Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, June 30, & Saturday, July 1, 2023

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

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RACE 1

5-Santanna Tony – Tony with Tony looking to snap an 0 for 19 season skid, trying to regain form since the late May sick scratch & this might be a prime spot to do it

 

2-Deerfield Beach – Struggling through a 0 for eight season so far, but finally draws inside a dartboard MADC 1 division for a hot driver & barn combo

 

7-Master Conrad – Beaten favorite paid the price for a slow start from the rail, yet finished well from a tough spot & banks on the right speed set up with a more demanding draw

 

RACE 2

2-Woodmere Androlli – Beaten favorite finished well chasing a surprisingly good Rojan’s Way & settled for second again, draws inside again in top form since switching to Juan Cano

 

1-Skyway Billy – 0 for 19 this season, beaten favorite was a solid runner up from the rail back-to-back before getting scorched through a fast pace & post gods continue to smile

 

8-Rojan’s Way – Was trending in the right direction before his wire-to-wire mission in an astounding career best of 1:51 & must prove it was no fluke from post eight

 

RACE 3

4-Newsroom – Modestly-priced Always B Miki colt went two-for-two @ Gaitway, his latest an eye-catching 1:53.4 (:56.3 back half) for a Hall of Fame combo

 

1-Bettor Stay Hungry – Third foal off a millionaire 2015 Dan Patch Award winning dam, won his second Gaitway trial with vigor & authority & lands the rail for Team Burke

 

6-Lou’s World – Sweet Lou first foal off the Art Major dam World Apart showed versatility & solid speed winning both Mohawk baby races, connections have a one-to-two punch in here

 

RACE 4

4-Blue Bayou Deo – 4YO mare has an engine & some class indicated by her Red Mile mark of 1:52, dips another notch & draws well for her third start off the bench

 

6-Moveoutofmyway K – Bounced back with another one of his late charges to grab second at long odds last week & draws a bit better in a field ripe for the taking

 

5-Gotwuteverittakes – Made one of his early miscues as the beaten favorite @ Tioga Downs, drops again for his third try off a sick scratch & reunited with Todd McCarthy

 

RACE 5

4-Risky Buddy – Ramped it up to finish third against $10,000 claimers @ Harrah’s Philadelphia two starts back, draws well & figures to find these easier

 

2-Nathan Feelsgood – Classy 10YO raced well enough in his first start of the season @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws inside a light division here to show more for Peter Kleinhans

 

3-Getaway – Bumped into a 1:52.3 winner here last week, chasing tougher claimers @ Harrah’s Philadelphia before that, lands inside again working on a one for 21 this season

 

RACE 6

6-Boiler Maker – The Boiler bounced back with a solid finish for minor spoils last week & drops again with a strong number in the win column for a dangerous barn

1-Mindtrip – Has been landing on the edges with not much going recently, but now drops further, moves inside & sports that sub 1:50 mark @ The Big M last season

 

5-Lyons Pegasus – Roughed up first over through a hot pace last Saturday, drops another notch for his third start of a sick scratch & retains Yannick Gingras

 

RACE 7

4-Sunshine’s Finest – Draws better after a couple of weeks off, switches back to the MADC Series & capable of a stalk n pop attack in a wide-open field

 

1-Johnny Q – Put together back-to-back solid seconds here before an even fourth @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, gets the rail again with that one for 23 record this season hanging over him

 

3-MV OK Palacio BR – Was knocking on the door in his last three before a few weeks freshening, draws inside for the comebacker, while trying to snap his 2023 goose egg

 

RACE 8

5-Real Lucky N – Fringe player against tougher claimers recently, 11YO took a new mark of 1:51.3 here this season & drops into a soft spot

 

3-Rollwithpapajoe – Just missed with a solid rally in his comebacker @ Pocono, drops a notch & draws inside again for his third start off the bench since changing barns

 

7-Like A Shadow – 0 for 16 this season, draws another tough post, but drops further with a chance to bounce back off a rare miscue with right pace set up

 

RACE 9

8-Gotta Minute N – 10YO suddenly ramped it up in his last two, stormed home for a new mark of 1:54.1 last Saturday & makes a similar attempt post eight

 

5-Yer So Bad – Took full advantage of a fast-pace & trip scenario to take a sparkling new mark of 1:51.3 & snapped his 2023 losing skid in a big way for sharp connections

 

4-Bank Sea – Ventured to Harrah’s Philadelphia & abruptly blew away $10,000 claimers, returns to The Big M brimming with confidence & an inside post

 

RACE 10

5-Better Take It – Just missed with a two-move effort, makes his third start off the bench & gets another serious shot at this reduced level for Team Cullipher

 

