FIRST RACE – The first day of Spring, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees during the card, and fast races resulting … WAGON MASTER spotted third, came out ¾, and had the most of these through the stretch, with an individual last quarter of 27.1. LOVE THE ACTION left, took the pocket past the 1/8, tight on the leader down the back, to the Pocono Pike, just up for second. SUNSET BRAYDON left forcefully and set all the pace, outsped in the last ¼. RANGERS SURESHOT sat in until midturn then swung wide, OK. HEREHECOMESAROCKIN moved outside midturn but couldn’t gain. TALK SHOW never factored. BAMSKI was outleft and spent most of the mile coverless midpack, faded; UNDERTAKER was on his back the last half, offered little.
SECOND RACE – CASH IS KING cleared to command at the 1/8, got a rest in quarter two, went clear on the far turn, then held off the closing threats. ITSONLYROCKNROLL was third-over, four-wide late on the far turn and finished solidly. DREAM OF LUCK gained along the inside, to the Pocono Pike, not quite enough for the deuce. LORD OF MISRULE was uncovered nearing turn two, saw any gaining of his halt at the ¾ but held decently. WISE IMAGE left to keep the pocket positioning, came up short in the stretch. RANSOM DEMAND was always far back. BIG MACH went evenly between horses in the stretch. INTERNET HANOVER was fourth-over and four-wide behind a live horse late turn but had too much to overcome. NEWBIE got in fourth 3/16, then moved second-over, three-wide far turn but had no more to give.
THIRD RACE – PEACE OUT POSSE was three-wide to the first curve, tucked briefly then came to get the lead well before the 3/8, was much too powerful for these coming home in 54.4 – 27. STAR COMMANDER N forced tucks early, surrendered the lead to the favorite, started getting loose 5/8, still held the distant second. JK MUSICMAN left, went into the early pocket past the 1/8, looked all-out the last half but did fight on to take third over BLOOD LINE. The latter came up the rail from last, may have actually gotten to third deep stretch but then was nipped fro that spot. DECLAN SEELSTER came out ¾ but didn’t gain; AMERICAN ZEST A and SOMEWHERE FANCY also went outside and also did not gain.
FOURTH RACE – GLENGARRY KNIGHT N left briskly three-wide to cross over by the 1/8, yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, got in front past midstretch then kept to business to withstand TULLOW N. The latter was between horses leaving, was looped and was under a strong hold to take back to third 3/16, went outside into the stretch, found his best gear just a little too late. CAPTAIN NASH came all the way up the far inside and was moving very quickly in the last 1/16. IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N left, pulled the pocket to take command 3/8, shook off the first-over but couldn’t sustain the lead to the finish. BRAVO TEX N went up second-over, three-wide ¾, not bad; SALTY ROBYN N followed that one but gapped out on the turn. CAL was first-up into turn two, backed up through the field the last quarter.
FIFTH RACE – SCIROCCO PATRICK was handled cautiously while getting away slowly, came up uncovered into turn two, slowly grinded up into contention, sustained his one-gear to take a photo decision. BOUNTIFUL BRITTNEY bypassed a 3-tuck 3/16 and went on to 5/16 command, set the pace, held very well. WORTHY OF HONOR took early command, yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, almost. STEEL SCHOONER was second-over, gapped cover late backstretch, a bit better late. PROTOSTAR sat in, then backed out and swung widest in the stretch, OK. SANCHEZ ROCKS took the early pocket, inside, a bit shy today.
SIXTH RACE – BABES DIG ME was actually first to show when the gate sprung but soon took back, then came out third-over, followed a sweeper, retucked behind him, then three-wide again past midturn as that cover faltered, came on gamely to get the nod over JEREMES GENERAL. The latter was outside in a 26.4 opener to get the front, yielded for the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, got a short lead past midstretch, couldn’t quite hold. WHITE HAIR ROCKS made two moves to control the pace, put up fast fractions, held his ground pretty well. BLOW A CLOUD N was out with cover until the 5/8, went three-wide to clear a tiring parked horse, to two-wide raw, looked to be falling back on the far turn, but found renewed life in the straight and almost got third. RATHER SWELL was far back most of the way, showed late gain while widest. MOON DOGGIE sat in, went to the deep Pike but couldn’t gain ground. OH K MAN sat in, had traffic trouble upper stretch, hard to tell how much he had left late. MOUNTAIN HIGH couldn’t go with cover. BAYONET was looped and midpack early, went up and got to the leader’s wheel but no closer before fading badly.
SEVENTH RACE – CHAMPAGNE ON ICE was outside early, did finally tuck third 3/16, then moved to the lead 3/8, finished strongly to leave these far behind in the stretch. HALLS OF VALOR made two speed moves then yielded to the winner, stayed close to early stretch then fell back, good second. I’LLALWAYSBEBACK was fastest away, saw two go around him in the second split, held for third in a four-way photo. TRICKY DICK sat in, found better trot late up the inside. GRAN PARAISO gapped the first half, then was uncovered 5/8, sustain forward progress until headstretch then backed off some. BOSCH was second-over late backstretch, evenly. ZOE F was outside but couldn’t go with cover. CHERRY RED was always far back.
