RACE 1 - Borgata Pacing Series, Leg #3: (2) AMERICAN HISTORY was surprisingly off the gate (and no
factor) in the first leg, but went right to the top last week, getting WAY too hot on the lead as he rattled off
3/4s in an eye popping 1:21.3 (while enjoying a big lead around the track) - did tire late, but still was only
beaten by the classy, oft-winning JACKS LEGEND N - hopefully McCarthy can get him to relax just a bit
more tonight. (3) CHASE H HANOVER left the gate and secured a two hole trip in Week #1, finishing 2nd
to THIS IS THE PLAN in his 4YO debut - took off the gate last week, and just never looked quite right as
failed to ever get close to contention - good to see him right back in the box, and we'll look for him to
bounce back with a much better effort tonight. (5) SEMI TOUGH is capable of big efforts when things go
to his liking, but is also prone to disappointing miles (like last week) - always a threat on his best, and we'll
see if Yannick can coax a big mile out of him. (6) DEAN B HANOVER has shown that he can hang with
this type when the trip goes his way, but there's definitely a chance that he'll have trouble landing on a live
journey from this spot. (1) ILL DRINK TO THAT started off his 4YO season on a sour note, making a
break in the first leg of the series - opted to go back across the river to race in a much easier spot last week,
and did deliver the sharp victory - not sure he's ready to tackle these, though. (4) TOWN GOSSIP has been
no threat in either leg, and still has to prove that he belongs with these.
RACE 2 - (5) BELTANE A drew Post 8 while up in class for a new barn last week but it just didn't matter,
as he charged home through the lane to power over the field in ultra-impressive fashion - has now been 1st
or 2nd in 6 of his last 7 starts (made a break on a sewer track in the other), and certainly has earned top
billing for tonight (3) RUNRUNJIMMYDUNN N has been very good in most of his recent starts, including
last week's close 2nd behind the top choice - may prove to be the main competition once more. (1) MACH
DORO A came into last week's race in good form, so the 8-1 winning payoff was definitely an overlay -
may end up with a pretty nice trip from this spot, and that would make him a legitimate threat once again.
(2) FEELIN WESTERN is taking a big step up after being claimed last week, but his current form is
undeniably sharp (and the horse he beat last start came back to win on Fri. night) - good one to include in
exotics. (7) PRINCE MCARDLE N has raced well several times at this level and picked up a bunch of
smaller pieces....but he's yet to win in this class and now draws Post 7 - maybe 3rd/4th? (6) LYONS KING
is usually pretty well backed but most of his recent efforts are really just "ok" - tough draw tonight may
limit him to contending for only a minor share. (8) PATRIOT NATION finished with some sneaky life last
week but gets stuck all the way outside again, and that figures to really hurt his chances. (4) QUALITY
BUD seems significantly overmatched.
RACE 3 - Borgata Pacing Series, Leg #3: (5) LEONIDAS A got off to a great start in this year's series with
a sharp 1:50.3 "pocket rocket" victory in the first leg - was scratched last week (late for Lasix), but remains
the one to beat tonight....whether on the lead, or from off the pace. (1) SONNY WEAVER N paced a strong
final half when 3rd in Week #1, then never shook free in the lane last week, beaten only by 1 1/2 lengths
when an unlucky 4th - sharp enough right now to have a legitimate say here. (3) IM SIR BLAKE A came
into the Series looking sharp, but a bit cheap....he's proven that he fits, however, and has clearly outraced
his odds in each of the first 2 legs...and may do the same thing tonight. (4) COVERED BRIDGE raced
close up behind the blistering pace last week and that left him short at crunch time - could be sharper here if
the race goes more sensibly. (2) NONE BETTOR A grabbed a 2 hole trip and came up 2nd best in the first
leg, but was scratched sick from his last - hard to know what to expect from him tonight. (6) CAPTAIN
BARBOSSA worked out the two hole trip last start but came up just shy when a tight 3rd at the wire -
drawing outside won't help his chances tonight. (7) SPLASH BROTHER was a nice 2nd off the two hole
trip last week, but seems destined for a less kind journey tonight.
