Ken Warkentin’s Friday, September 16 & Saturday, September 17 Selections

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Friday, September 16 Selections

RACE 1
1-Make Sweet Magic – Just missed in a division of NJSS with a :26.3 back in early July & moves inside for her second try off the bench

3-Alexa’s Fantasy – Exploded out of the pocket to win the elimination as the lukewarm favorite & draws inside off that lifetime best

5-Rocknation – Stepped up with some speed & finished a solid third in her second career start, continues to improve for Team Toscano

RACE 2
3-Volume Eight – Chapter Seven colt won his qualifier with a perfect trip, pace compromised in his debut, draws a bit better & lands in a real soft spot

5-Munk – Muscle Hill first foal out of a sister to millionaire Dejarmbro, jammed in off a slow pace & broke late, previous qualifiers were good, threat to rebound for Team Orange Crush

7-Chef Rocco – Has a chance to bounce back off an early miscue, hit the board in his previous two & faces easier opposition

RACE 3
2-Undeniableblue chip – Freshened & qualified nicely in his last two, chased Kraken Seelster with a :26.2 last week & draws inside with The White Knight

4-Kraken Seelster – Polished off a perfect trip with a :26.3 to win a sharp prep last week, Team Toscano trainee now loaded with confidence

1-Barry J – Went on a roll @ Hawthorne win his last two there as the heavy favorite, then prepped well @ Pocono & lands the rail here for Team Miller

RACE 4
1-Ucandoit Blue Chip – NJSS champion in 1:51.1 came up a bit short in her first start off the bench, now lands the rail to employ her stalk n pop style

5-Lisa Lane – Gave Patrick Ryder his first Big M win with a well-rated wire-to-wire, logically attempts a similar effort in a field lacking serious speed

3-Wall Of Blue – Won a NJSS division in a well-controlled 1:53 with a :26.4, fresh off a confident prep @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & eligible to steal this one

RACE 5
3-Heckraiser Hanover – Chapter Seven colt has come back with two in a row @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws well here in a prime spot to take charge

2-Bangin In the Hall – Gelding has started to pick up his game recently with a nose loss @ Yonkers, then a solid third to Heckraiser Hanover & gets another inside draws

7-Kelly’s Baby – Team Burke Chapter Seven filly added trotting hobbles, bounced back & just missed with an aggressive effort @ Pocono

RACE 6
2-Warrawee Yes – Rallied from a tough spot to just miss in the Pure Ivory & won a Peaceful Way elimination, sister to Testing Testing finally draws inside here

4-Grand Fashion – Walner sister to Broadway Donna & Fashion Schooner off a couple of solid seconds, her latest after missing 27 days, looms large for top connections

5-Secret Volo – Consistent Walner filly on the board in four of six for Team Melander, stole away to break her maiden last week, worth a long look in a competitive field

RACE 7
3-Bella Ciao – Stepped up & rallied stoutly to dominate her debut for Team Bongiorno & draws an improved post with an impressive upset to build on

1-Quietly Brilliant – Team Svanstedt Muscle Hill filly stormed home from a tough spot to get nosed out & moves inside off that big wake up mile

5-Gotta Get Crackin – Suddenly took charge & took it all the way to give trainer Jessica Fallon her first Big M win, midpack draw gives this Walner filly some options

RACE 8
2-Gates Hanover – Walner brother to Hambo winner Perfect Spirit tuned up with a well-controlled Kindergarten Series score, just missed to Purple Lord before that, sharp Team Svanstedt colt draws inside with DD

3-Oh Well – NJSS champion in 1:53.1 & runner up in the Peter Haughton tuned up with a confident qualifier from the same inside post

6-Purple Lord – Deserves much respect for his decisive Kindergarten Series upset with trot at both ends fresh off the bench & Corey has the hot hands

RACE 9
5-Dyladmar – Muscle Hill 13th foal from his Garland Lobell dam, parlayed a patient trip into a convincing romp in his Big M debut for Marion Marauder trainer Paula Wellwood

6-Southwind Admiral – Came right back off a sick scratch to repeat in style with a career best of 1:55.1, big threat draws a bit better & retains Todd McCarthy

2-Air Power – Closed from a long way back to grab second to Southwind Admiral, has license to step up & both Team Melander colts draw inside

