Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, January 19, & Saturday, January 20, 2024

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

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RACE 1

3-Phelgon – She seems to be cycling back to top form, pace compromised & zipped home in a crisp :27.2 last week & now draws better

 

6-Suge – Coming off a busy 42-race season she almost tripped out from the rail two weeks ago & her consistency could pay off in a wide-open affair

 

2-Sauble Delightful – Has been mired in a prolonged slump @ Yonkers, gets a heaping helping of class & post relief here, but hasn’t raced in a month

 

RACE 2

3-Marvalous One – Gathering momentum on the comeback trail, coming around with solid finishes in his last two, plus gets class & post relief

 

2-Doctor Butch – The classy 14YO Doctor had the table set to score the upset two starts back & draws inside to face an easier TM 71 field

 

4-Shore Of Himself – Landing on the fringe fifth in his last three against TM 74 types, dips a notch & lands post four again to play a dangerous stalking role

 

RACE 3

5-Fix-It-Up – Just one for 29, but has perked up for his new barn in his last two, pace compromised & right there in the photo with a late surge two weeks ago

 

4-Shinkansen – Beaten favorite bounced back off a rare miscue with a suddenly aggressive effort & narrow loss from post nine & moves inside

 

1-Brookroad Master – Coming off a winless in 29 season he almost tripped out to an overdue win & lands the rail to follow up on that positive move

 

RACE 4

3-JK Lucky Charms – 3 for 42 last year, dull recent form @ Dayton, hasn’t raced in a month, but debuts for Team Estrada in a soft spot here & might be worth a swing

 

6-Slick N Quick – 4YO has been a solid runner up in three of his last four & chased a surprisingly revved up Tyronsbitoflemon N three weeks ago

 

9-Tyronsbitoflemon N – No idea where that sudden wire-to-wire romp came from, yet the toteboard spoke loud & clear & now he’ll have to prove it no fluke from post nine

 

RACE 5

8-DW’s Point Man – Forced wide & stormed home from a tough spot to hit the board in :27.3, faces a demanding draw, yet gets another shot at this reduced condition

 

6-Call Me Dani – Dropped to this level & went all the way in a well-controlled effort two starts back, stung early in a faster mile last out & she remains a live item

 

7-Sidd Finch – Sidd banked over $109k last season, dropped n popped emphatically as the heavy favorite last week & fired up for this stiffer task

 

RACE 6

6-Santafe’s Appetite – Has developed an appetite for winning rallies, equaled her lifetime mark of 1:52.3 for three in a row last week & bumped up again with plenty to spare

 

4-Let’s Misbehave – Favored in all three starts here, kicked off back-to-back blowouts with a new mark of 1:50.4 for Team Alagna & looks to rebound off a post eight slow start

 

3-Got Sexy Scars – Made a quick transition to The Big M with a solid third two starts back, then chased a wicked 1:50.3 Booraa N & now drops dangerously

 

RACE 7

2-Mister Godro – Recent claim ventured down to Freehold & posted an aggressive post six score & draws inside a highly beatable field, while looking for his 50^th career win

 

7-Sneak On Bye – Fresh claim capped a nine-win season with one of his patented stalk n pop moves two starts back @ Freehold & note the upset here on 12-8

 

1-Blueberry Heaven – Only two for 28 last season, on the fringe fourth in his last three, lands the rail with a chance to play a opportunistic stalking role

 

RACE 8

1-Top Me Off – Took a couple of starts here to come around since switching to Per Engblom, now gets some class & post relief & retains Jason Bartlett

 

4-Way Off Broadway – 4YO mare trotted a solid second in the slop in her comeback for a new barn, that was 33 days ago, yet draws well for her Big M debut

 

2-Rose Run Yankee – Freshened & won his qualifier with trot at both ends in a career best 1:55.3, joins the class droppers in here & draws inside

 

RACE 9

7-Be My Rose N – Regaining her form @ The Meadows, demanding draw here, yet switches to Travis Alexander for her Big M debut

 

5-Huntressville A – Beaten favorite just missed again with a game uncovered grind, while pace compromised & she appears poised for the mile of her life

 

4-Windsun Mojito – The Mojito lived up to the hype with a smooth n easy stalk n pop, just a fifth off her lifetime mark with an excellent acclimating trip

 

RACE 10

3-Some Chapter – Tripped out & shook loose late to deliver a chalky ending after missing 34 days, bumps up a notch & could be on the verge of a repeat

 

