Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, January 16 – Sunday, January 18, 2026

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

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Race 1

6-Cutting Humor – Certainly cut loose for her lone win of 2025 on December 19, going wire-to-wire on a frigid night & drops back into a soft TM 68 affair

 

8-EA Mushu – We know what The Mushu can do on her best day, seven-time winner last year faded as the beaten favorite & tries to rebound from post eight after missing 42 days

 

4-Speed Writer – Just one for 21, but the noteworthy rally for second to Cutting Humor two starts back & inside draw make her a contender in this wide-open curtain raiser

 

Race 2

4-Chiplosive – Freshened & regrouped with a strong/confident qualifier here, upset these on December 4 & draws well to flaunt his class

 

8-Aardies Peak N – She decided to stay flat & tripped out to a lively career best of 1:55.3 to kick off her new season & looks to step up further from a tougher post

 

5-Prince Archie – Returns to The Big M off a no-chance mile @ Monticello, remains on a form spree, while going third time Lasix & landing mid pack

 

Race 3

3-Job Crunch – New barn & venue for this 4YO, who took her mark here in a qualifier last year, recent form dismal, but a wake up mile is not out of the question in this pari mutuel puzzler

 

2-Almost Karen – Karen abruptly went all the way when she dipped down to TM 68 two starts back & has a big chance to rebound with an inside draw despite missing 27 days

 

9-Pearl Harbour N – Tripped out with a two-move upset in a sparkling Big M debut, that was almost a month ago, now she steps up a notch from post nine & worth a long look

 

Race 4

8-Countess Mara – Two for 89 & winless last season, but she comes off a couple of encouraging efforts here, draws another tough post, so she’s looking for some speed to shoot at

 

4-Mare Of The City – Pace/trip compromised in her last few, did overcome to hit the board three starts back, tough to gauge after a 35-day layoff, yet draws well in a wide-open field

 

5-Mo Mo – Two for 38 last season, fringe player in both starts here, launches mid pack & after missing 36 days we’re trying to figure her out in an Ouija Board Special

 

Race 5

7-Bella Artiste – Seven-time winner of $130k last year, freshened off a nice three-race series @ Dover Downs, challenging post here, yet might’ve found a field to her liking

 

5-So Diva – Stormed home from a tough spot to just miss by a nose with a huge rebound effort, that was 35-days ago, so we have to somehow calibrate that into our handicapping

 

1-Catnap – Caught a few of us napping with that classic drop n pop perfect trip upset last week & lands the rail for the bump back up

 

Race 6

3-Cover The Crown – Capitalized on a big class drop with a decisive wire-to-wire career best of 1:52.2, lightly-raced 4YO with upside lands in even easy spot & looms large as repeat threat

 

7-TH Rizzo – Beaten favorite forced into a wide menacing rally & just missed last week, tougher draw this time, yet remains a razor sharp threat for Per Engblom

 

6-Odds On Sara Sara – Sara has been on a nice roll recently, beaten favorite committed to a late lead & barely outsprinted third after back-to-back wins

 

Race 7

2-Seize Control – Has been hinting of an overdue win since the mid-December claim & after some impossible trips he finally moves inside to set up his serious rally

 

3-Frazier Hanover – Wheels right back after delivering a knockout punch as the heavy favorite last Sunday, stays on his toes & draw inside again to be forwardly placed

 

7-Marshall Zhukov – Seems to be trending in the right direction, catapulted off a hot pace to just miss to an inexplicable Lincoln Boulevard last week & banks on another speed target

 

Race 8

4-Full Of Muscles – Steamrolled first over full of trot to just miss in the feature two weeks ago & draws better to follow up on that encouraging effort for Noel Daley

 

6-Super Duper Cooper – Cooper remains a constant factor, twice beaten favorite fell a buck shy last week when he tried speed & might revert to an off the pace strategy from post six again

 

9-Mahone Seelster – Lived up to the favorite’s hype with a convincing/well-driven score from post ten, off that career best he deals with a double class hike & another outside draw

 

