MEET STATS: 69-26-11-8 / $144.90 (+$6.90) BEST BETS: 5-1-1-0 / $3.60 (-$6.40) SPOT PLAYS: 5-1-2-0 / $4.60 (-$5.40) BST BET: WINNER’S BET (9th) SPOT PLAY: DIRECTION (6th) Race 1: Non-winners $12,500 (NW L2 $14,165) in last 4/TM 86.5 (NW L2/2L4/3YO 87/87.5/88.25) or less - Pick 5 (1) SARAOTA HANOVER picked up plenty of confidence out of town doing what she does best, racing near the front. Then she came into the Crown eliminations and raced from behind with no chance after three-quarters popped on the board in 1:24 3/5. We should see speed from her tonight. (4) ABSOLUTE POWER steps up but has the early speed to make some noise. (2) CANIGETALOUPLOUP was done in by the pace scenario in the Crown; should be a factor here. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,500/Non-starters in 2024 $6,630) in last 4/TM 81 or less (5) ROCKME ROLLME gets a barn change, which is interesting, but more importantly he’s down in class and back on a big track. His last victory came up north at Woodbine Mohawk Park. (2) DEAN B HANOVER is a hard-knocking veteran that can certainly go with this bunch. (10) UP JOEY’S CREDIT comes down from Canada in good form and only has to find a way to overcome the bad post. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: Non-winners $12,500 (NW L2 $14,000) in last 4 or in 2024/TM 87 (NW L2/2L4 87.5/88) or less - Survivor 7 (5) MAC’S DELIGHT may not be the best horse in this field, but he’s sharp enough to win and in a spot where he can make some noise if handled aggressively. (6) MAD MAX HANOVER beat the top pick in gate to wire fashion last time at Philly; obvious threat. (7) MOMENT IS HERE has a few starts under his belt now this year after a long time on the shelf; Lasix on. Race 4: $496K Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot (8) NELSONBRITEEAGLE NO dug herself a gigantic hole and almost overcame it in the Allerage last time. That type of effort would usually make her an instant favorite but we might actually get around 8-5 due to the presence of (5) M-M’S DREAM. The latter comes off a nice tightener and is almost certainly going to look to take charge and flaunt the class that has made her the richest mare in the field by far. Make sure to check the scroll on the simulcast screen to see if she is wearing shoes; she’s better without them. (3) CALL ME GOO bested the top pick last time by getting a much cleaner trip. She’s a threat on best. (7) TACTICAL MOUNDS owns the fastest mile of this group in 2024. Her last effort wasn’t bad versus the boys at Yonkers; speed tonight? Race 5: $600K Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Trot (7) DATE NIGHT HANOVER has made just shy of $500K this year and that total could’ve been much higher with a bit more luck. This figures to be a contentious race and any reasonable trip would give her a huge shot. (10) WARRAWEE MICHELLE was my top play last week and she did what she could but was just steady finishing after chasing somewhat pedestrian fractions. Lasix goes on here and early speed is likely. (8) R MELINA is another that seems destined to be leaving hard off the wings of the gate. She’s sharp and very dangerous. (5) ALLEGIANT upset last week on the switch to the Toscano barn and she looked good doing it. I wouldn’t sleep on her. (2) DRAWN IMPRESSION was the other elimination winner. She’s done very little wrong and is another contender in a field full of them. Race 6: $600K Breeders Crown 3YO Filly Pace - $100K GTD Pick 4 (4) DIRECTION has a huge trouble line from the Crown elimination. She quarter-moved, yielded into the pocket and never got clear while appearing to have more left in the tank. Her previous tries were nothing to sneeze at, including a good second with a 25 3/5 final kicker versus the favorite here in #2. Notice that McCarthy lands here over elim winner #6. (7) ROCKET DEO simply didn’t bring her ‘A’ game last weekend but shows a foundation of strong efforts prior to that. This seems like a good opportunity to buy in at a better price. (2) MY GIRL EJ came first over and kept finding more in her elimination, though a number of horses had some stretch trouble that could’ve turned that narrow win into a narrow defeat. I respect her but may play to beat her at short odds. (8) ITS A LOVE THING had some traffic in her elimination and some people may cling to that. I never felt she was loaded with pace when clear but I know her best game is good enough to beat these. Race 7: $600K Breeders Crown 3YO C&G Trot (8) SIG SAUER didn’t look right in his elimination and reportedly it was a switch to aluminum shoes that was the issue. He’s going shoeless this week according to trainer Noel Daley and the last time he did that the result was a career-best 1:49 3/5 win at The Red Mile. This race seems loaded with early speed and that should play to his advantage. (10) TONY ADAMS S is one of those potential early leavers but he’s also one that can play from behind if needed. The bad post (and strange defection of Dunn to #3) should bolster the price of a horse that had all kinds of traffic trouble and clearly something left to give last week. (4) HIGHLAND KISMET is the huge question mark coming into this race. He got lucky to enter when Karl scratched and he is coming off a crazy speed try two back followed by a break after being used hard last week. The potential fast pace helps if Tetrick can keep this guy on hold until it counts. (6) T C I looked like a new horse with Lasix added, or was it the slow fractions that helped his cause? Trainer Burke told me he thinks it was 100% the Lasix and Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter