Ken Warketin Selections for Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18, 2023

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

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RACE 1

4-Hurrikane Ironhead – James Slendorn & Kelvin Harrison have been a dominant force in this series & here’s a new acquisition fresh off a wire-to-wire blowout @ Freehold

 

3-Knox The Fox – Flashed some late pace from a long way back & draws much better for his third start off the bench in a soft division

 

2-In Nevada N – Finished an okay fifth in the much-needed comebacker for Team Chiodo, draws inside again & figures to show more

 

RACE 2

1-Prince Mcardle N – Only took two starts with Lasix added to post a rousing score @ Freehold for Team Estrada & lands the rail with his back class resurfacing

 

5-See You Friday – Recent Edwin Quevedo claim bounced back nicely & grinded gamely for another solid second last week & builds on that from midpack

 

2-Texas Miki – No factor in three starts on the comeback trail, but gets some class & post relief in a field he can take charge & blitz

 

RACE 3

4-C You Again DK – Has been gathering momentum & confidence in PA for Per Engblom, drops out of tougher claimers there & draws well here in a wide-open affair

 

2-Brookroad Master – Hats off for overcoming a tough trip to hold third in his switch to The Big M & draws better trying to snap an 0 for 25 this season

 

9-Newell Place – 4YO mare on a three-race form spree, parlayed a romp @ Freehold with a strong rally for second here & just needs a better set up

 

RACE 4

1-Racin For Royalty – Ohio-bred filly by Racing Hill has caught fire for Maria Alvarez, lowered her mark to 1:54.3 two starts back @ Cumberland Run & well spotted here on the rail

 

3-Suge – Certainly made her presence felt as a prominent player & just missed with a late surge last week & draws inside again off that excellent acclimating mile

 

8-EA Audit – Roll With Joe filly has been very productive with steady rallies, draws a tough post here, yet arrives fresh off a narrow loss @ Harrah’s Philadelphia

 

RACE 5

7-Sports Advisor – One for 27 this season, off 23 days, demanding post, but goes third time Lasix & most noticeably switches to a new barn that went two-for-two last week

 

2-Shore Of Himself – Beaten favorite just missed with a strong effort from the rail two starts back, then got roughed up & now he’s back inside to rebound in a competitive division

 

3-Lyons Pride – 4YO took a nifty mark of 1:50.4 @ The Big M this season, beaten favorite perked up with a game grind for second last week & lands another inside post

 

RACE 6

3-Deadline Hall – Beaten chalk added Lasix, forced wide & settled for second again, lands post three again & poised for another big effort for Team Cullipher

 

2-Aviation – Went all the way for a new mark in his first start for Scott Di Domenico a notch below this, bounced back off a miscue with a sharp upset & trot at both ends last week

 

10-Portofino – Despite post ten you can’t leave out this Team Burke-tuned 4YO mare, who has been steadily dropping in class

 

RACE 7

1-Whammer Jammer – With a mark of 1:51 in Lexington he promptly delivered an upset in his first start for new connections here & has license to show more from the rail

 

7-I’m Burlington N – Capitalized on his sharp form & was able to catapult off a hot pace to repeat as the heavy favorite & might be too fast & classy for these

 

2-Rock On Line – Launched one of his patented menacing late moves & just missed to Whammer Jammer last week & draws an improved post to set up another stalk n pop

 

RACE 8

5-Decision Day – 1:48.2 performer @ The Big M last season flashed some late life from a tough spot, makes his fourth start after a long layoff & hits rock bottom

 

2-Boiler Maker – Beaten favorite rallied to hit the board, took a mark of 1:49.4 here this season & draws inside on a positive trend

 

8-Heza Real Diamond – Revived his form with a lively narrow loss, moves outside, but makes his fourth start since a sick scratch & owns some back class

 

RACE 9

8-Swan Captain – 4YO has now had a couple of acclimating miles here, draws a tough post, but gets a double class drop & was a prominent player in Indiana

 

4-Timestorm – Just missed against tougher @ Yonkers two starts back, gets enough class relief, knows how to win here & draws well to set up his stalking strategy

 

6-No Drama Please – Pace compromised & rallied solidly for a board spot last out, steady rallier drops a notch & banks on a faster pace target in a complete headscratcher

 

RACE 10

5-Shecouldbegood N – Has been a tad overmatched in her last few @ Yonkers & this classy 10YO faces an easier task here from midpack in a very tricky start to the Late Pick 4

 

2-Strawberry Fields – Team Orange Crush-tuned filly is three-for-three since transitioning here with relentless rallies & she’s rewarded with a much-improved post

 

1-The Charging Moa N – Plainridge invader ships in on a form spree there, 12YO with 44 career wins seems well spotted here & sets up a stalking trip from the rail