7-Nextroundsonme – Distant runner up to the standout Little Expensive after missing a month of action & gate speed always puts him in play

 

4-Toccoa Falls – Another early miscue cost him last Saturday, this classy & consistent Per Engblom trainee now drops & draws better

 

RACE 11

3-Jagger Rocks – On the edge fifth while pace compromised last week, draws inside again off two acclimating miles for his new barn & note the narrow loss @ Dayton on 12-13

 

2-Give Us Awave A – Sports a 1:52.1 mark @ The Big M last season, used early from post nine last time, finally gets some post relief & retains Braxten Boyd

 

7-See You Friday – Recent claim hindered by a slow :58 half & settled for fourth again on a windy night, tougher post here, but exits claimers & picks up Johnathan Ahle

 

RACE 12

2-Missile – One for his last 25, yet stymied by impossible trips & tough posts recently, drops back down to those back-to-back seconds by a neck in December & moves inside

 

4-Glide In The Wind – With upsets in two of his last three he merits the class hike, despite a soft :58 half last week he kicked home to score for his new barn

 

5-Say You Do – Miscues in two of his last three spell caution, but that was a game upset two starts back, owns a bit of back class & knows his way around The Big M

 

RACE 13

5-Evas Sports Czech – Flashed a sudden/keen sign of positive form with an uncharacteristic rally to hit the board last week & draws better in the same class

 

7-Steal My Thunder – Three starts back she thundered home in :27.1 to just miss & she’ll likely need a solid speed set up to employ her off the pace strategy

 

1-Maggie At Bat – She was on a nice roll at Plainridge before shipping here, qualified okay, draws inside & figures to be forwardly placed

 

RACE 14

3-I’ll Owe You One – Just one for 19, yet battled bitterly & almost got there in a sharp Big M debut & missed 26 days prior to that superb acclimating mile

 

5-Enzo Aguello – Has been regaining his form against N/W 4 stock @ The Meadows since a late-November sick scratch & makes his Big M debut for a new barn

 

1-Naanda AS – One for 18, yet severely pace compromised in her much-needed Big M debut after missing 23 days, moves inside & her barn is red-hot

 

Selections for Saturday, January 20

RACE 1

5-Elm Grove Qwiggly – Finished a very solid third from post ten in a much-needed race, this stalking type was claimed by Justin Sodano & moves to midpack

 

7-Lovin On You – Followed up the mile of his life with a decent rally for second chasing a runaway, faces a more challenging draw, but goes back to Tyler Miller

 

3-The Best Tyme Ever – Rebounded with a furious back half, while forced wide from a tough spot to romp in a Martin Luther King, Jr. division & finally draws inside

 

RACE 2

5-Like Clockwork – Not expecting miracles, but with the barn change to Per Engblom & addition of Jason Bartlett perhaps we’ll see some sort of wake up effort despite a 35-day layoff

 

1-Big Bad Bill – Put forth one his best efforts in awhile when he rallied stoutly to hit the board last week, lands the rail to trip out closer to the pace & retains Brett Beckwith

 

3-Lyons Pride – 1:50.4 performer @ The Big M last season off a solid third to heavily favored standout Lovin On You, draws better & another month off might not matter

 

RACE 3

2-Dontpassme Hanover – Took his requisite post eight tour of the oval after four months off, now moves inside & dips a notch in a drop down derby

 

6-Hopnroll Heaven – This Per Engblom trainee has tumbled down the condition ladder, paid the price for slow starts from the same post in his last two & still has drop n pop potential

 

5-Crown Hanover – Was freshened & won an energetic qualifier, no factor in a much-needed tightening mile & makes his second start for his new barn

 

RACE 4

1-Needham Hanover – Launched a late move to hit the ticket in a Martin Luther King, Jr. division, draws better & gets Andrew McCarthy for his second start off the claim

 

5-Posh Onthe Beach A – Just one for 39 last year, yet was making waves against these last month & now he’s a fresh claim in a wide-open/camera-shy field

 

4-Unique Beach – Solid runner up revived in his second start off a sick scratch & on Lasix, switches to claimers, post four again, three weeks off & retains Brett Beckwith

 

RACE 5

4-Oakwood Ardan IR – Pride of Ireland simply crushed from post ten to go three-for-three here on Lasix, draws much better & can’t go against if that form holds up

 

2-El Yerno – Took a couple of starts to break through for his new barn, trounced weaker in the slop & continues his upward trend from an improved post

 

