Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29, 2023

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

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RACE 1

5-Bank Sea – Steady 10YO forced wide from a tough spot to grab the deuce in a relatively fast division last Saturday & employs his stalking style from midpack

 

6-Big Bad Bill – Consistently finishing well, on the fringe fourth in his last two, thrives down the long Big M stretch & seeks the right set up

 

2-Jumping Jake – This 9YO’s form has been cycling around for Team Dicenzo, grinded gamely in a narrow loss & draws inside, but why the three-week gap?

 

RACE 2

3-Winter Soldier – Brilliant colt by two-time Prix D’Amerique winner Face Time Bourbon a picture-perfect three-for-three in morning trials & draws inside for Team Alagna

 

7-French Kronos – Another son of world champion Face Time Bourbon going in the right direction for Team Melander, just missed to big longshot Robinhood in round one

 

2-Nottingham – E L Titan brother to Possessed Fashion, 1:53.4 ($639,144) rallied to a big upset in his NYSS debut @ Tioga Downs & draws well to atone for his first leg miscue here

 

RACE  3

4-Magic Hill – $100,000 Muscle Hill, second dam is Susie’s Magic, 1:52.4 ($700,946), thundered home in a sharp :26.4 to win his NJSS debut for Team Takter

 

5-T C I – $150,000 Cantab Hall colt from a family of winners, pace compromised in his debut here, then aired it out in PASS @ Harrah’s Philadelphia for Team Burke

 

1-Bryant Bros S – Son of $4 million Hall of Famer Varenne finished an even fourth in his Kindergarten debut & lands the rail to take a step up for Team Svanstedt

 

RACE 4

2-Rock The Captain N – NZ-bred Captaintreacherous ridgling delivered as the heavy favorite in his opener @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws inside to tap his potential further for Team Alagna

 

3-My Favorite Dali – Stay Hungry first foal from Witch Dali, 1:49.1 ($583,327) battled gamely to the wire in his latest baby race & draws well for his Team Alagna debut

 

7-Kissincaptain – Captaintreacherous second foal from Yagonnakismeornot, 1:49.3 ($1,458,850) took three baby races & perfect trip to grab a W, tougher draw, yet might be best of the Team Alagna quartet

 

RACE 5

4-Cheval Rapide – Father Patrick third foal from the 2014 Trotter of the Year Shake It Cerry, delivered with a well-controlled wire-to-wire Kindergarten debut three weeks ago & draws inside again for Team Takter

 

6-Norma Pearl – Father Patrick sister to Celebrity Ruth, 1:51.4 ($505,817), three quarters of a length & nose away from being three-for-three & jogged in her latest for Team Burke

 

8-Magic Bee – $130,000 Father Patrick sister to $4 million Hall of Famer Bee A Magician, drew off to a rousing first win @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, tough post, but pointing skyward for Nifty Norman

 

RACE 6

5-Total Stranger – $425,000 brother to Nancy’s Takters 2020 HOY Tall Dark Stranger sprinted willingly out of striking range in his career debut three weeks ago

 

3-Lou Vuitton – $175,000 Sweet Lou colt roared home to just miss to a heavy favorite @ The Meadows & draws inside here to build on that sharp opener for Team Burke

 

2-Fasnacht Hanover – $190,000 Stay Hungry brother to Early Action, 1:49.4 ($600,294) progressed to win his third baby race & leads a formidable Team Alagna trio

 

RACE 7

9-Crystal Fashion – Co-holder of a 1:50.1 world record at The Big M makes his second start of the season, saddled with post nine, but gets the double drop & might be ready to fire

 

5-Yanaba – 4YO mare bumped into a sizzling 1:50.2 winner last week, now gets a double class drop off that solid effort & can stalk from midpack in a real puzzler

 

8-Mon Amour – Dug in gamely all the way down the stretch to payoff the chalk players last week, moves outside, yet remains a threat to repeat off that gutsy score

 

RACE 8

3-Miraculous Deo – Stay Hungry 14^th foal from Worldly Beauty, 1:49.3 ($1,900,255), blew up the board in her Kindergarten debut, the second to a big favorite in PASS & draws better

 

8-Caviart Belle – $375,000 Captaintreacherous sister to Energetic Hanover, 1:49.3 ($220,156), went all the way in a well-controlled PASS @ Pocono, just missed to Miraculous Deo before that & draws a tougher post for Team Takter

 

9-Sweet Gal – $125,000 Sweet Lou sister to Always A Miki ($558,217) & Ammo ($458,988), runner up to Caviart Belle as the beaten favorite, moves outside, but revved up for Team Burke

 

RACE 9

4-Buy A Round – Walner filly shaved several seconds with her surprise rally in NJSS & lands post four again to ramp it further as Noel Daley students continue flourish

 

7-Ice Cream – $150,000 Walner filly sustained a late bid to prevail in her NJSS debut, post seven again, but this Team Takter pupil is developing into a relentless finisher

 

