Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, May 31, & Saturday, June 1, 2024
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Race 1
5-Woman Of Passion – Not quite sure what we have here, but judging by her two blowouts & that 1:51.4 sizzler last week this Walner filly could be anything
3-Winter Soldier – This soldier looks ready to lead the Team Alagna Hambo battalion, with solid 2YO credentials he draws inside off three strong qualifiers
2-Pick Pocket – Got away from Karl in NJSS & tripped out to score a mild upset, lands post two again & this Walner colt is trending right for TheStable.ca
Race 2
4-Jive Ninety Five – Flashed speed from post nine & faded to fifth last week, handy winner @ Tioga Downs before that draws better & faces easier
3-Fashion Cantab – Actually owns a win @ The Big M this season, have to forgive his last two & gets some class & post relief
6-Archibald – Took advantage of a class drop to exploit a soft spot in wire-to-wire fashion @ Freehold & that could translate to success here
Race 3
3-Mr Bluebird – As a 2YO he was a Grand Circuit winner in 1:53.1 & second to Karl in a Breeders Crown elimination, the sick scratch makes him a question mark, yet draws inside for Svanstedt
6-For July – Greenshoe colt prepped well in PA for Team Wallin, rallied to be a bothered third in PA All-Stars & steamrolled to a new mark before that
4-Custom Fit – Romped wire-to-wire first time Lasix, chased an eye-catching 1:52.1 winner in his latest @ Pocono & draws well to continue progressing
Race 4
3-St Pauli Girl – Not much in her career debut @ Yonkers, yet the daughter of Six Pack went on to romp back-to-back @ Pocono & draws inside here with her arrow pointing up
4-Nightime Dreamer – Runner up to a salty 1:51.4 winner last week, kicked home for the show in a nifty :26.4 before that & draws well again
5-Solange Hanover – Bounced back off a miscue with a solid second, now makes her fourth start off a sick scratch & sets up another stalking trip from mid-pack
Race 5
5-Mccrunch – Rebounded from a miscue in the PA All-Stars with the mile of his life back here, an emphatic 1:49.1 & looks to keeps pointing towards the Pace for Team Takter
8-Remember The Alamo – Solid runner up to standout stablemate Captain Luke last Saturday, draws a tough post, but has serious license to show more
3-Captain Bazinga – Landed on the edges in his last two, his latest chasing Mccrunch, draws inside again, continues to progress & take another step up
Race 6
5-Bryant Bros S – Grand Circuit winner at two makes his second start off the bench in a wide-open division & has Hambo aspirations for Team Svanstedt
2-Reggianito – Jogged to his first two wins @ Pocono to kick off his 3YO season, then broke while making a big late move & draws an improved post to rebound
4-Robinhood – Makes his key third start off the bench after two excellent tightening miles in NJSS & gave way to Karl in the first one
Race 7
7-Machlicious – More than lived up to the tote hype by running up the score in his Team Bongiorno debut & tough to against off that career best blowout
6-Muscle Factory A – Bounce back from a parked out trip with a sizzling 1:51.2 romp last Saturday & logically looms large with any semblance of that mile
4-Rock On Line – One for 18 this season & caught a recent case of seconditis, solid runner up to Muscle Factory A despite a tough trip & draws inside that rival
Race 8
3-Spy Coast – Walner filly has blossomed this season, going three-for-three for Team Burke, hasn’t been stressed & draws inside off the mile of her life
1-Glamorous Hanover –Lands the rail to kick off a strong 1-2 punch for Team Alagna, went all the way & held off the chalk Buy A Round in a sparkling 3YO debut
8-Buy A Round – Rallied to a mild upset in last year’s 2YO NJSS Final, kicked home in :26 & change in both starts on the comeback trail & a hard-charging runner up last week
Race 9
8-Queen Sun Ryser – Took a mark of 1:53.4 here back on May 3, tough draw, but gets a dose of class relief, lands in a camera-shy field & Yannick Gingras listed
7-Powered By Mach – Just one for 17 this season, yet she has picked it up in her last two with a barn change to our Trainer of the Week
4-Celcius – Hasn’t been remotely competitive in all her recent starts, but the drop from NJSS is pretty significant, plus she draws inside with Dexter Dunn
Race 10
7-Karl – The Dan Patch Award winning millionaire hasn’t broken a sweat in two starts so far for Team Takter, post seven & this final isn’t a picnic, but we’re dealing with a truly special colt
6-Waterfall – Nosed out in Leg 1, then rallied stoutly for a deadheat win with Pantoran & off that career best this Walner colt spearheads a Team Alagna quartet