 

RACE 11

4-Bonanza – Late-blooming Muscle Hill brother to 2019 Trotter of the Year Greenshoe learning his lessons well winning five of seven for Per Engblom & draws well for his Big M debut

 

5-Tactical Planner – Fresh off a narrow loss with trot at both ends from post seven & this Team Toscano-tuned filly has been knocking on the door

 

3-Oh Look Magic – Ships in off an early miscue @ Yonkers, but note this 3YO makes his second start for Team Burke & draws inside to rebound & tap his potential

 

RACE 12

2-Beltara – Stay Hungry filly sports a mark of 1:51.4, tasted Grand Circuit company, fresh off solid third against N/W 6 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws inside a field riddled with question marks

 

7-Anna’s Wish – Lazarus N filly has struggled since coming back this Fall, post seven again, but now drops into wide-open field & could wake up for Team Bongiorno

 

8-Shelter In Pace – Was hammered down to even money & stormed home from a tough spot to score decisively last week, makes her third start off a sick scratch & can’t rule out a repeat

RACE 13

1-Vibrance – Beaten favorite sharpened her sword with a pair of solid seconds against tougher N/W 6 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & looms large from the rail to kick off a Team Burke 1-2 punch

 

3-Celia B Money – Huntsville filly crushed for a new mark of 1:51.2 in a sparkling Team Burke debut here & she has license to step up further

 

5-Chevrons Bypass B – Captaintreacherous import prepped well in her qualifiers, has a solid acclimating mile under her & now gets the right amount of class relief for Team Miller

 

RACE 14

2-Sports Hero – Crushed first over to score the post eight upset two starts back, dips in price, finally moves inside & picks up The Bionic Man

 

3-Yaya’s Hot Spot N – Draws better fresh off an abrupt wake up win with pace at both ends from post eight & this 13YO makes his fourth start off a sick scratch

 

5-Archetto Hanover – Came up just length shy in both starts since the switch to Edwin Quevedo, acclimated 12YO might have a bit more in this wide-open finale

 

Saturday, November 18 selections

 

RACE 1

1-Hashtag Watch Me – 4YO has been sharp for this price in Ontario this Fall, ships into the Izzy Estrada barn & lands the rail in a camera-shy field for his Big M debut

 

4-Desire’s Captain – 9YO is just two for 36 this year, ships here off a solid third as the beaten favorite @ Yonkers & draws well to employ his stalking style

 

8-Robbie Burns N – Bounced back from a tough trip with a strong second @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, aired it out wire-to-wire here three starts back & might attempt a blast off

 

RACE 2

1-Racing Money – Beaten favorite just missed with pace at both ends in a sharp Big M debut & looms as a logical contender from the rail for Team Estrada

 

8-Hereitiz – Rallied to grab second behind a runaway Photobombr Hanover two starts back, then made a rare miscue & can rebound from another tough post as a fresh claim

 

9-Nob Hill Flash – Picked up Dexter Dunn & superbly driven to a mild upset over Racing Money, tackles another outside draw, but remains in top form

 

RACE 3

2-Soiree Hanover – Leading money winner in her division just missed making it four in a row with a mighty late surge in the Breeders Crown for Lucas Wallin & draws inside a competitive affair

 

4-Honey’s Sweet – Beaten favorite caught fire with back-to-back wins in the Kindergarten Series before an early miscue in that final, draws well & can easily bounce back for Team Alagna

 

6-Walcango – Beaten favorite fresh off a narrow loss in the Garden State last week, runner up to Honey’s Sweet before that & remains fresh & on her toes for Jim Campbell

 

RACE 4

4-Total Stranger – Brother to 2020 HOY Tall Dark Stranger is winless in ten starts, but perked up second time Lasix with a sharp narrow loss in the Kindergarten Final for Team Takter

 

7-Newsroom – 1:49.4 NJ Classic winner was on quite a roll before he got parked in the Breeders Crown & draws a demanding post to rebound & kick off a Joe Holloway 1-2 punch

 

3-Captain Luke – This Captain just missed with a :25.4 in a Breeders Crown elimination, had no chance in that final, added Lasix & won his Big M qualifier with nice late burst for Team Alagna

 

RACE 5

1-Glamorous Hanover – Parlayed a wake up narrow loss in the Kindergarten Final with another sharp second in the Garden State last week & finally moves inside for Team Alagna

 

5-R Melina – 1:53.1 Kentuckiana winner ships in fresh off a decisive romp as the heavy favorite in the Matron Stake, has piled up wins & cash & could dictate the terms here

 

2-French Champagne – Muscle Hill filly won her first five starts in Lexington, three thirds in a row, off a solid effort as the beaten chalk in the Garden State & draws inside again

