Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, December 22, & Saturday, December 23, 2023

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

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RACE 1

2-Magritte – Took a sparkling 1:50.4 mark here this season at age nine, flashing some positive hints & draws inside again to be forwardly placed

 

8-Whammer Jammer – Has been a money burner, albeit with repeated tough trips, beaten favorite grinded gamely last week & needs some speed to shoot at from post eight

 

1-MV OK Palacio BR – Picked up minor spoils after a slow start from post ten, just missed before that, moves inside & could be on the verge while long overdue

 

RACE 2

3-Badditude – Added Lasix, took charge & almost went all the way last week, this prolific winner has now acclimated & draws better on a form spree for Team Estrada

 

2-Samosa Hanover – Just two for 40 this season, yet closed from a tough spot in a much-needed acclimating mile, draws an improved post & was on a roll at Vernon Downs

 

1-Bette Tina – Tripped out for a mild upset two starts back, then just wasn’t up to a faster group last week & now lands the rail to play trip-sitting opportunist

 

RACE 3

2-Fix-It-Up – Just one for 28 this season, ships into a soft spot, took his mark of 1:53.2 @ The Big M in 2022 & debuts for Nicole Dicostanzo, same angle as Bicorne Hanover last Saturday

 

6-Allindotime – Beaten favorite in two of his last three, yet continues to hit the board with solid finishes, also his gate speed can put him in play

 

7-Lightning Fast – Pace compromised & closed in for a minor share in a useful acclimating mile & banking on a faster set up to overcome another demanding post

 

RACE 4

5-Mask On Mask Off – 4YO with a mark of 1:53.1 @ The Big M this season cycling forward since the November 11 sick scratch & dealt with sloppy tracks in his last two @ Phl

 

8-Takeittotheface – Only three for 31 this season, but has hit the board in four of his last five, draws another tough post & can outkick these late

 

6-Aryiana Star – She has come up with a couple of strong efforts, a win & third last week since switching to Lee Morris, so give her points & consider in a wide open affair

 

RACE 5

8-TKO Blue Chip – TKO continued on his long form spree with a solid second from post eight last week & took a new mark of 1:53.4 before that

 

2-Yayas Hot Spot N – 13YO sparked his form with a rousing post eight score three starts back, just missed after that & lands another inside post to trip out

 

4-Shore Of Himself – Somehow found a way to turn his game around with a perfect trip from post nine last week & gets to prove it was no fluke from an improved post

 

RACE 6

2-Let’s Misbehave – Dropped out of stakes company & promptly erased her seconditis with a 1-9 jogola in a sparkling Big M debut & draws better for Team Alagna

 

4-Beach Moment – Has made a quick adjustment to The Big M going two-for-two in flashy style, fresh off a new mark of 1:51 she’s fully capable of stepping up further

 

8-Illusion Seelster – Took full advantage of some class relief, was hammered down to 2-5 & aired it out in a career best of 1:50.3, tough draws, but lots of upside

 

RACE 7

2-Dark Eclipse N – Capping a solid season with a mark of 1:51.3 @ Tioga, regaining her form @ Saratoga since a mid-November sick scratch & draws well to flaunt her speed

 

8-Phelgon – Bounced back off a clunker with a well-rated wire-to-wire in a sharp 1:52.1 last week, slammed with another challenging post, which might require more of her gate speed

 

5-Suge – Consistent 4YO hasn’t missed the board in her four starts her, this stalking type lands midpack & looks for a bigger speed target

 

RACE 8

3-Bionic – Finally got a decent trip & finished with an eye-catching :27.2 to hit the board, sports that mark of 1:51 here this season & draws inside again off the wake up mile

 

10-Imabeachboy – Added Lasix & tripped out to an easy upset from the rail two starts back, roughed up & just missed last week as the beaten favorite & remains a threat despite post ten

 

9-Beach Chief – Suddenly went all the way for the upset two starts back @ Phl, then destroyed them @ Rosecroft, post nine no picnic, yet note his mark of 1:50 here in 2022

 

RACE 9

1-Hazyshadeofwinters – Swedish import severely pace compromised @ Yonkers last week, returns to the mile track with the rail & continues to gather momentum for Per Engblom

 

7-Naranjo – Beaten chalk grinded gamely & just missed to a trip-sitting Unique Kemp last week, tougher draw here, but this 3YO Muscle Hill 3YO has acclimated nicely for a hot barn

 

9-Unique Kemp – Well-driven by Steve Smith to a nose upset over Naranjo & took a new mark of 1:54.4, stepping up from a more challenging post, yet she seems capable

 

RACE 10

6-Silent Crossing – Finished very well for third in her return to The Big M at a tougher level & appears to have a slight upper hand in this one

