layoff and has had plenty of success at the Meadowlands before. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3 - F&M TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less as of 12-12-23 Pace (9) ONE MORE TRY starts from a bad post but appeared to have pace in the stretch last week while lacking room until late. I think she'll offer a good price in a wide-open tilt, and I'll swing. (7) DW'S DARLENE owns three victories in her last four outings up at Saratoga, and that kind of form sticks out quite a bit in this type of race. (6) PHELGON never got close to the action last Thursday but tallied in this class prior to that. Race 4 - MADC 1 Pace **$35,785.74 Pick 8 Carryover** (2) FERDINAND A went down the road to win a week ago and should have picked up some confidence. Expect similar tactics in this race. (1) THNDRFRMTHETHRON N cut the fractions and was second last Friday in another MADC 1 division and moves inside on the gate from the eight-hole to the pole position. (7) ROCKABILLY CHARM was third behind THNDRFRMTHETHRON N last week and has a good racing history at the Meadowlands. Race 5 - F&M NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77.5 or Less as of 12-12-23 Pace (5) HARMONY OF NOTES took her lifetime mark at the Meadowlands earlier this year and was fourth against what I think was a tougher group in this class on 11-17. (7) FIRSTUP drops to the bottom level tonight and did gain some ground in the stretch last Friday despite getting bothered by a breaker. (4) NITE TIME DEAL faded against NW5000L4 company a week ago but was a solid second in a NW3000L4 test prior to that and has post relief. Race 6 - Play Meadowlands Final/Top Money Winners from 12-8-23 NW5000L4 Divisions Trot **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool** (1) PINEWOOD HANOVER got rolling late in the stretch last week and made up a bunch of ground approaching the wire. The driver should know him better tonight, and hopefully he'll be able to time that kick better. (3) BUDDY EARL won nicely a week ago despite taking a shuffle in the middle-half. He has a new trainer here with Richie Johnson taking over. (2) MISSILE closed well after a three-hole trip to take runner-up honors in his division of this short series and landed another inside post in this test. Race 7 - TrackMaster Series Final/Top Money Winners from 12-7-23 F&M TrackMaster Rating 74 or Less Divisions Pace (6) BADDITUDE was overtaken in the stretch last Thursday, but her form remains good, and I'll hope for both a better effort and price. (1) LAZIN ON THE BEACH rallied from second-over to defeat my top selection on 12-7 and has been racing well for a barn that's sending out plenty of live horses. (2) SUGE has been in the top three in four of her last five starts and has another inside draw to give the driver options on tactics. Race 8 - MADC 1 Pace (6) SUNSHINE'S FINEST doesn't have to deal with an outside post tonight, and the last time he had a similar draw to this one, he won easily back on 11-3. (3) WHAMMER JAMMER moves inside on the gate this week and has closed well to hit the board the last two weeks. (9) CAMLACHIE CHROME has finished in the top three in all of his recent appearances at the MADC 1 level. I think he'll offer a square price from out in this post. Race 9 - Play Meadowlands Final/Top Money Winners from 12-7-23 NW3000L4 Divisions Trot (5) SMOOTH ACELERATION wound up taking a shuffle and then closed well off excess cover last Thursday. I liked him that race and he merits another shot here based on that performance. (7) NEWELL PLACE tallied as a 1-5 favorite on 12-7 and is probably the one they'll have to beat again tonight. (8) BIG CHARLIE MORAN backed up his victory at Freehold to start the month with another one last Thursday and is a logical one to include. Race 10 - F&M NW5000L4/TrackMaster Rating 80.5 or Less as of 12-12-23/NW1325 Per Start in 2023 Pace **$50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Pool** (5) ILLUSION SEELSTER finished third in a tough NW8 test for 3-year-old fillies last Saturday and any duplication of that effort tonight in this race would make her difficult to beat. (3) TREACHEROUSDAME tallied two back at the Meadowlands and then was eighth in that same contest that ILLUSION SEELSTER exits. She closed out her mile fine despite not threatening the stouter competition and gets post relief here. (7) UPTOWN LADY N makes her second start back after a layoff and drops a notch out of the NW7500L4 class. Race 11 - NW3000L4/TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 12-12-23 Trot (4) NARANJO stayed flat a week ago, which was a positive sign after all the recent miscues he made, and finished a solid third to boot. This should be a softer class and his trainer has been sending out lots of live horses. (3) UNIQUE KEMP advanced from ninth to fifth in the final quarter of her race last Thursday and makes her second start back off the bench tonight. (7) HARDROCKCAFE was making a move to the outside on 12-7 when he made a break as the favorite. His performance before that against NW5000L5 company at Harrah's Philadelphia was good, and I'll toss him in underneath. Race 12 - 7500-8500CLM HCP Pace (8) PINEBUSHDRAGONROLL drops out of the $10,000 claiming handicap level, and although he doesn't win often, one of his victories came earlier this year at the Meadowlands. His strong final quarter on 12-2 also makes me think he might be rounding into better form. (5) SPORTS HERO gets post relief here and has been outside the top three just once in his last five tries. Included in those results are two triumphs. (3) ODDS ON BOCA RATON is stepping up from the $5,000 claimers at Freehold but has earned this chance by winning four consecutive races. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13 - TrackMaster Series Final/Top Money Winners from 12-7-23 TrackMaster Rating 71 Divisions Pace (1) MIDNIGHT THUNDER dominated his foes in his division of this series last Thursday and picks up a catch driver this time. (6) BIG IDEA took all the wagering support in his split and didn't disappoint by rallying from way back to score. I'll include. (8) TKO BLUE CHIP was another victor in a section of this event and will probably offer some value given the switch to an outside draw. Race 14 - TrackMaster Rating 77 or Less as of 12-12-23/NW of A Race since 4-8-23 Pace (6) UNIQUE BEACH endured a difficult journey in an amateur contest a week ago but races in a wide-open nightcap here and his last try against the $15,000 claimers at Yonkers interests me enough to take a swing with him. (1) IMABEACHBOY won easily in his debut for trainer Izzy Estrada last Saturday and steps up here. Note this is also his second start on Lasix. (4) WHIMSICAL JOURNEY was out-finished in a series final at Saratoga most recently but had been performing well both there and over at Plainridge before that.