Ken Warkentin’s Friday, April 8 & Saturday, April 9 Selections

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Ken Warkentin’s Friday, April 8 Selections

RACE 1

6-Cecil Casanova – Cecil really came to life with a furious rally just a neck shy last week for Mark Silva & his follow up could spell overdue win

4-Gottalovemyshadow – Beaten favorite was rated nicely by Tony Beltrami & just missed into strong headwinds last week & now she draws a bit better

9-MV OK Palacio BR – Brazilian bred has cycled to top form with a big upset & just missed from a tough spot last week, stuck outside, yet dangerous with the right set up

RACE 2

2-Shezabarhoppinchic – This mare likely trotted the best mile of her life so far with that solid third last week & now moves inside to play her stalk n pop game

3-Allindotime – First leg winner was allowed to steal away wire-to-wire as the heavy favorite, recently caught the winning habit & draws an improved post with The Buckeye

8-Trents A Lock – Couldn’t overcome a slow second tier start & strong headwinds last week, challenging post here, but owns a strong finishing kick

RACE 3

6-Svengali – Rallied for a new lifetime mark two starts back, then made an early miscue, improving 4YO has a big chance to bounce back for Mark Silva

5-Hurrikane Georgie – We liked Georgie & pegged him at 6-1 fresh off the bench, while also admiring the way he dug in to hold off the favorite Crunch, lands an ideal midpack post here

2-Rock To Glory – Thundered home from a tough spot for a place deadheat last week & finally draws inside to set up another menacing rally for Team Chiodo

RACE 4

4-Winning Words – Finished a solid second in her first start of the year @ The Meadows, her barn has been blazing here & draws well with Hot Toddy

2-So Delightful – Chased standout Amazing Dream N in a strong qualifier for Team Cullipher, & makes her 2022 debut in a soft spot with The Bionic Man

3-Kaitlyn N – Been knocking on the door in her last three since the injury scratch, just missed last week & draws inside to be aggressively handled again

RACE 5

2-Energetic Hanover – 3YO Pelling trainee kicked home in :26 flat after Fika Time had stolen it & took off, $325,000 yearling lands post two again with major upside

7-Fika Time – Caught everybody napping when he stole a :57 half & romped to a new lifetime mark last week, expect another blastoff from another demanding post

1-Majorly Sexy – 6YO maiden learning well, battled gamely & just missed in his second career start, now lands the rail & could be on the verge

RACE 6

8-Always A Force – Forced into a tough first over grind to a late lead before fading into headwinds last week, yet note the impressive rallies back in early March

3-Bungalow Bill N – The Bungalow bounced back with an energetic second off a sick scratch, long overdue & draws inside a field that can be easily handled

5-Final Justice – 10YO had an off night last Friday, just missed with a mighty late surge before that & could swoop this bunch with a similar effort

RACE 7

6-Halliama – His latest win came by steamrolling first over & zipping home in :27.1 two starts back, this steady gelding is always dangerous within striking range

7-Chiplosive – Rebounded with a better effort last out, now gets his second straight class drop & proven capable of firing off the wings for Team Cullipher

2-Classic Venture – 10YO was all out squandering a perfect trip last out, that was a month ago, so something wasn’t right, his previous form was sharp, draws inside again

RACE 8

4-Haymitch – New acquisition for Marianna Monaco sports good recent form elsewhere, owns a mark of 1:52.1 here & draws well in a field where several are beyond consideration

1-Master Conrad – Has indicated he’s rounding into form, stormed home from far back last week & finally moves inside for Team Chiodo

5-Watchmeneighneigh – Forced wide & came on late to take minor spoils into strong headwinds last week & makes his third start off an injury scratch

RACE 9

6-Game Of Change – Finished a hard-charging second in :26.1 last Saturday, here’s a definite live item for the potent combo of Dexter Dunn & Team Estrada

7-Windsong Jack – Popular item at the claim box was used pretty aggressively as expected as the beaten heavy favorite, new barn again & looms as the primary focus

