Ken Warkentin’s Friday, June 17 Selections

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

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Ken Warkentin’s Friday, June 17 Selections

RACE 1

5-Takeittotheface – Comes off an excuse trip with broken equipment, just missed with a mighty effort from post ten before that & looms large as a stalking threat from midpack

 

10-Dream Out Loud N – Don’t know how long this amazing 15YO can keep it going, but that was a dominant repeat & had two post ten scores for Tony Beltrami before that

 

4-MV OK Palacio BR – The Brazilian bred closer took full advantage when the table was set perfectly & took a new mark of 1:52, finally draws an inside post for Rob Harmon

 

RACE 2

8-Finn Palema – Methodically made it two-for-two in a lively Big M debut for Team Svanstedt, Muscle Hill colt stuck outside a competitive division, but high on potential

 

6-Frank The Elder – Frank added Lasix, stole a :57 half & went all the way for a new mark of 1:53.4, this Team Burke son of Walner has talent, potential & versatility

 

2-Majestic J – Liked the effort from post eight & the way he made Finn Palema work for it, Walner colt draws inside off that big rebound effort for Team Alagna

 

RACE 3

8-Ken’s Walner – This Walner colt bounced back with a take-charge rousing score last week, moves outside, but stands out in a field filled of question marks & just needs to avoid traffic

 

3-A New Leader – Faded from the rail against older foes last week, if you go back to his narrow loss in 1:54.3 on May 20, plus another inside draw & Braxton Boyd driving well

 

7-Street Smarts – Walner brother to three winners including Smart As Hill & Hot As Hill, stayed flat & romped with trotting hopples in his latest @ Magical Acres & has some upside

 

RACE 4

4-Always As Fast – Made a decent mile track transition & finished an even fourth last week, draws inside again, retains the patient & capable Johnathan Ahle, might be worth a swing

 

1-Kingofthejungle – Steady 11YO warhorse was forced to rough it first over from post nine, a solid third before that, now moves inside with a chance to trip out in a toss up

 

9-Peter Pumpkineater – Liked him last week & finished a solid second to a drifting inexplicable 5-2 Make It Big, now moves outside, yet remains a contender

 

RACE 5

4-Timestorm – Switched to Andrew Harris & caught fire here last month winning back-to-back, wheels right back off a sick scratch & strong second & draws inside again

 

5-Love This Bar – 4YO has ramped it up in his last three @ Yonkers, all depends on his mile track transition, matches up well with this group & leads a Team Burke 1-2 punch

 

1-Yanaba – Trixton filly has blossomed winning her first three this season, nice recovery from an early miscue two weeks ago & now moves inside with plenty of upside

 

RACE 6

1-Venerate – Was a bit surprised with his sparkling new mark of 1:51.1 4YO debut, yet did have a tailor made trip, got parked as the beaten favorite in the Mohawk Graduate, returns to The Big M with the rail to resume his new lease on life

 

3-Sonofamistery – 1:50.2 Team Melander trainee won his first three this season before finishing fourth to Venerate as the beaten favorite, draws better after 20 days off & has the talent to rebound

 

6-Incommunicado – Qualified second to prolific stablemate Ecurie D DK, wired his 4YO in a career best 1:52.2 @ Pocono, then broke @ Mohawk, chance to regroup in a field with no serious speed

 

RACE 7

5-Shoreview – Just one for 16 this season, but owns a mark of 1:50.3 here, ships in fresh off a pair of seconds against $30,000 claimers, going well for his new barn & stalks midpack

 

10-Ideal Star N – Only 7-2 when he blew them away in a nifty 1:50.1 in a dazzling Big M debut, right back in 1:50.1 again last week, moves outside, takes a slight step up, but any semblance of those blowouts would suffice

 

1-Atomic Blast N – The Blast hasn’t missed the board in his last four since a sick scratch, runner up to Ideal Star N last week draws far inside that rival & in line to trip out

 

RACE 8

1-Haymitch – Bothered by a breaker around the first turn last week, has been a fringe player in the GSY Series & lands the rail to work out a smooth journey in a complete headscratcher

 

7-S Mckee – One for 19 this season, yet was somehow able to step it up with a brisk rally for second last week, one of the lone bright spots in this TM division if he can duplicate that

 

5-Official Delight – While struggling to find a possible contender in this wide-open field, here’s one shipping in fresh off a blowout @ Monticello & owns a bit of back class

 

RACE 9

2-Ucandoit Blue Chip – 11^th foal out of the prolific producing Breeders Crown champion Molly Can Do It, limited crop from 2017 Dan Patch Award winner Keystone Velocity, flashed :26.4 in both baby races & draws inside

