MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020
FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind … SPECTRE was three-wide to the 1/8 then in third 3/16, right up the Pocono Pike and had the most late. P L ICABOD yielded before the 3/16 to sit a two-hole, outside late turn, never had the lead but steadily for second. PUERTO RICO was out almost to the 3/16 in the 26.4 opener, rated the second quarter but the early energy use caught up to him. O JONNIE was last, had strong trot up the Pike late. CHAPTER FASHION gapped at several points along the way, not that much late. MISS MUSCLE was three-wide to try to circle dull cover late turn, not much. PRETTY EDGY was second-over, blindswitched, didn’t seem to have much in tight quarters much of the stretch. DJOKOVIC N moved raw towards turn two, didn’t gain much before backing off. ANDOVERS TOUCH was never in the hunt.
SECOND RACE – DAFINATY was the only strong leaver, set the pace to his liking, not threatened. FOOL OF IDEAS used the rail to get the pocket, came outside, drifted a little wide in the lane but still clearly second. BETTER BANGBANG was briefly outside to the ¾ but went back in with not a lot to give. SEE YOU FRIDAY got around two gappers down the backstretch, could get no closer. PROM KING and ALL PIPED UP were both gapping at several points.
THIRD RACE – FOCUS POCUS moved towards the ½ and cleared just past the 5/8 while going his own third quarter in 27.3, looked safe against the threat of CELEBRITY ROLEX. The latter left quickly from the rail, yielded in the front of the stands, came out as the winner was going by and retucked in the pocket, stayed close but wasn’t getting to the winner. DRAIN THE SWAMP outclosed the rest for the distant third. APOCALYPSE came out late backstretch, left behind while two-wide on the turn. TUFF TO BE LINDY tucked, moved to the lead in front of the grandstand, had no answer when the winner challenged past the 5/8. BETTA MUSCLES fell way back. HOLLOW TALK was already gapping past the 1/8.
FOURTH RACE – BIG CC’S ROCK was content in the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and drew off as much the best. LYONS JOHNNY moved out of third 11/16, gained some, couldn’t step with the winner but edged SPECTACULAR ROCK in the last step for second. The latter was very fast away, got his own half, couldn’t complete this mission. REDONKULOUS struggled from later in the backstretch. DELIGHTFUL FASHION gapped at points, out late turn, couldn’t reach fourth. WE NEVER GETACOLT got around a struggling BOOK BINGE.
FIFTH RACE – TRAVEL WINNER went up between horses to command at the 1/8, yielded at the ¼ then moved to reclaim the lead just past the 3/8, in control the rest of the way. CASH FOR REAL was three-wide to the 1/8 to the lead just before the ¼, yielded just past the 3/8 for the two-hole, couldn’t gain but held ground well. EV’S GIRL moved out from next-to-last 9/16 and gradually tightened in on cover, ducked inside late turn, then out in the stretch and showed late gain for third. KINETIC KING went out raw early on turn two, never reached the leader, next–best. SMART AS A WHIP was shuffled, evenly in the stretch. RAP SHEET was too far back. KAFFIR KEMP showed speed and relinquished, struggled from the 5/8. NEW IDENTITY was never prominent.
SIXTH RACE – WHO’S NEGAN quarter-moved and had a nice stroll in the sunshine thereafter. DON’T BLAME LOU was three-wide most of the way to the front at the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, outpaced late. TSM BATMAN came up between horses to get the early pocket, left the rail midturn but didn’t gain. BEACH CHIEF closed a gap at the half then moved out 11/16 but didn’t have much to offer. THE NEXT THREE never achieved prominence; nor did BIG LUCIANO, who was already leaving a gap in front of the stands.
SEVENTH RACE – I’M WININ HANOVER was briefly wide then followed cover, uncovered 1/8 to the lead 3/16, got third quarter pressure from her main rival as that one tried to recover from a break, left her foe far behind with a good 57.3 last half for maiden trotters. BELLA BELLINI was out between horses and got the lead at the 1/8, made a break near the ¼ but caught back on and went up to challenge in a fast third quarter, understandably tired but way ahead of the others – has talent. MOUSE CIRCUS was forwardly-placed then got the pocket when a rival broke, gave way ¾. CAITLEE HALL was well off the action, moved out far turn but couldn’t reach third. RHYTHMOFTHENIGHT barged offstride just past the start. GHIBLI left a big gap past the ¼ then eventually broke. MISTY KRISTY was reasonably close when going offstride 5/8.
EIGHTH RACE – SO SUPREME made the point at the 1/8, yielded then retook, aided when the outer tiers stalled midturn, drew away. EMORI HANOVER took command at the 1/8 then ceded it for the pocket, no match for the winner but held second ahead of SENDMETOTHESTARS. The latter was four-wide towards turn one, then two-wide to a 3/16 3-tuck, moved out midturn but quickly ducked back inside, OK. HELLO TOMMY was three-wide early then took a tuck fourth, not much late. BORNWESTERN was blocked headstretch, but couldn’t rally for fourth in the Pocono Pike. LAST LUXURY was away slowly, moved outside but gapped, three-wide late turn as the first-over tired, not a factor; ADELIA HANOVER followed LAST LUXURY then wax four-wide into the lane, not enough. GIRL HAS GAME didn’t have the necessary game for these. KISSIMMEE BEACH was first-over 3/8, made a good bid down the back then slowed suddenly past midturn.
