Ken Warkentin’s Selections – Friday, Feb 11

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

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Ken Warkentin’s Selections for Friday, February 11

RACE 1

3-Camden Hills – Looks poised for his 4YO debut off a lifetime best, some freshening, an energetic qualifier & draws inside for Team Bongiorno

5-All The Truth – Beaten heavy favorite just missed with an aggressive effort in the slop last week, gets another big shot at this level & looms large for Team Burke

6-Spunkin’srocketman – Made a prompt mile track transition with a slick Luke Hanners drive off a sick scratch, then hit the board behind All the Truth last week, solid contender

RACE 2

7-Miki Minaj – Got stung some going for the lead from post ten & held for minor spoils in a decent acclimating mile, lightly-raced Team Burke 4YO has license to improve

6-Captain My Captain – Captaintaintreacherous 4YO bumped into a heavily favored Candy Trader last Saturday, making only his seventh career start & this is a soft spot to exploit

4-Datguyna Greensuit – Arrives fresh off a sharp effort @ Rosecroft, switches to a barn that’s won a few races here recently, lightly-raced 4YO just one for 17, but has upside

Race 3

3-Trixie Dust – The Dust hasn’t raced in three weeks, yet was hinting with two straight on the board finishes off a sick scratch, drops to the basement & draws inside

2-M And MMS – Muscle Mass finished an okay fourth in her 3YO debut without trotting hopples, draws post two again with a chance to trip out & break through

1-Marveloustrix – Shows a close second @ the N/W $4,000 level three starts back, hit the bottom condition & lands her third straight rail for a possible stalk n pop

RACE 4

2-MV OK Palacio BR – Is this the spot where the Brazilian bred kicks in the door?  Finally moves inside & Matt Zuccarello had him going well to hit the board last week

6-Hes Gone Badder – Followed up a third, placed second with a gutsy narrow loss from post eight as the heavy favorite last week, could be on the verge of an overdue win

5-Rockin Indy – Blew up the board @ Freehold in dramatic style two starts back, takes his revived form back to where he’s done his share of damage in the past

RACE 5

4-Bytheway Hanover – Kicked in late & got nosed out in a sharp Big M debut first time Lasix, lands post four again to employ a similar stalk n pop strategy

3-I Will Do It – Carved out a solid pace from post eight & settled for second in a very acceptable acclimating mile, now moves inside after missing three weeks

10-Be Best – Tripped out from post six to score decisively two starts back, drops back down to the basement condition with post ten & needs to rebound off a complete clunker

RACE 6

1-A Better Game – Didn’t take long for this 4YO to catch her best stride, no JM Betonsix to contend with here & lands the rail to set up an ideal stalk n pop scenario

6-Royaltywestho – Absolutely romped in the sloppy track comebacker last week in her first start for Team Bongiorno, fresh threat poised to step up further

9-Extrilla Hanover – Revived her form with a couple of solid thirds @ Yonkers for team Burke, lands outside here, but we know Yannick Gingras can make speed

RACE 7

1-Captain Hill – Only took a couple of starts off the latest claim to score in energetic style & drops into a real cozy GSY 1 division where can get aggressive

3-Father Sarducci – Despite a three-week layoff he turned things around, fought off pressure & held on for the mild upset last week, draws inside again for the repeat attempt

2-Dream Out Loud N – 15YO was claimed off a rare miscue in the slop last week, classy warhorse draws better to rebound with controlling speed in his arsenal

RACE 8

10-French Shaker – Post ten, three-month layoff, off a sick scratch, but qualified well behind a stablemate who won her Team Bongiorno comeback & this is a class drop

9-Classica – Steamrolled first over to score the nose upset in her second start off a sick scratch, moves outside, but she can move forward off that lifetime best in the slop

1-Little Sandy Toes – Beaten favorite was used to establish command & gave way in the slop, she is logically eligible to rebound by moving inside & tripping out in a wide-open field

RACE 9

3-Knight Angel – Simply didn’t have the needed knock out punch in the slop last week, second start for Team Bongiorno & draws inside again to set up a similar stalking trip

5-Remember Titans – Handled the double class hike admirably with a solid rally for second last week, has license to gets even better & lands midpack again

