Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, July 22
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Selections for Friday, July 22
RACE 1
2-Ship Wreck Beach K – 4YO with a one for 16 record this season lands a real soft spot here & makes his second start for Team Estrada from an inside post
9-Always A Force – Grinded gamely again in a relatively fast mile & just missed with a similar effort before that, stuck outside, but this 9YO veteran is in good form
5-Illini Duke – Really turned things around with an impressive win here two starts back & now has to rebound off a clunker @ Harrah’s Philadelphia
RACE 2
5-Sonny’s Moni – Hambo eligible romped in his 3YO debut @ Vernon Downs, then flashed a nifty :26.4 here & lands in an ideal spot to make a statement
2-Ken’s Walner – Walner colt cruised all the way here before the recent sick scratch, solid qualifier & inside draw for this Hambo eligible
4-Beyond The Hill – Exits a no-chance trip from post eight @ Yonkers, won two of three before that @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, lightly-raced 4YO has a chance to stretch out here
RACE 3
2-Winner’s Bet – $200,000 Walner colt was a solid third from post eight with trot at both ends, including a :26.3 home & moves inside for an anticipated second try
3-D’Apper – Walner first foal from 2015 Breeders Crown champ D’One held on to win his opener with a :27.2, has missed a month off a sick scratch, yet draws inside
8-Purple Lord – First crop of Tactical Landing & second foal from a sister to Phaetosive (1:51, $898,562), kicked home nicely for second to a heavy favorite last week, tougher post
RACE 4
2-Oh Well – Muscle Hill first foal from Fine Tuned Lady (1:52, $643,987) nosed out by Dire Straights in round one, then nailed Up Your Deo with a relentless rally from post nine
5-Little Expensive – Muscle Hill first foal from a half million dollar winning dam, picture perfect so far, flashing sharp speed on her own for Team Orange Crush
9-Celebrity Bambino – Muscle Hill first foal from Celebrity Ruth (1:51.4, $505,817) a solid second in his debut, then romped in 1:53 for Team Burke, moves outside, but clearly talented
RACE 5
3-Marvelous Kiss – Took a mark of 1:51.2 here last month, rode to the pocket to finish third two starts back, lands post two again with smooth trip potential in a wide-open field
1-Taken Control – She uncorked a pretty solid rally for third off a sick scratch in her Big M debut for Team Bongiorno, then had an off night, big chance to rebound from the rail
5-So Delightful – Has been a fringe player here recently, too far back from post nine last out, off three weeks, stalking type launches midpack in a soft match up for Team Cullipher
RACE 6
5-Ucandoit Blue Chip – 11th foal from Linda Toscano’s Breeders Crown champ Molly Can Do It, first leg winner with a :25.4, then outsprinted Fox Valley Adele & looks for the series sweep
1-Fox Valley Adele – Went two-for-two in baby races, controlled her debut wire-to-wire with a :26.1, then just missed to Ucandoit Blue Chip & draws inside that rival again
3-Canadian Ballet – Sister to See Your At Peelers (1:49.2, $1,573,260), runner up to Fox Valley Adele in round one, then fourth chasing Ucandoit, draws inside to step up further
RACE 7
6-All About The Hunt – $102,000 Huntsville colt no worse than second in only three starts for Team Burke, impressive 1:51.4 NYSS score @ Vernon Downs, solid speed here last time
7-Captaingiddyupngo – Lightly-raced Captaintreacherous colt offered some encouraging efforts before getting severely parked last out, tougher post, but remains a fresh threat
9-JK Miki Mantle – Third foal from Nancy Takter’s 2014 HOY, strong second from the rail last out, draws outside here, but has talent & potential
RACE 8
1-Walner Payton – $510,000 Walner second foal out of a sister to Bar Hopping (1:51.4, $1,292,433) stepped up to nose out the favorite Secret Volo with a perfect trip from post seven & moves inside
7-Mambacita – First crop of 2018 Breeders Crown/TVG champ Tactical Landing dominated both starts from the rail, tougher draw & more competitive match up, but trending skyward for Team Alagna
2-Secret Volo – Walner first foal from her Muscle Hill dam, second to Mambacita in the first leg, then nosed out by a trip-sitting Walner Payton, draws inside & alongside that rival for Team Melander
RACE 9
6-Scrappin Gold – Caught a case of seconditis since that inexplicable GSY win back on June 24, twice beaten favorite fresh off a tough nose loss last week can atone
2-Final Justice – 10YO has somehow revived his form in his last three, uncorked another solid rally to hit the board last out & draws inside to set up another stalk n pop
7-English Rose N – 9YO mare sparked something recently, took a new mark of 1:52.3 here on June 30, then cruised to repeat @ Yonkers, she’s back on the mile track with a tricky post
RACE 10
