FIRST RACE – ROYAL HEART was three-wide well past the 1/8, tucked fourth, out behind cover to the half, three-wide 5/8 to uncovered before the ¾, kept grinding, proved the best in the opener. KEYSTONE STEAM was able to advance up the inside, used the Pocono Pike to procure second. JUST N ACE left well from the rail and pushed a foe past the 3/8 before surrendering the lead, backed out behind the winner on the far turn, did OK. JEREMES GENERAL was between horses early, needed to the 3/8 to obtain command, then had no rest at all from two different opponents, tired after a hard mile. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN swung wide and finished well to get the last check. SPANISH ART was three-wide with cover on the turn when his cover broke, never got into the late picture. MAYFIELD DUKE was behind the winner but couldn’t match his three-wide move and was left three-deep, broke far turn. WORD BLAST stayed close during the early battle, moved out before the half but couldn’t go by, was looped late on the backstretch and fell way back.
SECOND RACE – LIGHTFOOTEDLEGEND made the top past the 1/8, saw two coming at the ¼ and pushed the first one before yielding, edged out of third midturn then went back in as the pocketsitter pulled, gradually wore down the pacesetter HASHTAGMADEYALOOK. The latter came out at the ¼ with cover, left uncovered past the 3/8 and made the point by the half, just failed to hold in a good outing. BELLA AVA spotted third then was quarter-mover #1 but was kept out past the 3/8, yielded at the half for the two-hole, pulled from same towards late turn, not enough. MYSTICAL WYNN pulled out raw from sixth down the back, gained little by little, ducked inside the show horse in the lane and finished well. MIGHTY SURF yielded, sat in, not a late factor. TOUR DE LINDY was second-over in a nonadvancing “flow,” fair late. THE OTHER THREE did not make their presence felt.
THIRD RACE – CLOSING STATEMENT started uncovered at the half and relentlessly grinded up, got by pacesetter MACHEASY A within the last 30 yards, impressive. The latter tucked third past the 1/8 then came again 3/8 and made the lead before a fast half, had the winner pace up to him to the ¾, just missed keeping that one at bay in a fast mile. DREAMS BEACHBOY made two speed moves then yielded for the pocket towards turn two, stayed connected, but could not gain in the Pocono Pike late. WAR-N-MUNN was in front at the 1/8 in a fast opener, saw two go by in quarter two, not enough late. GLENGARRY KNIGHT N stayed in, had a little in the Pike late well off the front ones. MY DELIGHT was hampered by dull cover. RANGERS SURESHOT was also near the back the whole way. VORACITY would have had good cover if he could have kept with it past the 9/16.
FOURTH RACE – LETS ROLL got into the outside flow, left uncovered ¾, worked his way past a tough FATHER SARDUCCI. The latter was three-wide towards the 1/8 to the lead, yielded to a quarter-mover, moved again raw at the half and worked to get past the new pacesetter ¾, hung in there very gamely. OUR ZAK WHITBY A joined the two-wide tier, gapped slightly on the far turn, finished OK. IN SPADES was shuffled to last, went four-wide and stormed home. THE FIRST STEP was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide, briefly had cover then raw again and persisted up to get the front going to the half, was pressured down the backstretch and let a foe go, tried yet again in the Pocono Pike but couldn’t gain after very hard usage. ROCKNTOUCH was in the two-wide flow but far back, wide, OK. DECLAN SEELSTER left between horses and took third 3/16, stayed in, never had a clear path through the stretch. CLASS SIX made the front, yielded, made a quarter-move but was strung out until past the 3/8 to get on top, yielded at the half, couldn’t return to the main picture.
FIFTH RACE – LACHIE MAGUIRE N was hustled away for early command and yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and had a sharp response to overhaul DAAMERICANSKY. The latter was between horses early and on to the lead past the 1/8, set the pace pretty much as he liked, couldn’t hold off the pocket rocket but beat out the others. BELLOWS BINGE was three-wide early then took back to tuck third, went to the deep Pike and came home nicely. BARBADOS started on the grind early second turn, never was closer to the lead than at the finish. REAL LUCKY N sat in, angled wide early stretch but had a little bit too much ground to make up. WESTERN TYRANT was never prominent. BELL I NO moved early and got cover, but got rough 5/8 and gapped out.