9-Paulina Hanover – $120,000 Father Patrick seventh foal from 2012 Oaks shocker Personal Style, romped in her PASS debut @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, stuck outside, but ramping up

 

RACE 10

7-Booming Economy – $180,000 Captaintreacherous sixth foal from world champion Economy Terror, won both baby races here, then just missed in :26.2 @ Pocono & for Team Takter

 

8-Newsroom – Always B Miki colt has garnered all the headlines going two-for-two, his latest a standout 1:51, tougher draw in a competitive field & three weeks off, but he could be anything

 

6-Captain Luke – $135,000 Captaintreacherous colt won his latest two morning trials with some noteworthy speed & could be a potential star for Team Alagna

 

RACE 11

4-Six Pack Tony – $110,000 colt from the first crop of world champion Six Pack, solid pace-compromised third in his NJSS debut & draws well again for Nifty Norman

 

7-Carrera Hanover – Bar Hopping colt recovered from an early miscue to grab a place deadheat @ Pocono, then finished a lively third in PASS for Team Takter

 

6-Reggianito – Tactical Landing gelding making positive moves in his three morning trials, the latest chasing a first out winner Sig Sauer & worth a long look

 

RACE 12

1-Chiapanecas – Homebred Stay Hungry filly won her debut, just missed in PASS two starts back, then hit the board again @ Pocono & lands the rail in a wide-open division for Team Burke

 

5-Pressure Cooker – Heston Blue Chip sister to Fulton, 1:48.2 ($477,401) won both Magical Acres baby races & finished well to hit the board in her PASS opener for Team Toscano

 

4-Top Of Mind – Stay Hungry eighth foal from a productive family just missed with a late surge in her debut in TSS @ Pocono & draws much better here to follow up

 

RACE 13

7-Pedal On Metal – Late-blooming son of Father Patrick has won three of four on the comeback trail @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & has a real positive trend to build on

 

4-Buddy Earl – Added trotting hopples & promptly reeled off the mile of his life in gallant fashion & now draws a bit better to prove that was no fluke

 

6-Hardrockcafe – Beaten favorite & runner up to Buddy Earl last week, form sparked by recent back-to-back blowouts @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & has a chance to turn the tables

 

RACE 14

3-In Nevada N – Rallied from far back to grab the deuce again last week & draws a much-improved post to stalk within closer striking range

 

5-Deerfield Beach – Tripped out from the rail, yet lacked the knockout punch last week, solid runner up in his previous two & long overdue

 

1-Ideal Suspect – Encountered brutal trips in his last two, finally draws inside & has a chance to work out a patient stalking trip in a camera-shy finale

 

Saturday Selections

RACE 1

1-Thndrfrmthethron N – Steady 9YO just missed to Brazen Brazilian two starts back, then had no chance from post ten & now moves inside to stalk n pop

 

4-Brazen Brazilian – Certainly proved that mild upset two starts back was no fluke with a hard-charging new mark of 1:52 & lands post four again to make it a three peat

 

10-Skyway Billy – Has two of his last three, both with strong finishes, moves outside fresh off a convincing score, but Joe Lee can find a way with the right pace set up

 

RACE 2

5-Rojan’s Way – Took a mark of 1:51 @ The Big M wire-to-wire back on June 24 & eligible to get aggressive in this wide-open field from midpack

 

10-Snoopy Snoop – Still in a state of disbelief in how Dexter Dunn kept him alive to hold off Howtotrainurdragon, stuck outside, yet remains in top form

 

9-Howtotrainurdragon – Fresh off a narrow loss here to Snoppy Snoop he just missed with a cover trip @ Tioga Downs, another tough draw, but on his toes now

 

RACE 3

7-Moneymakehersmile – Bumped into a 1:50.4 Watch Me Now N last Friday & drops back down for her second start off the claim in a field of several easy toss outs

 

6-You Beda Rock – Ramped up her game with back-to-back on the board finishes @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & lands in a real soft spot back @ The Big M

 

9-Milady Denver A – Rallied to hit the ticket in her return to The Big M last week, now makes her fourth start off a sick scratch from a tougher post, yet might be gathering momentum

 

RACE 4

6-Sylvia Hanover – Words can’t do justice to her let’s say herculean Big M debut in the Mistletoe Shalee & now she makes her second start off the bench on an 11-race winning streak

 

3-Zanatta – Three Diamonds winner regaining form for Team Bongiorno, a decent fourth from post nine in the Mistletoe Shalee with pace at both ends & draws much better

 

4-Beach Cowgirl – Runner up Sylvia Hanover in her Fan Hanover elimination, goes second time Lasix off a sick scratch, so hasn’t raced in three weeks, but draws well to trip out

 

RACE 5

4-Charleston – Fan Hanover runner up captured her KYSS Final with a career best 1:49.4, then third against older mares @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, post four again for Brett Pelling

 

8-Front Page Story – Well-traveled Captaintreacherous filly finished a pace-compromised fifth in the Mistletoe Shalee, demanding draw, but has hit the ticket in six of eight this season

