Ken Warkentin’s Race Reviews for Friday, Dec 26 & Saturday, Dec 27, 2025

Monday, December 22, 2025

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Race 1

9-Odds On Sara Sara – Brushed n crushed off a pedestrian :58.1 half with a solid :55.3 back half last week, just missed from post ten before that, so she’s razor sharp & retains Brett Beckwith

 

4-MS Frances Assisi – 3YO filly has been very consistent, comes of a sick scratch, but draws well to suit her preferred stalking style inside the main speeds

 

10-I Dream Of Jeanie – Paid off the chalk by going all the way with more sustain from post nine last week, slammed with post ten, yet remains on a roll since coming back

 

Race 2

1-Poker Play – Twice beaten favorite trip compromised last Thursday, grinded gamely for the deuce before that, finally draws inside a soft TM 71 & picks up Brett Beckwith

 

8-Knickknack Hanover – Moves outside, but drops back down to the TM 71 level she upset fresh off the bench & rates strong consideration in this extremely wide-open field

 

10-Hunters Gal – Just three for 41 this season, but a frequent contender against these with her closing kick & with post ten she’s at the mercy of pace & trip

 

Race 3

6-Dream Pillar – One for 19 this season, but solid runner up in her last three since coming back, no I Dream Of Jeanie in here & she’s a threat to stalk n pop for an overdue win as Symington’s pick

 

3-Pull Me Through – Lost by a nose to ultra game Sweet Sandy two starts back, then got parked from post eight & now draws better with another hike up to TM 71

 

2-Sweet Sandy – She bumped into a runaway winner I Dream Of Jeanie last week, draws a better post, which affords her the chance to control the speed

 

Race 4

5-Dancing Lew – Surprisingly well supported in his comebacker, lived up to the hype with a wide rally to just miss & moves to mid pack for an anticipated follow up as Brett Beckwith’s choice of four

 

6-Full Disclosure – Has a chance to rebound off a clunker @ Yonkers, score a win & second here before that for his new barn & could be the one to catch

 

7-Baron Michael – One for 29 this season, but perked up with a much stronger rally to grab the deuce when switched to the TM 74, challenging draw, yet he’s a veteran who can fire late

 

Race 5

3-Ourmomentntime – Took a couple of starts to break through here for Per Engblom, left alertly, attacked boldly & prevailed in a soft TM 71 affair, draws inside & switches to Brett Beckwith

 

7-Soeur Mary – 3YO filly surprised more than a few when she rallied off cover to a new lifetime mark for her new barn despite missing 42 days & has license to show more from a tougher post

 

2-Candy Bomber – Changed barns & stormed home from post seven to nail the nose upset last week & draws better for his third start off the bench

 

Race 6

10-Iwon’t Backdown AS – Stuck outside, but gets another dose of class relief off a much better third over an off track allowing two seconds & retains Brett Beckwith

 

9-Sainthood – Slammed with post nine off a break at the start, recovered to grab a share, was on a form spree before that, gets class relief & strong in the win column

 

2-Aardiebythehill N – NZ-bred son of Muscle Hill hasn’t raced in a month off a sick scratch, but just missed to Sainthood last out & draws inside that rival for Per Engblom

 

Race 7

1-Nila Maree N – Art Major 4YO adds Lasix for her US debut for Per Engblom, jogged in her Yonkers qualifier, lands the rail & was Brett Beckwith’s choice of four

 

2-Perfidious Crown – Sharp filly for Team Alagna romped in her first two starts off the bench, including a career best 1:51.1 & draws inside fresh off a strong second @ Harrah’s Philadelphia

 

6-More Gooda N – Runner up to a decisive wire-to-wire Take Your Pick in a solid US debut on Lasix as the beaten favorite & looms large off that excellent/much needed acclimating mile

 

Race 8

3-Massive Matter – Brad Chisholm’s choice took advantage of his second straight class drop by grinding out a close second to a heavy favorite Rock My Universe & draws inside again

 

5-Craigieburn – Sports a mark of 1:54 here taken in his lone win this season, gets some significant class relief, changes barns, moves to mid pack & retains Mark Herschberger

 

6-Magic Melvin – Gets a class hike off another strong second here, 4YO has come around for Team Tritton, flashing trot @ both ends of the mile & figures to be forwardly placed

 

Race 9

5-Nite Time Deal – Stormed home to a massive 1:52.4 upset here three starts back, shifts back from Yonkers into a wide-open match up & picks up Brett Beckwith

 

7-Miss Dottie Mae – Drops another notch off a no-chance mile from post nine, sharpened her swortd @ Yonkers before that & reunited with Johnathan Ahle

 

8-Going Away – 1:51.2 performer @ The Big M this season has been pretty steady recently, might have to employ her closing kick from a tougher post & was Mark Herschberger’s pick of three

 

Race 10

4-Interview Fra A – Lived up to the tote hype with an energetic score fresh from a five-month layoff, kudos to Noel Daley & rewarded with an improved post for the step up in class

 

8-Bestfreind Volo – Beaten favorite in a mile & a quarter event @ Yonkers was regaining form off a late-October sick scratch, but this Team Takter trainee was Brett Beckwith’s choice

 

2-Super Duper Cooper – Cooper has been super recently, hard-charging second to the favorite Outside The Fire last week & looms large from post two again

 

Race 11

4-Take Your Pick – Sharp Team Pollack-tuned mare fresh off a her 12^th win of the season wire-to-wire, bumps back up in class, but draws better & Brett Beckwith sticks over two others

 

5-Glittering Hope – Continues to raise her recent profile with Lasix added in her last two, fresh off a perfect trip/mild upset @ Yonkers, her tenth this year & stalks from mid pack

 

8-Tich A Loch A – Mystery mare & Australian import, added Lasix &  finished well in her Big M qualifier, faces a tough draw & class for her US debut, but her barn must be respected

 

Race 12

4-Ikon Vang DK – Jogged in his last two @ Saratoga with Brett Beckwith, has now piled up eight wins this season, draws well, gets a barn change & retains our red-hot leading pilot

 

9-Donato Patriot K – Attempts another comeback fresh off an emphatic qualifier for Team Bongiorno, could be blasting & taking no prisoners from post nine

 

1-Velociraptor – Reverted back to aggressive handling from post eight & bottomed out for the rousing upset last week & now moves inside brimming with confidence

 

Race 13

5-Elegant Dance – Lightly–raced 3YO filly seeks to rebound off breaks as longshot @ Yonkers, returns to The Big M in a much easier sport, launches mid pack & retains Brett Beckwith

 

3-Vanguard – Just one for 36 this season, but has been on a nice roll recently, almost stole one on the engine last Thursday & draws inside to employ similar tactics

 

6-Mr Instigator – 3YO flashed a bit more late life in his second start here, now tighter/acclimated, draws better & looks for some speed to shoot at in an ultra headscratcher

 

Race 14

7-Not That Hillary – Lightly-raced filly has picked up her game in her last two @ Yonkers for her new barn, faces a challenging draw in a wide-open finale, yet seems to be heading in the right direction

 

3-Sunburnt – Just two for 40 this season, distant runner up to a runaway favorite Odds On Sara Sara last week & draws better to play a stalking role closer to the pace

 

9-Suntan City – Steady sort transitions from Saratoga for a high percentage barn, slammed with post nine, but was Brett Beckwith’s choice of three