Race 9

3-Seeyou At Thebeach – Off a two for 42 season, has shown more competitive signs in his last two @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws inside a field with several easy toss outs

 

5-Parklane Terror – Moves to mid pack off a couple of no-chance miles against TM 71 stock & has big chance to rebound in this very soft MADC affair

 

8-Rock On Line – Has repeatedly paid the price for slow starts, draws a tougher post & lands in a dartboard MADC division banking on pace & trip

 

Race 10

9-Be Different – Off a seven-win/$117k season, he moves outside, but gets some class relief after chasing a 1:52.4 winner & just missed from post ten before that

 

6-Queen Of America S – The Queen rallied to finish a close second in her latest @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & she returns to The Big M at a greatly

educed level

 

7-Cactustotheclouds – Has hit the board in both starts here, fresh off a solid second when he stepped up from the same post & makes his fourth start off a sick scratch

 

Race 11

6-Cruise Alert – Flashed some late pace for a piece in her latest @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, continues down the class ladder with a chance at an overdue win

 

3-My August Moon A – 1:51.2 performer @ The Big M last season, took three qualifiers to get it right, now drops & draws well again off a much-needed start

 

2-AVF Claire – Now has a couple of needed tighteners under her after a long layoff, draws inside for her third start with Per Engblom & has a winning history here

 

Race 12

2-Net Weight – Tripped out to romp in his comeback, then just missed to Exquisite Taste & this lightly-raced 4YO draws inside that rival with substantial potential to turn the tables

 

9-Exquisite Taste – Lived up the hefty tote hype with a sterling rally & new lifetime mark in his second start for Pat Lachance & stuck outside off that impressive Big M debut

 

6-Trump The Warrior – Paid off the chalk in his Per Engblom debut @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & looms large off a solid third to give his barn a 1-2 punch

 

Race 13

1-Defamation – Fresh off an overdue win @ The Meadows she picked up minor spoils in a fast final quarter for her new barn & moves inside off that excellent acclimating mile

 

3-Always Be City – Off a one for 41 season, she flashed some late pace in a decent acclimating mile & draws better second time Lasix for a barn going well

 

8-Won’t Back Down – Off a winless 2025 campaign she stormed home to just miss a 90-1 shocker at the bottom condition, so we’re looking something similar from a tougher post

 

Race 14

9-HD Labbatoy – Moves outside, but drops back down to where she trounced TM 68 types & ran up the score with a new mark of 1:55.4

 

1-Girl Almighty – The Girl offered more vigor to grab the deuce last week, this 10YO lands the rail & can trip out for a long overdue win

 

6-Mulligan Philly – Seven-time winner last season made the mile-track transition with another solid on-the-board finish despite a tough trip over an off track

 

Saturday, January 17 Selections

Race 1

4-Sono Confuso – Dropped to this TM 71 level, slipped inside three straight pylons on a sloppy track & got taken down as the beaten chalk, now this nine-time winner last year draws well to rebound

 

6-Select Friday – Friday chose Sunday to wake up & romp decisively at the bottom TM 68 level, a confidence-boosting way to kick off a new year & the addition of Brett Beckwith doesn’t hurt

 

3-Meet The Creeper – The Creeper was just two for 30 last season, yet has been competitive with these & an improved post in a real soft field can make a big difference

 

Race 2

2-Rilkoff – Freshened with a couple of months off, won his Big M qualifier with a keen late burst & with a 1:50.3 mark here he returns against a highly vulnerable bunch with Brett Beckwith

 

1-Like A Shadow – I have no clue where that sudden energetic upset came from two starts back, yet he’s back on the rail in a very soft version of a TM 80.5

 

4-Lovethewayyoulie – Got wiped out over a very sloppy track last Saturday, found a way through along the cones to a post nine upset before that & gets another shot at a weak TM 80.5

 

Race 3

9-Build the Wall – Can’t forget how this 1:50.2 performer was so relentless in his prime, post nine again, but drops further for his key third start off the bench & figures to have speed to shoot at

 

