Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, March 31 & Saturday, April 1

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

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RACE 1

10-Camlachie Chrome – Suffered an interference break in the slop @ Freehold, stuck outside, but third time Lasix, fourth start since the barn change & faces a weak field

 

4-Bruce’s Magic – One for his last 45 & winless in 2023, struggling from outside posts in his last few, finally draws inside & capable of some speed in a dartboard curtain raiser

 

7-Snoopy Snoop – Encountered a parked out Big M acclimating mile from post nine, was racing well @ Monticello & Joe Lee just needs to work out a better trip

 

RACE 2

5-Margot Hanover – Runner up to C Is For Cookie two starts back wheeled right back to break thru with a perfect trip, Captaintreacherous filly trending right for Nifty Norman

 

4-C Is For Cookie – The Cookie didn’t crumble until very late last week after zipping through a sparkling 1:51.3 debut, late-blooming sister to Sweet Lou looks like the main target

 

1-Always B Naughty – Only took a couple of starts to go all the way @ Pocono for Team Takter, dam is a sister to millionaire Omen Hanover & lands the rail in a competitive division

 

RACE 3

3-Sheer Faith – Simply cruised in both starts here from challenging posts this month, three-for-three since the switch to Per Engblom & stands out again with The Big M’s leading pilot

 

4-The Empress Ice – With trotting hopples off she confidently rallied for second in an inspiring 3YO debut for Nifty Norman, sister to 1:50.1 performer Ice Attraction worth a long look

 

5-Bella Macchiato – Left off her freshman season with her first career win, tripped out to win her qualifier in the slop & looks ready to contend for Team Takter

 

RACE 4

6-Gazoo – Late-blooming 4YO flashed more late pace to grab a show deadheat, makes only his fourth career start & faces several form-challenged opponents

 

4-Onlythetuffsurvive – Ventured to Freehold & promptly brushed n crushed them in the slop & the recent Richard Johnson claim took a few starts to regain winning form

 

3-Ferdinand A – Suddenly went on a take-no-prisoners post ten wire-to-wire in a GSY 1 division & draws much better to make a similar attempt & pad his strong win percentage

 

RACE 5

4-Beachy Boy Hill – Tripped out with the mile of his life two starts back, then tossed in a clunker, 4YO reunited with Tony Beltrami & draws inside again to rebound

 

7-Hunts Point – Lived up to his tote hype with a strong runner up finish in his Big M debut, tougher post here, but this 4YO is in revival mode since switching to Lee Morris

 

2-Doc Semalu – Chased a runner away two starts back, then had no chance from post eight, switches to the amateur competition & draws inside to play a stalking role

 

RACE 6

3-Sweet Phenomena – Sweet Lou sister to Breeders Crown champ Someomensomewhere won her first two in December, freshened & nosed out in an energetic qualifier for Team Takter

 

1-Anna’s Wish – Lazarus N filly played pocket rocket to nip Sweet Phenomena in last Saturday’s qualifier, showed some talent at two & lands the rail with The Bionic Man

 

4-Ultimate Loulou – Daughter of Sweet Lou has picked up some checks in some needed starts, draws well & has a chance to get more aggressive for Team Burke

 

RACE 7

9-Debs Prince Hall – Improving 4YO rallied nicely to hit the board in his second start here, moves outside, but look for more in his third start off the bench at a price

 

3-Workout Girl – Paid the price for a real slow start from post ten, was on a pretty good roll before that, now moves inside & retains Todd McCarthy

 

4-Fix-It-Up – Beaten favorite dropped to this level & squandered a perfect trip last week, draws a bit better & gets another shot at this easier condition

 

RACE 8

5-Uptown Lady N – Drops a notch after flashing solid late pace in a pair of needed starts, sports a 1:50.3 mark at The Big M last season & can stalk from midpack

 

3-American Jazz – Finished an even fourth after missing 30 days off a sick scratch, faced much tougher @ Dover Downs & draws well with license to improve

 

4-Kaitlyn N – Finally gets some class relief with some recent excuse trips on view, draws inside to flaunt her speed & long overdue

 

RACE 9

3-Champagne Hanover – Was able to sit closer to the pace & just missed the upset last week, she dips back down & lands post three again

 

4-Broknheartsville – Came roaring fresh off the bench with the mile of her life from post eight, draws better to handle the class hike for the red-hot Per Engblom

 

5-Frank The Elder – Comes off a parked-out trip & now drops dangerously for Team Burke, beaten favorite before that has a chance to rebound in a competitive match up

 

RACE 10

2-Go West Go Fast – Classy fresh threat finished well to hit the ticket off a fast pace, 10 for 30 last year & draws inside for his key third start off the bench

