Ken Warkentin Friday, March 8, & Saturday, March 9, 2024 Selections
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Race 1
4-Atta Boy Dan – 15YO warhorse with 92 career wins lands in a softer division, draws inside & has stalking trip potential in a completely wide-open affair
8-Furious Beach – Was able to come up with a better result when he rallied to hit the board last week, tougher post here, but one of the lone bright lights in this one
1-Final Justice – Struggled from post eight in his last two @ Freehold, his previous form was solid, lands the rail in a dartboard field & knows his way around The Big M
Race 2
3-Devious Mojito AS – Anette Lorentzon homebred shot home in :27.4 to deliver the chalk & break through in his 3YO debut & looks to make it two-for-two from post three again
1-Sister’s Keepsake – Tactical Landing filly out of a sister to Hall of Famer Hannelore Hanover, debuts on the rail for Team Burke off a couple of tough to gauge qualifiers
6-Striking Tactful – One for 39, displayed sudden speed & tried to steal away with soft fractions & has license to ramp it up further
Race 3
4-Bluebird Bishop – Has paid the price slow starts since the late January sick scratch, now gets class & post relief & picks up Todd McCarthy
5-The American Eagle – Remember those sterling rallies from far back resulting in his two wins earlier this season & drops back down to a winning level
6-Hockey Hanover – Hockey no doubt needed/benefited from that solid third in his comebacker & he’s capable of stepping up in a field ripe for the taking
Race 4
2-Allindotime – Lived up to the tote hype with a well-driven score for 2023 Amateur Driver of the Year John Calabrese & lands post two for the repeat attempt
7-Zlatan – Off his best effort of the season last week, trotted home in a brisk :27.3 to hit the board again & rates contender status despite a more challenging post
5-Lionhead – Returns to The Big M on a serious roll & fresh off two straight blowouts @ Freehold, speed puts him in play as a possible leader or stalking threat
Race 5
3-JD Camden GB – Great Britain bred almost went all the way in a very inspiring US debut @ Pocono & draws better to follow up for Team Burke
1-Stomp – Winless in 15, but solid runner up in his last two, lightly-raced 4YO amazingly draws his seventh straight rail & has a big chance to graduate
5-Speed Snip – Big upset winner from post nine here back on February 3, returns fresh off a wire-to-wire career best from post eight @ Rosecroft & looms large
Race 6
4-Lachie Maguire N – Finished well enough from a tough spot in his first try off the Justin Sodano claim & draws inside with big chance to play a stalking role
2-Kissinbythebeaches – Nice comebacker off the sick scratch, a well-rated wire-to-wire holding off Thndrfrmthethrone N & lands post again for the rematch
1-Thndrfromthethrone N – Beaten favorite moves inside fresh off a wake up narrow loss to Kissinbythebeaches & now moves inside on an apparent improving trend
Race 7
7-Miss Maycee – Has caught fire in her last four since switching to Team Estrada, brushed n crushed from post nine last week & career best grind before that
1-Badditude – What can you say about this ultra consistent 4YO? Beaten favorite barely outsprinted by Shake It Twice with sharp pace at both ends & lands the rail
3-Shake It Twice – Parlayed a perfect drive by Todd McCarthy to nail Badditude with a new mark of 1:51.4 last week & draws better on an improving trend
Race 8
5-Rock On Line – Forced wide from a tough spot with a :27.2 late surge in the slop & might be hinting of an overdue win from a mid-pack stalking spot
1-Ferdinand A – 11YO cycled to the top with a well meant score last week & moves inside to set up shop & play his usual game of catch-me-if-you-can
6-Sunshine’s Finest – That was some turnaround win in a brisk 1:52.1 two starts back, then tried it on the lead, faded & DQed for interference & now switches to John Calabrese
Race 9
3-Secret Or Not – Pace & trip compromised while trotting home in a crisp :27.2 last week, draws inside again & retains Johnathan Ahle on a pretty nice form spree
4-Dylan The Great – Launched a premature move to a late lead & finished well to hit the board again last week & continues on a positive trend
2-Lindys Irishcream – The Cream rose back to the top with another solid runner up qualifier, 1:54.3 winner here last season draws inside for The Money Man, yet must stay flat
Race 10
5-Southwind Frost – Dominated last week in a handy 1:54.4, just missed in his previous two & this versatile sort stands out in career form with Dexter Dunn
3-I’ll Owe You One – Rallied for a new mark of 1:55.4 in round one, then had a bit too far to come after a slow start last week & now draws better for The Buckeye
