Ken Warkentin Selections for Thursday, June 30 – Saturday, July 2

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

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Ken Warkentin Selections for Thursday, June 30

RACE 1

8-Bionic – Suddenly went all the way for a new mark of 1:51.3 against NW/3 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia two starts back, could be the same strategy here to overcome post eight

 

2-Final Justice – One for 24 this season, yet that was quite a turnaround when he tripped out from the rail for a solid second in the slop last Friday & now draws inside with Dexter Dunn

 

7-Official Delight – Son of Pace champ Art Official parlayed a Monticello blowout into a game score here as the favorite, slight step up & tricky post, but he’s riding high

 

RACE 2

2-Dire Straits – Muscle Hill colt went two-for-two in his Big M baby races, won the first with broken equipment, then rallied from a pretty rough spot & draws inside for Mattias

 

7-Oh Well – $530,000 Muscle Hill first foal out of a $643,987 winner & 1:52.2 performer, won both baby races here with strong finishes for Team Melander, challenging post, but promising colt no doubt

 

1-Optrix – Trixton second foal off a Broadway Hall mare won his Pocono debut with a nice late burst for Tom Jackson & lands the rail in an even group

 

RACE 3

3-Grand Fashion – Fashion Farms bred Walner sister to millionaire Broadway Donna & NJSS champ Fashion Schooner, cruised in her Magical Acres opener, then pace compromised in a decent acclimating trial here

 

6-Moni Lisa – Walner sister to Incommunicado, 1:52.2 [$493,290] kicked home in :27.1 to win her opener, then just missed with a more aggressive effort,

 

4-Network Extender – Walner filly from the family of the great Moni maker, made some nice moves in both baby races, second @ Gaitway, then third here after leaving off the wings, leads the Team Orange Crush 1-2 punch

 

RACE 4

2-Point Of Perfect – $205,000 Walner first foal out of a sister to near double millionaire Southwind Frank for Team Burke, a close second in his opener, then tripped out in 1:58.4, will rightly draw attention from post two

 

5-Little Expensive – $260,000 Muscle Hill first foal out of a half million dollar winner, his lone Big M baby race was an impressive 1:56.4 & he could be anything for Team Orange Crush

 

8-Winner’s Bet – $200,000 Walner colt second foal off the Donato Hanover dam, romped in his second baby race & looks like a contender despite post eight

 

RACE 5

4-Windsong Jack – 12YO warhorse with a season mark of 1:51.3 here flashed signs of life in the slop last Friday, might have signaled a turnaround & draws better

 

5-Our Third Rock – Just one for 20 this season, beaten favorite with a solid speed try @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & lands in a real soft spot back here

 

1-Jerrytone – Slugged it out with an aggressive third in the slop last Friday, now lands the rail in a form-challenged field & could easily trip out

 

RACE 6

1-Mambacita – First crop of 2018 Breeders Crown champion Tactical Landing & first foal out of the Donato Hanover mare, just missed in :26.4, then romped in 1:58.2 & lands the rail for Team Alagna

 

2-Secret Volo – Walner first foal out of a Muscle Hill dam, solid runner up at first asking, then nailed one in 1:57.3 here & draws inside for the ultra team of Brian Sears & Marcus Melander

 

4-Exile – Walner sister to 1:50.3 performer Altar has a hefty $800,000 price tag to live up to, solid third in her opener, then went all the way in 1:59.2, draws well for Team Takter

 

RACE 7

2-Celebrity Bambino – $120,000 Muscle Hill first foal out of 1:51.4 performer Celebrity Ruth [$505,817], did all the right things in two baby race romps @ Gaitway & stands out from an inside post here for Team Burke

 

7-Ari Ferrari J – $620,000 Walner sister to You Ato Dream 1:52.2 performer [$593,852] & third foal out of his Muscle Hill dam, runner up both baby races here, but finished well for Team Alagna