NINTH RACE – BILLIE BLUE left well to have the lead by the 1/8 in a fast quarter, kept rolling on the lead, drew clear on the turn, kept to business late (the last quarter was 31). TOTAL DIVA followed cover early on the backstretch then lost it 11/16, kept on gaining one-paced. FRAC was away alertly and sat the pocket, loose of the leader far turn, kept trying to the line in the slowing tempo. SCARLETT RAIDER moved raw early backstretch and retucked around a fader, next in line. NATALIE HANOVER went evenly. C-O-TO BLUEGRASS had some speed, backed up in the last ¼. BIGBOY ROSCO never featured. GLOIRE DREAM was looped, tucked fourth 3/16 as SMOKIN ON BY broke; both of those were far back.
TENTH RACE – AN THE THUNDEROLLS came out off turn two, uncovered at a distance behind the fast third quarter mover, finally got to that one in a 30.2 kicker. LOOKINFORADVENTURE was last, four-wide late on the far turn and stormed through the stretch, just up for second. CANBEC KINGKAZIMIR was looped and pressed on to 3/16 command, shuffled when the lead changed hands later on the backstretch, made up ground quickly once getting to the Pocono Pike. NEEDLESS TO SAY was uncovered going to the second turn and paced down the back in 26.4 to open up a giant lead in a fast ¾, but had to pay the price late. FINAL JUSTICE gapped inside, then was also blocked late far turn, good in the Pike behind the winner. WILD WEST wasn’t in the main picture. RUTHLESS DUDE got the top from PP9, yielded, backed out to the ¾ but gapped on the turn. MATT MAJOR got forward position then quarter-moved, could do nothing about the brusher past the 5/8 and folded. DONAU was way back.
ELEVENTH RACE – NEAT was urged leaving, three-wide just past the 1/8 to the top just before the 5/16, set the pace, held off the relentless charge of SWEET TALKIN SATIN. The latter was third-over from far back, three-wide 11/16 and swept horses to get to two-wide midturn, kept narrowing in but couldn’t quite reach by the line. HERE COMES SWIFTY couldn’t stay with the place horse’s big three-wide move, very wide off the turn and passed many horses late for the distant third. APP HANOVER was shuffled, out in a blindswitch late turn, angled a lane to his right and had a little response. ACHILLES BLUE CHIP spotted midpack, then moved raw 3/8, couldn’t get close but kept going. R GAUWITZ HANOVER tucked third, didn’t reenter the picture. ASCARYONE HANOVER raced outside in the second half of the field, never a major danger. GRANDPA DON got the top, yielded to the winner before the 5/16, struggled from the 5/8. MAGIC TRICKS fell back.
TWELFTH RACE – GATORS BEN WINNING was three-deep to turn one and onward to the lead at the ¼, slowed the second quarter then picked up the pace to deal with the first-over challenger, drew away in the last ¼. ALWAYS BE LUCY raced out to command then yielded for the pocket, gave ground through the last ¼ but retained the distant second. SUN BELLE SLIPPERY was trapped inside, made up a fair amount of stretch ground. HOW ABOUT MURPH had some speed, stayed in, had to pause late turn as the pocketsitter backed up, then came clear but had little. TOPVILLE OLIVIA had to stack four-wide from third-over, got the last check. WOODMERE TANGO looked to leave but took back, then uncovered from the second turn, paced a big 26.4 backside to reach the leader while getting to second, but then backed off the last 3/16. HYPO FLIP was in good second-over position but started struggling 11/16. THE OTHER TWO gapped down the back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SHOW ME THE MAGIC went a big first quarter to put everybody in behind, then went a big third quarter, a bit tired late but so were the rest trying to keep up. STOP RESISTIN tucked third, backed outside then was left raw when the first-over took over the pocket, advanced around the turn, held well in the stretch. J S PEYTON left a gap early until underway and uncovered towards turn two, got into the pocket past the 5/8, gave some ground late. LEAP YEAR LUCKY came up the inside and went on evenly. ER BEN left, took a tuck second 3/16, couldn’t keep the pocket filled early backstretch, then moved out on the final turn as the pace slowed and went on evenly for the last check. GUILTYWITHANEXCUSE gapped down the backstretch. THE REST did not achieve a contending position.
FOURTEENTH RACE – SKIP TO MY LOU tucked third, came uncovered at the half and paced his own third split in 26 flat to clear to the lead, drew away from these. ROCK LIGHTS was going to go third-over but then ducked back in near the half, went inside a gapper, outside headstretch, the only other one to be going “forward” late. OLLIE’S Z TAM took the pocket at the 1/8, backed out as the leader went by late backstretch and soon was left uncovered, couldn’t hold second late. WILD BILL went a good quarter to ensure command, slowed the half then stepped it up again but was unable to keep the winner outside, tired. LIMA RAIDER was along for the last check. BETTOR SPIRITS N was well-placed second-over at the half but flailed in the fast backstretch. THE REST OF THE FIELD was far back in this fast mile.