RACE 1
2-Southwind Avenger – Started to ramp up his game in Ontario Sires Stakes recently, just missed in a Gold Final, then took a month off, gelding won the qualifier here with plenty & draws well
7-Hudson River – Sat an ideal ground-saving three-hole trip & was barely outsprinted by the well-rated Battenberg, trying to atone from a more challenging post, and this Takter trainee certainly has the credentials
6-Battenberg – Used his controlling speed, was allowed to steal a :59 half & held off Hudson River in the Garden State, a nice confidence-boosting score off a sick scratch & after missing 34 days
RACE 2
5-Mcwicked – Top candidate for Horse of the Year & 1:46.2 performer on a late-season roll, piled up wins in the Ben Franklin, Wm. Haughton, Canadian Pacing Derby, Allerage Farms, Dan Rooney & his second Breeders Crown, easy tune up for the TVG
4-Filibuster Hanover – 2017 Jug winner won his first five starts this season, then the 4YO found the FFA ranks quite tough, this Burke trainee was a solid runner up to Mcwicked in the Breeders Crown, while impeded, strictly a stalking opportunist
3-Western Fame – Team Takter stalwart closing in on $1 million, runner up in the track record Dayton Derby looking to regroup off a couple of dull efforts & qualifier with vigor
RACE 3
1-Rockin The House – 1:52.4 winner here in the slop this season just missed with a lively effort from post seven last week, 11YO with 50 career wins moves inside a weak field
4-Daylight Rush – Gelding with some back class had no chance in his previous start here on Oct. 20, yet bounced back with a win @ Monticello & solid speed @ Pocono, draws well in a match up he can take advantage of & spark something for his barn
3-May I Cruise West – 0 for 30 this season, yet might be gradually coming around, draws a bit better again off an improved effort & could threaten within closer striking range
RACE 4
4-Seven Hills – Late-blooming son of Muscle Hill was a perfect & impressive four-for-four before the costly early miscue in the Kindergarten Final, talented colt can rebound from an inside post, yet this is a competitive elimination
6-No Drama Please – Yet another top prospect for Team Orange Crush, getting over recent sickness, just missed in the Garden State when Batenberg put them to sleep, his 1:54.3 wire-to-wire on Oct. 12 is worth noting
5-Super Schissel – Fresh from an easy win in the Matron in a four-horse nonbettor for Team Takter, 1:54.3 winner @ The Red Mile has quality written all over him
RACE 5
7-Quality Bud – Was on some kind of roll here earlier this season when he took a mark of 1:50.2, takes his third consecutive class drop & due for a wake-up call
8-Larry Karr – Hammered down to even money third time Lasix & almost held on under intense late pressure from post ten, draws another tough post, but looks like the one to track down again for Team Burke
4-Santiago Style – 1:49.3 winner here this season tumbles down the class ladder to the bottom condition & draw inside to possibly revive his form
RACE 6
3-Ghost Pine – 1:49.4 winner @ The Big M this season unleashed an eye-catching down-the-road take-no-prisoners mile in his return here two weeks ago, rewarded with another inside post for the step up into a competitive field
5-Ocean Colony – Beaten even money favorite finished a hard-charging second to the well-rated Rockn Motion last week, 4YO gelding has been repeatedly knocking on the door
4-Hundie N – New Zealand import for Team Takter finished with a :26.3 flurry while qualifying against stablemate Pure Country, draws well to make an immediate impression in very sharp match up
RACE 7
4-Reigning Deo – NYSS champion just missed a huge upset in the Matron with a tremendous rally last week, draws better back here off that much-needed race after some sickness
8-Captain Crunch – Was a well-driven Breeders Crown winner for Scott Zeron, stormed home in :26.3 to take a mark of 1:49.1 @ The Red Mile, post eight won’t be a picnic in a wicked elimination loaded with talent
5-Escapetothebeach – Pulled a 7-1 upset with a perfect drive by Andrew McCarthy in the Kindergarten Final, this Tony Alagna trainee has really come around on Lasix
RACE 8
6-Bushwacker – Took a few starts to come around & capitalized on a third straight class drop to nail Rock The Nite by a nose last week, classy gelding is a big threat to repeat
5-Play Jet Ray – Recently acquired Team Burke 3YO put forth a game grind to just miss from post ten in a sparkling Big M debut & draws better here
2-Geez Joe – Thought he was sitting on a big effort, set a rated pace & came up third best last week, that was some rally two starts back, class & post relief & potential for a stalking trip here
RACE 9
9-Express Stride N – Tried to make ground while pace compromised & hit the board last week, moves outside, but this 1:49 performer here this season drops again & owns one big move
3-Still Friskie – Easy wire-to-wire winner from post eight for this price two weeks ago, that was the mile of his life, now he drops back down & draws well to take charge in an intriguing field
2-Dreamfair Mesa – Everything Virgil Morgan, Jr. sends here is live, this gelding was a solid runner up last week & draws inside for the step up in class
RACE 10
2-Sweet Beach – Ships in after some much-needed speed tightening @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, draws inside & gets some class relief & picks up Andrew McCarthy to spark his season
3-Jacksrluckytoo – Finished a rock solid second to the raging Ghost Pine two starts back, drops back to that easier level & lands inside again for Team Harmon
6-Mcthriller – Simply exploded to a new mark of 1:50.4 two weeks ago & just missed before that, flashed speed & gave way last week, sharp right now since the barn change & could threaten by reverting back to a rally strategy
RACE 11
7-JK Musicman – Beat N/W 4 @ Pocono this Fall & got a check in the Simpson, faces a demanding draw off a miscue, yet tactical speed can put him in play
3-Barabados – Offered speed, got shuffled & finished well to hit the ticket in strong Big M debut in the slop, draws better to take advantage of a suspect field
1-Make America Great – Lived up to the hype & won his debut with a nice brush to the top @ Pocono, lands the rail here to tap his obvious potential further
RACE 12
4-Magnum Mike – We jumped right on that logical barn change bandwagon & first time Team Burke & perfect drive paid off with a new mark, impossible to go against off that turn around mile
5-CC Big Boy Sam – Came up empty in his last two after back-to-back wins & now tries to rebound as a fresh claim by the razor sharp Robert Lounsbury, not out of the realm of possibility
1-Show Me Up – 11YO lands in his fourth barn after a third straight claim, the mystery is how will he respond after backing up last week? His previous two were sharp & he draws the rail again
RACE 13
6-Ideal Romance – Emerged from a shuffle to finish second to Bay Rum as the beaten favorite, fresh claim for Team Fusco is always dangerous against these
3-Bay Rum – Added Lasix & steamrolled first over from post seven to dominate his division last week, owns a 1:51.2 mark here this season & draws better at the same reduced level
5-Ideal Candidate – 12YO perked up, overcame a second tier draw & rallied for a mild upset last
week, fresh claim off that tenth win of the season can stalk from a midpack post