9-Upstaged – Muscle Hill colt won both baby races here for Team Melander, off by himself in :27.3, then steamrolled uncovered off a slow pace, worth a long look despite post nine

 

RACE 8

3-Effingham – Late-blooming 3YO making only his second career start, the first was a pretty solid second to a huge favorite @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, lands inside a soft field here & picks up Andrew McCarthy

 

2-English Rose N – 9YO mare is just two for her last 52, but that was some wake up surge to just miss to Shaving Mug last Friday & draws inside that rival

 

7-Shaving Mug – 13YO warhorse has won two of his last three here, capitalized on a perfectly timed drive by Corey Callahan, post is tougher now, but his form remains sharp

 

RACE 9

6-J-S Jasper – Arrives fresh off a wire-to-wire blowout as the heavy favorite @ Pocono & figures to utilize the same strategy in this laid back field here

 

4-Willtowin Hanover – Lightly-raced 3YO filly has sparked her form since shipping south into the Team Orange Crush barn with two seconds @ Pocono & lands in a soft spot here

 

3-Hammer Time – One of these nights he’ll settle into a stalking spot & launch a late move, beaten favorite lands post three again to rebound off a miscue

 

Ken Warkentin Selections for Friday, July 1

RACE 1

7-Baptism – Diamond Creek Farm homebred first foal out of a sister to world champion Archangel has found her best stride in PA, reeling off three in a row, draws a challenging post, but looms large

 

6-Fashion Schooner – Fashionably bred Walner filly went wire-to-wire in a nifty 1:51.3 as the heavy favorite in the NJSS Final, 34-day layoff to consider for this lightly-raced & talented Jim Campbell trainee

 

5-Delilah Hanover – $440,000 sister to 1:51.4 performer Darlene Hanover [$591,250] has regained winning form with two in a row @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, Nifty Norman trainee will need to crank it up further

 

RACE 2

5-Fast As The Wind – Rated #1 in The Road to the Hambo Top Ten fresh off his decisive lifetime best in the Goodtimes @ Mohawk & stalks midpack for Team Alagna

 

8-Rebuff – Breeders Crown champion ranked fourth in the Hambo Top Ten won his lone qualifier here 27 days ago & finally surfaces for Lucas Wallin, draws outside & has just over five weeks to prove himself

 

3-Periculum – Really showed us something with that mighty late surge to be a close third from post ten in the NJSS Final, tuned up with a solid qualifier from the same inside post & Team Melander has a 1-2 punch

 

RACE 3

7-Raised By Lindy – Grand Circuit stakes winner in 1:51.3 & nosed out in the Breeders Crown was in the Hambo Top Ten, flying late in her second start off the bench

 

9-Date Night – Undefeated 1:50.4 Grand Circuit winner for Team Orange Crush, runner up to Hambo prospect Temporal Hanover in her latest qualifier & tackles post nine in a tough field

 

2-Manon – Late-blooming Bar Hopping filly has come out four-for-four in PA for Lucas Wallin, draws inside with controlling speed & brimming with confidence

 

RACE 4

6-Dover In Motion – Indiana star who won eight of nine last year took a new mark of 1:52.4 in his 3YO debut, then faltered in his next two, obviously there’s talent here, so let’s give him a chance to rebound

 

2-Classic Hill – Has really come to hand second by a neck in his last two, just missed in his latest to a relentless favorite Finn Palema & trending right for Team Melander

 

5-B A Superhero – Won his first two 3YO starts, including a NJSS division, kicked home in :26.4 after a slow start from post nine last Saturday & lands in a prime stalking spot

 

RACE 5

4-King Of The North – Dan Patch Award winner & Hambo contender took his requisite tour of the oval from post eight & draws better to make a statement against some serious older foes

 

7-Inaminute Hanover – Took charge in a moderate pace & was clearly outsprinted in a Graduate division, tougher post, but this is more suitable off the acclimating mile