 

2-Got Sexy Scars – 5YO has been a steady producer on smaller tracks this Fall, gets some class & post relief & rates a long look based on her record

 

5-Probert – Hasn’t had much fight in her game recently @ Yonkers, but gets some needed class relief for her third start in a new barn after a recent sick scratch

 

RACE 11

3-Bontoni Degato S – Love the name & his first US start, a close second as the beaten favorite @ Yonkers & lands in a soft here for Per Engblom

 

4-Missile – One for 22 this season, just missed in his last two here with much-improved efforts, bumped up in class & draws inside again

 

6-Call Me Dani – She took a mark of 1:53.2 here this season, strong rally to hit the board in her latest @ Yonkers & drops a notch

 

RACE 12

3-Michelle’s Jazz – Ships from Dover Downs sporting a solid record & recent form, plus gets some class & post relief in a field where nobody stands out

 

7-Shezafreaklikeme – Switch to Johnathan Ahle, was hammered down to 6-5 favorite & suddenly uncorked the mile of her life, that kind of mile might be enough in this tougher spot

 

2-AVF Claire – Racing Hill filly with a mark of 1:52.4 @ Dayton has now had three starts to regroup under Team Alagna, drops in class & draws inside

 

RACE 13

6-SGT Papa Daddy – Shipped in with a strong record & finished a solid third in relatively quick mile, now dips in price for The Prime Minister & that’s sure to entice

 

5-Illini Duke – Pace compromised, forced wide & finished with extra pop in :27.3, moves to midpack, knows how to win here, yet just three for 32 in 2023

 

7-Blueberry Heaven – Dropped to this level & landed on the edge fourth, just missed with a more aggressive three starts back, but his two for 27 this season a concern

 

RACE 14

8-Make It Big – That was a huge, eye-opening turnaround effort in his Justin Sodano debut off a sick scratch, moves outside, but loves The Big M & doesn’t face much

 

4-Always A Force – 10YO making only his fourth start of the season, with two tighteners under him & an improved post that could turn the light bulb on

 

5-Lincoln Boulevard – Just three for 41 this season, but finished well for a minor piece in a vastly-improved effort & now gets a bit of class relief

Selections for Saturday

RACE 1

2-Lovin On You – Stormed home from a tough spot & drifted wide in the stretch to just miss last week & draws better for his third start off a sick scratch

 

1-Better Than Some – 1:51.3 winner @ The Big M this year had his requisite tour of the oval after a long layoff & still down in price, look for a more aggressive effort from the rail

 

7-Sports Advisor – One for 31 this season, beaten favorite got jammed up late behind a gapping pocket sitter, tougher post, yet solid runner in his previous two for a hot new barn

 

RACE 2

1-Baileys Rock N – Just one for 23 this season, but finished well from far back in a much-needed start & solid qualifier, moves inside to trip out & loves The Big M

 

6-War Of Will – Take a long hard look at his last four lines since the win @ Pocono & this 4YO is might be tough to consider, yet note the barn change in a wide-open field

 

3-Mr Kelly – Struggled mightily in his last few on half mile tracks before trailing here from post nine, perhaps the class & post relief will revive his form

 

RACE 3

4-Third Pillar – Late-blooming 4YO took only three starts in his hot new barn to trip out for a new mark of 1:51 & looks capable of stepping up, while continuing his upward trend

 

1-Southwind Sambucca – 3YO enjoyed a productive Fall here, taking a mark of 1:51.3, strong rallies for third in his last two & stalks the speed from the rail

 

8-Two Faced – Steady check earner against $50,000 claimers @ Yonkers, tough draw here, yet figures to relish the long Big M stretch with his closing style

 

RACE 4

3-Stonebridge Reef – Horse-for-the-course continues his descent down the class ladder after being severely pace compromised from the same post last week & long overdue

 

5-Fulsome – Has been tangling with $50,000 claimers @ Yonkers, returns to The Big M at lesser level in this drop down derby & stalks from midpack

 

4-Leon David – Had missed more than a month prior to last week’s much-needed start in which he was close to a hot pace & this Big M lover draws well in a softer condition

 

RACE 5

10-As Always – Sparked by a nose loss two starts back he committed to a late lead & just missed last week, stuck outside, but drops further & remains a sharp item for Per Engblom

 

7-It’s In The Stars – Beaten chalk pace & trip compromised last week, two solid seconds before that & sports a Hoosier Park mark of 1:49.1 this season for Team Cullipher

 

3-Brazen Brazilian – Capitalized on some class relief & responded to an ideal trip to perk up & payoff as the public choice & draws inside as a repeat threat