6-Skyway Kon Man – The Kon Man took matters into his own hands with an lively score last week, Team Cullipher stalwart is versatile & brimming with confidence

RACE 10

4-Divine Deo – Has chased her stablemate back-to-back with solid runner up finishes, was strong in the win column last year & has a chance to turn the tables

5-JM Betonsix – Came right back to go two-for-two here since switching to Team Burke, equaling her lifetime mark in the slop, so four in a row looks mighty likely

1-Morning Has Broken – If you’re fishing for a possible price play she makes her second start off a sick scratch, sports a 1:52.1 mark here last season & draws better

RACE 11

1-Sonic Flare – Post ten winner three starts back, claimed off a narrow loss two starts back, beaten favorite used hard last Saturday, horse-for-the-course moves to the rail

7-So Take That – Continues on a long form spree, solid runner up again last Saturday, 13YO will bank on pace & trip to launch his closing move

5-Lyons Liberty – Finished third behind So Take That last Saturday, stormed home to win a couple recently, so always dangerous with the right set up

RACE 12

6-Dontpassme Hanover – Has now had three starts on the comeback trail, drops into a softer condition, sports that 1:51.2 mark as a 2YO, now or never spot

7-Iammrbrightside N – Team Bongiorno claim back in early December hit the board in a similarly wide-open affair last week, 12YO’s back class continues to resurface

8-Happy Trio – You gotta like the way he perked up with the move to the mile track & class relief last week, draws another tough post, but faces another field of question marks

RACE 13

2-Justlikehim – Beaten favorite was actively put in play & faded to fifth last week, solid runner up before that, drops another notch & draws inside again

3-Vic’s Winner – Has been much more effective since dropping to this level with back-to-back seconds, draws well once more & expected to be forwardly placed

4-Halliama – Finally put it all together with a sterling rally in the slop last week, steps up off that confidence-boosting win with an ideal inside post

 

Ken Warkentin’s Selections for Saturday, February 12

Race 1

1-Lettuceriprita A – Classy 12YO sports good form @ Yonkers, third start off the claim by hot connections here this Winter & the rail paves the way for a smooth stalking trip

3-Manhattan Beach – Another typical Team Burke takeover dominated right off the hop here, 9YO has plenty of back class to tap into & draws inside for the step up in class

8-Cool Blues Man – Impossible to explain that extreme turnaround upset last week, took four starts for the New Years Eve claim to pay off, now post eight to prove it was no fluke

RACE 2

3-Always A Force – 9YO was no factor in his much-needed comeback after missing seven months, 1:51.2 performer here last season now drops into a bottom claimer & draws inside

4-Captain’s Reign – Added Todd McCarthy, sustained a broken headpole, yet continued to grind them down to score a decisive upset in the slop & remains at this reduced price

1-Opus Blue Chip – Opus banged out his first two off a sick scratch & has continued to race well on Lasix, impossible to ignore The Money Man from the rail

RACE 3

8-Game Of Change – Been doing fairly well @ Dover Downs this Winter, change of barns & venue might spark something despite the demanding post here in an impossible puzzle

7-P-Drive Hanover – Fresh claim off a parked out trip from post ten, solid runner up in his two previous starts, so has an edge in form over most in this wide-open affair

1-Good Day Mate – 12YO warhorse & Irish Joe short sleeves ship back here to familiar ground while on a three-race form spree @ Freehold & fires out from the rail

RACE 4

5-Hestherightstuff – Aired it out wire-to-wire with a new mark first time Lasix, then just missed two starts back, parked at Saratoga last out & reunited with Corey Callahan

10-Candy Trader – Candy was dandy crushing first over in his Team Bongiorno debut here last week, moves outside & steps up, yet this lightly-raced 4YO has plenty of upside

3-Hurrikanekingjames – Left alertly, got stuffed inside & shook loose late chasing a 9-5 favorite, lands post three again in top form to either stalk the speed or take charge

RACE 5

1-Leon David – Moves inside fresh off a much-improved effort, sub 1:50 performer here drops into an easier condition with a chance to trip out for an overdue win