1-Fashion Cantab – Tripped out for the mile of his life last week, lands the rail off that vastly improved mile & has a chance to crank it up another notch
Race 11
7-Private Scott – Not a whole lot to write home about @ London’s Western Fair recently, debuts here as a fresh Team Estrada prospect, gets our top pilot & we’ve seen this rodeo before
1-Its Rockin Randy – Off the board in six starts this year, no chance with a slow start last Saturday, beaten favorite in his previous two, retains Dexter Dunn from the rail in a real puzzler
8-Rockabilly Charm – Rallied to upset despite some jostling two starts back, then had nothing in the slop, faces another tough draw & exits the MADC
Race 12
2-Side Piece – Former Western Canada standout crushed impressive in her second start here, her barn went two-for-two last week & she draws better to tap further into her potential
7-Absolute Power – Beaten favorite pace compromised & kicked home in :26.3 last week, solid runner up in her previous two looks for the right speed set up
6-Sauble Delightful – Consistently landing on the edges against better @ Yonkers, this is a significant class drop, she’s been here before & The Buckeye takes the lines
Race 13
6-Pattycake Mooss – Returns to The Big M fresh off a confidence-boosting romp @ Pocono with Braxten Boyd & equaled her mark of 1:52.2 here in late January
4-Uptown Lady N – Just got blitzed by a tougher 1:50.3 winner last Saturday, she was a powerful 1:51.3 winner before that & draws well again to re-assert herself in an intriguing match up
7-Seaside Tina – Ohio Sires Stakes player sports a mark of 1:50.1 @ Scioto Downs, won an energetic qualifier here & might measure up fresh off the bench
Race 14
3-Mister Godro – Reclaimed by Team Ginsberg off a rousing rally & upset from the same post last week & presents a serious repeat threat
2-Pinebushdragonroll – Just one for his last 38 & winless this season, but draws inside again off a vastly improved second by a neck at long odds & tries to prove that was no fluke
8-Rock Jagger – Illinois invader arrives fresh off a wake up win @ Hawthorne, enters a claimer here & tries to keep it rolling with a tough draw
Saturday Selections
Race 1
4-Parklane Terror – His lone win this season came at the TM 80 level, this is a class relief scenario that simply can’t be ignored, plus he draws an improved post
3-My Wish Came True – Out-rallied Whammer Jammer for the deuce last week with a crisp :27.1, draws post three again & can stalk for that overdue win
1-Whammer Jammer – Forced wide & unleashed another mighty late surge, has hit the board in three of his last four & lands the rail on the verge
Race 2
1-Abel De Vie – 1:53 winner @ The Big M last season flashed some keen late pace in the comebacker & draws inside again to show more in a camera-shy field
2-Virtual Horizon – Stole away to a modest, yet handy score in his Big M 4YO debut as the heavy favorite, lands post two again & he’s certainly capable of stepping up further
6-Mcclinchie – Classy 12YO set a well-rated pace as a solid runner up in his return to the mile track, so look for a similar launch off that inspiring effort
Race 3
4-Pencils Down – Reached a bit too high last week @ Pocono, a strong second here before that & now makes his key third start off the bench for a rising Team Cullipher
2-Call Me Dani – Took full advantage of a perfect trip rail ride & kicked home in a bright :27.3, steps back up in class, yet draws better
7-Dribbling Bi – No doubt sparked something with that perfect trip upset from post eight two starts back & just missed despite a double class hike last week
Race 4
1-Loorim Lake A – Won his first two starts this season against $40-50,000 claimers in powerhouse fashion, flashed plenty late last week, now moves inside & retains Hot Toddy
7-Captain Cowboy – Finished a solid third to Oakwood Ardan IR two starts back, draws a challenging post, but gets a chance to rebound off a miscue at the same reduced level
5-Trente Deo – Beaten favorite grinded gamely from post ten while chasing a runaway winner & improves to mid-pack on a form spree
Race 5
10-Wry – Raging Mohawk shipper no worse than second in five starts this season, just missed in a series final despite road trouble & lands in the revived Team Cullipher barn
4-BB Lucky Boy – Sub 1:50 performer here last season dominated $50k claimers here in late December, draws well fresh off the bench for Big M regular Stacy Chiodo
2-ER Vegas – Not familiar with Mariah Wright, but she has a red-hot item here on quite a roll & draws an improved post fresh off a rousing score & new lifetime mark
Race 6