mentioned he was impressed with the performance as well. Maybe this 2-year-old standout is back! Race 8: $600K Breeders Crown Open Pace - Pick 6 Whenever you have a horse with the pure speed of Ruthless Hanover that is capable of putting his head down and putting 1:19 up on the board for three quarters while parking everyone out, it throw a wrench into your handicapping. I see a couple of scenarios here. In the first South Beach Star leaves hard gets hung to dry and maybe Bythemissal and/or Abuckabett Hanover float away while having to fire parked the mile. Then there is perhaps the less likely outcome where only Bythemissal leaves and Ruthless Hanover elects to sit the pocket. I’m going to play against that and take a shot that Ruthless Hanover does what he likes to do – GO FAST! With that, let’s try (3) IT’S MY SHOW in the top spot. If there is one thing he’s proven it’s that he can sit and pounce with the best of them. I see him with a serious opportunity to leave around #2 and sit either the pocket or a three-hole. Then Scott Zeron just has to pull off one of his patented stretch miracles. (8) ABUCKABETT HANOVER just doesn’t throw in bad races and he keeps coming almost no matter what trip he gets. (6) BYTHEMISSAL is the best horse in the race and if South Beach Star wasn’t to his inside I probably would pick him. (1) RUTHLESS HANOVER is admittedly the horse I’m rooting for on an emotional level because I think he deserves a signature win and it would push him over the million-dollar mark. Here’s hoping he goes down the road in 1:46. Race 9: $600K Breeders Crown Open Pace (5) WINNER’S BET is the best horse in this race given not only his ability and form but also the tactical edge he has due to his post position. You’re probably looking at about 4-5 and he seems to be worth it. Don’t look now but (11) OH WELL has turned the corner nicely recently. He’s been trying to find a big win all year and maybe it will finally pan out here. (10) LOGAN PARK basically took the week off and charged home like a rocket in 25 4/5 last weekend in a prep race. The question is whether he can be used from post 10 and save enough in the tank to win; maybe. (2) UP YOUR DEO lost to a couple of these last time following a five-week layoff. That said, he seems to finally be coming to form after a slow start to the year and might just be able to spice up the exotics at a big price. Race 10: $600K Breeders Crown 3YO C&G Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4 (5) CAPTAIN ALBANO gets a prime spot on the gate here to decide his fate. There is some speed to his outside which he can elected to allow passage before moving to the front or make sure they have to accept tucks. In the end I think he’s the best horse and expect the trip to work out reasonably well. (1) MIRAGE HANOVER is clearly the main challenger and my only questions are: When will he get the lead and how long will it take him? If the Captain can sting him enough on a brush attempt or successfully park him out, then he could be in trouble. (2) NIJINSKY is a small notch below the top pair for me. That said, he’s the “little train that could” and he never stops fighting through the wire. (7) TIMEISONMYSIDE is almost certainly going to be firing off the gate at top speed. If he clears the front a board spot seems possible. Race 11: $600K Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace I don’t know if I have the same confidence in her that I had last week but I can’t pick against (5) TWIN B JOE FRESH. She has the excuse of missing three weeks and the 10-hole for her elimination defeat. I’m sure she’ll prove tough with Horse of the Year on the line. (3) GRACE HILL has found her form at the right time and could pull off a second upset with another pocket trip. I do wonder if Dunn on “Joe Fresh” will elect to just grind on the rim and try to force Grace Hill to battle a long way. (1) ALWAYS B NAUGHTY is well-drawn and proven capable of following along at high speeds. (9) SYLVIA HANOVER adds Lasix here. Maybe that will make a difference but I doubt it from the outside post. Race 12: Non-winners $2,000 (NW L2/L8 $2,491/$2,910) in last 4/Winner TM 77 last start (2) BET A BUNDLE did what he could from post 10 but had to settle for fourth last time. He moves to the inside of the gate now and should be sitting a pretty trip behind the speedy (6) BB LUCKY BOY, who set more than honest fractions and lasted for third in the same mile. (10) RAPTORS FLIGHT N is always a killer when in Besim Odza’s barn. That said, this is not the easiest spot for him. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Non-winners $5,000 (NW L2 $5,571) in last 4/TM 80.5 (NW L2/2L4 81/81.65) to 83.5 or less (10) SWEET AMIRA should prove too classy for these despite drawing the worst post in the field. Expect a down-the-road attempt. (4) AVF CLAIRE is also going to be pointed for the front. She just missed in a good try last weekend. (3) SANTAFE’S APPETITE seemed to be a bit short last time coming in from Yonkers off a very slow mile. She could perk up in a hurry. Race 14: Trackmaster 74.5 (NW L2/2L4/L7 75/75.55/75.92) to 77 (NW L2/2L4 77.58/78.05) or less (7) GEMINI EXPRESS finished ahead of many of these last time when third. Gets a new catch-driver as Dunn is only driving in the Crown races, but McCarthy should be a good substitute. (6) WARRAWEE YANKEE keeps his trainer in the bike so he can fit the class; post relief this week. (8) WHAMMER JAMMER was short after taking some vacation time; contender in here. (10) HYPERBEAST bested lesser in his first start for this barn; steps up?