 

RACE 6

6-Hot Mess Express – Steady Open class winner @ Hoosier Park freshened & qualified with zeal for Team Alagna & looks ready to contend right off the hop for Sam Bowie

 

7-Queen Of Success – Fresh off a rousing comeback for Team Alagna, fired out from post nine & exploded from the pocket in :25.4 & poised for a more serious test here

 

5-Dougs Babe A – Red-hot Yonkers invader tackled the Open & got nosed out with a solid rally last week, expecting a smooth transition to the mile track for this Nifty Norman trainee

 

RACE 7

10-Bicorne Hanover – Closed off a hot pace to take a new mark of 1:50.3 in a sparkling Big M debut for his new barn, post ten hurts, yet figures to get enough action to shoot at

 

7-Chucky Hanover – Caught fire with back-to-back wins @ Harrah’s Philadelphia before a sharp :26.2 rally & narrow loss back here, tougher post, but a live item for Team Cullipher

 

8-National Sport – Reeled off three in a row to close out the Hoosier Park meet, ships here fresh off the claim by Virgil Morgan, Jr. & rates a long look despite post eight

 

RACE 8

4-Little Expensive – 3YO major stakes player with a mark of 1:52.2 @ The Big M took some time off, qualified with an eye-catching :26.3 & draws well for Team Orange Crush

 

3-Interview Fra A – Australian import bumped into some top trotters in his first qualifier here, then jogged @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & this lightly-raced 5YO could be a good one for Noel Daley

 

5-May Baby – Twice landed on the fringe fourth a notch above this, steady stalking type gets some class & post relief & she can kick home with the best in here

 

RACE 9

1-Sugar Me N – Was used way too hard to grab the lead from post ten, exits claimers, remains on a form spree & finally moves inside for his second try off the Richard Johnson claim

 

4-Boiling Oar – Only three for 30 this season, recent Travis Alexander claim off a no-chance from post eight trip @ Yonkers, gets some class relief here, knows this track & draws inside

 

2-Nuttin But Finesse – Thought he was sitting on a big one & failed to pick up a check last week, 1:49.2 performer @ The Big M remains at the right level & draws inside again

 

RACE 10

4-Belmont Royale N – Thundered home in a noteworthy :25.4 chasing Soaring Now two weeks ago & now makes his second start off a sick scratch with an inside draw for Nifty Norman

 

8-Soaring Now – Has been flying high for Noel Daley, reeling off three in a row & tripped out to a dazzling 1:48.3 two weeks ago & tries to keep it going with post eight in a competitive field

 

3-Red Right Hand – 1:49.3 winner @ The Big M this season took advantage of better draws in his last two @ Yonkers & draws well in sharp form for Team Takter

 

RACE 11

5-Whole Lotta Lou – Offered a whole lotta late pace to hit the board last week, 1:49.4 winner @ The Big M this season makes his key third start off the bench & drops again

 

2-Caviart Camden – Came roaring home in an airborne :26.1 to just miss in his Big M comeback for Maria Alvarez & lands post two again for the anticipated follow up

 

3-Brutallyhandsome A – Qualified a solid second to the classy Hot Mess Express, Australian import draws inside & remains a mystery until we see at least one

 

RACE 12

10-Robbie Burns N – Forced wide & stormed home from too far out of it last week, stuck outside, but he’s sharp enough & might have a shot with the right pace & trip set up

 

1-Select Friday – Simply sat off the well-rated favorite Racing Money, angled & breezed by for the upset last week & logically can’t rule out a repeat off that wake up mile

 

2-Racing Money – Twice beaten favorite had things his own way & fell short again, draws inside to take charge & atone, but has that three for 30 record this season to consider

 

RACE 13

6-Ithaca Hanover – Displayed positive speed two starts back before towering up with a new mark in dramatic style, so let’s see this lightly-raced 3YO continue to trend right

 

5-King Of Aces – Forced wide & finished well again for minor spoils last week, those last two efforts make this 3YO a contender in this pari mutuel puzzler

 

7-Seeuinnashville A – Added Victor Kirby & fired home off cover to get nosed out last week, just three for 32 this season, challenging post, but loves The Big M

 

RACE 14

5-Dark Matter – 3YO has romped in all three starts @ Saratoga since switching to Brett Derue & fires from midpack with potential untapped

 

2-The Good Doctor – Just one for 20, twice beaten favorite barely outsprinted by Irish import Oakwood Ardan IR last week & draws inside on the verge for Noel Daley

 

1-Lyons Treacherous – 2YO Captaintreacherous colt cruised all the way in his first start for Per Engblom, then bumped into a huge favorite @ Yonkers & now lands the rail here