 

RACE 6

3-Maxim Hanover – Caught fire prior to a recent sick scratch, stormed home to a Matron Stake upset & just missed here before that & draws well on a form spree

 

7-Booming Economy – Grand Circuit winner held off Nuclear three starts back, arrives off a sharp narrow loss to Maxim Hanover in the Matron Stake & commands attention for Team Burke

 

5-Nuclear – Ships in off a no-chance trip in the Breeders Crown, was knocking on the door with some wicked final quarters before that & looms large as a midpack stalking threat

 

RACE 7

5-My Girl EJ – Ultra consistent Team Burke-tuned filly, 1:49.1 Grand Circuit winner romped to a mild upset in a 1:49.2 Breeders Crown & stands out with Dexter Dunn

 

1-Camerican – 1:50.3 Grand Circuit winner just missed in a Breeders Crown elimination before a solid third in that final & lands the rail to give Team Burke a formidable 1-2 punch

 

4-Sarasota Hanover – Added Lasix & bounced back with a mark of 1:50.3 in the slop two starts back, then finished a lively third in the Kindergarten Final & draws well for Team Toscano

 

RACE 8

1-Flying Kronos S – Late-blooming Team Svanstedt trainee chased the incomparable Karl in the Kindergarten Final & now moves inside to stay on a nice late-season roll

 

6-Mosquito – Scored back-to-back in the Kindergarten Series before getting pace compromised & parked in that final, has the big-time pedigree & potential to rebound

 

9-Tony Adams S – Another lightly-raced Team Svanstedt pupil going in the right direction, third in the Kindergarten Final, stuck outside, yet retains Dexter Dunn & can step it up further

 

RACE 9

10-Dragononthebeach – Been slugging it out with Open company @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, stuck outside here, but this steady performer gets some class relief & owns speed

 

2-Nandolo – 9YO took a mark of 1:48.3 here this season, has been a player in the Yonkers Open, regaining form since the late-September sick scratch, drops & draws inside for Team Tritton

 

3-Belmont Royale N – Gets class & post relief off a no-chance trip last week & this is a versatile Nifty Norman trainee in good form right now & can kick home with the best of these

 

RACE 10

7-Abuckabett Hanover – Mohawk Gold Cup winner in 1:47.3 on the fringe against top FFAers recently, owns a wicked late move & has a chance to regain his winning edge

 

8-I Did It Myway – $180,000 Harrisburg purchase won a Graduate division in 1:47.3, fresh off two blowouts @ Cumberland Run & worth a long look for new connections despite post eight

 

5-Captain Crusader A – Solid runner up to the heavily favored Southwind Gendry last week, on a three-race form spree & poised to step up further for Team Cullipher

 

RACE 11

8-Lexus Kody – Off a rare miscue when he tried to air it out @ Plainridge, off 25 days, post eight here, yet he can regroup, take charge & pad his high win percentage for Team Burke

 

1-Mon Amour – Very steady Per Engblom trainee returns to The Big M with some class relief & the rail in a very tricky puzzle & his last win here came with Dexter Dunn

 

7-Toccoa Falls – Used hard from the same demanding post & had to settle for second to Nextroundsonme last week & can rebound with a more patient trip for Per Engblom

 

RACE 12

4-Girldad – 3YO Sweet Lou gelding needed his last two against stiffer N/W 5 @ Harrah’s Philadelphia & draws better here in a wide-open mixed bag field for Team Burke

 

8-Southwind Sambucca – Lightly-raced 3YO has come to hand for Tom Fanning, speed popped them for a new mark of 1:51.3 last Friday & has more to tackle an even tougher post

 

6-BB Lucky Boy – Blasted down the road in 1:49.4 three starts back, couldn’t quite handle the class hike in his last two, yet could be a dangerous controlling speed threat

 

RACE 13

1-Better Not Talk – Recent winner at this level @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, reunited with Todd McCarthy, lands the rail here & has a chance to stalk & pop these

 

2-Marcus Seelster – Owns a 1:50.2 mark here this season, strong in the win column & draws better to trip out in his second start off the bench

 

5-Mindtrip – Classy 10YO too full advantage of more class relief & powered down the road to an overdue win & can easily see him making a similar attempt off the confidence boost

 

RACE 14

1-Straight Talk – Slows starts have cost him in his last two, drops back down to a winning level, moves inside has a chance to be forwardly placed

 

3-Alta Blues A – Got nosed out with a sharp late burst two starts back, then was bumped up & just missed with another strong effort from post nine & now draws better

 

9-Tito Rocks – Tito has been dropping steadily down the condition ladder, twice beaten favorite draws outside here, but another class dip might spell revival