1-Caviart Sargent – Solid runner up on a frosty night two starts back, zero chance from post ten under those deplorable conditions last week & continues to cycle forward from the rail

 

3-Captain Bazinga – Took a 1:50.4 mark @ The Big M last season almost went all the way two starts back, nobody was doing anything from post ten in that slop last week, gets class & post relief

 

Race 4

4-American Mercury – Beaten favorite got torched/parked through a fast pace last week, tripped out to an overdue win before that & looks like the one to beat

 

2-Half Past Midnight – Lightly-raced 4YO overcame a pace compromised trip to hit the board last Sunday & draws better with something positive to build on

 

1-Where’s Drogon – Finished a better fourth last Sunday, just two for 38 last season, yet draws his third straight rail to stalk any possible mayhem

 

Race 5

3-Tonto Returns – Switched to Per Engblom last October & soon went on a four-race winning streak @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, gets a dose of class relief & draws inside for his 4YO debut

 

5-Gabe Hanover – Showed significant improvement, flashing speed both ends of a solid second to cap off 2025, now acclimated he could be a serious stalking threat from mid pack

 

6-Like A King – Rallied to a decisive score from post nine with patient timing by Brett Beckwith last Sunday & appears poised to step up off that sparkling Big M debut

 

Race 6

2-Acapulco Sunburn – Beaten favorite couldn’t offer his usual rally over a very sloppy track last week, but now he draws better & was on quite a roll before that

 

5-Rockme Rollme – Perfectly driven by Jim Marohn, Jr. to a solid repeat last week fresh off another claim & simply can’t rule out he goes three-for-three in 2026

 

9-Diamondbeach – Capitalized on a recent form spree with a sizzling take-no-prisoners 1:51.4 two weeks ago, stuck out here, but he just missed from post ten two starts back

 

Race 7

2-Beach Club Monty – Lightly-raced 4YO displayed some major league talent as a sophomore & flashed keen late pace in the mud in a much-needed comebacker for Brett Pelling

 

5-Lochlan Hanover – Carried his long form spree into East Rutherford & steamrolled to a new mark of 1:52.1 two weeks ago & looms large from mid pack for Team Pollack

 

8-Momas Son Byrne – Rebounded big time with another 1:51.4 romp two weeks ago from post nine, stuck outside to tackle a class hike, but has discovered new life with Per Engblom

 

Race 8

7-American Dealer N – That strong rally for second last week is better than it looks on paper, this classy 9YO chased a revved up Boston Bound over a tiring surface after missing 22 days

 

6-Don’t Drop The Ball – Severely pace/trip compromised under adverse conditions & still held third in :26.4 last week & this lightly-raced/versatile 4YO remains a live item in a dynamite field

 

5-Master Charles A – Followed his abrupt wake up win in 1:50.3 with a pair of never-never land trips from post nine, so now he moves to midpack to possibly show us what he’s really made of

 

Race 9

8-Boston Bound – Went back on Lasix & crushed for new mark of 1:50.1 over a track allowing at least two seconds last week & one would logically expect him to be the one to reel in

 

2-Just Enuff Stuff – Grinded gamely & just missed to new stablemate Boston Bound fresh off another claim & draws inside that rival to give trainer Chris Height a potent 1-2 punch

 

5-Sun Of A Show – Capped off his 2025 season with a close third to Boston Bound, nine-time winner last year has been sharp since the mid-November claim, but has missed three weeks

 

Race 10

3-Black Edition N – One for 39 last season, but you can’t fault back-to-back close seconds in ramp up mode, plus he draws inside Big Bang Bang again in a competitive claimer

 

8-Big Bang Bang – Riding a long form spree he blasted down the road from post nine three weeks ago, strong in the win column & brimming with confidence

 

7-Saulsbrook Raptor – Maybe he relished the deep slop when he suddenly thundered home to just miss blowing up the board last week, maybe we’ll see more from a tougher post, just maybe

 

Race 11

7-Fasting – Stepped up to this TM 83.5 level & had a bit too far to come, 11-time winner last year continues to gathering momentum on the comeback trail for Per Engblom

 