 

2-My Little Captain – Was used pretty hard in the Mistletoe Shalee, major player in PASS before that on the board in four of five this season & draws inside to play a stalking role

 

RACE 6

2-Oh Well – Consistent Melander trainee secured #1 in the Road to the Hambo Top Ten with his wire-to-wire career best 1:51 in the Dancer & draws inside for The Bionic Man

 

5-Kierkegaard K – Equaled the Vernon Downs track record of 1;50.3 in EBC, bounced back with a solid second to Oh Well, big track horse on his toes from midpack for Team Svanstedt

 

8-Southwind Coors – Goodtimes winner rated #7 in the Hambo Top Ten, Canadian sleeper pick has really blossomed as a 3YO, tough post, but a relentless finisher on the rise

 

RACE 7

3-Instagram Model – Last year’s Jim Doherty Memorial winner stormed home from a tough spot in :26.3 to just miss in her Del Miller division & finally draws an inside post

 

5-Railee Something – Ultra consistent Team Burke-tuned filly no worse than second this season & fresh off a new mark of 1:52 for back-to-back stakes wins

 

2-Heaven Hanover – Fresh off a heavenly upset rally & new mark of 1:51.3 in the Del Miller for Team Melander & draws much better for The Bionic Man in a very competitive division

 

RACE 8

1-Bond – Saw her winning streak stop at nine when she couldn’t quite hold on in the Del Miller, yet this highly talented filly has big chance to rebound from the rail for Team Svanstedt

 

3-Quick Stop – Has quickly risen to top form for Anette Lorentzon, scoring back-to-back stakes wins here, just lowered her mark to 1:52.2 & draws inside for The Bionic Man

 

6-Secret Volo – Runner up in the NYSS Final to Special Way, nailed late by quick stop as the beaten favorite, hasn’t missed the board this season & sparks a Team Melander 1-2 punch

 

RACE 9

6-Air Power – NJSS champion rated #2 in the Hambo Top Ten, made an uncharacteristic late miscue in the Dancer, yet has speed & talent to rebound for Team Melander

 

3-Up Your Deo – Rated #4 in the Hambo Top Ten, set a Yonkers track record of 1:53.1, before winning the Yonkers Trot, has now had a month off, yet draws inside the main concerns

 

10-Winner’s Bet – Late-blooming son of Walner has come back two-for-two on Lasix, which is not permitted in the Hambo, stuck outside, but fresh off a confidence-boosting new mark of 1:51

 

RACE 10

5-M-M’s Dream – Took a mark of 1:51 in a division romp on June 24, was freshened & upset Jiggy Jog S in the added eighth Hambo Maturity off Lasix & stands out for Team Burke

 

3-Fashion Schooner – Last year’s post ten upsetter in the Hambo Oaks has come around after a recent sick scratch & went all the way from post eight @ Harrah’s Philadelphia

 

4-Warrawee Xenia – Back to scene of her break as the favorite in last year’s Hambo Oaks & returns to The Big M fresh off a solid rally for third in the Mohawk FFA

 

RACE 11

4-Hungry Angel Boy – Left sharply again & picked up the deuce at 70-1 in The Pace Final, so his game continues to intensify on Lasix for Team Alagna

 

3-Voukefalas – Pace elimination runner up finished a disappointing eighth in that Final, yet still fresh for a bounce-back performance from an inside post

 

5-Ants Marching – Tailed off after some early season fireworks, freshened with a strong qualifier, has the pedigree & talent to step it up for Team Takter

 

RACE 12

2-El Rey – Our Pace pick was caught in never-never land after a slow start from post seven & this is much better spot for him to play a stalk n pop game third time Lasix

 

1-Ammo – Breeders Crown champion tried to get it going again & was too far back to make an dent in The Pace, now moves inside with the arsenal to play with the big boys

 

8-Save America – Got him give him credit for picking up a check from post ten in The Pace with a :25.3 kicker, draws another outside post, yet might have some speed to shoot at

 

RACE 13

3-Caviart Camden – Set a world record of 1:48.3 as a freshman, second start back on Lasix as a 4YO, gets a double class drop & draws inside a wide-open field for Team Alagna

 

5-Kolby Two Step – Winless in 11 this season, while tackling tougher @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, not sure where he fits here, but picks up The Bionic Man

 

2-Strengtheandhonor – Just missed at this level in 1:50 two starts back, then suffered the post ten blues when bumped up, drops back down & draws inside

 

RACE 14

2-Stonebridge Reef – This steady Saturday night warrior was right there in a blanket photo in an Open here back on June 24, the class & post relief set him part from this group

 

1-Love Your Work A – Runner up to an even money favorite Itsallaboutfaith N last week, back on the rail, retains our leading pilot & has smooth trip potential

 

3-Mr Ibiza N – Was stung a bit from post nine, yet no match for Itsallaboutfaith N in a much-needed US debut & now we can logically expect more from a much better post