Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, April 28 & Saturday, April 29, 2023
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
RACE 1
5-Camlachie Chrome – 4YO seems to have gotten his act together with a couple of decent finishes @ Pocono, lands a real soft division here & launches a stalking trip from midpack
10-Final Justice – Grinded gamely for the deuce last week, moves outside, but gathering momentum for his fourth start since a late March sick scratch
4-Master Conrad – Winless this season & one for his last 43, yet does face an easier group, lands post four again & can set up one big late move
Race 2
6-Tactical Approach – Tactical Landing brother to 1:50.2 performer Double Deceiver ($770,954) won both qualifiers over first out winner Herodutus & Team Takter is on fire
7-Ari Ferrari J – Walner brother to You Ato Dream, 1:52.2 & Dribbling Bi, 1:53.1, Bluegrass winner at two, won his lone qualifier with a nice late burst for Tony Alagna
5-Little Expensive – $260,000 Muscle Hill first foal out of his dam cruised in his comeback qualifier & poised to make his 3YO debut for Team Orange Crush
RACE 3
1-Massive Matter – Revived his form with a new mark of 1:54.4 three starts back, then a solid runner up to heavy favorite Amador, pace & trip compromised last week
5-Chake – Finished in a crisp :26.3 in her Pinehurst qualifier, seven-time winner last year makes her 4YO debut for a new barn & might be worth a long look in this tricky puzzle
6-Distance Learning – Lightly-raced 4YO finally stayed flat for Dexter Dunn & finished third to for superior Ghostintheshell S & Rattle My Cage & might be ready show more
RACE 4
5-Hold Me Closer – Just missed upsetting Wow Lester fresh off the bench, then made an early miscue last week, lightly-raced filly with a chance rebound
3-Wow Lester – Went all the way in a well rated effort two starts back, returns to the TM 74 level with an improved post & will be forwardly placed with JB
2-Swan Carol – Just one for 37 & winless this season, but overcame a tough uncovered trip to hit the board last week & draws inside again
RACE 5
1-Rockabilly Charm – Forced wide from a tough spot last week in his transition back to the mile oval, faced better here earlier this season & lands the rail for Tony Beltrami
2-Duckies Dynasty – Ships in fresh off two in a row @ Rosecroft, knows his way around this track & draws inside to stay on a roll in a real camera-shy bunch
8-Captain’s Reign – 0 for 13 this season, which is a theme in this field, but a solid rally for third last week, Dakota Jackson driving well & needs a bigger speed target
RACE 6
2-Diamondsnpearls – Captaintreacherous filly was a late-blooming stakes player at two, motoring late in her second qualifier & draws inside for the raging Team Takter
1-Quick E – Only the third start for this Sweet Lou fifth foal from a two-time Dan Patch Award winner & world champion, won her latest two qualifiers for Brett Pelling & lands the rail
3-Odds On Hail Mary – Went all the way in her first qualifier nosing out Southwind Bella, then a runner up to a well-rated Quick E, draws well with lots of potential for Team Toscano
RACE 7
2-Lightfootedlegend – Liked him last week & he just missed the upset with a more-aggressive effort in the slop, draws inside again & remains at a reduced level
1-Amador – Worked the class drop n pop to perfection with a rock solid wire-to-wire two weeks ago, bumped up a notch & fires out from the rail with renewed vigor
7-Cantkeepmiasecret – Returns to The Big M at a competitive level after gearing up with some steady efforts @ Yonkers for Team Bongiorno & was strong in the win column last year
RACE 8
2-Lady Rocknrolla A – Finally moves inside fresh off a wake up rally for the deuce chasing a 6-5 favorite, gets another shot at this reduced level & in line to stalk n pop
6-The Turning Point – Poised to hike up fresh off a career turning point on Lasix & new mark of 1:53.1 last week, lightly-raced mare with upside retains The Bionic Man
5-Dbledelitebrigade N – Stung early & faded to fourth last week, just missed with a perfect trip before that, down in class & switches to Dexter Dunn
RACE 9
7-Concur – Pace & trip compromised last week, finished well in his previous few, Nicole Diconstanzo just needs the right set up to swoop this form-challenged bunch
3-Clayton’s Bettor N – Aggressive winner as the heavy favorite three starts back, then just missed & faded to fourth last week, looks like the one to reel in with another inside draw
2-Always A Panther – Has been on a bit of a form spree, nice try to seize control from post ten last week, now moves inside & figures to be prominently placed
RACE 10
2-Texas Miki – Bumps back up in class fresh off a couple of narrow losses, nosed out from post ten last week & now moves inside for Yannick Gingras
