WINTER MEET STATS: 56-16-4-5 / $80.80 (-$31.20) BEST BETS: 4-1-1-0 / $2.80 (-$5.20) SPOT PLAYS: 4-1-1-0 / $4.00 (-$4.00) BEST BET: USEYOURLOVETONIGHT (13th) SPOT PLAY: FERDINAND A (1st) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 1 Pace - Pick 5 (6) FERDINAND A took five weeks off and came back a sharper horse. Veteran faces a weak group and should be able to go down the road. (7) MY WISH CAME TRUE rallied well from an impossible spot last time and prior to that was handled rather aggressively in the amateur ranks with Beltrami in the bike. At 1-for-40 last year he doesn’t seem to enjoy winning but this is a good spot. (1) MILADY DENVER A has inside speed and should stick close while picking up a minor exotics award. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Trackmaster 69 (NW L2/2L4 69.5/70) or less (5) ARNIE’S ARMY double drops in class tonight after getting a small check versus horses that would be heavily favored in this spot. Notice that he’s won two of his last five starts, so the form is there. (4) SARGEANT SONNY went gate to wire on the lead as the 4-5 chalk from post 10 when last in this class. He’s obviously a big threat on the win end but still unreliable at 1-for-11 lifetime. (6) GAIUS CRASTINUS has a decent chance here if he can get position close to the lead and work out a clean trip. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: $7,500 Claiming - Survivor 7 (7) RISKY BUDDY hasn’t been seen in four weeks since Freehold closed but he was very sharp in claimers during December. He drops back down in claiming price here and while he shows no big-track lines recently, he did finish a good third in this condition back in June. (1) DECOY makes his second start back from a break in action. His best would destroy these but I’m not sure we’ll see anywhere close to that tonight; watch him in warm-ups. (10) ROCKIN STANDO didn’t fire in his first start for this barn after missing nearly four weeks; more now? (5) WHAT THE LUCK gets a new driver in Chisholm and he chose here over #10. Race 4: Non-winners $3,000 in last 4/TM 77.5 or less (5) GO LONG has finished very willingly in both Big M tries since switching barns. While his gait isn’t perfect, this race could set up right for him with plenty of potential early speed players in the lineup including (7) JETT RINK, who gets class relief and is almost a lock to make the front. (10) MONEY MATTERS wasn’t very good in his return to the Johnson barn but the price will go way up here and you can’t ignore the success he’s had with this horse. Race 5: $10,000 Claiming (4) Y S BETTORS LEGACY went a long mile last time and all things considered didn’t tire too badly. He’s had ample time to recuperate and draws a much better post tonight. (6) DARK HORSE comes to town off a win. Veteran won nine times last year. (7) JOHNNY CHIP has won two straight in this class off the claim; clear contender despite driver downgrade. Race 6: Winners 2-4 (NW L2 5) races life - $50K GTD Pick 4 (10) QUEEN OF AMERICA S looked to be under a decent hold at the start to take off the gate in her debut so I’m guessing she could push away here for position. While she won by under a length, they could’ve went around again and she was never getting passed. It’s also worth noting that Gingras makes his return to the track and starts with this horse. (1) FINITE won in this class last time and was second his prior two tries. (6) TARPON SPRINGS S broke leaving the gate as half the field left last time. Don’t discount his chances here at good odds. Race 7: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2/2L4 75/75.5) or less/Opt. $12,500 Clm. (8) SWEET CAROLINE IR has proven to be second best in consecutive starts. This looks like the right spot for her to gun to the front and give it her all for the win. (3) FIRSTUP was second when last in this class and notice she drops in for a lower claiming tag to get into the field. That said, driver Irvine chose (9) ILLUSTRIOUSARDEN N, who has a number of good efforts in this class. He’ll need to work out a smooth trip from this post. Race 8: Non-winners 2 (NW L2 3) races or $20,000 (NW L2 $30,000) life/Maidens draw inside - Pick 6 (1) CHASIN’ SUNSHINE raced very well in his first start since the summer and any improvement would make him very difficult to defeat. (8) FURST IGOR S will be heading to the front again and if the track is favoring speed perhaps he doesn’t look back. (9) CHUCK has turned his career around with hobbles added. Will the pace be fast enough to set up his late rally? Race 9: Non-winners $3,000 in last 4/TM 77.5 or less (1) TAKE YOUR PICK has been a victim of circumstance, either drawing poorly, getting in too tough or simply being in bad spots. There are no excuses for her in this spot. (8) BIG CITY DAISY was a convincing winner in her last start and she seems sharp enough to handle the move up in company. (2) MISS DOTTIE MAE is one of many moving from NW5000 to NW3000. Plus she gets post relief as well. Race 10: Non-winners $7,500 in last 4 - $50K GTD Pick 4 (7) TIPSY MONI qualified back nicely and she really should take this field to task as long as she is put into play. (5) TOCCOA FALLS blitzed lesser a week ago and is more than capable of handling the class jump. (1) MON AMOUR won b four-plus lengths in his last appearance in this condition. That said, he did have Dunn in the bike that night. Race 11: Non-winners $5,000 in last 4/TM 80.5 (NW L2/2L4 81/81.5) or less (6) MALUKA MISS N hasn’t been bad in her two starts since coming to the East coast. Class drop here could help get her over the top. (1) KAY SAGE raced well despite the difficult post last time. Sharp mare has a big shot tonight. (8) SHESNOAPRILFOOL IR raced great from off the pace and not so good when displaying early speed. She gets a new driver tonight; new tactics too? Race 12: Trackmaster 71.5 (NW L2/2L4 72/72.75) or less/NW 1 race in 2024 (9) NATIONAL SPORT last started in this TM 71.5 class five starts back and he was sent directly to the front as the chalk and posted a sharp victory. Similar tactics should be in play this week. (5) PAPRIKE BLUE CHIP drew outside last weekend and raced ok from off the pace in his first start in four weeks. He moves in a bit now and is certainly a threat. (2) PACK YOUR BAGS comes off a win in the amateur ranks and three starts back he missed by a nose in this class; obvious player with the right trip. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Trackmaster 73.5 (NW L2/2L4 74/74.5) or less (2) USEYOURLOVETONIGHT was in too tough last weekend, especially considering the four week gap in racing. He finally lands in the right spot over this track and Bailey only needs to keep him out of trouble to have a big shot. (7) LIL’ DAY DRINKIN is a gigantic question mark. Barn change here is interesting but this trainer has limited career starts and hasn’t sent out a horse in a decade. Driver change should definitely help a bit; tough call. (9) ZLATAN is a veteran with plenty of class, but the outside post isn’t ideal for him; using underneath only. Race 14: Trackmaster 71.5 (NW L2/2L4 72/72.5) or less Tough race where many of these could step up given the right trip. (2) QUEEN SUN RYSER scored at first asking for new connections and did so convincingly; sticking with her. (3) BETTE TINA was a good second in this class last week while stopping the timer nearly two seconds faster than the top pick (on different dates). (6) I AM THE FIRE has a win and a third in her last two tries in this TM condition. (8) DREAM DANCING drops a level and is certainly a potential wake-up candidate. (4) DOYOUKISSFIRSTDATE was racing well when last seen in December; new barn now; mixed feelings.