RACE 4 - (5) PYRO has his ups and downs but when he's good, he can be VERY good - was very sharp in
that 1:51 front end score 2 back and even sharper in his last, pacing his 3rd quarter first over in :26.4, and
still wearing down the leader to edge away to another easy win - faces enough solid foes here that he should
still be a decent price tonight, and that makes him worth a play as he shoots for 3 in a row. (4) RED RIGHT
HAND ended his 3YO season in fine form and didn't miss a beat as he's been a strong performer at 4, as
well - gets a class drop tonight after being a weekly threat in the Open, and he'll be a very dangerous player
tonight. (3) ALL HANDS ON DECK has been finishing with excellent pace week after week, and he
would have been even closer last time had he not struggled to find room in the stretch - faces some tough
foes here, but can still be right there at the wire with some trip luck. (8) ON THE CARDS weakened in the
stretch in last week's Open after a first over bid, but does get some class relief for tonight - he's left the gate
from outside posts in the past, so consider including him underneath at that 15-1 ML price. (1) PRETTY
HANDSOME comes into tonight riding a 2 race win streak but he'll be facing much tougher here - his barn
can never be counted out, but he does seem to be a notch below a few of the primary players. (7) SOHO
LENNON A was off a sick scratch last week but still finished with very alert pace - would have rated him
higher if not for another poor draw! (2) BRAEVIEW BONDI A has been racing in the Borgata, and
previously in the Open - gets a good post to go along with the class relief, and the only reason he’s listed
this far down is because of the overall strength of tonight's field. (6) CONBOYVILLE failed to get
involved last week, and could be facing the same fate tonight.
RACE 5 - Incredibly sharp group of 50s! (6) OUR CORELLI N beat the 50s off the class drop 2 back, then
finished with plenty of pace (from an impossible spot) in his last - should be a decent price in this stacked
field, and CAN become a very live player if Bongiorno can leave quickly and make a trip for himself - one
of several in here that could win...with the right trip! (2) OZONE BLUE CHIP doesn't have the resume at
this level as many of the others do, but he's definitely razor sharp, and could conceivably land on a very
nice trip - worth using as long as the price is decent. (1) KINNDER JACKSON has now taken 3 in a row
on the front, and goes back to the barn that had him for the first two of those wins - if he scares off the
leavers and grabs an easy half he'll be very tough...but he'll also be overbet against some very sharp rivals,
and may prove a bit vulnerable. (5) JUST PLAIN LOCO beat cheaper here on 2/21 was but was "sneaky
ok" in a couple of local starts since then - would need lots of trip luck to pull it off tonight, but he's not a
bad one for longshot fans to consider. (4) AMERICAN BOY N attracted some tote action moving inside
last week and was able to cash in off the pocket journey - sharp enough to contend for another good piece
tonight if the trip is easy enough. (7) TONY TOO TALL is a rock solid player in this class, and he goes to
his 3rd barn in 3 weeks tonight - if HE's the lone outside leaver, his chances would go up considerably. (3)
BLACK CHEVRON N was the lukewarm favorite in this class last week and came up 2nd best to a winner
that 's been on his game - add him to the long list of sharp participants in here. (8) VENIER HANOVER
has won 5 straight, goes back to his favorite barn, and is still being selected on the bottom (because of the
draw) - that tells you all you need to know about the strength of this field!
RACE 6 - Borgata Pacing Series, Leg #3: (6) NICHOLAS BEACH can be a VERY good horse when on
his game - tailed at the end of 2021 but started off his 2022 season with a close up 3rd in the first leg of this
series - simply had no prayer last week (stuck too far back when AMERICAN HISTORY rattled off 3/4s in
1:21.3), but still finished up decently - if he hopes to be a legitimate contender for a spot in the Final, this
would be a good week for him to bring his best game, and pick up some much needed points! (4) BEE
TWO BEE was used hard for the lead in Week #1 and can be forgiven for being worn down by the razor
sharp NANDOLO N - rallied for 4th from well back in his last, but figures to be handled aggressively again
tonight - could be a very live player here. (2) PAT STANLEY N has come a long way from causing that
horrible wreck at The Swamp this summer, and is as good right now as at any time since he arrived in the
U.S. - rallied for 2nds in both legs, and can rally for another big chunk tonight. (1) BELMONT MAJOR N
went his best local effort in a long time last week, pacing well for 4th from the back - we'll see if he can
build off that effort tonight. (3) DIAMONDBEACH paced a big (:26.3) third quarter last week trying a first
over move against THIS IS THE PLAN - gets a pass for tiring to 5th, and can do better tonight with an
easier trip. (7) GROOVY JOE picked up small pieces in the first 2 legs, but figures to be compromised by
the outside draw tonight. (5) LYONS STEEL drops back in after being scratched sick last week - does his
best work when left alone on the front end, and that doesn't seem like a viable scenario for tonight.