6-Baileys Rock N – 0 for 13 this season, but this veteran has been hinting, just missed three starts back, a solid third two weeks ago & won’t be far off the pace in a short field
7-Curbside Pickup – Dipped to the TM 80.5, got aggressive & finished a much-improved second, that could be the sign of an overdue win
RACE 11
3-Gigi Hanover – Finished a solid second to Oaks champ Fashion Schooner in her lone qualifier, looks ready for her sixth career start & draws inside for Team Svanstedt
7-Southwind Cherry – Bounced back to just miss in the Chad E. Carlton Series @ Hoosier Park, Muscle Hill filly draws tougher, but has come out firing for Team Cullipher
4-Blonde Bombshell – Garden State stakes winner here @ two with a mark of 1:55.1, Walner filly qualified with late trot & draws well for Nifty Norman
RACE 12
3-Night Flyer K – Nothing wrong with her solid second to runaway heavy favorite Horoscope last week, gets another inside draw & retains Dexter Dunn
7-Workout Girl – Versatile mare drops a notch, owns a win here this season, goes back to Todd McCarthy & looks to work out the right trip from a challenging post
1-Golden Cross Stone – Stormed home to equal her mark of 1:55.1 first time Per Engblom despite an early miscue, wasn’t heard from last week & has the rail to regroup
RACE 13
1-Bettor B Sawyer – Barn change angle could kick in here, debuts for trainer Ivan Llopez fresh off a jogola qualifier @ Freehold & lands the rail in a field begging to be beaten
4-Ultimate Long Shot – Launched a pretty nice rally to hit the board from post ten & now draws much better off that excellent acclimating mile
5-Crush Me – Was able to recover from an early break & regain her winning form @ Pocono & gets a chance to build on that in a soft spot here
RACE 14
3-On Dayboo – Nice noteworthy wake up effort to Gazoo with a sharp late surge of :26.3, 3YO with upside lands post three again to continue ramping it up
5-Marvalous One – Runner up to a fiery Uncle Shank A in the comeback qualifier, note the barn change to Symon Spicer & finds a prime spot to regroup
4-Ferdinand A – 10YO has been on his game recently with a post ten win in the GSY 1, held on gamely for a place deadheat as the beaten favorite & draws inside again
Selections for Saturday, April 29
RACE 1
1-Van Diesel – 7YO recently took a new mark of 1:52.2 against TM 80.5 types here & stands out from the rail fresh off a blowout @ Harrah’s Philadelphia
9-Grateful Kiss – Twice beaten favorite just missed with a mighty rally off a slow half, outside draw in a tougher division, but has been sharp since the April 1 claim
6-Real Lucky N – Struggling this season after eight wins & $80k last year, classy 11YO returns to the mile track for a midpack launch & stalking trip
RACE 2
1-Will The Wizard A – Lived up to the tote hype as a lively runner up last week, back on the rail & building momentum for his third US start & looms as a large stalking threat
3-Captain Fancy – Has hit the board in his last three, third behind Will The Wizard A last week, just missed in his previous two & draws inside again to play serious contender
2-Madelines Blk Jack – No factor since that breath-taking upset rally in late February, also hasn’t raced in three weeks, but the needed class relief & inside draw could spell wake up
RACE 3
4-Treacherous Dragon – Last year’s Dan Patch Award winner & Breeders Crown champ took her requisite tour of the oval & flashed a :25.1, time to bear down for Team Takter
3-Niki Hill – 2YO division champ & millionaire was able to put them to sleep through a :57.1 half & cruised in her comeback, now she’s poised for a more serious hook up with The Dragon
1-Valar Dohaeris – Raced solidly for the show in a much-needed return mile last week, not sure how high she can step it up from the rail, but Team Svanstedt have her ready
RACE 4
9-Heavenissofaraway – Her lone win this season came here against N/W $7,500 stock, not much recently, draws outside, but this is a class drop that can’t be ignored
5-Always B Royalty – Made a prompt mile track transition when she rallied for second to heavy favorite The Turning Point & has something real positive to build on
6-Rocknroll Nella – The beaten chalk just missed under heavy pressure, draws a tougher post, yet remains at this reduced level in search of her first win this season
RACE 5
2-It’s My Show – Sweet Lou brother to 2019 Pace upsetter Best In Show from world champion Put On A Show, both qualifiers were impressive & draws inside for Team Toscano
7-Command – Diamond Creek Farm homebred by Captaintreacherous had a taste of Grand Circuit action & finished well in both qualifiers for Brett Pelling
5-Full Support – The other Team Toscano trainee qualified energetically with Lasix added, needed his comebacker & has potential to tap from post five again
RACE 6