SIXTH RACE – ARCHIBALD dove in early behind the pacesetter and followed him throughout, another Pocono Pike pocket rocket. DYNAMIC EDGE left dynamically and was quickly on top, slowed the middle half with no challengers until approaching the ¾, did well but had to settle for second. WINNERESS moved outside from fourth midturn, wide in the lane, found his best gear a trifle too late. SMOOTH ACCELERATION avoided the stagnant outer non-flow, came on OK up the inside in the lane. KEYSTONE SERGEANT tucked third, edged out 3/16 but decided to stay where he was, came out raw11/16, OK. ANDOVERS TOUCH was no factor. I GOT THE LOOKS was behind the cover of ROSE RUN RUDI, which never advanced beyond midpack, went three-wide past the 11/16 but couldn’t circle up. LAKEVIEW TAMMY was not heard from.
SEVENTH RACE – BURNING MIDNIGHT was away second, quarter-moved in front of the grinding parked horse and set the pace, able to draw off late. WILD BILL sat in, blocked midturn then scooted up the inside with clearance and just did get second over WHATS INTHE ESKY A. The latter won another “Courage After A Bad Trip” prize: four-wide early, then to two-wide, briefly had the winner’s cover then out in the air the duration, fought on and just missed the deuce. SHOREVIEW scampered to the top, yielded to the winner, came up empty late. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N sat in, angled out and wide late turn, didn’t make up ground. THE NEXT TWO never entered the picture. DOO WOP HANOVER had grinding cover, gapped ¾; BLAYDE HANOVER gapped that one’s cover.
EIGHTH RACE – BROADWAY ATHENA didn’t go outside from midpack until past the 5/8, got cover to the far turn, had a tough task to collar a loose leader but finished strongly and got the job done. PAT MATTERS was away third then quarter-moved, opened up distance ¾ which she retained to near midstretch, but then tired and couldn’t resist the winner. THE LIONKING AS was on top at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t keep up on the turn, but gained back some inside late. JOEY PRO was outside, finished with high-energy trot after kicking in far too late. CRAZYCAT was not prominent. FILLED DONUT was the first to show, relinquished, moved out of third early on the turn but came up very vanilla in the stretch. THE OTHER TWO did not enter the race dynamic.
NINTH RACE – After being away 30 days, EXPLOSIVEBREAKAWAY was between horses to an early tuck, was flushed out 3/8 and started on the grind, had a semi-breakaway with the pacesetter far turn, then stayed at it powerfully (last quarter 27.3) in a big race. GOES DOWN SMOOTH was already underway from last just past the ¼ and got the winner’s cover, followed it but then gapped it far turn, refound a higher gear and was a good second. MY LINDY WINNER was sixth when decided to go frontward past the 1/8 as holes were shutting, pressed on to the front near the 3/8, got a soft middle half then raced head-to-head with the winner around the far turn, couldn’t sprint enough. NO DRAMA PLEASE was three-wide to the 1/8 to two-high to the ¼ to the lead, yielded to the 3/8, had trouble at times keeping the pocket tight, Pocono Pike, OK. MARION GONDOLIER backed out to race third-over, didn’t enter the main picture; nor did TRUEMASS VOLO behind him. CONSUS VICTORY left well, yielded at the ¼, not heard from thereafter. NEED LUCK N was not in the picture.