5-Pantoran – Lightly-raced Walner gelding could lead a solid Team Svanstedt trio, fresh off a winning qualifier he gamely held on for a deadheat win with Waterfall
Race 11
1-Toto Hanover – Toto has reeled off back-to-back new lifetime marks, took now prisoners & ran up the score post seven last week & moves inside for The Money Man
3-Bettor At Hightide – Steady sort has hit the board in his last four, left in the wake of Toto devastation last week, yet draws much better
5-Aperitif – Set most of the pace & settled for second to Toto Hanover two starts back, then had too far to come last week, so look for a more aggressive effort from mid-pack
Race 12
6-Tactical Lori – Four-time winner this season did plenty of damage in the Weiss Series @ Pocono, pace compromised in Leg 2 of this series & more effective with a quicker start
9-Cool Ma Belle – Walner sister to Hambo hero Cool Papa Belle was a solid third in Leg 1, then rallied stoutly for a piece in Leg 2, moves outside, but she’s ramping up
2-Marg In Charge – Came to life & regained her form with a solid third from post two in Leg 1, then paid the price for a slow start from post eight & moves inside a wide-open conso
Race 13
7-Straight Talk – Kicked home in a crisp :26.3 from a tough spot in a useful tightening mile, tricky post, but drops to show more in his second start of the season
3-Cahoots – Flashed some late life on the rail for minor spoils last Saturday, gets another shot at this reduced level & draws post three again in a real handicapper’s headscratcher
6-Bobcat Bay – Fired out hard from post nine, stayed in & shook loose too late after the sprinting started, now drops to the bottom condition & long overdue
Race 14
6-Beach Passage – 0 for 14 this season, but she’s put forth a couple of commendable efforts for her new barn off a sick scratch @ Freehold & can move up on the mile track
1-Lazarus Girl – Got on a nice three-race form spree @ Freehold before a no-chance trip from post nine here & has a big chance to step up from the rail in a complete toss up
7-EA Mushu – Transitions to The Big M after winning two of her last three @ Freehold, demanding draw here, but she’s worth a long look
Selections for Saturday, June 1
Race 1
6-Harry Hanover – Winless this season, but liking his positive moves since the solid second three starts back & draws better to possibly launch a late bid
2-Thndrfrmthethron N – Just missed as the beaten favorite with a nifty rally three starts back, returns to the MADC Series with an inside draw to play stalk n pop
10-Atta Boy Dan – 15YO Dan asserted himself with the best mile of his season & first win of 2024, moves outside, but Yogi Sheridan has sharpened sword
Race 2
8-Parisian Blue Chip – Classy 9YO almost got there with a sharp late move @ Pocono & has a chance to capitalize on this softer spot
4-Twin B Echo – Tried to brush n crush them from post eight & was barely outsprinted as the beaten favorite, drops further & draws better
7-Blank Check – Just missed in both starts fresh off the bench, stormed home to be right there in the photo with a :26.3 dive, draws tougher, yet might be on the verge
Race 3
7-You Got It – Added Lasix with a better result in his last two @ Yonkers, challenging post, yet drops to face a highly beatable field here
4-Candy Bomber – Not strong in the win column, but that’s the story of this field, does gets some class & post relief to set up his stalking style
6-Unique Kemp – Has hit the ticket in both starts since a sick scratch, remains at this reduced level & seeks the right pace & trip scenario
Race 4
4-J M Mandamin – Returns to the scene of a 1:51 tally back in mid-April & continues on the comeback trail with some class relief & an inside draw
1-Lyrical Genius A – Just one for 16 this season, yet definitely trending right in his last few, plus gets some class & post relief while back @ The Big M
3-Hunt For Cash – Sports a 1:50.4 mark @ The Big M this season, strong in the win column & has a chance to rebound off a rare miscue from another inside post
Race 5
7-Warrawee Yankee – Was out of striking range & still kicked home in :27 for a piece last Saturday, decisive winner before that owns superior pouncing power
6-Way To Close – Tried it on an aggressive lead from post eight & settled for second last Saturday & just missed with a similar strategy three starts back
1-Ferdinand A – Was caught up in a relatively fast pace & gave way in most recent, yet that was some wake up wire-to-wire from post seven before that
Race 6