RACE 10
5-Deerfield Beach – Just missed to Scrappin Gold with a gallant first over try last week, trainer Symon Spicer has this one in rebound mode

7-Scrappin Gold – Was able to wrestle control & held on to go all the way last week, repeat threat sports a 1:51.3 mark here this season

4-Chief Of Staff – Got parked by Scrappin Gold & retreated last, nosed out with a furious rally before that & draws well to bounce back

RACE 11
9-Niki Hill – 2021 Dan Patch Award winner launches another comeback off a couple of impressive qualifiers, stuck outside, yet looks ready for this match up

4-Rable – Got parked & cooked through a vicious pace from post ten, career best 1:50.2 before that, this is a step up & just one for 28 this season, but her post improves

8-High Minded – Forced wide & rallied to finish second to standout Golden Quest first time Lasix, could be on the verge of snapping her 2022 goose egg

RACE 12
1-Some Kinda Crazy – Crazy Wow filly on the way up just missed to Gates Hanover in a Kindergarten division & lands the rail to trip out

7-Champagne Hanover – Added Lasix & blew them away in rousing fashion @ Pocono, stands out here despite a tricky post

5-Primo Vomo – Bounced back off a rare miscue & went all the way with a decisive upset, this Kadabra colt is just getting his act together

RACE 13
7-E Z Noah – Arrives fresh off an eye-catching wire-to-wire @ Freehold, 13YO with 50 career wins now in the hands of The Judge Beltrami

4-Svengali – Overcame a tough trip to pick up minor spoils last week, has been better in his last two after the rare break on August 16 & draws well in a wide-open affair

8-Sunshine’s Finest – One for 25 this season & draws outside again, but got nosed out with a wake-up call last week, 1:51.2 winner here in 2022 needs a bit more

RACE 14
1-Park Slope – Chapter Seven filly was a solid runner up in her second career start for Nifty Norman & has a big chance to break through in this real soft finale

4-Destiny’s Darling – Added trotting hopples & romped in the NY Excelsior A Series @ Tioga Downs, then outsprinted fourth here behind Park Slope, solid contender

7-Pure Hope S – Sweden-bred filly making some promising moves for Team Svanstedt, look for more in her second start of the bench

Saturday, September 17 Selections

RACE 1
8-Nylander – Moves outside, but dominated better @ Harrah’s Philadelphia three starts back & this is a class drop that simply can’t be ignore

6-Shinkansen – Did some decent work carving it out before fading to third last week, horse-for-the-course dips down a notch & switches back to Dexter Dunn

3-Nancy Bar – Tommy Haughton ships in a live mare on a form spree, took a new mark of 1:55 two starts back @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, draws inside & eligible to trip out

RACE 2
1-Betterock – 1:50.2 winner @ The Big M this season gets some needed class & post relief for the switch back here & Team Bongiorno hitting on all cylinders

3-Rockin The Aces – Hard-knocking regular here has maintained consistency through a long season, drops a notch & draws inside off a solid third last week

5-Hickfromfrenchlick – Got too revved up on the engine, yet still just missed in a lively Big M acclimating mile, fresh on the comeback trail & faces a competitive match up

RACE 3
1-Stonebridge Reef – 1:50.1 performer here this season has been knocking on the door, lands the rail fresh off a hard-fought loss from post eight

2-Dontpassme Hanover – Moves inside off a nightmare trip from post eight last week & just missed in :26 before that & stands out in this affair

3-Pompeo Hanover – Pompeo has won three of his last four, just wired them for a new mark of 1:52.2 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws post three again

RACE 4
8-All Rise – Rallied to be runner up to a dominant winner in Fix-It-Up last week, tougher post this time, but drops a notch & can fire off the wings for Judge Beltrami

9-Flanagan Destiny – One for 18 this season & draws outside, but picking up steady shares, just missed in :27.3 last time & has gate speed to be put in play

2-Tequila N Roses – Finally, I mean, finally stayed flat & put together a solid second in last Saturday’s finale, draws inside a wide-open field & retains Jack Pelling

RACE 5
2-Lenda Hand Man – Seems to have turned a corner in his last two @ Yonkers, off a solid rally for second there & draws inside here for the sizzling Team Bongiorno

6-Rope The Moon – Came right back here to repeat with a lively upset & equaled his lifetime mark two starts back, look for another aggressive effort in a headscratcher

