Ken Warkentin’s Friday, May 6 Selections

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

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Ken Warkentin’s Friday, May 6 Selections

RACE 1

3-Darth Fader – Flashed some life at both ends of the mile from post eight last week, note the :26.4 finish back on April 9, draws inside, makes his key third start off a sick scratch & Cameron Capone makes his Big M debut

6-Haymitch – Followed up that perfect trip upset two starts back by shaking loose late from heavy traffic to grab the show last week, same tricky post, but still in strong form

4-Takeittotheface – Took full advantage of the hot pace set up he needed & David Yarock timed his rally just right for the upset last week, rewarded with a much-improved post

RACE 2

4-Zappa – $200,000 first foal out of a sister to Strong Yankee unleashed a confident second qualifier here, draws well & Team Melander has come out guns blazing

3-Moni’s Heaven Cent – $110,000 Muscle Hill gelding & grandson of the great Moni Maker won his qualifier with a nice late burst & chased a runaway Senna in a much-needed comeback for Team Burke

1-Frank The Elder – Another bright prospect for Team Burke, Walner colt & first foal out of the stakes winning dam, added trotting hobbles & kicked home in :27.2, lands the rail in a wide-open affair

RACE 3

6-Testing Testing – Breeders Crown elimination winner qualified with a nice late surge here last Saturday, ready to roll for 2013 Hambo champ George Ducharme, who recently registered his 1,000^th training victory … Congratulations!

1-Majestic J – Consistent Tony Alagna trainee with a mark of 1:54.4 here, Grand Circuit stakes player was runner up in both qualifiers, lands the rail with smooth trip potential

3-Senna – Per Engblom-tuned Trixton colt romped in his 3YO debut, then bumped into a revved up B A Superhero, draws better to take charge again for Dexter Dunn

RACE 4

7-B A Superhero – Breezed right by the heavy favorite Senna in a sparkling 3YO debut & took a new mark of 1:54, tougher draw, but this Hambo prospect has major upside

8-Looks Like Moni – Team Takter Muscle Hill colt made some noise as a freshman, looks to have made a smooth transition, jogged in his lone qualifier, Hambo eligible to fear despite post eight

3-Robertsin – Displayed plenty of talent at two, third placed second in the Kindergarten Classic, tough to gauge off an even qualifier, inside draw for a sharp barn

RACE 5

2-Milliondollardad – 14YO Dad made an impressive 52 starts last year, racing better in his last few elsewhere, Dakota Jackson driving well, draws inside & looks like a contender

5-Master Conrad – Had no chance in his last two, capable of a big late move, lands midpack in a field begging to beaten & just needs to time it right

3-Causway – Really turned things around when he came out of a shuffle to grab the show last week, one for 16 this season hanging over him, but draws better

RACE 6

6-Next Level Stuff – Fresh off a nifty 1:52.3 qualifier she indeed took it to the next level with a scintillating 1:51.4 comebacker, might be tough to knock off with license to show more

2-Bella Bellini – Hambletonian Oaks champion & Dan Patch Award winner wintered well, second to the great Atlanta in her second qualifier with a :26.3 & draws inside

4-Katie’s Lucky Day – Kentucky Filly Futurity winner tuned up with a pair of solid Opens @ Hoosier Park against standout Whata Swan, major threat here for The Money Man

RACE 7

8-Rockabilly Charm – Stormed home from a tough spot to score the upset last week, moves outside, but sports that 1:50.1 mark @ The Big M last year & can’t rule out a repeat

1-Ferdinand A – Amazing how a 9YO can win so energetically from post seven off a sick scratch & dull qualifier, guess that’s just GSY, now draws the rail to prove it was no fluke

5-Captain’s Reign – Caught this guy when he rallied off an ideal trip two starts back, slow start cost him any chance last week, needs to push off harder from same midpack post

RACE 8

4-Periculum – 1:53.1 Grand Circuit stakes winner flashed a :26.4 in his lone qualifier, smooth stalking trip likely from post four again & Team Melander on fire to start

3-Jack Rabbit Slims – Hambletonian eligible has easily gone three-for-three @ Hoosier Park, draws well for Team Buter in a division ripe for the taking

2-Gaelihill – Solid runner up to standout Following S in his sophomore debut, this will be only his fourth career start, inside draw & continues to progress for The American Viking

RACE 9

2-Venerable – Dan Patch Award winning millionaire & Winterbook favorite for the Hambletonian, finished well in her lone qualifier & draws inside a competitive division