3-Dance Partner – Solid runner up to revved up Momas Sun Byrne two starts back, then had an impossible trip in the slop last week & now moves inside

 

2-Lochinvar Aussie – Crushed first over to prevail in the mud last week, lightly-raced 4YO faces a double class hike & draws inside to step up for Team Tritton

 

Race 12

2-Caviart Lotus – Only three for 42 last year, yet finally draws inside, plus more importantly he’s dropping into a softer condition & hit the board back-to-back off the early December claim

 

5-Blaze On N – Beaten favorite gave it a gallant try on the engine in the mud last week & hence it’s reasonable to expect even more as he regains form in a very tricky pari mutuel puzzle

 

4-Thong Control – Sat in, got shuffled back & still paced home in a crisp :26.4 in his sloppy track Big M debut, draws inside again & gets another shot at this reduced condition

 

Race 13

5-Ollie’s Z Tam – Tried speed & tired to third in a heavy snowfall fall 35 days ago, note the 1:52.3 romp against these back in late October & consider the lack of serious opposition

 

7-Captain Conan – Conan got torched while parked out past a brisk :54.4 half, drops back into a blank TM 74.5 affair, but post seven & 35-day layoff give you cause for concern

 

6-National Sport – Off a disappointing effort when he failed to fire off a fast pace & gets another chance to redeem himself at this reduced level

 

Race 14

1-Fendi Hanover – Off a couple of encouraging efforts he made a rare early miscue in the slop last week, so now this 1:50.3 performer here last year lands the rail again to rebound

 

2-Soho Skyfall A – Fresh off a rousing qualifier he got parked through a fast pace in the slop, now hits the rock bottom condition & draws inside to rebound in his second start off the bench

 

7-BB Lucky Boy – The Boy went on an ill-fated speed mission in the tiring slop last week, drops to the basement condition & draws another challenging post

 

Sunday, January 18

Race 1

1-Big Jack Hammer – The Hammer sparked something with that big TM 71 rally/upset from post eight three starts back, hampered by slow starts in his last two & now moves inside

 

3-Miki Leaks – Forced to tackle TM 77.5 & faltered under very sloppy conditions last Saturday, drops back down & draws inside again to rebound with three acclimating trips under him

 

5-Yer So Bad – He was so good to polish off his 2025 season, including back-to-back wins last month, toss out his last two impossible trips & you might have the right one here

 

Race 2

2-Masster Blue – Just two for 34 last year, yet highly regarded & rallied stoutly for the deuce last Sunday, draws inside again & might be knocking on the door as a major staking threat

 

3-Jula Tacticalson – Added trotting hopples & broke when heavily favored in his Big M/Per Engblom debut & this lightly-raced 4YO draws better to possibly rebound in a real soft spot

 

4-Valued Credit – One for 19 last season, stormed home from an impossible spot last out, could be gathering momentum since the addition of trotting hopples & draws much better

 

Race 3

7-Northern Attitude – $4,000 yearling won his lone qualifier with a sharp late burst with Brett Beckwith, draws a challenging post, yet might be worth a swing in a wide-open affair

 

4-Lenny Hill – Captaintreacherous brother to millionaire Nijinsky got his act together with back-to-back seconds @ Harrah’s Philadelphia last month & chased a 1:50.3 flyer last week

 

6-Vizcaya – Bettor’s Wish 3YO from a productive family makes his career debut off a couple of solid qualifiers for Team Alagna

 

Race 4

6-Brother Love – One for 33 last year, yet has been a steady competitor against N/W 3 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & note the barn & driver change

 

2-Fashion Forever – Drops back down the level of his TM 71 upset from the same post two starts back & has a chance to rebound off a no-chance trip

 

3-Mr Instigator – Simply couldn’t muster enough late trot when hiked to the TM 74.5 level, trounced these TM 71 types before that & draws inside again

 

Race 5

4-Order One To Go – 1:50 Mohawk performer last season just missed with a nice late burst in his Big M qualifier & draws well for his Andrew Harris debut here

 