EIGHTH RACE –Stretch tailwind increasing … SCOTT ROCKS was in between horses in an early three-way fight, backed off to follow cover, lost that cover 3/8 and went up raw to and past a very fast half, effortlessly floated by ¾, had a challenger headstretch but disposed of that one nicely. WINDSONG JACK gapped early, then got in a solid outer flow, ducked inside for the stretch as his cover drifted out, just up for second over SHOREVIEW. The latter took back to fifth at the 3/16, then came out behind the winner at the half, left uncovered ¾ and moved up to the new leader, drifted out significantly in the stretch, possibly costing himself second. ROYAL HEART wouldn’t yield early in punishing fractions, finally did so 3/8, backed out past the ¾ as the pacesetter tired, pretty good mile. URBAN RENEWAL raced with cover, wide in the stretch and finished crisply. CINNAMACK kept the hole closed early, in, shuffled part of the turn but had no gain once free. BEST TRICK EVER never contended. MELANIE’S TEDY was three-wide to the 3/16 then rushed to two-wide, made the lead 3/8 and got to the half in very quick time, all done when challenged ¾.
NINTH RACE – CLASS SIX pressed on to the lead 3/16, set the pace with hard second-half pressure, had JANAID come at him up the Pocono Pike and possibly lost the lead for a tiny bit, but showed courage and reclaimed the advantage. The latter pushed hard most of the quarter before yielding for the pocket, as noted to the Pike and looking to get a nose up, just failed to take the big check. HORSING AROUND was fourth-over behind a dull one, three-wide ¾ and came a huge last quarter from a hard spot. Speaking of hard spots: AMERICAN REBEL left wide to the first turn from PP8, tucked behind the two inside leavers, moved raw at the half and put pressure on the pacesetter, unwavering to the line. MY MIND IS MADEUP sat in, looked to have pace without full clearance late. ELECTRIC WESTERN was far back, OK late. LOUD SPLASH gapped early, wound up third-over, was already gapping when having to duck in as the second-over backed up; that would be UNION STATION, who had a fine trip but was empty ¾.
TENTH RACE – J M MANDAMIN never tucked, brushed at the 1/8 to take over, set a quick pace, again powerful. PATERNITY SUIT A was third-over, aided when the gapping second-over went inside on the turn, finished with good velocity from last. TRENTE DEO gapped most of the first half then came uncovered at the midway point, never got closer than the winner’s wheel but held his ground gamely. OLLIE’S Z TAM went to the front, yielded for the golden trip, but couldn’t summon too much in the Pocono Pike. REDBANK BLAZE A moved second-over before the 5/8 but never got tight on his cover, ducked in far turn. LORD WILLOUGHBY A was away well, stayed in, backed off from the 11/16.
ELEVENTH RACE – PROVEN DESIRE insisted on the early lead, then yielded in front of the stands, edged out late on the turn, took command early stretch, enough to hold off ALEX TYE. The latter got into the pocket 3/16, came out behind the winner late turn then went wider, didn’t seem to hit top gear until a little too late. SOMEBEACH BARON was away in good order, quarter-moved and continued on at a good clip, tired. WESTERN HILL stayed in, so-so. A REAL MIRACLE went in fifth at the 1/8, then was second-over, got no help from cover and was three-wide far turn, couldn’t close that much. IN SPADES was urged early, three-wide almost to the 1/8 then finally was able to get inside near the ¼, later went first-over but did not threaten. REVELRY moved at the ¼ but never got in the main picture. UPTOWN FUNK was well-back throughout.
TWELFTH RACE – BUSBOY HANOVER was under encouragement early to get a forward spot, still gapped a good bit of the way to the half, then came first-over, got into the pocket ¾, moved out nearing headstretch and went right by. FOO FIGHTER N sped away and set wicked fractions, had a big lead down the backstretch, overhauled by only one. MISSISSIPPI RABBIT went in third at the 1/8, outside in a blindswitch on the turn after the pocket horse gave way, looked blocked upper stretch, found some room late though still appearing in tight quarters and was along for third. ROCKIN INTHE HILLS moved out second-over 5/8, left uncovered ¾, fair. HALLIE’S COMET took back to trail, up the inside with some pace. CLASSY HILL moved third-over and then three-wide ¾ but couldn’t gain enough. DAVIDS COMING HOME was far back most of the way, three-wide with cover far turn, evenly. KEYSTONE STEAM dangled outside midpack. SHANE ADAM filled the two-hole, fell back throughout the last half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LEVINE left sharply to make the lead, yielded to the favorite and stayed right on his back as he dealt with a tough first-over customer, went to the Pocono Pike and had more than enough response. EHRMANTRAUT left well, moved 3/16 to take over from the winner, had pressure throughout the last half, did hold for second in the quick mile. TUCKER CREEK moved up quickly 3/8 and paced his own middle half in 55 challenging the leader, almost got second in an impressive showing. P L MUNSON slipped out to second-over soon off turn two, went three-wide midturn, couldn’t contend in the lane. BAY MEADOWS sat in, struggling to keep up the last half. BLACKLIGHT was no factor. CAPTAIN CASH came out behind the show horse but couldn’t match his brush, wound up third-over, not a late factor.
FOURTEENTH RACE – No breeze at the end of the day … TAM MAJOR A was three-deep to the initial bend then parked past the ¼ for the lead, responded gamely to the inside challenge of ROCK THE TOWN to win the photo. The latter was reluctant to let the winner go but finally did, ducked into the Pocono Pike, might have got to even terms deep stretch, just shy. JOESSTAR OF MIA A moved uncovered 9/16, stayed right in the main fight. MR CENSI came up the rail to be next. WARRAWEE UNIQUE raced inside, had no stretch response when asked. BELL I NO gapped. ACTOR HANOVER was no factor. RAGS TO RICHES swung wide to try to go around dull cover but could not.