3-Jiggy Jog S – Major stakes player zipped wire-to-wire in an eye-catching qualifier for Team Svanstedt, lands post three again & will be forwardly placed in a match up of speedy fillies

4-Fashion Schooner – Fashionably bred Walner filly aired it out in an impressive 3YO debut for the fiery Jim Campbell barn & draws well for the anticipated follow up

RACE 10

2-Atlanta – Quite simply one of the greatest trotters in history, distinguished triple millionaire won her qualifier with a :26 sprint & went right by arch rival When Dovescry

1-When Dovescry – Well-decorated Oaks champion came up short in both qualifiers, the latest to Atlanta, dominant in this series last year & lands the rail

3-Royalty Deal – Solid runner up to the raging Next Level Stuff in a terrific comeback mile, forced into an opportunist role as she tries to figure out the top two titans

RACE 11

2-I’m Happy Hanover – Matron Stakes runner up took her requisite post ten tour of the oval, moves inside to take advantage of a wide-open division for Nifty Norman

1-Gracelyn Hanover – 1:53.3 stakes winner here at two gained the show in a much-needed 3YO debut, Walner filly draws better for her second try off the bench

4-Disclosure – Has dispensed of the trotting hopples & won her Miami Valley qualifier with plenty, draws well, knows her way around this track & gets The Buckeye

RACE 12

8-Keystone Blade – Shipped north off a sick scratch, missed 19 days, switched barns, added Yannick Gingras & promptly blasted down the road in a sparking return to the Big M, moves outside & likely in blast off mode

4-Knight Angel – Missed a few weeks off a sick scratch, racing better recently elsewhere, gets some class & post relief for Team Bongiorno

5-Trents A Lock – Went from a sharp second by a neck in :27.2 to tank empty last week, , 4YO was going in the right direction & has a chance to rebound

RACE 13

5-Great Unknown – Beaten heavy favorite stormed home from a tough spot to hit the board again, solid runner up before that & remains at a reduced level

2-Shinkansen – Returned at a reduced level & promptly scored a rare Dexter Dunn upset just two fifths off his lifetime mark & draws inside a camera-shy finale

8-Skyway Kon Man – We all know The Kon Man likes to finish strong, nosed out by Shinkansen with a perfect trip last week, moves outside & will need the right set up

Ken Warkentin’s Saturday, May 7 Selections

RACE 1
7-Stone Hanover – Equaled his mark of 1:49.2 here last season, thundered home in :25.4 in a much-needed comebacker chasing Ignatius A & drops into a softer spot

2-De Los Cielos Deo – Consistent Team Burke stalwart on the board in nine of 13 this season, rallied for the show in :26.4 last week, draws better & eligible to trip out

5-Casual Cool – Followed up his 1:49 upset by bumping into Ignatius A & company last week, drops back down to the winning level & stalks midpack for The White Knight

RACE 2
4-Beach Moment – Just missed in her Big M debut by controlling the pace two starts back, then got locked in the pocket last week, drops back down & draws inside again

8-Laurie Lee – Cycled to the top & cruised to a new mark in a well-rated effort last week, bumped back up in class & moves outside, yet retains Dexter Dunn

7-Filly – Has been on four-race form spree & sharp since arriving here for Team Bongiorno, tougher draw, but shook loose too late out of heavy stretch traffic last week

RACE 3
6-Lovedbythemasses – Has been stellar so far this season win five of six for Team Cullipher, his latest was a totally dominant performance in a sparkling 1:51

2-Yanks Dugout – Followed up the mile of his life with a solid second to Lovedbythemasses, draws inside that rival again to trip out & remains a live opportunist for Team Burke

5-Hillexotic – Still fresh on the comeback trail & relatively new Team Burke acquisition finished third from the pocket two weeks ago, lifetime best 1:51.2 before that

RACE 4
5-Cool Blues Man – Beaten favorite off slowly & sat too far back off a rated pace, still scooted home in :26.1 to grab second last week, draws a bit better & might get there this time

8-Windsong Jack – Understandably a popular item at the claim box, went all the way under ideal conditions last week, 12YO just shy of $1M will blast off for another new barn

6-Raptor’s Flight N – Took a new mark of 1:52 with a game grind two starts back, that trip didn’t work last week, post improves slightly, a speed target & live cover would help

RACE 5
7-Decision Day – Was much better last week when he rallied off second over cover to hit the board, tougher post here, but drops another notch & long overdue