 

6-Stop The Show – $400,000 Sweet Lou first foal & second dam world champion Put On A Show, won her Gaitway baby race with a nice late burst & one of five for Team Burke

 

4-Hungry For Love – First crop of O’Brien Award winner & 1:47.3 millionaire Stay Hungry, seventh foal from a productive family, won her Gaitway trial with a professional :27.2 & draws well for Team Burke

 

RACE 10

8-Wrappers Delight A – The Wrapper absolutely destroyed these in a career best of 1:50.3 on May 28 off a sick scratch, returns to The Big M off a lively effort & narrow loss @ Harrington & looks to blast off from post eight

 

4-Raptors Flight N – 9YO on a long for spree, came right back to battle bitterly out of the pocket & held off Cool Blues Man, draws a bit better off that career best with Braxton Boyd & goes for three in a row

 

5-Cool Blues Man – Tossed in a clunker fresh off the recent claim, then rebounded with one of his familiar rallies to just miss to Raptors Flight N, retains The Money Man & figures to get the right set up

 

RACE 11

3-Jaya Bae – $725,000 Walner second foal out of World Champion Mission Brief was barely outsprinted in :26.4, then an early miscue cost her a chance in the NJSS Final, draws inside again to rebound for Team Melander

 

7-Monkey Queen – $450,000 sister to 2020 Trotter of the Year & World Champion Gimpanzee, right here second to the noted Raised By Lindy with her second straight :26.4 & debuts in a field ripe for the taking

 

9-Pink Coco Chanel – Cantab Hall sister to World Champion Homicide Hunter won her latest qualifier in an impressive 1:52.3, sat a loose pocket & broke turning for home in her debut, trying to rebound from post nine for Team Alagna

 

RACE 12

4-It’s Rigged – That’s two straight on-the-board finishes since switching to Juan Cano & Scott Zeron, beaten favorite draws better & looks to turn the tables on the inexplicable Brigadoon

 

8-Brigadoon – Don’t ever ask me how this 9YO blasted down the road in 1:51.4, just a fifth off his lifetime mark, note he was only 5-2, moves outside, but clearly has blast off capability

 

1-Shaving Mug – No close shave last week when he transitioned from Freehold, but a convincing upset in a real soft division, 13YO lands the rail on a form spree

 

RACE 13

3-Natural Kemp – Hit the board in his first two starts here this season for Edwin Quevedo, then got blitzed @ Yonkers, classy 10YO returns to The Big M in prime spot

 

5-Big Charlie Moran – Charlie probably put forth his best effort to date when he rallied for third last week, lands midpack to stalk & set up another late move in a wide-open finale

 

6-Hobbs – Finished a distant fourth behind Big Charlie Moran in a decent acclimating mile, gelding is one for his last 29, yet was 2020 NYSS Champion 3YO

 

Ken Warkentin’s Saturday, June 18 Selections

RACE 1

5-Leon David – Steady stalking closer type has finished better in his last two, will have plenty of speed to shoot at, barn has had a solid meet & price might be right

 

3-Dragon Said – Smaller track specialist has caught fire reeling off three straight in PA, draws inside a tough field & figures to be part of speed equation for Team Bongiorno

 

8-Hail Christian N – Sub 1:50 performer here this season has been pretty consistent, stuck outside a competitive opener, but can rally with the best of them

 

RACE 2

6-Bell Family – Lightly-raced 4YO & beaten even money favorite @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, exits N/W 3 company & makes his third start off a sick scratch in a real soft spot

 

2-Cliffhanger – Bumped into a blazing 1:50.1 winner last out, one for 18 this season, but his recent form has been steady, lands post two again & long overdue

 

4-Cold Decked – Has flashed some commendable late moves in three starts on the comeback trail, draws an improved post in a wide-open TM division & could surprise

 

RACE 3

6-Lightning Leia – Joined her new trainer & promptly made it two in a row through a placing @ Pocono & lands in a field of question marks for a high percentage barn

 

3-P L Notorious – She arrives in prime form & twice beaten favorite sandwiched around a sick scratch, draws inside to make her presence felt right off the hop

 

7-So Delightful – Returns to The Big M off a no-chance mile @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, gets a bit of class relief, owns a win here this season & can close off the speed

 

RACE 4

5-Uptown Lady N – Has taken a significant tumble down the condition ladder, fresh off a solid third @ Pocono & gathering momentum since the early May sick scratch

 

8-Marvelous Kiss – Was simply marvelous when she romped to a new mark of 1:51.2 as the heavy favorite, moves outside, but looms large in peak form

 