5-Life’s A Puzzle – $10,000 bargain was an impressive 1:50.4 first leg winner, then got outsprinted by Handlelikeaporsche in :25.4 & poised for a rematch
7-Handlelikeaporsche – $100,000 first foal from a sister to Vegas Vacation (1:48.3, $1,262,172) was able to turn the tables on Life’s A Puzzle by stealing a :58 half, now moves outside, but remains a big threat to repeat
1-Voukefalas – Homebred Lazarus N colt finished a solid third in both legs, trending right, lands the rail & resumes a prime opportunist role
RACE 11
5-Hammer Time – Has been effective when on his best behavior, yet his previous lines go out the window with the big switch to Team Burke here
3-All Rise – Fresh shipper on a form spree in PA & arrives off an amateur driver event blowout@ Harrah’s Philadelphia after switching barns to Edwin Quevedo & draws an improved post for his Big M debut
6-Flanagan Destiny – 4YO has been pretty steady, worked her way from a slow start to just miss in a noteworthy Big M debut & lands in a field ripe for taking
RACE 12
4-Some Power – Forced wide from a tough spot & hit the board with an improved effort, just one for 21 this season, but draws well, while trending right
3-Ideal Suspect – Hit the board here back-to-back last month, nightmare trip from post eight last out & now draws inside a field lacking any stand outs
5-Bargain Shopper – Just two for 25 this season, a pretty solid runner up two starts back, then faded to sixth in a faster mile, 1:54.1 winner here this season looks for the right set up
RACE 13
1-Michael’s Monster – 4YO seems to be regaining form @ Pocono since a late May sick scratch & lands the rail in a complete head scratcher
7-Six Day Wars – Beaten favorite in two of his last three been sort of knocking on the door since arriving here for Team Estrada & finds a soft finale to work with
4-Lovely Lady May – One for 17 season on view, freshened with a decent qualifier & was facing tougher N/W 4 company @ Pocono
Selections for Saturday, July 23
RACE 1
2-Walknafter Midnight – Sports a 1:48.3 mark @ The Big M this season, gets his third straight class drop after flashing big time speed & moves inside
8-Stonebridge Reef – 4YO got parked through a searing pace, chased the raging Rockin On Venus in his last two, draws outside, owns a big late kick & trending right
9-Hail Christian N – Has really been more effective in his last two at this level, used pretty hard & just missed as the heavy favorite last week, tough to ignore despite post nine
RACE 2
4-Mon Cheval – Father Patrick second foal from 2014 Trotter of the Year Shake It Cerry been a star in PASS for Team Takter, stretches out here in a tune up for the Oaks eliminations
3-Cash Machine Girl – Has been on a roll in PA for Team Orange Crush, all the way from post seven for a new mark of 1:53.4 two starts back, $300,000 Muscle Hill filly draws inside here off a rare miscue
6-Penelope J – $160,000 Walner filly finished well for fourth against superior foes in her last two, continues to develop with a tall order facing the top two
RACE 3
4-S I P – Team Burke Hambo eligible has been very consistent in PASS, chased the standout Keg Stand in his last two & lands in a real soft spot here
5-Letsdoit S – Team Melander Hambo battalion member got wiped out by a first turn breaker in his comebacker, son of Nuncio has shown some talent, has a chance to step up & surprise this bunch
2-Wallet – Chased his stablemate Testing Testing in a decent bounce-back @ Vernon Downs, 2013 Hambo winning trainer may have found the key & draws inside a complete toss up field
RACE 4
2-Fabrizio N – 1:49.3 performer here this season towered up from ninth to second in :25.3 three starts back, drops another notch & finally moves inside a camera-shy field
8-Straight Talk – Capitalized on a third-straight class drop with a come-to-life zip show & just missed, now the post is tougher, but another aggressive try may work
9-Heza Real Diamond – Just one for 18 in 2022, trying to recapture his sub-1:50 form since a late May sick scratch, moves outside, but the double class drop could spell wake up
RACE 5
3-MV OK Palacio BR – Fast-closing GSY regular & beaten favorite just missed repeating with one of his mighty surges & draws an improved post in a wide-open TM division
9-Village Champ – 6YO took full advantage of a price drop & aggressive drive from the rail to post a career best 1:51.4 upset, moves outside, but looms as a bright spot in a field of few
2-Our Third Rock – Nothing wrong with his recent form, just missed going all the way here back on June 30, 1:52.4 winner here this season draws inside to be forwardly placed
RACE 6
10-Hot Mess Express – The Express has struggled to regain her 1:48.3 Mistletoe Shalee form, yet her latest two qualifiers indicate she has worked out some kinks & can flaunt her class despite post ten