7-Palomar – Been holding his own against $75k claimers finishing third back-to-back before being taken by Team Cullipher, demanding draw, but drops into a softer condition

5-Chaser Hanover – Finally regained his confidence with a wire-to-wire blowout last week, bumps back up into a more competitive event, yet can’t rule out a repeat

RACE 6

2-Nocturnal Blue Chip – Fired out from post eight & shook loose with late pace behind Put To Right last week, now draws moves inside & Jeff Gillis has a strong 1-2 punch in here

3-Put To Right – Stepped up to this level & needed every inch of that perfect trip last week, razor sharp Team Burke trainee now draws better for the repeat attempt

4-Ana Afreet N – Might’ve been looking for the brush n crush, but just missed, classy Team Cullipher trainee makes that key third start off the bench with post four again

RACE 7

7-Perfectboy Hanover – More than lived up to the hype with a convincing brush n crush as the favorite last week, post seven again, but the sharp 4YO shines bright in this spot

2-Way To Close – Followed up a rail-skimming upset with an overanxious effort last week, lands post two again with a big chance to rebound

5-Mindtrip – Steady & versatile 9YO was used hard to grab the lead from post ten, finally draws a decent post, steps up in price, but can never be ruled out

RACE 8

3-Racine Bell – Beat some big names like Lyons Sentinel & Rocknificent & took a mark of 1:48.1 here last Summer, freshened with a pair of Saratoga qualifiers & draws inside

8-Soho Burning Love A – 1:48.2 performer here last May has been a prominent force in the Dover Downs Open, tough draw here, but owns speed & big late move

2-Machnhope – Upset the 2021 Blue Chip Matchmaker Final, 1:49.1 winner here last season gearing up with some strong efforts @ Yonkers & in line for a nice trip here

RACE 9

6-Walknafter Midnite – Got off to a slow start, was stuffed inside & surged late to be a close third again last week, opportunistic type with a big late move very sharp right now

2-No Lou Zing – Drops a notch & lands post two again fresh off a solid narrow loss on the engine last week & figures to be the main target for Team Takter

3-Italian Delight N – Delighted his backers with a mighty charge to beat the favorite Tam Major A last week, lands post three again while on his toes in a competitive dash

RACE 10

2-Patrickthepiranha A – 1:48.4 performer here last season steps up into a light version of the Preferred, gathering steam since the sick scratch, draws inside & can fly home

6-Covered Bridge – Team Burke gelding came up with one of his best ever miles when Yannick rallied him for the 1:49 upset, three weeks off, but still a threat to repeat

8-Let It Ride N – Two-time Preferred winner this Winter fresh off a narrow loss, has now missed a month & moves outside, so tough to gauge, yet must rate highly

RACE 11

3-Odds On Delray – Returns to claimers after squandering a perfect second over trip last week, finally draws inside, banks on a hot pace & can fire home with the best of these

1-Dina Bolt N – Reeled off two straight here last month, including a career best 1:50.3, parked from post eight last out, kicks off a fierce Team Bongiorno 1-2 punch from the rail

8-De Los Cielos Deo – Credit Team Burke for reviving this classy horse-for-the-course, that was an impressive post nine score last week & can’t rule out another

RACE 12

10-Heza Real Diamond – Got hung out to dry from post ten last week, draws outside again, but drops another notch & switches to Todd McCarthy

8-I’m A Big Deal – Forced wide for minor spoils last week, beaten favorite at this level two starts back, some back class lurking & worth a long look despite post eight

6-Baileys Rock N – Sparked his form with the recent addition of Lasix, has paid the price for slow starts, gets some class relief & draws a bit better in a real headscratcher

RACE 13

1-Mister Hat – 1:52.2 performer here last season tripped out to score from the rail @ Yonkers two starts back, drops into a soft TrackMaster affair with stalk n pop potential

2-Louie Louie – Freshie for Team Burke with a mark of 1:51.4 @ The Meadows, qualified well enough here, goes second time Lasix & draws inside a real mixed bag HI-5

4-A Stud Named Sam – Grinded out a game score from post four when well supported two starts back, too far back last week, proven capable of rebounding in this intriguing final