 

5-On Higher Ground – Caught fire since the late May sick scratch, winning two in a row, then second at long odds in the Yonkers Open, has a chance to take charge for Team Bongiorno

 

RACE 6

3-Hey Hey Dbay – Took the conservative route & finished well for minor spoils off a slow pace, draw inside again off that sloppy track acclimating mile & plays opportunist

 

1-Phelgon – Added Lasix & suddenly unleashed a post eight wire-to-wire lifetime best of 1:51.3 in her second start here for Team Bongiorno & now stands out from the rail

 

8-Uptown Lady N – First leg winner with one of her patented rallies got going too late when Phelgon stole it last week, now stuck outside & banks on the right set up

 

RACE 7

7-Ferdinand A – Working on a one for 16 season, solid runner up to a dominant winner last week, deals with a tougher post here, but owns gate speed to put him in play & overdue

 

6-Chief Of Staff – Can’t believe how he was able to find room along the cones from post eight to post that lifetime best two starts back, badly beaten favorite has a chance to rebound

 

9-Scrappin Gold – The toteboard offered a hint, yet it was still hard to believe the way he turned things completely around with that first over surprise last week for a barn that has been lighting them up

 

RACE 8

8-Better Take It – Reeled off his only win this season, a 1:49 career best, the last time he saw this level back on June 4, another tough post, yet gets his second straight class drop

 

5-Cool Blues Man – Stormed home to score two starts back, then squandered a second over trip in the Tioga Downs Open, makes his second start off the recent claim from an ideal midpack post

 

6-Mindtrip – Forced wide after a slow start & settled for minor spoils behind Cool Blues Man fresh off the reclaim, been knocking on the door & gets some needed class relief

 

RACE 9

9-Always A Force – Freshened with a few months off & won his Gaitway qualifier with a nice late burst in the slop, lands outside, but gets Joe Lee

 

7-It’s Rigged – Hit the board in three straight before a slow start from post eight in the slop last week & tries a soft GSY Series division

 

6-Fire Light – Arrives sporting a one for 19 this season, but was a much better third in his second start off a sick scratch for a new barn & worth a long look

 

RACE 10

1-Passa-Grille Beach – Caught first over in a sizzling 1:48 mile last Saturday, just missed before that, now gets a double class drop & the rail

 

2-Baileys Rock N – His form has cycled forward, took a long to time to clear the lead & came back to just miss @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, draws better here at a reduced level

 

5-Seeuinnashville A – Rode the rail & was outsprinted in :26.3 in last Saturday’s finale, was hinting in his previous two & drops two notches

 

RACE 11

6-Grace Hill – Added Lasix this season & bumped into those salty Graduate foes again last week, has a chance to flourish in a field begging to be beaten

 

5-Beyond Words N – Wire-to-wire 1:51.1 winner for the repeat here back on May 13, returns to the Big M at a reduced level & can take charge

 

4-Bettors Heart N – Stormed home for a mild upset three starts back, sports a mark of 1:50.4 here this season, draws inside & can stalk n pop these

 

RACE 12

7-Taken Control – Has tailed off some against Open company @ Vernon Downs, hasn’t raced in three weeks & arrives off a sick scratch, but the switch to Team Bongiorno could spell wake up call

 

5-Know Your Roll – Parlayed an upset win @ Harrah’s Philadelphia into a parked out second here last week & could be on the verge of another big effort

 

6-Johnny G’s Star – Winner two starts back @ Oak Grove hasn’t raced in 24 days, but switches barns & venues, so might be worth a swing

 

RACE 13

7-Max Contract – Lightly-raced 3YO filly bounced back to unleash an eye-catching 1:50.2 qualifier here for Team Orange Crush & faces a suspect group of older mares

 

4-Its Mesmerize N – Has cycled forward in her last two @ Harrah’s Philadephia, tripped out to win her most recent & draws well to attempt something similar

 