RACE 7 - (4) BILL HALEY N picked up 3rds vs. better in his last 2 Yonkers starts, and returns tonight
from Pocono where he raced well too -- should end up with a pretty good trip, and this seems like a good
spot for him to pick up his first win of 2022. (7) DANCIN DRAGON raced ok vs. better in his last couple
of local starts, and was a nice rallying 3rd in PA last week - gets Bartlett back up, and he should have
enough confidence to handle him aggressively this week - legitimate threat. (3) TWIN B TUFFENUFF's 2
wins this year have come against slightly cheaper, but we know that he has plenty of back class - wouldn't
be any surprise tonight, but he does figure to end up overbet. (8) GINGRAS BEACH drops in the box for
consecutive weeks for the first time in a while after last week's solid 3rd place finish - definitely a chance
for a piece here, but would have liked his chances a lot more with a better draw. (5) TOPVILLE OLYMPI
AN was making his first start in 4 months last week and was a very respectable 3rd - may be able to build
off that mile tonight, but does look a notch below a few of the main players. (2) SPRINGSTEEN has
always been erratic/unpredictable but lately he's just been "meh" - needs to up his game if he wants to be a
player. (1) ON THE VIRG just seems a bit below these right now. (6) AINTNOBETTOR A seems
overmatched tonight against the better ones...and the draw isn't going to help, either.
RACE 8 - Borgata Pacing Series, Leg #3: (2) THIS IS THE PLAN was an effortless jogburger in the first
leg and figured to prevail similarly in Leg #2....but it was clear that he wasn't quite the same horse that
night when he needed a bit of encouragement to repel pressure to 3/4s, then did indeed get collared to the
wire, after running out in the stretch - have to trust his connections that it was nothing too serious (as he's
right back in the box tonight), and still deserves top billing...but he has to at least be seen as vulnerable this
time around. (1) TATTOO ARTIST was collared by the classy tripsitter in Leg #1 (no shame there), then
was 3rd last week (right behind the top choice), racing from off the pace - remains a legitimate threat. (4)
AMERICAN DEALER was uninvolved in the first leg but was hammered at the windows in Leg #2, going
right to the top and easily wiring a softer division- we should get a clearer picture of his capabilities against
this much tougher bunch tonight. (5) POSEIDON SEELSTER went from 30-1 the first leg (no chance spot)
to 8/5 last week, was handled aggressively but ultimately worn down by the razor sharp winner, and
weakened to 3rd in the stretch - draws outside a few main foes tonight, and will need some trip luck if he
hopes to contend for a bigger piece. (3) WESTERN JOE's efforts can vary from week to week, and he's
always been that way - draws well enough that he could easily better this rating if things go his way, and he
shows up in the right mood....consider if the price is juicy enough. (6) OSTRO HANOVER pulled off the
big upset last week, primarily because Bongiorno urged him into leaving and earned a two hole trip behind
the top choice...which he parlayed into a victory when that one got a little weak at the end - not sure he can
pull off another surprise tonight, however. (7) SHOOBEE DOO A has been no factor so far, and drawing
all the way outside isn't going to help his chances tonight.
RACE 9 - Borgata Pacing Series, Leg #3: (3) JACKS LEGEND N just seemed to lose interest in the back
in first leg (his first start back in 2022), but he was back to his old self last week, refusing to bottom out
despite chasing AMERICAN HISTORY's insane fractions, ultimately going by that rival to score the
victory - he just loves to win races, and has a very real chance to take another tonight. (5) NANDOLO N is
hard to fault, winning both legs in game uncovered fashion - clearly the main danger, and certainly belongs
on your tickets. (1) ELVER HANOVER went a big mile in Week #1 when he held for 3rd despite a tough,
long uncovered trip - was used from Post 7 last week to try for a better trip, but ended up tiring from the
pocket instead (the barn's Borgata entrants all seemed to have an "off night") - looking at an easier trip
tonight, and could easily come up with a much better effort. (4) WHICHWAYTOTHEBEACH got into the
win column with last week's wire to wire score, but his chances were definitely helped by the scratch of the
speedy rail horse (giving HIM the pole), and some lesser performances by a few rivals - may have a much
tougher time this week. (2) FUNATTHEBEACH N has seemed a notch below this level in his two series
tries so far - perhaps an easy trip could help him grab a piece? (6) TYGA HANOVER is probably a bit
overmatched, and also draws outside - tough task.
RACE 10 - (1) JOESSTAR OF MIAA has been sharp for ages, and made his first try at the Open level (2
back) a winning one - probably would have been even closer last week if not trapped for too long in the
stretch, and he'll get to control the action tonight with the fortunate draw - absolutely the one to knock off.