3-Betterinpinehurst – 4YO has been on a form spree for Team Cullipher, took a mark of 1:53.3 her back in late March & draws well fresh off another win as the heavy favorite
7-Heavens Pic – Was able to build on his excellent acclimating mile with a big :26.3 rally & took a new mark of 1:53.4, faces a similar task in a competitive affair
4-Gotwuteverittakes – Has worked his way back up the condition ladder for Ricky Bucci, fresh off a solid third three weeks ago & draws well to give Hot Toddy a stalking threat
RACE 7
2-Better Than Some – Can’t believe this guy is 0 for 14 this season, finished a solid third from the rail last week & draws inside again to trip out in a camera-shy field
9-Good Rockin – Lived up to the barn change hype to score with a late surge over the favorite Tam Major A last week, assigned an outside slot, yet remains a threat to repeat
7-One Lucky Dude – Gathering momentum with a pair of one-the-board finishes @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, 4YO with some upside fresh off a strong second might be this good
RACE 8
3-Oakwood Vegas IR – Irish bred gelding has reeled off four in a row for Team Burke, his latest a eye-catching 1:50.3 in the slop, draws better & no doubt looks ready for a class hike
2-Imaginary Line – Sharp item on the comeback trail for Team Bongiorno, beaten favorite behind Blue Ocean two weeks ago & draws inside again to possibly turn the tables
1-Blue Ocean – The Ocean really stepped it up with a rousing upset over Imaginary Line, followed by a another furious :26 & change narrow loss & looms large on the rail
RACE 9
4-Delayed Hanover – Superbly guided by Dexter Dunn to a hard-charging second by a neck two weeks ago, gathering steam in a really competitive match up & benefited from the redraw
1-Inaminute Hanover – Andrew McCarthy said there’s still room for improvement off that career best of 1:52.3 & went from post ten to the rail after the redraw & in line to trip out
7-Lovedbythemasses – Twice beaten favorite collared by the pocket sitter three weeks ago, third start off the bench from a demanding post, while revving up for a another big season
RACE 10
5-Lou’s Pearlman – 2021 Jug winner returned from his 4YO transition season with a furious rally to just miss when heavily favored, back half in :53.3 & Team Burke has a strong 1-2 punch
4-Red Right Hand – Came out guns blazing & gamely prevailed when aggressively handled in a sparkling 5YO debut for Team Takter, looks to parlay that against a formidable Burke duo
6-Southwind Gendry – Romped back-to-back, then failed to get involved from post nine after missing two weeks, expect a more aggressive effort from this classy Team Burke millionaire
RACE 11
6-Workin Ona Mystery – Classy Team Burke millionaire was the beaten favorite in the top class two weeks ago, now makes his key third start off the bench in a very intriguing affair
3-Ignatius A – Closed with a noteworthy :26 flat to hit the board two weeks ago, 1:48.3 performer here last season benefited from a redraw & has a big chance to spark something
1-Stonebridge Reef – Hard-trying 5Yo has caught another case of seconditis, the beaten chalk was right there in his last two & moves inside for a high percentage combo
RACE 12
8-Max Contract – Mistletoe Shalee winner in 1:48.3 lands farther outside after the redraw, but looks poised to make her 4YO debut fresh off a sharp qualifier for Team Orange Crush
5-Hot Mess Express – The classy Express tried her hand @ the Bluechip Matchmaker Series to no avail, she’s tighter now & loves The Big M, but no slam dunk for Sam Bowie
7-Jody – Beaten favorite added Lasix & just missed in her comebacker on the engine, slightly-better post with the redraw & remains at this reduced level for Team Burke
RACE 13
4-All About The Hunt – Empires Breeders Classic & Bluegrass winner last year gave it serious go in his 4YO debut for Team Burke & lands post four again for his second start off the bench
3-Tam Major A – Hot item at the claim box just missed with a solid speed try from post eight, new barn protects him in a tough condition event & moves inside to take charge
6-Love Your Work A – Has dealt with off tracks in his last three, was on a nice roll here in March when he scored his first US win, gets some class relief + Dexter Dunn
RACE 14
6-Ladyford Dollar GB – Right there a close runner up with a sharp late surge of :26.4 over an off track two weeks ago & has cranked up his game on Lasix for Team Burke
5-I’m Burlington N – Has been roughed up in both starts since the recent claim, go back to that post ten blowout on March 18 & that kind of effort would make him a serious threat again
3-Bank Sea – 10YO has been a nice roll recently at the 80.5 TM level, runner up to the streaking Oakwood Vegas IR in his last two & draws inside for the Hot Toddy to be on or near the lead