1-Big Bad Bill – Bill has made some noteworthy moves to finish second in his last two since a sick scratch, one for 28 this season, yet lands the rail & long overdue

RACE 6
5-Ambassador Hanover – Has been a serious player against the sport’s top guns, just obliterated a similar group @ Yonkers, so Team Svanstedt have him on his toes

3-JL Cruze – The King was able to rate perfectly for Montrell & flaunted his class holding off Crystal Fashion last week, bumped up, yet draws better & dangerous in control

6-Double Account – Razor sharp Team Cullipher trainee fresh off a narrow loss here last week & went all the way in a sizzling 1:51.3 before that

RACE 7
1-Big Chic Magnet – Posted a decisive upset with pace @ both ends from post nine & took a new mark of 1:49.3 when last seen here, returns with the rail for Team Bongiorno

4-Decision Day – Sports a 1:48.2 mark here this season, struggled from outside posts recently, gets his third straight class drop & eligible for a wake up call

5-Palomar – Was too far back in his return to The Big M last week, previous form was sharp, owns a big late move & threatens with the right set up for Team Cullipher

RACE 8
6-Cliffhanger – Was reclaimed by Richard Johnson & promptly stormed home to just miss last week, draws a bit better & might be on the verge in a real handicapper’s challenge

3-Southwind Onyx – Slugging it out with $30,000 claimers @ Yonkers before a close second @ Tioga Downs last week & draws well here to set up a stalking trip

4-Rocks Noble Artist – Continued on his form spree with a close second here, while flashing sharp pace at both ends & gets another inside draw to keep it going

RACE 9
9-Crystal Fashion – Classy gelding grinded gamely & gave JL Cruze a fierce tussle to the wire last week, tougher draw, but look for more in his second start off the bench

6-Fix-It-Up – Stepped up in class & delivered another knockout punch last week for Team Bongiorno & this improving 4YO continues to climb the ladder

4-Toccoa Falls – Eight for 23 this season & was holding his own against better @ Yonkers recently, took his mark of 1:53.1 here this season & draws better to be more aggressive

RACE 10
2-One Eight Hundred – 4YO gave a strong account of himself with a lively second as the heavy favorite in his Team Burke debut last week & now moves inside

5-Major Fernco N – Catapulted off a fast pace to just miss as the beaten favorite in his Big M debut last week & still figuring out how good he really is

3-Captain Barbossa – Classy 1:47.1 track record holder makes his second start for Team Bongiorno, needed last week’s mile after missing more than three months & draws better

RACE 11
5-Alkippe – 1:51.1 performer here this season, landing on the edges recently, gets some needed class relief & launches midpack in a complete toss up

8-Dandy Idea – Overcame a nightmare trip to take a new lifetime mark last week fresh off the bench, draws a tougher post, but has something big to build on

9-Kat – One for 21 in 2022 & lands outside, yet ships from Grand River to join the Burke Brigade, would need a big effort, but not out of the question in this wide-open field

RACE 12
6-A Better Game – Took her mark of 1:50.4 here this season, grinded gamely for a solid second last out & this recent winner @ Tioga Downs could be poised for another

10-Sly Eleanor N – Flashed a :26.2 for minor spoils last week, Team Burke trainee stuck outside, but gets further class relief & strong in the win column

8-April Ava – The other Team Burke mare failed to get involved from post nine, remains outside looking in, but also drops & can blast off into contention

RACE 13
3-Lou’s Pearlman – Canadian Pacing Derby finalist gets a chance to regroup in a more reasonable spot for Team Burke, often thrives @ The Big M & eligible to trip out

4-Billy Clyde – Billy was his usual aggressive self & just missed to an unbelievable Southwind Gendry last week, remains on a long form spree & looks like the main target

1-Imaginary Line – Was never better when he tripped out for a new mark of 1:49.2 second time Lasix, lands the rail for the step up & part of strong Team Bongiorno 1-2 punch

RACE 14
5-DL’s Big Elvis – Elvis launched a wide late bid & was right there in the photo @ 42-1 last Friday, draws a bit better off that inspiring effort & reunited with Jack Pelling

9-One More Try – Has hit the board in two of her last three, she rallied stoutly for second despite being pace compromised, draws tougher, but rates contender status

2-Make It Big – Exits the GSY 1 Series & showed plenty of speed, draws inside a wide-open finale, figures to be prominently placed in a complete headscratcher