(4) LOUS SWEETREVENGE is another that's been clicking for a long time, and he just missed in his first
foray into the Open class - McCarthy should know him a little better now, and he could definitely be the
main danger. (5) ROCK CANDY worked the "go and give" with the top choice 2 back, chasing that one
home a close 2nd from the pocket....it's not impossible that he could work out the same trip tonight...putting
him in play for a big piece of this. (6) BRONX SEELSTER made his first local start of 2022 a winning one,
using an easy trip to crush a bit cheaper - steps up here, but he's a proven player against this type when
sharp (as he is right now) - will need some trip luck, but a legit contender if he gets some. (2) MOVIN ON
UP drew poorly upon arrival from Dover and never got involved - much better spot tonight, and he'll get
his chance to show whether or not he fits with these. (3) MR DS ROCK was an ordinary $20K claimer until
joining his current barn....which elevated him right through the classes both here and in NJ - shows 2 sharp
qualifiers, but may be asking a lot of him to be ready to go with these after being away for a couple of
months. (7) AIR FORCE HANOVER has been good...but really figures to struggle from this brutal spot.
RACE 11 - Good race: (5) ROBBIE BURNS N has been racing off the pace every week but still hit board
in 3 of his last 4 - he CAN leave pretty well, and there doesn't appear to be a ton of speed to his inside...
maybe new pilot Kakaley will handle him more aggressively tonight, and put him in position to take home
the top prize? (1) LACHIE MAGUIRE N used a good trip to pick up 2nd to the dominant winner last week
(in a VERY fast mile), and seems destined for another good trip tonight - has a good YR history, and could
easily land somewhere on this ticket. (6) WESTERN HILL was (surprisingly) raced from off the pace in his
last two starts (both from the rail), but still hit board both times - sharp enough to make some noise here too
IF the trip works out. (7) NEXT BIG THING went on an incredible run that saw him go from 109-1 in a
$15K claimer on 2/11, to being the odds-on choice against the 50s, last week - he bottomed out from the
pocket chasing a blistering pace that night, and we'll have to see if that mile was just a blip, or if it sends
him back in the other direction. (4) BETTER B OSCAR A raced a bit better than his lines suggest in his
first 2 local attempts - not a bad bomb for 3rd. (8) CHANGE STRIDE N was outstanding in 2021 and
started off '22 the same way (he's been 1st or 2nd in 18 of his last 40 local starts) - most of that success has
come below this $50K level, however, and he trailed all the way from the same Post 8 in his last start - we'll
see if the Super Siblings can improve him enough to be a player from this tough spot. (2) DARK ENERGY
N ended 2021 riding a nice winning streak, but just hasn't been able to find that form since returning for his
2022 season - goes for the 2nd time for a new barn tonight, and we'll see if he improves a bit. (3)
GIVENUPDREAMING came up with a couple of big wins from his last 5 starts, but remains otherwise
unreliable (as he was for most of 2021) - not really sure what to expect from him tonight.
RACE 12 - (1) STANFORD COURT was bothered coming to the half last week by MISTER REBBILY A
and ended up three wide as a result (the judges did put up an inquiry, but never looked at the ACTUAL
culprit, instead focusing (somehow) on the LEADER, who obviously had no role in the interference) - he
was STILL three wide as he paced a 3rd quarter in :26.4 as he rushed up into contention for 2nd, looked all
done on the final turn but amazingly came back to life in the stretch, finishing fast at the wire to almost get
2nd - anything close to that mile will make him one very tough customer here! (5) TALBOTCREEKWHIS
KEY has been an outstanding Yonkers horse, finishing 1st/2nd in 14 of 31 starts over the past couple of
seasons - appears to be returning to The Hilltop in fine form, and his young pilot has proven that he can
handle a horse very well - could easily be a big player. (8) SOUTHPORT BEACH was claimed 2 back from
a race where he went off at 59-1 and lost by 24 lengths - he got a pretty significant equipment change for
last week (added "go straights"....which unfortunately was never revealed to the public), and sure enough
he improved dramatically, traveling much smoother and finishing a close 3rd (at 21-1) - may be hard for
him to reach from this spot, but couldn't blame anybody for using him on their tickets. (2) DELIGHTFUL
TERROR broke as the 1/5 choice 2 back, but was able to make amends in his last as the 2/5 choice - faces
better now, but will still be able to make some noise....IF he continues to behave. (6) HEAVENLY SOUND
raced very well here on 3/22, swinging wide from 3rd over on the final turn, and charging home late to be
3rd (his program line is incorrect after the half) - he followed that up with a Fhd. win, and may be sharp
enough to rally for a piece...at a big price. (3) STARK HANOVER goes back to a barn that did grab three
2nds with him not too long ago, but he catches a tough NW7500 field tonight and may need an easier spot
before we see his best. (4) FULLBACK rarely wins, but does grab pieces - never a bad one for 3rd/4th, if
spreading in exotics. (7) MISTER REBBILY A squeezed way into the flow to the half last week but was no
factor in his first start off the layoff - hard to like his chances from out here.