6-Chase Lounge – Clearly overmatched in the Graduate Series, then went down the road in a career best 1:50.2 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, has something to build on & can take charge
9-Beyond Words N – Runner up to a heavily favored Grace Hill in her return to The Big M, that was three weeks ago, now stuck outside, yet remains a contender in a tricky one
RACE 7
1-Finn Palema – Won three of his first four for Team Svanstedt, excellent third to top Hambo prospect Rebuff in the Reynolds, back on the rail with major upside
2-Double Deceiver – PASS winner & solid runner up to Joviality S in the Yonkers Trot three weeks ago, draws inside here to acclimate & sharpen further for the Hambo elims
3-Classic Hill – Posted three straight seconds before fading to sixth in a Dancer division last week, this Team Melander Hambo eligible likely finds this softer spot more to his liking with Dexter Dunn
RACE 8
5-Venerate – Buried by outside posts in his last two against the sport’s top guns, now exits the Graduate, lands midpack & finds a prime spot for his back class to resurface
6-Crystal Fashion – Classy gelding has taken a couple of starts to rev up, brushed & yielded to a class dropping Double Account last out, chance to turn the tables
1-Double Account – Hammered down to 4-5 & the 7YO delivered a knockout punch for Team Cullipher, just a fifth off his lifetime mark & moves inside for the bump back up in class
RACE 9
2-Speedy Dominic A – Rushed up first over into a searing pace, kept coming & got nosed out by the 8-5 favorite Ruthless Hanover in :26.4 & lands post two again for Team Bongiorno
5-Whitecookie – Forced wide from an impossible spot & flew home in the photo last week, flashed amazing speed before that & just missed in 1:47.4 three starts back, part of power trio for Team Burke
3-Billy Clyde – Banged out back-to-back upsets before getting nosed out by Backstreet Shadow in 1:47.2 last week, improving 4YO draws better on a form spree in a very competitive field
RACE 10
7-The Wild Card – 0 for 13 season can be dismissed as this fresh claim by Team Burke took a few months off, finished well in the much-needed comebacker @ Pocono & may fit here
1-South Beach Star – Freshened with a strong qualifier after a solid third in the slop first time Lasix, 1:48.1 performer here last season lands the rail for Team Pelling in a head scratcher
9-Wes Delight – Might be ready to fire his best in his fourth start of the year for Team Alagna, dropped to this level & bumped into a 1:47.2 Backstreet Shadow, needs another blast off from post nine
RACE 11
7-Date Night – Undefeated seven-for-seven 2YO streak quickly came to a halt, slow starts & too far back in both tries so far this season, yet has a chance to take the gloves off in this very light division for Team Orange Crush
4-Palermo Hanover – Grand Circuit stakes winner been piling up the cash in PA, inside draw & tactical speed puts her in play & lands in a soft division
5-More Than Ever – Team Alagna-tuned filly was doing some nice work before she faded to sixth @ Vernon Downs, returns to The Big M to rebound & continue her development
RACE 12
1-DA Ghetto Wizard – One for 16 season on view, but sparked something with that mild upset two starts back @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, hard-charging second to Tuxedo Bay with a :54.1 back half & moves inside
2-Jims Perfect Ten – 0 for 22 in 2022, but Team Bongiorno might have figured him out, home in :26.1 from post ten two starts back, then somehow got parked from the rail last week, back inside & long overdue
7-Arque Hanover – Slow starts have proven costly in his last two here, yet his finishes have been acceptable & the right pace set up could pave the way for an upset rally in this wide-open TM division
RACE 13
3-Like Clockwork – Big M horse-for-the-course returns to the mile track here off a couple of clunkers, razor sharp before that @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & can regroup from an inside post
8-Baron Michael – Aggressive post nine winner as the favorite back June 30, reaching too high in his last two @ Yonkers, reunited with Yannick Gingras for another blastoff attempt
5-Better Than Some – Steady sort arrives from PA off a dull eighth, chance to bounce back with a midpack launch & stalking trip in a TM division that’s tough to sort out
RACE 14
4-Regal Escape – Just two for 25 in 2022, shipped in on a roll @ Vernon Downs, forced wide off a rated pace & picked up minor spoils in a decent acclimating mile, now draws better with Dexter Dunn
5-Sunshine’s Finest – One for 22 this season, yet note the hard-charging second as the beaten favorite three starts back, that kind of effort might be enough after tossing his last two
3-Try Line – Has come a long way from also ran @ Ocean Downs last month to the Big M, yet was an encouraging fourth in his first start for Team Estrada & draws inside a field of question marks
Track Conditions
Updated
11/16/2024
Fast
Variant:
42°F