5-Machdavid – Rebounded from broken equipment from post ten with a rousing Dexter Dunn upset & new lifetime mark of 1:51, drops back into N/W $7,500 & stalks midpack

4-The Dark Shadow – Bumped up two notches fresh off a wire-to-wire blowout in his debut for Team Bongiorno, was just a fifth off his career best & draws inside again to pave the way

RACE 6
7-Bettors Donttell – 1:48.4 performer @ The Big M last year, runner up to the raging Red Right Hand in his comebacker, demanding post here, but he can flying off the wings

9-Charlie May – 2021 Ohio Horse of the Year was shot out of a cannon in :25.3 & kicked off his 4YO campaign with a new mark of 1:48.3, looks up to the tall order of post nine here

5-Southwind Gendry – Consistent major stakes player at two & three qualified sharply against stablemate Lou’s Pearlman & completes a strong Team Burke 1-2 punch

RACE 7
6-Sonofamistery – Confidently swept the two-ply NJ Breeders Maturity, edge in fitness over several in this one, sports a 1:50.2 mark here in the slop & Team Melander off to flying start

4-Ahundreddollarbill – Canadian Trotting Classic upsetter off a terrific sophomore season strode through a pair of solid qualifiers & draws well for Team Alagna

2-Cuatro De Julio – Breeders Crown elimination winner displayed major league talent last year, prepped with an easy Miami Valley qualifier & draws inside a wide-open division

RACE 8
4-Lou’s Pearlman – Still don’t how he won last year’s Jug, 1:47.4 performer here in 2021 draws well fresh off two excellent qualifiers for Team Burke

2-I’ll Drink To That – Took a few starts to gather his best stride & reeled off a career best 1:49.3 last week, repeat threat with another inside draw for Chris Ryder

10-Rockyroad Hanover – Progress Pace & 1:48 winner here last season qualified in fine fashion for Team Alagna, slammed with post ten, but looks ready to fire

RACE 9
9-Test Of Faith – 2021 Horse of the Year has never had an off day, millionaire capped off her sophomore season with five in a row, returns with an outside draw in a tough field, but qualified on cruise control

6-Racine Bell – Kicked off her season winning the Sweetheart Pace here, nosed out as the heavy favorite in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Final, sports a 1:48.1 mark @ The Big M last year & always sparkles here

1-Amazing Dream N – Much heralded NZ bred lived up to her press clippings with a dominant Big M debut on lasix, wiped out by a rough-gaited leader in her qualifier & resumes her US assault from the rail

RACE 10
5-Workin Ona Mystery – Scored back-to-back fresh on the comeback trail for Team Burke, then had too much work to do off a rated Let It Ride N, expect a more aggressive effort

3-Ignatius A – Stepped up again & methodically tripped out to his third straight win last week, 8YO took a new mark of 1:49.2 before that & poised for a serious test

6-Funatthebeach N – Was able to catapult off a hot duel to upset the Borgata Final, $75,000 claim last Fall developed into an Open star @ Yonkers & style suits the longer stretch here

RACE 11
1-Sonny Weaver N – Has twice landed on the edges fourth here, while finishing well for Team Cullipher, 10-time winner in 2021 lands the rail to stalk the ample speed at a price in a real headscratcher

9-Vettel N – Has been on quite a form spree for Team Bongiorno, flew home from the back in :26 to grab the show behind Charlie May in last week’s Open, big threat despite post nine

7-Alta Engen A – Australian import came right back to repeat with more speed & took a new mark of 1:49.4, that was three weeks ago, now tackles a triple class hike & tougher post, but we don’t how good he is

RACE 12
5-All Hands On Deck – Gave a strong indication he’s cycling forward in his last two @ Yonkers, drops into a real soft spot & leads a Team Bongiorno 1-2 punch

3-Fabrizio N – Hasn’t raced in three weeks off a sick scratch, but was chasing much better, gets a hefty dose of class relief & draws inside to stalk n pop

1-American Mercury – Classy sub 1:50 performer & near $900,000 winner took his requisite tour of the oval, back on the rail & ready to bear down in a wide-open field

RACE 13
3-So Delightful – She has sharpened her sword on the comeback trail for Team Cullipher, almost held on under intense pressure from the favorite last week & draws better

8-Society Jill – Red-hot 4YO has won three of four since switching barns & lowered her mark to 1:53.1, easy winner controlling the engine last Friday, look for another blastoff

7-Somthngaboutmary N – Steady NZ bred mare grinded gamely & held for a show deadheat last week, beaten favorite trying to atone from a more challenging post