1-Think Of Galaxies – That was a mighty late charge of :26.2 to hit the board in her most recent, now moves inside & figures to be forwardly placed

 

RACE 14

4-Chiplosive – Took charge & almost held on over a sloppy track as the beaten favorite last week, post four again at this reduced level for Team Cullipher

 

1-Gotwuteverittakes – Everybody can see how he destroyed foes from post eight three starts back, moves inside, prone to rebound off miscues, but you must guess

 

2-Deltasun A – Left alertly into a fast opening quarter & outgamed Kasha V for third last week, moves inside off that solid effort & owns some back class

 

Ken Warkentin Selections for Saturday, July 2

RACE 1

3-Captaingiddyupngo – Lightly-raced son of The Captain was shuffled behind a well-rated winner & finished well as the beaten favorite, now makes his key third start off the bench from an improved post

 

8-Frozen Hanover – Ships south for Luc Blais after tangling with the glamour boys @ Mohawk, stuck outside here for his Pace eliminations tune up, but has potential

 

7-All About The Hunt – Finished a solid second in his career debut here, then romped in a NYSS division @ Vernon Downs, this Team Burke-tuned colt has a bright future

 

RACE 2

6-Monkey Queen – The Chapter Seven sister to Gimpanzee overcame a wide trip, rallied relentlessly & outsprinted Pink Coco Chanel, draws a bit better off that impressive debut

 

2-Pink Coco Chanel – Tried it on the lead, rated nicely & was gunned down by the heavy favorite Peyton Hanover last week & she broke right at the wire, has the talent & upside to rebound for Team Alagna

 

8-Elegant Charm – $300,000 Father Patrick third foal out of a sister to Muscle Massive has found her best stride @ Pocono, challenging post here, but just starting to blossom for Team Orange Crush

 

RACE 3

2-Bella Bellini – Last year’s Dan Patch Award & Oaks champion hasn’t missed the board this season, fresh off a new mark of 1:51 with her relentless rally in the Graduate & draws inside for a classic match up

 

4-Atlanta – Well-decorated mare has come back with a vengeance this season, tripped out to win her second Armbro Flight @ Mohawk, just missed to Bella Bellini here before that & seeks a measure of revenge

 

1-When Doves Cry – Responded to some recent freshening, qualified with vigor, then stormed home to grab second in the Armbro Flight, classy Brett Pelling trainee might be poised for a big Summer

 

RACE 4

1-Lou’s Pearlman – Was left in the wake of Bulldog Hanover’s 1:47 devastation last week, this is the class drop he needs & the post gods continue to be kind to this Burke trainee

 

3-Whole Lotta Lou – To say he’s been knocking on the door is an understatement, too far out of it last week & wasn’t catching the 1:48 winner, draws inside here to get aggressive again

 

6-High Baller – 4YO Captaintreacherous fit the pattern of a recent barn switch to Travis Alexander, sudden speed & perfect trip spelled big upset & new lifetime mark, similar strategy could spell repeat in a very tricky puzzle

 

RACE 5

1-Stonebridge Reef – Fresh 4YO for Chris Ryder caught too far back from post eight last week off a crushing score before that, now draws the rail a complete headscratcher

 

9-Fabrizio N – Got away last from post nine & thundered home in :25.3 to grab second in last Saturday’s finale & has a chance to swoop these with the right set up

 

10-Hail Christian N – Post ten is usually an auto toss, but this 1:49.3 performer here this season has a late gear & drops another notch for Brett Pelling

 

RACE 6

1-Forbidden Trade – 2019 Hambo upsetter rallied to upset the 2021 Crawford Farms in 1:51.1, ships south fresh off three in a row @ Mohawk & lands the rail to trip out

 

5-Ecurie D DK – Breeders Crown champ resurfaces off a scintillating 1:49.1 world record in the Cutler, that was 43 days ago, but this is a monster & Team Svanstedt knows how to get them ready

