Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, November 22 & Saturday, November 23, 2024
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Race 1
7-Laneside Logic GB – Recent winner with a decent late surge @ Cumberland Run, arrives here to make his first start for Besim Odza with a solid record
8-Iammrbrightside N – 14YO rallied from a tough spot to grab the deuce in an excellent first start for his new barn, draws post eight again, but doesn’t have much to beat
6-Duck Into The Nite – She sport’s dull recent form elsewhere, but gets some class relief & Geovany Hernandez has been on a nice roll
Race 2
6-Incredible Badger – Tough to gauge off a sick scratch, note the gallant third here back on November 1 & that kind of effort would make him a threat here
7-Doctor BB – Just one for 27 this season, but his form has cycled forward in his last three @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & his style suits the longer stretch here
9-Baron Chancey – Flashed solid speed from post nine here two starts back & still held third, stuck outside, yet gets a dose of class relief in complete headscratcher
Race 3
7-Alcohol You Later – Lightly-raced filly tripped out to a new mark of 1:54.3 @ Pocono two starts back & lands in a soft spot here for Team Stratton
9-Fox Valley Nova – Dropped to this level & perked up with a rally for second, draws outside again, but all she needs is the right speed set up
6-Pull Me Through – 0 for 35 this season, hit the board again & chased a runaway winner, remains at this reduced level & we’ll look for another alert start
Race 4
2-Allsummerlong AS – Pocono invader arrives here with a solid record this season, gets class & post relief, while making her second start off a sick scratch
5-Naranjo – Just missed fresh off the bench, then had to settle for minor spoils out of striking range & now figures to be even tighter for this mid-pack launch
7-Fashion Ken – Ken has been steady since October 1st sick scratch, forced into an uncovered grind last week, post seven again & might try another patient trip
Race 5
5-Firstup – She indeed tried it first up in her debut for trainer Frank Calcagni & just missed last week & could be on the verge of her first win of the season
4-Jim Strikesitrich – Jim turned his light bulb on & went down the road to equal his lifetime mark two starts back & now a beaten favorite looks to rebound after missing two weeks
1-Rockford Peach – The Peach seemed to come around with back-to-back on-the-board finishes recently, exits TM 74 company, lands the rail & Geovany Hernandez has been hot
Race 6
8-Twin B Empress – Recently added Lasix & posted back-to-back wins against N/W 4 @ Pocono, including a new mark of 1:52.2 & this filly has some upside for Team Burke
9-Classic Crunch – Here’s a Captain Crunch filly with a mark of 1:51 in the slop @ The Meadows, draws outside, but ships in fresh off an easy blowout for a sharp barn
5-Lady Wishes – Bettor’s Wish filly followed up a narrow loss with a career best blowout last week & based on that it looks like she can handle the class hike
Race 7
4-Louis Litt N – Our Best Bet last Friday was forced into a wide trip from too far back & still managed to grab second & remains a sharp item from post four again
1-Trey Rockette – Has quickly gone two-for-two here with relative ease, bumps up further, yet has more in the tank & draws better for Bryan Quevedo
8-Caviart Camden – Parlayed a sharp win @ Cumberland Run with a solid rally for second to Trey Rockette, stuck outside that rival, but maintains contender status
Race 8
4-Who’s Perfect – Filly has banked almost $100,000 this season, makes her Big M debut in pretty good form, gets some class relief & draws well for Per Engblom
1-Kay Sage – Has definitely stepped up her game since switching back to The Big M, drops back down to the level of her game score two starts back & finally moves inside
9-At The Hop – Posted another solid runner up finish here with an alert start & perfect trip, post nine hurts, but she continues to acclimate for Besim Odza
Race 9
4-Whammer Jammer – The Jammer had too far to come chasing a runaway winner, perked up with a lively second before that & draws well to flaunt his speed
5-Rock Jagger – Jagger rocked out of there, engaged in a fierce tussle & still finished a close second as the beaten favorite & certainly rates contender status
1-Harry Hanover – Came to life with a more energetic third last week, so look for another quick start with the rail from this horse-for-the-course
Race 10
1-Hurrikane Lady Lou – She flew home from a real tough spot to grab second in a nifty :26.3, sports a mark of 1:49.4 here this season & now moves inside
