MEET STATS: 28-5-6-5 / $57.80 (+$1.80) BEST BETS: 2-0-0-1 / $0.00 (-$4.00) SPOT PLAYS: 2-0-0-0 / $0.00 (-$4.00) BEST BET: BETTER IS NICE (9th) SPOT PLAY: MR THREE O FIVE (10th) Race 1: Meadowlands Amateur Drivers Club 2 Pace - Pick 5 (3) HEZA REAL DIAMOND raced without Lasix last week and was super while chasing a very sharp and fast foe. I’d expect him to be close to the action and have a huge chance to win. (7) YER SO BAD got away last versus the top pick a week ago and couldn’t make much headway. This event figures to go slower and that should get him into the race. (5) BIONIC is up in company but finds a field without too much speed to his outside. He could be at a tactical advantage. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Trot - Survivor 7 (3) MISS I LA has closed nicely in her morning races and I got the impression there was more in the tank. Hopefully Zeron will put her in play enough to be able to succeed in the lane. (7) TOVE PALEMA has a conditioning edge on some of these after racing in the Weiss series and you know she’ll be heading to the front. (6) WALCANGO chased nicely in her debut mile. She can certainly play with these with a small step forward. [DRF BETS: Wager on tonight's Meadowlands card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Trot (1) BELLA’S MUSCLEHILL sat until the final turn and mounted a serious charge only to settle for second behind a well-rated winner. There is ample early speed to set him up from just off the pace. (7) LOCKHEED MARTIN probably wins here if left alone on the engine but I’m not convinced he won’t fold up if met with pressure. (3) WATERFALL has come home fast enough in his morning qualifiers and notice last time he lost to T C I. Race 4: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Trot - Pick 6 (7) KARL has no equal in this race and might not have one in the entire 3-year-old division if his last qualifier and 2-year-old races are any indication. Hard to envision any scenario where he loses. (4) PICK POCKET captured a couple of stakes last year at The Red Mile and raced reasonably well in his debut. I’m going to show him some respect until he proves it isn’t warranted. (2) BRIGHT STAR has the speed to get around #1 and really hasn’t done anything wrong in the morning. Race 5: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Trot (3) MAGIC HILL was perhaps a touch bumpy on the final turn and in the stretch but still finished in 26 4/5 last time. Notice hobbles go on here and perhaps that will provide the added confidence to score at first asking. (4) DUKE OF WALNER finished fifth by a country mile but really wasn’t bad in the lane as he was trying to keep pace with Karl. Tetrick joins the team and we’ll see if the combo can put it all together. (5) BENNY J rallied well in his 2024 debut and it just comes down to trip as to whether he’ll have a chance to win here. Race 6: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Trot - $50K GTD Pick 4 (4) BUY A ROUND is certainly going to be raced conservatively from off the pace and I don’t think it matters. She was a very confident winner in her lone qualifier and as long as McCarthy has her within range she’ll trot by late. (2) COOL MA BELLE won at first asking at Mohawk and should drop time off that effort. (7) VOLCANIC BLUE CHIP is typically in contention and the qualifier wasn’t bad at all. There is ample speed to set her up. Race 7: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Trot (2) ALLEGIANT was a very fast 2-year-old and there are no signs from her qualifiers which show she won’t start the year where she left off. (8) SPY COAST won at first asking off slow fraction for the Burke barn and you have to expect we’ll see early speed from her here. I’d be on board if the price was right. (4) TACTICAL LORI raced very well in the Weiss series and deserves a look stretching out on the big track. Race 8: Trackmaster 89.5 (NW L2/2L4 90/90.5) or less Series - Pick 5 (3) PRIMARY COLORS handled the class rise without issue last week and he should be put in play again here; slight edge, though very strange that Bartlett landed on #8. (2) OAKWOOD ARDAN IR was rolling along earlier this year and now returns from a bit of a rest. His qualifiers was good, especially when you consider that he was beaten by three stakes-level pacers. (6) CAPTAIN CRUSADER A also won leg one of this mini-series; clear threat with any decent trip. Race 9: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Pace (3) BETTER IS NICE was done in by a bad post and the pace scenario last week. He moves inside now and should take care of business. (2) ARBITRAGE HANOVER was in the perfect scenario and cut soft fractions in victory a week ago. To me he’s second best here. (7) BONAPARTE adds Lasix and I expect he’ll be leaving the gate this time around. Race 10: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO C&G Pace - $50K GTD Pick 4 (2) MR THREE O FIVE really had no choice but to take back last week and he finished full of pace when clear in the lane. Sometimes these ground-saving horses can be a bad play but I don’t get that impression here. (1) ENDOFSTORY displayed speed at both ends of the mile in an upset win last time and he seems worth following. (4) WISH YOU WELL didn’t have the best trip but also wasn’t as good as I was expecting in round one of this series; demand value. Race 11: Non-winners $10,000 (NW 2L3 $11,790) in last 4/TM 86.5 (NW L2/2L4 87/87.5) or less (8) BATTLEFIELD came up with the mile of his life out of nowhere but perhaps it isn’t an anomaly. Note that he is only a 4-year-old and as such there is a chance he’s found a new gear. At the very least he could keep the form for one more start. (1) MIRAGE HANOVER was on hold most of the mile but was loaded with pace in his most recent qualifier. In all likelihood he’ll receive a conservative drive in his 2024 debut. That said, the talent is there if the trip works out. (5) I DID IT MYWAY has that 1:47 3/5 win over the track last year which jumps off the page. He probably needed the start last time at Philly after a month on the sidelines and could be ready to fire off the gate back on the big track. Race 12: Open Handicap Pace (5) MAXIMUS MIKI just keeps rolling along and the warmer weather tends to promote horses winning on the lead. (1) AMERICAN DEALER N chased the top pick home last time and might be looking at the same fate again. (7) BACKSTREET SHADOW does his best work from off the pace and should appreciate the switch to the big track. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 13: Trackmaster 83 (NW L2/2L5 83.5/84.93) or less (1) HUNT FOR CASH certainly takes on a softer group here. He should be able to fire out and sit close to the front as (2) RANDOM HANOVER seems unlikely to be interested in yielding easily after two powerful miles on the engine. (9) NEEDHAM HANOVER wasn’t put in play and never got involved last week. If McCarthy leaves and can find a seat he has a shot of at least hitting the exotics. Race 14: NJ Sire Stakes 3YO Filly Pace (5) ODDS ON STENO blew away (1) PULP FICTION last week in this class and there is no reason to believe the result will change. Take the $6 exacta and be happy. (2) WHERE’S LARRY can chase along from her inside post and pick up a minor award.