6-Can B Perfect – Seeing nightmares of 1:48.3 PL Ozzy in his last two with commendable efforts, 1:49.4 winner here in the slop is eligible to pull off the drop n pop

 

3-Love Your Work A – Steamrolled a decisive winner on the drop down last Saturday, sub 1:50 performer here this season draws inside to repeat despite the bump back up

 

RACE 11

7-Trans Meanie – Razor sharp in her last three, fresh off a narrow loss with pace @ both ends last week for Team Bongiorno & looms large

 

8-I Spy N – 5YO has caught fire winning three in a row & lowered her mark to 1:52.2 @ Plainridge, tough draw here, but ships in riding high

 

2-Blueberry Shake – Flashed some decent late pace in a much-needed acclimating mile, draws inside the main concerns & has license to trip out

 

RACE 12

3-Watch Me Know N – Has returned with two straight narrow losses from post ten as the beaten favorite, her latest with a wicked :26.2 & now moves inside for Team Alagna

 

1-Rigginswind – Stung early to a :54.4 half two weeks ago, a solid second before that, gets class & post relief with a mark of 1:50.2 here this season

 

5-Relentless Julie – 3YO filly has displayed some talent & speed in her first season, draws a bit better here, a patient midpack stalking trip keys up her late move

 

RACE 13

3-Mask On Mask Off – Nailed this one with a lifetime best effort on June 17, 4YO with upside draws inside, retains Joe Lee & can’t rule out a repeat in a similar field

 

1-Colt Fourty One – Chased a 1:51.4 winner two weeks ago, right there with a furious rally before that, now switches to the MADC 1 Series & lands the rail for Team Burke

 

7-Ferdinand A – Attempted his down-the-road mission & the beaten favorite was left in the wake of a revved up Yer So Bad, can we get another blastoff effort?

 

Saturday, July 1 Selections

RACE 1

1-Quebec Hanover – $160,000 lightly-raced Walner 3YO from a productive family, a solid second to a heavy favorite last Friday & lands the rail again for Team Svanstedt

 

4-Brayden Victories – Broke his maiden in aggressive style @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, then had a much-needed acclimating mile after missing 23 days & now draws better for Team Alagna

 

5-The Empress Ice – This Muscle Hill filly started to find her best stride before making another miscue last Friday, seems to have the talent to bounce back for Nifty Norman

 

RACE 2

7-Air Power – Rated third in this week’s Hambo Top Ten, fresh off a three-ply sweep of the NJSS Series & sizzling 1:50.4 career best Final, challenging post after missing a month

 

6-Volume Eight – Dan Patch Award winner & Hambo Winterbook favorite bumped down to fourth this week, both qualifiers were acceptable & comes back on a five-race winning streak

 

1-Winner’s Bet – William Wellwood Memorial winner & another Domenico Cecere Hambo prospect returning five weeks out, excellent qualifiers on Lasix, gets the rail & Dexter Dunn

 

RACE 3

2-Oh Well – Mohawk Million winner rated sixth in the Hambo Top Ten, solid runner up in all three NJSS miles, returns after a month off with an improved post for Team Melander

 

4-Tactical Approach – Slow starts cost him in his last two NJSS trips, regrouped big time with an impressive wire-to-wire new mark of 1:51.1, a serious Hambo contender for Team Takter

 

5-Celebrity Bambino – Pace compromised, yet still gunned down Dire Straights with an eye-catching :26.3 in last week’s qualifier, a no doubt a Hambo player for Team Burke

 

RACE 4

3-Heart On Fire – More than paid her way as a Grand Circuit player at two, fresh off a much-improved third @ Pocono & draws better here while pointing up for Team Alagna

 

7-Karaboudjan – Gradually gaining momentum, fresh off a close third with trot at both ends, a confidence-boosting wire-to-wire before that @ Pocono & her gate speed overcomes post seven

 

5-Tactical Mounds – She has definitely ramped up her game @ Pocono with an easy post seven romp, then a narrow loss in the nw4 class there & lands in a soft division here

 

RACE 5

2-Stonebridge Reef – Never leaves his work boots at home, right there finishing well off the searing clip in last week’s Open at long odds & looms large with post two again

 

9-Jilliby Dynamite A – Promptly re-adjusted to the mile track here with a hard-charging third off a torrid pace in the Open class, now moves outside, yet could be on the verge

 

3-Komodo Beach – Finally scored his first win of the season with a wire-to-wire from the rail @ Yonkers two starts back, returns to The Big M with an inside draw in a tricky puzzle

 

RACE 6

2-Jiggy Jog S – Breeders Crown champion two-for-two so far this season, both 1:50.3 sizzlers, her latest with a breath-taking rally & draws inside for Team Svanstedt

 