 

5-Thndrfrmthethron N – Overmatched against TM 80.5 competition in his last two, nice effort from post 10 in the GSY 1 three starts back & now moves to midpack

 

9-Lincoln Boulevard – Did well against some salty Trackmaster Series opponents, draws outside again & just one for his last 40, but a threat if Tony Beltrami can somehow find a way

 

RACE 11

2-Jara – Beat these with a two-move effort in the slop three starts back, beaten favorite well rated & couldn’t polish it off last week, yet she draws inside to rebound in a real soft spot

 

1-Swan Carol – One for 34 lifetime, but her last few have been solid enough, hitting the board in three of her last four, lands the rail & in line for another smooth trip

 

3-Usurp Hanover – Not much so far this season, but returns to the mile track with a much better post, was on the edges recently & several others are far beyond consideration

 

RACE 12

3-Trans Meanie – Has really picked up her game with strong efforts in her last two since Lasix was added, draws much better & stands out for Team Bongiorno

 

4-Unstoppable Hall – Just missed in her Big M debut, then a beaten favorite used hard from post nine, now her post improves off two excellent acclimating miles

 

7-Cruzin Coco – Coco has consistently been landing on the fringes, yet might be slightly trending in a positive direction, draws a more demanding post & banks on a hot pace

 

RACE 13

7-Bobcat Bay – The Bobcat was once again used too hard as the beaten favorite, hits rock bottom, draws a tougher post, but gets a driver change & clearly the class of this bunch

 

4-Memphistennessee N – Continues his steady tumble down the condition ladder looking for some spark, flashed sharp early speed in his last two & draws well a real toss up

 

2-Southwind Moroccan – One for his last 31 in a field that is one for 46 this season, parked first over in the slop last week, faced $40,000 claimers @ Yonkers earlier this year

 

RACE 14

2-Tad Krazy Hanover – Dropped to this level & just missed with a big rebound effort last week, sports a 1:54.4 mark here last year & lands inside for Per Engblom

 

3-Goes Down Smooth – Has been extra sharp in his last three, sparked by a decisive score in the slop as the favorite on March 3 & draws an improved post

 

4-Golden Cross Stone – Solid runner up in two of her last four, faded from post ten last week & draws better to rebound in a wide-open finale

 

Selections for Saturday, April 1

RACE 1

1-Doubleagentman – Beaten favorite when he bumped into a raging I’m Burlington N two starts back, then forced wide from an impossible spot in the slop & lands the rail

 

2-Van Diesel – Returns to The Big M off a solid third @ Yonkers, was pretty competitive here before that at the TM 74.5 level & draws post two again to trip out

 

9-Lachie Maguire N – 13YO has been on quite a form spree, left alertly & just in the slop last week, stuck farther outside, yet still sharp for his third try off the claim

 

RACE 2

5-Ideal Beach – Hope you all recall his 1:50.2 blowout here as the heavy favorite back on January 29, now he gets some class relief for his third start off a sick scratch

 

4-Art Scaping – Has been hinting in his last few, got bumped in the stretch last week, interfered with before that & just missed from post nine on March 11

 

6-Exotic Sand – The grey gelding blew up the board with a sudden/mighty drop n pop & took a new lifetime mark in the process, quite the acclimating mile

 

RACE 3

2-Pretty Dame Speedy – Lightly-raced Chapter Seven gelding behaved himself & tripped out to a 7-1 upset in his 3YO debut & draws inside again for Nifty Norman

 

3-Crazyland – Was eager to please on the lead & settled for third behind Pretty Dame Speedy, this Per Engblom-tuned colt draws better with license to improve

 

1-Flaming Roads – Ran into raging stablemate Sheer Faith in his last two, solid runner up two starts back & in line for a smooth trip from the rail for Per Engblom

 

RACE 4

2-Oakwood Vegas IR – Irish-bred gelding bounced back big time with a rousing post ten score in the slop, now the Team burke trainee is rewarded with a much better post

 

7-Brushing Up – New Team Estrada acquisition decisively made it two-for-two at The Big M with back-to-back lifetime marks, challenging post, but definitely on the rise

 

5-Always B Billy – Popped out to make a late bid for the lead & outsprinted second to Oakwood Vegas IR last week, still gathering momentum since the late February sick scratch

 

RACE 5

6-Sheikh Yabooty N – Thought she was sitting on a big one last week, got shuffled, forced to angle out of stretch traffic & was raging late, long overdue at a price

 

7-Kickupyaheels N – Stormed home from a tough spot to score a mild upset in the slop last week, her back class continues to resurface while facing several she beat last week

 