TENTH RACE – No one not named “Napolitano” won in the last five races … JOESSTAR OF MIA A went out between horses and got in third, came uncovered off turn two but couldn’t reach the leader in the fast third quarter, but kept digging resolutely and took the top prize very late. ROCK THE DEVIL was fifth outside past the 1/8 when, with no holes, he decided to press on, cover to the ¼ then to the lead before the 3/8, opened some daylight with a 27.1 third quarter, but couldn’t make the lead last. WESTERN FAME gapped his cover down the back in a fast split, then was gaining late. CASUAL COOL left and yielded 3/16, inside, narrowed in some in the Pocono Pike. HEAVEN’S GAIT was far back inside, angled out a notch early stretch, never did find a clear path. ROCK CANDY came wide off of cover with good late speed. SHNITZLEDOSOMETHIN was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the top 3/16, yielded to the 3/8, couldn’t stay with the pacesetter but still went on and lost by only two lengths. ROCKAPELO raced last in a tight field, finished last but by less than three lengths.
ELEVENTH RACE – STICK WITH CRAMER spotted fourth well behind the early duelers, came out in tight quarters 5/8 then moved three-wide ¾ and circled the field, drew away. IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N was parked most of that 25.4 hot opener before taking the two-hole, then was blocked on the far turn as the pacesetter tired, got clear in the Pocono Pike and had a very good response late to grab second from BEACH PRO. The latter grinded up first-over, no match for the winner, almost held place. TODDLER TANTRUM was second-over but wasn’t right on his cover, three-wide past the 5/8 then wider on the far turn to three-wide late turn, flattened a little. A J MORELLI was not away well and didn’t get in the hunt. NORTHERN SPORTSMAN was near the back throughout. XPERT BAYAMA did not want anything but to cut the pace, went 25.4 to the ¼ to force a tuck, had the field come to him on the turn and tired the last 3/16. POKERFACE BLUECHIP was in a blindswitch on the turn, got in tight quarters and made a break.
TWELFTH RACE – ROCK THE TOWN used the pole to maximum advantage early, then yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and gradually wore down BLOOD LINE for ANap’s fifth. The latter quarter-moved, set the pace including a 27 third quarter, fought hard but could not hold off the winner. K RYAN BLUECHIP sat behind the top two from the half and did well late. BRANQUINHO originally was third-over but ducked back in, evenly late. BENSON BOYS N took the pocket 3/16, then came raw at the half and attacked, pacing his own third split in 26.3, couldn’t sustain his move. TWIN B TUFFENUFF was second-over, three-wide past midturn, didn’t reach. DEALT A WINNER didn’t get a good start, sat last, had to fan widest, had an impossible task from where he was.
THIRTEENTH RACE – JOHNNY Q left and yielded, soon retook, set the pace with pressure, got some separation early stretch and was again impressive, giving trainer Darren Taneyhill four wins on the day. MAJOR DECEPTION was second-over 3/8, gapped some behind the front battlers down the back, then closer and three-wide far turn, came home well. LUCAN HANOVER sat in, to the deep Pocono Pike and with pace late. ALWAYS THE SUN was three-wide to the 3/16 and then on by to command, yielded to the winner for the pocket, didn’t have enough to be a danger late. KINGSTONS BAD BOY was third-over and three-wide with cover on the turn, not bad. WAGON MASTER raced inside, did not appear to have stretch clearance. BRANDON HANOVER was last much of the way, also may have been in tight quarters approaching the line. SOMETIMESAWINNER left between horses, reluctantly settled in third, then came raw 3/8 and fought with the leader, couldn’t sustain the last 3/16. CHEYENNE JEFFREY was near the back throughout.
FOURTEENTH RACE – J M MANDAMIN quarter-moved from third, came home in 54.3 – 27.1 and no one could match that speed and gain enough, giving George five wins. OUR CORELLI N left very alertly to get early command, yielded, outside in the stretch, didn’t gain but only lost a little. STONE HANOVER was second-over 3/8, three-wide past the 5/8 when cover stalled, back to two-wide and did very well in the stretch (his own last half in 54). LAKE CHARLES was four-wide early, circled up and got into the pocket 3/16, not enough along the inside. FABRICE HANOVER was far back, worked clear in the stretch and finished well belatedly. LYING IN CASH and I’M BENICIO A (who didn’t get inside until the 3/16) never factored. STORMONT CZAR A moved raw 3/8 but had stopped gaining by the 5/8. BAY MEADOWS tried to follow the backstretch sweeper but didn’t keep up.