3-Lindy The Brave – Was reunited with Brett Beckwith & tripped out to a mild upset last week, draws post three again & simply can’t rule out a repeat in a field full of question marks

 

2-Hurrikane Cheyenne – Three straight seconds @ Monti fresh off the bench, then had too far to come after slow start from post eight here & draws better on the verge

 

Race 6

2-Benny J – Pop Up Series winner in 1:52.4 for Team Alagna last month, beaten favorite lacked the knockout punch last week & draws better for a more aggressive effort

 

4-Clear For Landing – 8-time winner last season on a long form spree, worked hard on the engine last week & draws well again to be a prominent player again for Per Engblom

 

8-Royal Comet – 10 for 16 as a sophomore, makes his 4YO debut & first start for Team Alagna fresh off a new mark of 1:54.4 @ The Meadows & worth serious consideration despite post eight

 

Race 7

7-Palomar – Thought this classy 11YO was sparking something with those two narrow losses recently, gets some class relief, draws a bit better & seeks the right set up

 

3-Dancing Lew – Stands out fresh off a dominant wire-to-wire as the heavy favorite last week & draws even better to be a logical repeat threat

 

4-Born To Dance – Off a one for 33 season, he followed up a game score with a rally for third chasing Dancing Lew last week & draws better to get within closer string range

 

Race 8

1-Chasing Crystals – Off a one for 26 season he has continued to be a steady presence & looms large from the rail in a field where we readily drew a line through seven others

 

6-Zidane Kemp – Stayed flat & reeled off the mile of his life in an eye-catching qualifier … 29 days ago, so his current form, along with this lightly-raced 3YO’s upside is indeed a mystery

 

4-Landia – She was one for 39 last year, yet did flash some late trot from an impossible spot last week, finally, I mean, finally moves inside & that might give her chance in a dartboard field

 

Race 9

2-Seaworthy Hanover – Lightly-raced 4YO regaining form on the comeback trail, well-rated winner to payoff the chalk last out & draws inside to follow up for a sharp barn

 

6-Bettor Not – 12-time winner as a sophomore just missed with a game effort last week & rates strong consideration despite a tougher post

 

3-Lazarus Star – Completely blocked to the wire @ long odds last week, faded badly before that & draws inside again to play an opportunist role in a competitive field

 

Race 10

6-Stormont Happy Day – Couldn’t quite get there with a perfect trip from the rail last week, yet he’s now had two trips here to acclimate & lands in a field ripe for taking

 

5-Massive Matter – Beaten favorite failed to get involved when pace compromised after a slow start, just missed with a game grind before that & has a chance to rebound

 

2-Global Action S – 10YO makes his second start off the bench off a no-chance trip from post ten & moves inside a wide-open affair for Team Tritton

 

Race 11

4-Stone Cold Savage – Strong runner up in two of his last three, missed 30 days prior to last week’s effort & draws well to secure an overdue win

 

10-Carson Star Choice – Finished a solid second in an inspiring Big M debut, seven–time winner last season slammed with post ten, yet might have enough upside to overcome

 

3-Whata Treasure – 10YO clearly needed his comebacker last week, draws better to trip out & show more in a completely wide-open TM 68

 

Race 12

6-Bacardi – 8-time winner last season has ramped it up on the edges in his last few, finished a solid third last week & draws a bit better in a camera-shy field

 

3-Nice Guy Eddie – Eddie was forced wide & landed on the fringe again, hasn’t raced in over a month, but gets another shot at a soft TM 74.5 match up

 

8-Bar Keep De Vie – Since that gallant narrow loss three starts back he’s been unable to make a serious impression, now he faces a class hike & outside draw

 

Race 13

7-Xmarxthespot – Has closed from tough spots to hit the ticket in both starts since coming back from a long layoff, tougher draw here, but pointing in the right direction

 

5-Cole On The Beach – Drops back down to the TM 71 level off a solid rally to hit the board in the slop & presents a major stalking threat from mid pack

 

3-Spirit Of Truth – 14YO has been a steady fringe player at this TM 71 level & gets a better draw today to set up one of his patented stalking trips