FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind on a warm day for November … JEREMES GENERAL left well from the rail and protected the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike and was an easy winner. KEYSTONE STORM left a small gap off the top three until past the half, got going uncovered 5/8, went on steadily and photoed ROCKNROLL CHARM for the deuce. The latter moved out second-over, swung three-deep late turn, looked to have aim on second but just missed it. ASCARYONE HANOVER was so-so along the inside. WAGON MASTER gapped a little inside down the back, moved out to headstretch, then was blocked through the stretch. WINNING IS SWEET was the only outside hard leaver, kept up at a good clip, nothing left in the lane. CHEYENNE JEFFREY couldn’t contend from third-over. VORACITY was last most of the way.
SECOND RACE – IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N left no doubt who was the best in here from the first step to the last. POKERFACE BLUECHIP slid in third 3/16, stayed inside and was a clear second. STAY IN YOUR PLACE filled the pocket, stayed close until the ¾, drifted very wide in the lane. TALK SHOW gapped a bit to the half, then came first-up before the 3/8, never threatened before falling back. FERNADO started the outer tier approaching turn two, got cover before the 5/8, gapped it ¾, still got the last check. CANBEC KINGKAZIMIR had little inside; BARGAIN SHOPPER and ROJAN’S WAY had little outside. DULL ROAR never got close, then was placed for an LOB.
THIRD RACE – HASHTAGMADEYALOOK was three-wide to the lead past the 1/8, went on at a fast clip and held off I GOT THE LOOKS. The latter worked up between horses to get to the pocket 3/16, stayed there until early stretch, came out and made up ground, although not quite enough. CONSUS VICTORY was first on top and yielded to the top two, kept up until the stretch, clearly third. PERFECT STICK was no factor after an inside trip. BULLY BOY was handled to show respect to the gate, last, four-wide from before the ¾ through most of the turn, not enough rally. WHAT THAT IS was second-over, edged three-wide 11/16 but didn’t gain. STINGLIKE A B K was first-up just past the half but never was a major danger.
FOURTH RACE – TODDLER TANTRUM came out of fifth early second turn and was in high gear entering the backstretch, paced a 26.2 third split to clear early on the turn and left these in the red dust. JOHNNY Q was three-wide to the first turn and two-wide to the 1/8 for the lead, had a fairly moderate half but couldn’t keep the sprinter out past the ¾, fought on resolutely to hold second. DAVID THE SAINT left but soon took back, stayed in, almost grabbed place. ARTACHE HANOVER left and sat in the pocket, moved out midturn just after the winner went by but couldn’t gain. MAYFIELD DUKE couldn’t go with his cover, was pacing well approaching the line. BIG MACH went to the deep Pocono Pike but couldn’t factor. MR BIG LOAD showed little from third-over. RED DIRT BOOMER gapped at the back almost all the way.
FIFTH RACE – SCOOTNROLL quarter-moved and set the pace as he pleased, had enough power finishing to keep BILLY LINCOLN N at bay. The latter took over at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, did well up the Pocono Pike but couldn’t get to the winner. ROLLING WITH SAM came uncovered 5/8 and put in a very commendable race. WHO’S NEGAN was three-wide to turn one to the pocket before the 3/16, gapped slightly from the 3/8 to the far turn, then began to gap even more. CENTURY ENFORCER passed TRAY SURREAL for the last check. The latter was second-over, looked well-placed for a chance at a good check but came up empty. DIVISION BELL never entered the main mix.
SIXTH RACE – CHRISTOPHER CRAZO went a fast quarter to gain the lead, then went a slower middle half, was able to sprint away through the stretch. ANDOVERS TOUCH was between horses to the pocket past the 1/8, couldn’t step with the winner in the lane but clearly second. PRETTY EDGY showed some gate jet, to the Pocono Pike but was only so-so late. KEYSTONE SERGEANT was second-over then went three-wide midturn, found his best strides a bit too late. HOLY KOLY was not heard from. SUM FOR ALL was third-over and three-wide with cover midturn, couldn’t reach. TROLLER was wide early, took back to fourth before the ¼, underway again raw into turn two, advanced some until early on the far turn, then tired. ALEXANDER HANOVER made his first break w-a-y before the start.
SEVENTH RACE – ITSONLYROCKNROLL A left well, yielded but had retaken by coming off the first turn, went slow/fast in the middle splits, then had more than enough late. MARINER SEELSTER got a good start and was in front by the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, steadily but couldn’t make up ground on the winner late. A BETTOR BEACH got in midpack 3/16, on the move again uncovered just past the 3/8, held steadily. BOMBAY HANOVER took a 3-tuck to the 1/8, in, deep in the Pocono Pike, best of the others. CAPTAIN AHAB was second-over, swung three-wide before the ¾ and looked menacing on the turn, but flattened out. NY WHITESOX did not feature from third-over. THE REST were well out of it.
EIGHTH RACE – UNCLE HANOVER dangled outside early, went up 3/16 and got command by the 3/8, drew off from these even though the last quarter wasn’t fast. DYNAMIC EDGE left well to gain the front, pushed then relinquished 3/8, did not stay with the winner late but held off his other inside rivals for second. P L ICABOD left and made the two-hole by the 1/8, to the inside of the place horse in the stretch, couldn’t go by him and just held off ONE DIRECTION. The latter was not keeping up down the backstretch, was doing better late deep in the Pocono Pike. FREDDIE MAC was third-over, widest in the lane and got the last check ahead of second-over NATURAL KEMP. CRAZYCAT started raw towards turn two, gained in a fast quarter down the back but had no more in the stretch. FIRE ‘N WOODSHED was last at every call.