2-Manhattan Beach – Comes off a disappointing effort from the same post, rock solid runner up before that & eligible to rebound for Team Burke

RACE 10

2-Tuxedo Bay – The Tuxedo was stung early from post ten, a solid runner up before that, makes his third start off a sick scratch from a much-improved post for Mark Silva

5-Lyons Liberty – Cycled forward, got aggressive & held on for the upset last week, draws a bit better & has a chance to steal this wide-open division

10-Cheyenne Ryan Lee – Assigned post ten fresh off a decisive wire-to-wire blowout for Tony Beltrami, barn has been going well & gets another shot at this GSY 2

RACE 11

2-Beach Crazy – Improving 4YO was a strong runner up with speed from post seven last week & moves inside for her key third start off the bench

7-Western Wish – Drops out of the ultra tough Blue Chip Matchmaker Series @ Yonkers, draws outside an evenly-matched field, but can assert herself

5-Fox Valley Exploit – Give her that first tour of the oval & adjustment to a new barn, has license to step up in a field that might be ripe for taking

RACE 12

2-Woodmere Harriet – Has beaten better @ Yonkers & makes her Big M debut in strong form, so class relief & inside draw paves the way for a smooth mile track transition

8-Juxta Cowgirl – Returns from a successful stint @ Pocono, draws a tough post, but this is easier than she’s faced & reunited with Yannick Gingras

6-Greystone Natalio – Added Joe Bongiorno & was a pretty impressive winner here as the heavy favorite two starts back, a repeat of that effort makes her a serious contender

Ken Warkentin’s Saturday, April 9 Selections

RACE 1

3-Linnycalledfrankie – Absolutely flying to just miss two starts back, shuffled & raging out of stretch traffic last week, live item now acclimated & draws inside again

6-Ucanttoughthis – Wowed us in his Team Burke debut with a post eight upset in a dazzling 1:49.4, then had no chance, was blocked last week, plus no One Eight Hundred this time

1-Stienams Beach – Hats off to Chris Ryder for getting this one to pop after a long layoff, caught in never-never land last week, now moves inside for his key third try off the bench

RACE 2

7-Skyway Kon Man – The Kon Man finally seemed to snap out of his recent funk with a solid rally to hit the board & gets another shot at this reduced level for Team Cullipher

5-Memo – Mohawk invader was eager to please in his Big M debut & got blocked with trot behind the favorite Dayson, launches midpack & retains Hot Toddy

2-No Drama Please – Paid the price for a slow start off a rated :57 half, still revving up on the comeback trail, now drops a notch & moves inside for The Money Man

RACE 3

2-I’ll Drink To That – Stakes caliber 3YO last season blew them away here & equaled his lifetime mark of 1:50.3, overwhelmed in the Borgata Series, faces sharp foes tonight, yet hasn’t come close to his best

7-Imaginary Line – Proved he was for real with a jogola as the favorite last week for Team Bongiorno & continues to ramp it up since the recent sick scratch, has the improving form & style to handle a tougher post

8-Alluneedisfaith N – 8YO has found new life going two-for-two in the Nik Drennan barn, hammered down to 6-5 & delivered for The Minister in a sparkling Big M debut, now faces a stiffer test from post eight

RACE 4

3-Miki Minaj – Finally, I mean, finally draws inside & comes off a noteworthy rally for third behind El’s Disco Johnny, this lightly-raced Team Burke 4YO might be on the verge

4-Tolly-Ho – 9YO has unleashed some eye-catching late lunges since re-acclimating here, forced wide from an impossible spot last week, draws better & overdue

9-El’s Disco Johnny – The Disco hustled off the wings & worked out another trip to win again last week & we’re likely getting a similar blastoff after that career best effort

RACE 5

5-JL Cruze – The King returns after getting shuffled in the Dover Downs Open, receives some class relief, reunited with Corey Callahan & can assert himself

4-Lifeintheslammer – Everything the barn sends from The Meadows is well meant, 4YO mare seven-for-seven this season, just swept a series, draws inside & picks up Hot Toddy