5-Super Girl – Tough to get a read on this mare off an even Freehold qualifier, but she makes her Team Burke debut in an easier spot & owns some back class
7-Raise The Ante – Has romped in two of her last three here, her latest was impressive from post eight & she has license to step up further
Race 11
5-Little Expensive – Flashed plenty of late trot in a much-needed comebacker, lands mid-pack & drops a notch for Team Orange Crush
4-Starlit Rambo – Finished ahead of Warrior One @ Harrah’s Philadelphia last week, makes his fifth start off a sick scratch, drops & draws well
2-Warrior One – Been working on regaining his form over smaller tracks elsewhere & gets significant class relief & draws inside for Team Burke
Race 12
2-National Sport – Dipped to the TM 71.5 level & uncorked a post eight romp last week, looks capable of stepping up off that tally & moves inside
3-King Of Aces – Had his moments @ Running Aces, freshened & qualified second to Twin B Joe Fresh & draws inside a camera-shy field
5-Gotta Minute N – Second to a runaway two starts back, flashed some late life last week, moves to mid-pack & trending in the right direction
Race 13
7-Canigetalouploup – Sweet Lou filly with a mark of 1:50.1 here rallied to beat better back on October 26 & she exits stakes action for Team Burke
8-Dixie Dream – Bounced back with a convincing score as the favorite, moves outside, but she can fly off the wings while brimming with confidence for Team Burke
4-Madrid A – Lands post four again to rebound off a no-chance trip, she was a solid runner up from post eight before that & she’s still fresh off the comeback trail
Race 14
6-Barbossa Hanover – Switched barns & venues & tripped out to upset @ Harrah’s Philadelphia two starts back & lands in a soft spot here in top form
8-Ain’tnobettor A – Strong second in his last two indicates a form revival, post eight complicates matters, but a contender in current form
7-Stone Cold Savage – Just one for 28 this season, but nothing wrong with his solid third last week, faces a tougher draw, yet remains at this TM 71.5 level
Saturday Selections
Race 1
2-Massive Matter – Was the victim of some inexplicable late-night hardball action & still finished third as the beaten chalk & he finally moves inside
4-Feeriedesbrouet FR – French import followed up his winning US debut @ Freehold with a mighty late surge to hit the board here & now draws better
8-Fashion Cantab – Nine-time winner this season unleashed a wide rally to score an overdue upset last week, draws farther outside, but trending right
Race 2
1-The Good Doctor – Has responded to some class relief with more lively efforts in his last two @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, dips further for Noel Daley, lands the rail & knows how to win here
2-Caughtinalandslide – Late-September claim has struggled to make up for slow starts from tough posts @ Yonkers in his last two & lands in a softer spot here for Team Bongiorno
4-Decision Day – Awakened from his recent slumber by displaying some late pace for a piece, drops another notch & lands post four again with too much class to ignore
Race 3
5-Daiquiri Hanover – Breeders Crown elimination shocker in a nifty 1:51.3, squandered a perfect trip as the beaten chalk @ Pocono, yet got to give him top billing for Team Svanstedt
2-Prominence – Freshened, settled down & found his best stride with two straight blowouts, ran up the score against N/W 5 @ Pocono & draws inside to give Team Svanstedt a 1-2 punch
3-Cocktailwithakick – Just missed in a NJ Classic Final, then went all the way for a new mark in a Simpson division @ Pocono, however that was 33 days ago, so it’s tough to gauge her
Race 4
3-What A Bid Hanover – Lightly-raced $275,000 Muscle Hill filly came around with solid efforts in the Breeders Crown & draws much better for Team Svanstedt
5-My Degenerate – Just missed in a MASS Sires Stakes Final, then crushed his maiden breaker @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, so Team Orange Crush may have a diamond in the rough
8-Finite – 3YO gelding has angled with OSS company this season, debuts here for Team Burke from a tough post after a 29-day layoff, yet might be worth a long look
Race 5
5-Gallie Getaway – Took advantage of a smooth trip & fast pace, only to get nosed out in an excellent acclimating mile for Mark Silva & has license to show more in fourth start off the bench
2-Hello Rocky – Rocky is on a roll, a nose away from four in a row, including a pair of last-to-first upsets & finally draws inside for the suddenly red-hot Geovany Hernandez