1-Bella Bellini – 2022 Trotter of the Year back on Lasix, launched a premature late move as the beaten favorite in the Armbro Flight Final & now has the rail in a marquee match up

 

3-Warrawee Xenia – Matron Stakes winner was high flying third in the Armbro Flight Final, beaten favorite lacked her usual late pop last week & draws well to rebound

 

RACE 7

4-Grace Hill – Breeders Crown winner & TVG champ arrives fresh of a scintillating 1:47.4 record in the Armbro Flight going five-for-five this season & draws inside to avoid traffic

 

7-Treacherous Dragon – 2022 Dan Patch Award winner took a mark of 1:48.3 in her Roses Are Red elimination, then wasn’t heard from in that Final, look for a speedy bounce-back effort

 

9-Test Of Faith – 2021 Horse of the Year & last year’s division champ picked a wicked spot to return, but she’s added Lasix & won her latest qualifier with a sharp late burst

 

RACE 8

8-Bond – Extended her winning streak to eight going two-for-two @ Pocono & lowered her mark to 1:51.4, standout filly rated fifth in the Hambo Top Ten for Team Svanstedt

 

2-Bella Macchiato – Steady filly hasn’t missed the board in six starts this season, chased Bond in her last two, draws inside that formidable rival to play opportunist for Team Takter

 

3-Royal Filly – Has come back with a couple of noteworthy wins @ Vernon Downs, her latest a wire-to-wire in an EBC division, likes to step off the wings & finally draws an inside post

 

RACE 9

4-Venerate – Wow, made his season debut & first start for Team Melander a dominant score in the Cutler in a career best 1:50.1 & freshened for another from an inside post for Team Melander

 

3-It’s Academic – Millionaire model of consistency this season for Team Burke, outmuscled stablemate Lexus Kody with a perfect trip & tune up, draws inside again & looms large

 

10-Southwind Tyrion – Lightly-raced 5YO returns to The Big M fresh off a new mark of 1:51 in the Pocono Open, slammed with post ten, yet renewed form on Lasix for Team Svanstedt

 

RACE 10

10-Tattoo Artist – Nosed out in the 1:47.2 Send It In, then romped in 1:48.2, second as the beaten favorite in the Mohawk Gold Cup, stuck outside, but remains a razor sharp closer

 

8-Abuckabett Hanover – Has kicked off his 5YO season two-for-two, back @ The Big M fresh off a sparkling new mark of 1:47.2 in the Mohawk Gold Cup, big threat despite post eight

 

3-Ruthless Hanover – 1:46.3 world record setter in the Joe Auger got too wound up working to get the lead from post eight last week & draws much better to control a more reasonable pace

 

RACE 11

6-Christchurch – Lightly-raced 3YO returned like a house on fire for Team Takter, won a NA Cup elimination, yet wasn’t a threat in that Final, back @ The Big M to sharpen his sword for the Pace

 

4-Ammo – Kicked off his season with two wins & two seconds, no chance from post ten in the NA Cup & draws better here to resume his progress to the Pace for Joe Holloway

 

3-El Ray – Took his mark of 1:49.2 in the Governor’s Cup, trip compromised from tough posts @ Mohawk, gets a better post here to trip out & make a statement for Team Alagna

 

RACE 12

1-Save America – Runner up to the eventual NA Cup winner two starts back, a creditable fifth from post nine in that Final, lands the rail here for a Team Takter tune up

 

2-Pat Mcgarry A – Grinded gamely to a late lead & didn’t yield much to the heavily favored Cannibal last week, draws & remains at this reduced level for Team Bongiorno

 

7-Mike’s Z Tam – Gradually regaining his form for Team Burke, chased a raging P L Ozzy in his last two, tougher post in a strong field, but his gate speed puts him in play

 

RACE 13

7-Valar Dohaeris – Has won two of her last three with relentless rallies for Team Svanstedt & just beat comparable stock @ Yonkers, big threat despite a demanding draw

 

6-Natasha – She has established quite a form spree, stepped up with another 1:50.2 career best, poised for another class hike & retains The White Knight

 

3-Smooth Debate N – Steady NZ-bred has rekindled her form, off a pair of narrow losses @ Yonkers & in line to employ her stalking style here from an inside post

 

RACE 14

4-Hungry Angel Boy – Solid runner to heavy favorite Stockade Seelster in a NA Cup consolation, draws a bit better & just starting to rev up for Team Alagna

 

5-Brue Hanover – Crushed with a career best 1:50.1 in his Team Burke debut @ The Meadows, lightly-raced 3YO has added Lasix & appears to have major upside

 

2-Kaptain Karlos – Winless in 14 starts, yet has come back with a narrow loss & solid second, lands post two again & will need more to overhaul the top pair