4-Callmequeenbee A – 9YO veteran has been slugging it out with $50,000 claimers @ Yonkers & that class drop move has worked for Kickupyaheels N

 

RACE 6

6-South Beach Star – Multiple sub-1:50 performer here makes his 2023 debut for a new barn, returns at lesser level, faces a competitive field, yet the fresh angle might work at a price

 

1-Ultimaroca – Took charge, rated & barely outsprinted in :26.4 last week, fresh off that gallant try he remains at this reduced level & stands out on the rail for Gingras & Team Burke

 

7-My Pal Joe – Joe was a beaten favorite when forced to grind first over in the slop last week, draws a more demanding post, but remains down in class

 

RACE 7

6-Mysweetboymax – Spinning his wheels in the slop last week & reaching a bit too high recently, won four of his first five this season & this is a prime class drop n pop scenario

 

9-It’s In The Stars – Twice beaten favorite has rallied stoutly to hit the board in both starts since arriving here for Team Cullipher, so remains a threat despite post nine

 

10-Jimmy Connor B – Fresh off a strong speed try in his third start off the bench, stuck outside, but continues to gather momentum on the comeback trail & class drop\

 

RACE 8

1-All Alone – After he just missed in his 3YO debut, he came right back with two in a row, his latest a wire-to-wire in the slop & lands the rail to take control for Team Toscano

 

8-Ants Marching – 1:52.2 Kindergarten Series winner at The Big M as a freshman, nice qualifier second to classy stablemate Red Right Hand, tough post, but looks ready for Team Takter

 

5-Captain Planet – Rallied off a very slow pace in the slop & kicked home in :26.4 to win his qualifier, $150,000 Captaintreacherous colt poised to launch midpack for Team Takter

 

RACE 9

3-Magritte – 9YO with a new lease on life, four-for-four since the barn change, his last three from post nine, new mark of 1:50.4 two starts back & moves inside for another class hike

 

2-Striking Impact – Was looking for a strong bounce-back effort & got it with a tough nose loss to I’m Some Graduate, draws inside again to possibly turn the tables

 

6-I’m Some Graduate – 10YO took a few starts to regain winning form, outsprinted Striking Impact to score as the favorite last week & can’t rule out a repeat

 

RACE 10

8-Southwind Gendry – Retook the lead past the half, repelled late pressure & cruised as the heavy favorite, assigned post eight, but looks formidable for his third start of the season

 

6-Livinthebeachlife – The other Team Burke trainee was nosed out with a two-move effort in the slop last week & was flying late third chasing stablemate Southwind Gendry before that

 

7-Nicholas Beach – Blew them away in 1:49 back on February 11 for Team Bongiorno, beaten favorite in his last three elsewhere has remained consistent & owns dangerous speed

 

RACE 11

6-Letsgotobrazil A – That blowout win @ Freehold on March sparked something, beaten favorite finished a solid third in the slop last week & took a 1:50.3 mark here last year

 

3-JJ Flynn – Dover Downs shipper adapted promptly to The Big M with a strong second to a big favorite Brushing Up & draws well again to follow up for The Bionic Man

 

2-Bank Sea – Switched to claimers, added Todd McCarthy & tripped out to an upset in the slop last week & now draws inside off that big turnaround

 

RACE 12

6-Fortify – Was struggling against much better @ Yonkers before his solid acclimating mile in the slop here last week & now drops further for Team Burke

 

4-Movin On Up – Got parked first over in the slop making his Big M debut, sports an impressive 2022 summary, draws inside & continues to regain form on the comeback trail

 

3-Angers Bayama – Flaunted his back class with a post eight blowout in a now-or-never spot last week, moves inside & might try to speed pop this crew for Tony Alagna

 

RACE 13

3-Marcus Seelster – Three-for-three since the claim, sweeping through a Trackmaster Series, twice lowering his mark to 1:52 in process & draws an improved post to keep it going

 

1-Lone Wolf American – Took a new mark of 1:52.3 on March 11 fresh off the claim & returns to The Big M with the rail to rebound off an unsuccessful venture to Freehold

 

6-Caughtinalandslide – Off a couple of tough trips he rallied to hit the board chasing the runaway Magritte last week, banks on the right pace & trip, while looking for an overdue win

 

RACE 14

3-Leon David – No factor eighth in his last two, but now drops to a more competitive level, draws inside again & this 1:49 performer here last season owns some back class

 

1-Party Boy – Took four starts on the comeback trail to break through in strong style & lands the rail in a real soft match up with a big chance to stalk n pop

 

2-Chief Of Staff – Decisive winner in the GSY 1 two starts back, followed by a solid third in that series, recent claim has regained form & draws well in a wide-open finale