1-Rock On Line –Has taken a couple of weeks off after getting parked into a quickening pace, just missed as the beaten favorite in his previous two & now lands the rail
Race 6
1-Mac’s Delight – Took a mark of 1:48.4 here this season, returns to The Big M fresh off his seventh win of 2024 & lands the rail to trip out for another
4-Brue Hanover – No factor in his last two @ Yonkers, has been competitive against top level stock here in the past, gets some class relief & draws well for Team Burke
8-Captain Crusader A – Steady & versatile customer ships from Harrah’s Philadelphia, sub 1:50 performer @ The Big M has the speed to overcome post eight
Race 7
1-JK Black Gold – Burned the chalk back-to-back before grinding gamely for a board spot last week, from the rail he can play his stalking roll & banks on getting more speed to shoot at
6-Mamba – 1:49.3 performer here in 2023 bumps back up a notch on a three-race form spree here & fresh off an aggressive post ten score as the heavy favorite
2-Idealsomemagic A – Classy 10YO returns from a six-month layoff off a decent qualifier @ Pocono, goes first time Lasix & draws inside a field riddled with question marks
Race 8
1-Sugar Man – Papi Rob Hanover colt from the family of Sweet Lou & Bettor Sweet, wheels right back off a career best 1:51.1 & wire-to-wire Big M qualifier in 1:52.1 for Brett Pelling
8-JK Together Again – 3YO was as dominant as could be in a stylish repeat & new mark of 1:52 for Team Toscano, post eight hurts, but he’s only making his fourth lifetime start
3-Always B Gibby – Just one for 16, but dropping some positive hints recently, flashed some late life from a tough spot @ 45-1 last week & now draws better
Race 9
3-Magnifico Hanover – Almost got there with a rail ride two starts back, then no chance from post ten & now this Grand Circuit winner at two has big chance to show us what he’s made of
4-Sinatra Hanover – Bettor’s Delight 3YO had it his way with the mile of his life from post eight, drops from the TM77 class & lands an inside post for a white-hot barn
1-Warrawee Yankee – Has cranked it up recently, runner up to a revved up Caliber last out, two weeks rest, the rail & the right stalking trip makes him a threat
Race 10
5-Maximus Miki – Sports a mark of 1:48 @ The Big M this season, razor sharp in two comebackers in the Dover Downs Open & stands out from mid-pack here
3-South Beach Star – Almost went all the way with a well-rated effort from the same post two weeks ago, steady sort with a strong numbers in the win column expected to be prominent again
7-American Dealer N – Sub-1:50 horse-for-the-course just notched his tenth win of the season in the MGM Grand Prix Series for Team Toscano & worthy of contender status
Race 11
2-Handlelikeaporsche – Steady check earner @ Harrah’s Philadelphia comes off a tough trip there, gets class & post relief & knows how to win here
5-Haggard – Grinded gamely & couldn’t quite get to a gallant Mamba last week, stays at the same level & maintains his stalking status from mid-pack
6-Bobcat Bay – The Bobcat was left in the wake of standout Nicholas Beach last week, now makes his second start off the bench & drops another notch
Race 12
8-Texsong Soprano – Offered some late trot in an acceptable acclimating mile from the rail, moves outside, but gets further class relief & reunited with The Money Man
7-Toccoa Falls – Finished right behind Texsong Soprano last Friday with a crisp :27.3, he too needed the acclimating trip & also gets some class relief
4-Sonofamistery – 2021 Stanley Dancer winner in 1:50.2 & Hambo finalist returns from a long layoff, now a Team Orange Crush project & draws well in a very tricky puzzle
Race 13
5-Straight Up Cool – Has been knocking on the door recently @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & Yonkers, figures to stalk close to action & owns a decent late kick
6-Music Hall – Continued on a nice roll since Lasix was added, romping to a new lifetime mark of 1:51.4 last week & looks tough to go against
4-Hunt For Cash – Fresh claim & runner up to Music Hall stepped up admirably off a post ten wire-to-wire & looms large in top form
Race 14
2-Raptors Flight N – We know what he’s capable of here on his best day, now moves inside off two tightening miles, takes on a tag & picks up Hot Toddy
5-Lyons Liberty – Has really taken to the Big M miler with back-to-back wins, blew them away last week & draws better to keep capitalize on his sharp form
9-Cold Creek Felipe – Has had a pretty good run @ Yonkers recently, draws outside, but ships in fresh off a narrow loss & his speed can put him in play here