1-Dandy Idea – Uncorked a dandy third quarter of :27.1 & just missed last week, moves inside off that sharp display of speed & might be able to rate a stalking trip

 

RACE 5

3-Jimmy Connor B – Former stakes player in Ontario now with Scott Di Domenico has had a couple of starts to get tight on Lasix, draws inside here & could surprise if ready

 

4-Mark Witha K – Only took two starts for his new barn to find the key to Mark & thundered home in :25.3 for the upset from the same post last week

 

2-Whole Lotta Lou – Lou has ramped it up with back-to-back seconds, the latest to a raging Primary Colors, sports a 1:49.3 mark here this season & draws better

 

RACE 6

2-Backstreet Shadow – Classy Team Burke millionaire was hounded through a sizzling pace last week & has a big chance to rebound from an improved post

 

4-Ruthless Hanover – Beaten heavy favorite forced wide from a tough spot & just missed in 1:48.3 last week, fourth start on the comeback trail might be the one

 

5-Undrthsouthrnsun N – Was tangling with Jimmy Freight in the Mohawk FFA, shipped south & regained winning form in PA for Team Bongiorno, who have a 1-2 punch in here

 

RACE 7

4-On The Cards N – Offered a brief late bid & finished fourth in a decent acclimating mile, took a mark of 1:49.1 here last season & draws inside again for Team Burke

 

3-Seeuinnashville A – Fresh off a much-improved effort & close second to I’m A Big Deal last week, draws inside again to work out another stalking trip in a real head scratcher

 

9-I’m A Big Deal – Finally answered the wake up call after descending the class ladder, moves outside, but can blast off in a laid back field & show them who’s boss again

 

RACE 8

4-Billy Clyde – Stakes quality 3YO last season makes his second start after a long layoff, draws post four again & can stalk the speed target he needs in this very intriguing match up

 

3-Speedy Dominic A – Freshened after shipping off a hard-charging win @ Mohawk, breezed impressively @ Gaitway, draws well for Team Bongiorno & dangerous if ready

 

6-Whitecookie – The Cookie took charge, got a bit overanxious & was nailed late as the beaten favorite in 1:48.3, now makes his key third start off the bench for Team Burke

 

RACE 9

6-Scarlett Hanover – 2021 Jugette winner has been landing on the edges in the Graduate Series for Team Burke & returns to The Big M with a chance to outclass most of these

 

1-Annabelle Hanover – One for 16 this season, yet almost got to the well-rated Beach Crazy second time Lasix, draws inside that rival again & in line for another ideal trip

 

9-Beach Crazy – Fired off the wings, rated nicely & held off a hard-charging Annabelle Hanover last week, lands outside again off that lifetime best & can’t rule out a repeat effort

 

RACE 10

2-Bettors Donttell – Streaked to a sparkling new mark of 1:47.3 with the perfect set up two starts back, back from Mohawk off a solid third in the Graduate & draws inside for Team Burke

 

6-Let It Ride N – Suddenly reignited & sharpened & his winning edge with two straight @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, loves The Big M & tough to hold off with his wicked late move

 

5-DA Delightful – Tripped out to his second straight upset & took a new mark of 1:48.3 last week, can’t possibly be going any better right now & could step up against Open foes

 

RACE 11

5-Always A Miracle – Overcame traffic issues & managed to reel in Dandy Idea with the mile of her life last week, trying to go four-for-four in the Mark Ford barn

 

1-Sheer Talent – Riding a long form spree from the rail, fresh off an excellent speed try, she can also play a stalking role in this challenging handicapping puzzle

 

6-Line Em Up – Finished well for minor spoils chasing Always A Miracle in a needed acclimating mile & has a chance to improve second time Lasix

 

RACE 12

6-What The Luck – Brushed n crushed them to repeat in style & took a new mark of 1:51.3 last week & looks to go three-for-three for his new barn

 

1-Rockabilly Charm – Pace compromised & parked first over last week after an aggressive nose loss in 1:51.3 as the heavy favorite & looms large from rail

 

2-Captain’s Reign – This Captain has been knocking on the door in the GSY Series, owns a strong late move & in line for an ideal stalking trip from another inside post

 

RACE 13

2-Bruce’s Magic – 0 for 14 in 2022, flashed some late pace chasing standout What the Luck last week, finally draws inside & rates contender status in a wide-open finale

 

6-Fourboltmane – Shuffled off rated fractions & lacked some room in the sprint home, just missed on the engine before that with Tony Beltrami, seems to have come around, but one for 22 this season to consider

 

9-Deerfield Beach – Beaten favorite finished a solid third in the GSY Series, has improved since the switch to Izzy Estrada, but must overcome post nine