NINTH RACE — MYKINDACHIP was out and battling to the 3/8 before gaining the top, kept out the parked horse, then withstood THATSWHATISAID N in a long stretch drive. The latter came roaring three-wide from last at the ¾ to wind up just outside the winner headstretch, very good but couldn’t get by. GHOST DANCE was out behind the parked horse, slipped inside late backstretch in front of a gapper, had to wait until a bit before midstretch then could work outside and got third. ON ACCIDENT used the pole to push the winner until the 3/8, yielded for the pocket, tired in the stretch. HIGHRTHANANEAGLE A sat in and was shuffled to last, went three-wide far turn but couldn’t match the speed of the place horse. KJ LEO was third-over, blindswitched by the sweeper far turn, gapped, not a factor late. DECLAN SEELSTER left, was out with cover to the 3/8, then was left raw, stayed around until the ¾. WARRAWEE UNIQUE sat in, gapped down the back, then got jammed up in traffic headstretch and made a break.
TENTH RACE – BURNING MIDNIGHT was third-over behind a gapper, three-wide from the 11/16 onwards and with strong pace to draw away from these easily. BELLOWS BINGE came out fourth-over before the 5/8, followed the winner on the turn, didn’t have his late foot but did have enough to win a four-way picture for the 25%. BUTTER BAY HANOVER was second-over but gapped, blindswitched before the ¾, moved to the path behind the winner in the stretch while off him, gained some late. JUST N ACE sat in and was backed up to last, gained on the far outside. DAAMERICANSKY was three-wide 3/16 then in just past the 25.3 quarter, blocked the upper half of the stretch then found room inside a slightly-drifting pacesetter and responded well. MARK WITHA K wouldn’t surrender the lead in a 25.3 opener, rated to the half but then got heavy pressure, tired. RAZOR’S EDGE went uncovered near the second turn and battled with the leader, also tired in the stretch. SEAFARER was between horses until taking the pocket 3/16 in the wicked opener, nothing left late.
ELEVENTH RACE – DELTASUN A raced with cover early, uncovered to the 3/16 and took a like distance to clear to the lead, under heavy pressure on both sides in the stretch but showed great determination. MAX came uncovered from second-last off the second turn, gained inch by inch to just miss. FASHION CREDITOR worked to the front past the 1/8, kept the winner out most of the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket and awaiting the Pocono Pike, went there and looked to get within a nose of the lead past midstretch, flattened ever so slightly. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT was first on the lead, yielded, struggled to keep up on the turn. TWO AM moved second-over but couldn’t get tight on cover. MARION GONDOLIER had some early foot, in and shuffled to last, outside far turn but couldn’t enter the main picture.
TWELFTH RACE – OUR MAX PHACTOR N made the early pocket, outside past the 1/8 to the lead and set the pace, was passed by the first-over in a blistering third quarter while not driven to keep that foe outside (though making that one work), outside himself stretch and came back gamely for the decision. ROCK THE TOWN outleft everybody to the front into turn one, yielded to the winner, stayed in, went inside when the winner went outside headstretch, almost seemed to get to even terms midstretch as they both went past the new leader, good effort. RODEO ROCK stormed uncovered at the half and went his own third split in 26 to clear to the lead ¾, but the price for that third split came due midstretch. LACHIE MAGUIRE N was second-over, gapped 11/16 and left uncovered on the turn, steadily. MACHEASY A found room to come out third-over 5/8, OK. JOESSTAR OF MIA A was far back. BEACH BOOGIE spotted third, considered an early move but rethought that tactic, then didn’t have much. MARCO BEACH moved outside towards urn two, but lost contact the last half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – TITO ROCKS showed speed and yielded, waited until just before the 11/16 to come out raw but charged up when doing so, engaged the leader on the turn, made the lead before midstretch and came his own last quarter in 26.3 as very impressive. REDBANK BLAZE A went to command into turn one, pushed an opponent to the 5/16 before yielding for the two-hole, sacrificed a bit of momentum to the winner headstretch as awaiting the Pocono Pike, but responded very quickly when shown room in a very good mile. ALBERGO HANOVER was out 5/16 before making the top, got a breather the rest of the second split and likely early backstretch, stepped it up as the winner came charging, could not sprint enough late. THE FIRST STEP was very wide, took back to follow cover then ducked in fourth off the first bend, out second-over 11/16 but gapped. MAJOR OFFENSE didn’t offer much offense; nor did ROCK THREE TIMES.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BENSON BOYS N made the early top, yielded before the 3/8 to sit in the golden seat, had a sharp response when taken to the Pocono Pike and scooted right by. TREVOR ONE kept the pocket closed on the first turn, stayed in, went deep into the Pike to rally for second. AMERICAN ZEST A was three-wide to the 3/16 in pursuit of making the lead before the 3/8, got a slight second quarter breather then picked it up, not enough late. STORMONT CZAR A was second-over, three-wide approaching headstretch, evenly. CLASS SIX sent in, evenly late. JK MUSICMAN was between horses to the 3/16 then took back for a 4-tuck, on the move again just past the 3/8, never got closer than the leader’s wheel before backing off. TRUMP THAT was third-over, blindswitched, edged wide headstretch but couldn’t rally enough. ROCK THE NITE was far back. OUR ZAK WHITBY A tried a three-wide move from fourth-over 11/16 but never made much of an inroad.