3-Third Pillar – Overcame an absolutely brutal trip to grab third again last week, let’s see him unleash that flurry with a trip closer to the pace from a better post

 

RACE 6

1-Always B Sweet – Pace compromised last week, blitzed before that, took a mark of 1:50.1 back on December 9, gets class & post relief in a real puzzler

 

2-Full Horse – Fresh face ships here from Mohawk for Pat Lachance, really consistent Bettor’s Delight 4YO hasn’t raced in a month, yet can capitalize on an inside draw

 

3-Fika Time – Flashed some late life in his second start back from a long layoff, draws inside again & might’ve found a prime spot to regain winning form

 

RACE 7

3-No Win No Feed – Slow starts have proven costly in her two starts here for Per Engblom, yet now she lands in a softer spot & has license to get aggressive

 

7-Racy Roxy – Put together a strong :55.2 back half to grab the deuce in last Saturday’s feature & now she drops while continuing to gather momentum here

 

4-AVF Claire – Brushed n cruised to a career best of 1:51.2 from post nine, draws inside her Team Alagna stablemate, could be the one to reel in & can’t rule out a repeat

 

RACE 8

2-Somewhere Rockin – 4YO arrives on quite a roll, winning three of his last four @ Dover Downs, draws inside & figures to be prominently placed

 

5-Saulsbrook Raptor – Tripped out to score back-to-back last month, took a mark of 1:51.1 and beat these with pace at both ends two starts back & drops back down

 

1-Stop Staring – Steady Yonkers shipper made a quick mile-track transition, finishing a solid third in a very beneficial mile last week & lands the rail

 

RACE 9

2-Mind Hunter – Mild upsetter with an ideal trip three starts back, then was out of striking range, tried to steal it on a windy night last week & now draws much better in a headscratcher

 

3-Ideal Feeling – Finished a strong third chasing a fired up My Pal Joe last week, gets another shot at this reduced level & post gods continue to be kind

 

6-Revolt – Pat Lachance-tuned sub 1:50 performer @ The Big M back on December 16, forced wide from an impossible spot last week & uncorked a huge rally for second before that

 

RACE 10

3-Glacis – Fresh off a new mark of 1:51.2 this rejuvenated 8YO rallied for a show deadheat with Ozark, needed that acclimating mile & draws inside again

 

5-Revolver N – Unleashed his familiar late burst & just missed to Loorim Lake A last week, 10YO in top form right now & looking to time it right & turn the tables

 

7-Loorim Lake A – Added Jason Bartlett & responded to a smooth trip to score the upset over a fast-closing Revolver N & guns for a repeat from a more demanding post

 

RACE 11

4-Golden Gesture – 11YO coming off a very strong season, flashed some sneaky late pace in a beneficial Big M debut for Per Engblom, picks up Jason Bartlett & draws well

 

3-Speed Snip – Took a few starts after switching to Maria Alvarez to come up with a solid third in a deadheat three weeks ago & draws inside a field riddled with question marks

 

2-Brazen Brazilian – The Brazilian beat these with a gutsy mile as the favorite three starts back & any semblance of that effort makes him a threat from an improved post

 

RACE 12

1-Gentle Giant – Off a solid Big M qualifier he displayed some speed in his requisite comeback, 1:49 performer @ Pocono last year now drops & moves inside to follow up

 

7-Straight Up Cool – Beaten chalk dropped fresh off the claim, rated & simply couldn’t hold it under foul conditions last Friday, yet could atone in a highly beatable field

 

6-Mcclinchie N – Got stung to a :26.4 quarter & clearly didn’t take to the slop last Friday, however he just missed with an excellent effort before that

 

RACE 13

4-Good Deal – Was obviously not himself last week, go back to his hard-charging win in 1:51 in late November, drops again & draws better to rebound

 

2-Random Hanover – Unfurled a wide/menacing late bid to grab second behind a dominant Whole Lotta Lou last Friday & looks capable of stepping up from an improved post

 

3-Heza Real Diamond – Has been bogged down by several no-chance trips recently, now gets class & post relief & due for a wake up call

 

RACE 14

6-Little Power – On the fringe fifth in both starts, while finishing well, now tackles lesser foes, goes back to The Buckeye & just needs the right set up within striking range

 

5-Concur – Picked up minor spoils in a much-needed return to The Big M & gets a chance to build on that from midpack again in a completely wide-open finale

 

2-Mach Time N – Flashed speed from post seven & faded in 2024 debut, makes his third start since missing a year of action & draws inside to possibly show more