RACE 1
3-Independent One – Nothing in the post ten comebacker after missing three months, 1:51.3 winner @ The Big M this season won two of his last three in September, now draws inside to trip out & upset
7-Albergo Hanover – Looking to rebound off an 0 for 15 season, added Lasix just before some freshening, qualified well & returns at a reduced level for Team Bongiorno
1-Machiatto A – His form cycled forward recently, a solid third out of the fog two starts back, roughed up @ Freehold last week, reunited with Andrew McCarthy on the rail in a very puzzling opener
RACE 2
2-King Alphonso – Grand Circuit winner @ two always hinted of top flight ability, lightly-raced Muscle Hill 4YO qualified with plenty with Dexter Dunn off a sick scratch & draws inside for Team Svanstedt
7-Look In My Eyes – Just missed to a well-rated No Time To Play two starts back, then runner up to the undefeated Get Legs last out, demanding draw here, but in peak form
9-No Time To Play – Upset these when he was allowed to stroll past a :57.1 half & took a new mark two starts back, same strategy didn’t work last time, moves outside, yet continues to ramp it up
RACE 3
6-Rock On Line – Three-week layoff doesn’t thrill me, but this guy drops back into a claimer, makes his second start here for his new barn & retains Dexter Dunn
7-Western Redhot – Made it two straight off-the-pace wins since the claim by Besim The Dream, post seven again, but a big threat again with Gingras back in the bike
10-Fox Valley Nemitz – 1:51.2 winner here in 2020, dominated wire-to-wire as the favorite from post seven last week & repeat not out of the question despite post ten
RACE 4
3-Rockin The Boys A – Solid rally for second in her much-needed comebacker, makes her Big M debut in an easier class & draws inside with a smooth trip likely
4-Rose Run Toni – No chance with a slow starts from post eight off the Team Bongiorno claim, acclimated now & draws better for a more aggressive effort
2-Best Honey Hanover – Badly beaten heavy favorite lacked her usual late pop after reeling off a new mark of 1:51, claimed again, retains post two & looms large
RACE 5
2-Blood Line – Classy sub 1:50 performer was freshened, qualified with plenty, flashed speed in the comebacker & now gets class & post relief
4-Benhope Rulz N – Made his way down the class ladder & finally tripped out to score a long overdue win @ Yonkers, draws well here in a field riddled with question marks
8-Fizzing N – Was overmatched in his Big M debut & moves outside, yet now makes his second start off the bench at a reduced level, eligible to step up & surprise
RACE 6
3-Lou’s Sweetrevenge – Team Burke trainee arrives on a long form spree, matches up well with this group & can use his controlling speed from an inside draw
1-My Pal Joe – Qualified well & finished a solid third in his comebacker last week, lightly-raced 4YO who won half of his 14 starts last year & lands the rail with another smooth trip likely
6-Full View – Steps up fresh off a gutsy upset & new mark last week, lightly-raced 4YO with further room to improve for a hot barn, a bright spot in a field with very few
RACE 7
3-New Heaven – Ships in fresh off a perfect trip upset @ Yonkers, so confidence is high, gets a bit of class relief & draws inside to duplicate that effort
5-Sweet Chapter – 1:54.3 winner @ The Big M last year at a much lower level, ships south in much-improved form, can take air & launches favorably from midpack
1-Fingal’s Wave – Improving 5YO rebounded with a solid third as the beaten favorite, faces a double class hike, but can work out a stalking trip from the rail
RACE 8
4-Its Mesmerise N – 11-time winner in 2020 ships in fresh off a perfect trip win @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, reunited with Todd McCarthy, draws inside for her Big M debut & looms as a big stalking threat
6-Marloe Hanover – Fresh out of the Open @ Dover she finished a rock solid second as the heavy favorite to a standout Alexa Skye, classy daughter of Captaintreacherous has a chance to assert herself here
5-Diababa N – Sharpened her sword with two winning qualifiers, a pace compromised fourth to Its Mesmerise N in the comebacker & reasonable to expect more
RACE 9
6-De Los Cielos Deo – Enigmatic Burke trainee has tailed off since that emphatic 1:49 upset from post eight back on 11-14, but two of those miles came in the Preferred, this is a field ripe for one of his patented late moves
1-Franco Totem N – Beaten favorite inexplicably parked first over through a fast pace from post two last week, gets a chance to atone with another shot at this reduced level from the rail
7-Heza Real Diamond – Left hard, then squandered an absolutely perfect two-hole trip last week, 12-time winner in 2020 has been knocking on the door since that 1:48.4 blowout back on 11-28
RACE 10
4-Highalator – Notorious Big M lover gradually sharpening since the mid-November sick scratch, runner up to the vicious Let It Ride N in the Dover Preferred, finally draws inside to be a forward presence & trip sitting opportunist
9-Let It Ride N – NZ import has been monstrous going four-for-four in the US, including a 1:48.4 mark in the fog here & crushed first over @ Dover, draws outside a tough field, yet jury still out on how good he is
6-Harambe Deo – Preferred upsetter in 1:48.3 back on 10-17 regained winning form with speed last week for the red-hot Team Cullipher, a very dangerous repeat threat back on the engine with G. Nap
RACE 11
1-Baby Got Back – 0 for 17, but ramping up since the mid-November sick scratch & adding Lasix, lands the rail fresh off a gutsy narrow loss
4-Break The Deal – Finally broke through with two straight wins from the rail @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & ships into a real soft spot with trip potential
7-Sandy Win – Took her mark of 1:50.2 @ The Big M last season, just missed repeating @ Yonkers, demanding here, but gets some class relief
RACE 12
4-Bechers Brook A – 1:48.1 winner @ The Big M last season flashed wicked speed two starts back, then closed in :54.4 from never-never land, draws better in a prime spot for the red-hot Team Cullipher
9-Paduka N – Solid runner up to the streaking Let It Ride N in the fog, moves outside, but gets a class drop & has blast off capability
1-Betterlatethnnever – Classy 12YO finished a nonthreatening fourth here chasing a 1:48.4 winner on 11-28, returns to the Big M with the rail & reunited with Dexter Dunn
RACE 13
4-Thndrfrmthethron N – Paid the price for a real slow start & picked up a small piece in a crisp :26.4 last week, a decent third before that & his good luck at the draw continues
8-Babe’s Dig Me – 0 for 17 in 2020, rallied to hit the board in his comebacker, then finished an even fourth with a perfect cover trip, draws outside, but hits rock bottom
7-Jo Pa’s Sweet Lou – Just three for 32, nothing in his Big M debut, hasn’t raced in a month, but this is a massive class drop
RACE 14
8-Levitation – Just one for 15 in 2020, but was flying from far back to just miss last week, draws post eight again, but drops a notch
4-Explosive Ridge – Capitalized on a class drop with a brush n crush as the heavy favorite & draws inside again with a big confidence booster to build on
5-Trixie Dust – This mare loves the long stretch @ The Big M, a distant second to Explosive Ridge draws better to get within closer striking range
RACE 15
6-Eddard Hanover – Only two for 29 last year, some positive signs recently, this is just the class relief he needs & Team Cullipher can do no wrong
3-He’s Electric – Very much liking the aggressive effort & third by a neck last week, rallied in :26.2 before that, improved post & on the verge
8-Barbados – Landed on the fringe fourth in both starts here, draws a tougher post, but drops a notch & owns a big late kick