 

3-Lovedbythemasses – Bounced back off his fourth in the Cutler by dominated the Maxie Lee & draws inside off a strong qualifier for Team Cullipher

 

RACE 7

2-Jack’s Legend N – Looking for a trip-sitting, upset closer & Jack might fit the bill, an Open class contender on his best day, came out of the clouds to deadheat for third from post ten last week & moves inside

 

5-Undrthsouthrnsun N – Avoided any 12-horse traffic, went on a mission & fought off a persistent Whitecookie in a dazzling 1:47.4 last week, looks like the target again leading a Team Bongiorno 1-2 punch

 

1-Stone Hanover – Here’s another strong stone closing opportunist who draws much better to craft a stalking trip with The Money Man in an excellent series final & handicapper’s delight

 

RACE 8

2-Charlie May – Charlie emerged fresh off the bench with a track record of 1:47.1 with the perfect fast-pace set up, defending Ohio Horse of the Year draws inside to repeat

 

3-Rockyroad Hanover – Has bumped into The Bulldog in his last two, picked up the show with an eye-catching :24.4 last week & draws well to stalk the speed again

 

5-Nandolo N – Steamrolled off a soft half to pull a mild upset in the Open two weeks ago, just missed in the Commodore Barry before that & this would be no surprise

 

RACE 9

8-Lyons Sentinel – World champion double millionaire couldn’t reach in the Roses Are Red Final after winning an elimination, nice Open tally here on June 4 & just starting to rev up

 

10-Test Of Faith – Defending Horse of the Year off to a great start this season, just missed last week despite an amazing :24.3, stuck outside a really tough field, but figures to get into a lively flow

 

1-Fire Start Hanover – Too far back from post seven in last week’s Graduate, solid runner up in the Roses Are Red Final before that & lands the rail in a stellar field of mares

 

RACE 10

2-Bulldog Hanover – The Bulldog was ultra impressive with his 1:47 Big M debut in the Graduate, complete with a wrapped up :24.4, now gets a better post for a marquee match up

 

7-Allywag Hanover – 1:46.4 world champion & 2021 Dan Patch Award winner has had a couple of tune ups @ Mohawk, bumped into The Bulldog, then used hard in the Mohawk Gold Cup

 

5-Whichwaytothebeach – Added The Minister, suddenly caught fire & finished a gallant second in a Charlie May track record, an excellent acclimating mile

 

RACE 11

6-Captainryanmichael – Was able to control a soft pace & cruise to a new mark of 1:50.3 in repeat mode last week & makes his final prep for the Pace eliminations

 

1-Energetic Hanover – Bounced back as the winning favorite in a PASS division @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, Brett Pelling trainee lands the rail here in a wide-open affair

 

2-I Did It My Way – Sharp runner up in a NA Cup elimination, but failed to fire his best in that final, has a chance to regroup here from an inside post for Team Alagna in time for the Pace eliminations

 

RACE 12

9-Red Right Hand – Lasix back on after fading in two @ Oak Grove, took a mark of 1:48.1 in a 4YO Open here this season & has the speed to overcome his post nine assignment

 

1-Casual Cool – Note the trip excuses in his last two, unleashed a well-timed 1:48.4 upset on June 4 & has a big chance to produce something similar with The White Knight

 

3-Mark Witha K – Nailed this one last week when he catapulted off a hot pace & romped to a new mark of 1:48, steps up substantially, but draws inside several question marks

 

RACE 13

7-Bell Family – Launched big upset rally & took a new mark of 1:50.4 in the slop, a solid second before that, Braxton Boyd back in the bike in a competitive final

 

1-What The Luck – Was pressured through fast fractions in the slop, reeled off three in a row before that & has a big chance to take control & rebound from the rail

 

2- A B Collins – Perked up substantially with that rally for third behind Air Guitar last week, finally draws inside, going in the right direction & can snap his skid at a price