Tomorrow night is the Meadowlands Pace. Being it is the only stake race on the program here is an expanded review of the race.
1 - Schoolkids (20-1) - Appears to be over matched.
2 - Ideal Danny (10-1) - Just a step below the top tier, consider for trifectas and superfectas.
3 - Well Said (6-5) - The horse to beat. No value.
4 - Hypnotic Blue Chip (4-1) - Regaining early season form. May land significant share of purse.
5 - Vintage Master (10-1) - Can shock if suicide duel up front.
6 - Art Colony (5-1) - Second best in field.
7 - Arctic Warrior (15-1) - Was beaten before equipment break in elimination. Pass.
8 - Chasin Racin (15-1) - Minor spoils
9 - If I Can Dream (12-1) - Is dreaming from this post.
10 - Pair a Dice (20-1) - Took dq to qualify. First one to toss out when making your picks.
Being that Well Said is going to be odds on, I will pass on betting him to win. With a million dollar purse up for grabs, I am hoping for someone to pull a suicide move like in last year's Pace where Bullville Powerful was driven with instructions to go to the front no matter what in a suicide move that cost Somebeachsomewhere the win. However, it must be noted most times this does not occur as a suicide move usually costs you any part of the purse (remember 5th place pays $50,000). That being said, I will take a chance with my upset special, Vintage Master to win, realizing there is a good chance the wager will be a throw away.
If the race goes the way it should run without suicide moves, the top four should be (3) Well Said, (6) Art Colony, (4) Hypnotic Blue Chip and (7) Arctic Warrior. The winning time will be in 1:48 flat.
As to how bad things are going at the Meadowlands this year, even with offering a 25% NJOS Preferred bonus on all the overnight races, out of the thirteen races on the card, six races go with less than ten starters (one with seven; two with eight and three with nine). In addition, the card has a nw6200L6 race as well as one 20,000 and two 25,000 claiming races; races you never would have seen on a Saturday night in the past. Some may argue the Miller and Dancer Memorials should have been put on the same card but that would have distracted attention from the Meadowlands Pace. All in all, kudos to management for doing all they can to put on a quality betting card.
All in all with the stake races on Friday and Saturday night, the Meadowlands once again is the center of harness racing in North America for the weekend.
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