4-Buddy Hill – Buddy has been doing good work a class above this @ Pocono, solid runner up in the slop last week, knows this track, draws well & picks up Dexter Dunn
5-Ideal Feeling – Needed every inch of that absolutely perfect trip off the speed to score a mild upset last week & can’t rule out a repeat with The Money Man
7-Warrawee Total – Talk about massive improvement, rising from the basement condition to blowing them away in a TM Final with a sparkling new mark of 1:50.1 in the slop
Race 7
9-Battlefield – Has sharpened his sword chasing the red-hot Sheer Terror in his last two, stuck outside, yet gets some class relief & just needs some trip luck for Team Cullipher
5-Noch Ten – Solid runner up at this level in his last two, used hard in the slop last week from post eight, moves to mid-pack & looms as a stalking threat
10-Marcus Seelster – Marcus is relentless, first or second in seven of eight starts this year & continues to thrive with four straight narrow losses since the claim by Alexandra Goldin
Race 8
4-Needham Hanover – Brushed n crushed to go three-for-three since coming back off a lame scratch, finally draws a decent post & faces a field riddled with question marks
3-Mindtrip – 11YO Big M lover has taken a couple of starts to regain his footing, was just three for 32 last year, but draws inside for his third start off the bench & eligible to perk up
2-Warrawee Xtreme – Returns to The Big M fresh off a hard-fought score @ Pocono after consistently knocking on the door here before that & draws an improved post
Race 9
6-Kolby Two Step – 1:50.1 winner at The Big M last season gets a class drop for his second start off the bench, Team Cullipher starting to hit on all cylinders & retains A Mac
4-Prospector’s Gold – Beaten favorite Gold settled for the bronze & was right there again despite a game grind & this ten-time winner last year draws well on the verge
2-Duddie’s Lor – Bounced back with an overly aggressive effort & just missed in the slop last week & draws better to play a more patient stalking role for The Buckeye
Race 10
2-Dragononthebeach – Regaining his form since the early-December sick scratch, nailed in the final strides by a relentless favorite last week & draws better for Team Cullipher
6-Oakwood Ardan IR – He’s back after going six-for-six in the US, overcame a pace compromised trip on the step up in class, obviously he’s not invincible & this field won’t hand it to him
4-Red Right Hand – Classy Team Takter trainee won his Big M qualifier with a mighty :26 in the slop, draws well & could be a serious stalking threat fresh off the bench
Race 11
9-Prince Mcardle N – 11YO capitalized on the class drop with a take-no-prisoners wire-to-wire blowout for Team Estrada, slammed with post nine, yet retains Jordan Stratton
5-Random Hanover – Did the old complete 180 form-wise & upset Air Guitar in a dazzling 1:51.4 last week, draws midpack again to prove it was no fluke & switches to The Money Man
2-Air Guitar – Beaten favorite rallied stoutly for the deuce again, was strong in the win column last year & his persistence could pay from another inside post
Race 12
2-Nextroundsonme – Got stung a bit grabbing an early lead from post seven & now this Big M lover draws better to employ his familiar stalk n pop strategy
9-Betterinpinehurst – Blew by the favorite Little Expensive with a furious :27.1 & took a new mark of 1:51.4 in a sparkling comeback for Team Cullipher & can’t rule out a repeat despite post nine
4-Deadline Hall – Here’s another fresh Team Cullipher threat, looks primed for his 4YO debut with a solid record, won his Big M qualifier with a nice late burst & draws well
Race 13
4-Third Pillar – Shot home energetically for the show in the slop last week, now he’s getting class & post relief, which could spell smooth trip & overdue win in a tricky puzzle
1-Its Showtime – Go back to his lone win this season in late January, trips haven’t work out in his favor since then & now he returns to The Big M with some class & post relief
9-De Los Cielos Deo – Paced home in :26.2 from an impossible spot in the slop, stuck outside, but it’s his third try off a sick scratch & he has back class & speed in his tool kit
Race 14
6-Gotta Minute N – 11YO has come up with some huge efforts recently, stormed home in :26.3 last Friday & just needs the right trip in a camera-shy field that a combined three for 61 in 2024
3-Bettor’s Ville – Changed barns & promptly clobbered lower condition foes @ Pocono, this fresh & lightly-raced 4YO arrives brimming with confidence & draws inside here
2-Slick N Quick – Thundered home from an impossible spot to land in the photo two starts back, finally draws inside & retains Jordan Stratton