1-Deltasun A – 9YO regained his winning edge here two starts back, then faded on the lead @ Pocono, still a live item finally moves inside & could prove troublesome

RACE 6

3-Im A Powerplay A – Has been kind of nursed along & allowed to finish strong from bad posts in two of his last three & this could be the spot where he really bears down at a price

8-Acton Hanover – Runner up to a dominant favorite Imaginary Line last week, stuck outside a competitive field for his key third try off the bench & has faced better for Team Burke

1-Arrhythmic Surge – Moves inside on a nice form spree rallied for a new mark of 1:51 two starts back & hit the board from a tough spot with a mighty surge last week

RACE 7

5-Chin Chin Hall – Won a Preferred here back in mid-December & just missed one in early January, freshened by Nifty Norman & offered a nice late surge to win his qualifier

9-Lovedbythemasses – Has quickly found his best stride going four-for-four this season for Team Cullipher, three-week layoff & outside assignment, but still the prime target

7-Yanks Dugout – Twice a runner up to Lovedbythemasses before a dull effort @ Dover Downs, yet eligible to rebound with speed for Team Burke & possibly turn the tables

RACE 8

7-Ignatius A – Rocketed home from nowhere like a wild horse in :25.2, off that sparkling US debut we’ll give him a chance to pounce off the speed in an ultra competitive division

2-St Lads Beat It – Forced wide & got underway too late in :26 flat, draws inside Hail Christian N off that excellent acclimating mile & looks poised for Andrew Harris

10-Hail Christian N – Shook loose late to score the upset with a well-timed move by Todd McCarthy, Pelling trainee moves outside, but note the post ten score back on March 5

RACE 9

1-Fabrizio N – Somehow caught first over from the rail last week, had been knocking on the door in his previous three & can rebound in line for a more patient stalking trip

8-Water Sports Teen – Major stakes player last year gave way in his 4YO debut, but qualified well here before that & has a chance to step up in a wide-open field for Team Bongiorno

2-De Los Cielos Deo – Terrific season so far & can’t discount that effort chasing a 1:49.1 winner last week, post luck continues & has license to steal this for Team Burke

RACE 10

2-Wrappers Delight A – Got stung a bit early, then stuffed inside behind Way To Close last week, dominant winner before that now a fresh claim & switches to Dexter Dunn

8-Colossal Stride A – Steamrolled first over & just missed as the beaten favorite fresh off the claim last week, stuck outside, but remains a huge fresh threat in a tricky puzzle

1-Winning Linc – The Linc regained winning form with a well-timed Bionic Man pounce last week & lands the rail to play his stalk n pop game again

RACE 11

5-Marty Monkhauser A – Pace compromised & kicked home in :26.4 in a race he needed here last week, classy 13YO faces a softer division & might be worth a swing

4-Dontpassme Hanover – Repeated standout closing quarters from impossible spots, now gets an inside post & dangerous if possibly within striking range

6-Like Clockwork – Wire-to-wire shows desire & was able to exploit a drop to the bottom last week, now revved up & regained confidence & owns his share of back class

RACE 12

6-Majorca N – This NZ import has promptly gone three-for-three in the Dover Downs Open to kick off her US campaign, all with sharp relentless finishes & has an edge in fitness

7-Amazing Dream – Highly-heralded NZ bred, 10-time Group 1 winner added Lasix & cruised in her qualifier, looks ready to strut her stuff in an interesting match up

4-Annabelle Hanover – Solid runner up in three of her last four for Team Cullipher, so can’t fault here recent form  & has a chance to give the NZ duo a serious tussle

RACE 13

8-Sombodyitreasure – Freshened by Team Bongiorno & uncorked a snappy :26.3 to win his qualifier, draws a tough post, but returns at a reduced level

1-Tru Lou – Left alertly, then caught in a bad shuffle & stretch traffic in his troubled Big M debut & now makes his second start for Team Burke from the rail

3-Mindtrip – Was a threat against tougher claimers last month, faded from the pocket last week, switches to Todd McCarthy, lands post three again & has a chance to rebound