5-Tennessee Smooth – Liked him last week fresh off the career best of 1:52 @ Pocono & just missed with a :26.2 in a sub-1:50 mile, a major threat off that excellent acclimating mile
3-Twin N Seamonster – Lightly-raced 4YO ships in after finding his winning groove @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws inside to flaunt his speed & potential for Chris Ryder
4-Divine Right – Just one for 12 this season, yet has been a pretty steady stalking & closing type, finally draws a decent post for Team Cullipher
Race 7
1-Entrench – Lightly-raced 3YO set a solid pace & settled for second behind a surprising Century Fury, now lands the rail off that acclimating mile, while making his third start for Per Engblom
3-Century Fury – Took advantage of the rail, got off to a better start & it paid off with the upset rally over Entrench & draws well as a logical threat to repeat
8-Better Than Some – Lived up to his tote hype & came roaring back fresh off the bench & lame scratch, tougher post here, but his barn has caught fire & retains The Buckeye
Race 8
5-Stone Hanover – Classy 8YO with a nose for the circle & liking for The Big M just missed in his third start off the bench @ Pocono & looks poised from mid-pack here
3-Southwind Gendry – Woke up by suddenly carving out some sizzling fractions last week, now drops another notch, draws inside again & has a big chance to flaunt his class
1-Mad Max Hanover – The 1:47.4 performer has come to life on Lasix & capitalized on some class relief to regain winning form & figures to be part of the speed equation from the rail
Race 9
2-Bath Bomb – Lather Up filly has been razor sharp in all four starts for Per Engblom, just missed with a :26.1 as the heavy favorite & moves inside off that acclimating mile
9-Rocket Deo – Sister to millionaire Rocknificent has returned with a two-for-two record against stakes fillies for Brett Pelling, her latest with speed at both ends in PASS
3-Viki Hill – Always B Miki sister to Party Girl Hill, 1:47.2 ($880,345) has come back a perfect two-for-two @ Pocono & draws nicely here with plenty of upside for Chris Ryder
Race 10
6-Oakwood Ardan IR – Early-season sensation has come back from a foot injury better than ever, exploded home in :25.3 with a sizzling 1:48 & we still don’t know how good he is
9-Allywag Hanover – 2021 Dan Patch Award winner & world champion gets slammed with post nine, yet it’s only his second start off the bench & gets some class relief
5-American Dealer N – Has had his shining moments here this season, solid runner up in his last three @ The Big M & looms a dangerous stalking threat from mid-pack
Race 11
7-Threshold – Unleashed an eye-catching rally to land in the Rau Ru photo, challenging post, but gathering steam on the comeback trail for Richard Johnson & retains The Buckeye
6-Pinebushdragonroll – More than lived up to the tote hype, unleashing a take-no-prisoners career best of 1:50 with the barn change to Team Bongiorno & likely attempts similar
1-Buckeye Emery – Riding a nice form spree, committed to a late lead & just missed to Rau Ru & company last week & draws inside those rivals in a very competitive division
Race 12
5-High Fashion Star – Beaten favorite landed on the fringe fourth with a solid finish last week, lands a mid-pack stalking spot & she’s capable of kicking home with another gear
7-Dontkarenifido – Nailed this one last week when she was driven superbly to the upset by Jordan Stratton, draws a more challenging post, yet brimming with confidence
2-In The Spotlight N – Returns to The Big M fresh off a speedy narrow loss @ Pocono, trending right for Team Cullipher & her inside draw facilitates a smooth stalking trip
Race 13
4-Vandalism – Noting the strong second against N/W 6 company @ Tioga Downs two starts back, knows how to win here, ships into a real soft spot & gets Yannick Gingras
2-Xmarxthespot – Got stung making an early lead & shuffled last Friday, solid runner up before that has a big chance to regroup with a more patient trip from an improved post
8-Never Easy Z Tam – Never easy handicapping this lower end stock, this guy rallied from a tough spot to hit the board with a :27.2 in Leg 1 & seeks the right set up from a tougher post
Race 14
4-Shake It Twice – Paid the price for a slow start from post seven last Friday, go back to that much more aggressive 1:51.4 mark on April 19 & she deserves high ranking
5-Our Shell Belle – Lightly-raced filly tripped out from the rail with a huge wake up win & new mark of 1:51.4 last Friday & now has something real positive to build on from mid-pack
3-Tesla Power – Ultra consistent mare suddenly found herself on the lead, rated well & just missed to a surprisingly good Our Shell Belle & draws inside to stay on a roll