FIRST RACE – A couple of degrees on either side of 60 today, as spring has sprung … Swirling winds early in the card … LYONS AMUSEMENTS left between horses, took back to half-settle in third to the 3/16 and then quarter-moved, kept up a fast pace and left these soundly beaten. JEREMES GENERAL was innermost of the three leavers and secured the early pocket, gapped at the ¾ but went on evenly and grabbed second along the inside. MYIDEALSON N was three-wide early to the lead just past the 1/8, relinquished to the winner and stayed tight in the pocket until headstretch, bore out in the lane and could not maintain place. WHAT’S GOIN ON was blocked far turn, fair late. SWEET TALKIN SATIN stayed in and also was blocked far turn, angled wide headstretch and was gaining late. ROJAN’S WAY never got a call. BYE BYE JOHN backed out to follow the cover of nonadvancing LITTLE ADMIRAL, with both having no impact here.
SECOND RACE – RANGERS SURESHOT came out early backstretch and soon moved three-wide to sweep a parked horse and get to first-over, had a hard and long fight with pacesetter BLOW A CLOUD N and was just up late. The latter was between horses to 3/16 command, kept a challenger wide of him out in the air, then got new pressure from the winner before the ¾, dueled with that one the rest of the way and just failed. BAMSKI was far back most of the way, went wide back to two-wide on the turn and gained, continued to narrow in through the stretch. BABES DIG ME was the first to show, yielded and kept the pocket tight in the early fight, to the Pocono Pike, had his chance but couldn’t quite get there. JUST PLAIN LOCO gapped in quarter two then got tighter, deep in the Pike but not a late threat. TALK SHOW sat in, not prominent. MELANIE’S TEDY was three-wide to the 3/16 then left out raw, faded at the 5/8. ASTON HILL DAVE kept dropping back further in the last half.
THIRD RACE – MANHATTANUP NO ICE took advantage of track geometry to secure the early pocket, quarter-moved and backed off the half, then had to meet a stern first-over challenge, got clear when that rival broke to headstretch, tiring some but far enough ahead of closing rivals. STEEL SCHOONER was not away quickly and wound up fourth-over, left uncovered far turn, found better trot in the stretch and edged a bunch for second. SANCHEZ ROCKS took back early, then was second-over, to the pocket late backstretch off the duelers, fair late. RECIPROCALBLUECHIP was inside, weaving for clearance much of the lane and steadily got closer. SWEET SUSIE T was third-over, went to the rail midturn, then was in tight quarters finishing with some trot. PROTOSTAR was last, three-wide from the ¾, too far to come. FATHER FIGURE was four-wide to the first bend, made the lead off that curve then yielded to the winner, faded from midbackstretch. AP HALL OF TRIX started uncovered nearing turn two, went his own third split raw in 27.3, able to get a short advantage but not to cross over, battled the winner on the turn until breaking near headstretch.
FOURTH RACE – SPORTS TEEN, unhurried early, moved raw 9/16 and inexorably grinded up, took the lead early stretch and won handily in the second 12.5/15 cut to go faster than any of the day’s 30/40s. HEREHECOMESAROCKIN took the pocket behind an insistent rival in a fast quarter, went to the Pocono Pike, may have sacrificed a bit of momentum but it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway, clear second. CASH IS KING was intent on the lead and went 26.1 early, had growing pressure from the first-over, tired but just did hold for third. WHITE HAIR ROCKS advanced inside, finished with pace. KEYSTONE STEAM was first to go out, but was stuck behind dull cover, may not have been fully clear between horses late. NEWBIE sat third-in until angling out past midturn, not much to offer. MOUNTAIN HIGH gapped second-over.
FIFTH RACE – STICK WITH CRAMER was away to protect the pocket, responded quickly when shown ground in the Pocono Pike and won handily. DREAM OF LUCK tucked third early, got to the deep Pike quickly and finished well to take second ahead of SPRINGBRIDGE PROUD. The latter was third-over, three-wide with cover at the ¾ then without it past midturn, narrowed in while bearing out significantly. UNDERTAKER was second-over, three-wide 11/16 to uncovered past the ¾, not quite enough. OH K MAN sat in, angled out and finished mildly. INDIGO ART went right through to the lead, came up shy at crunch time. LORD OF MISRULE left but took back to tuck fifth, went first-up towards turn two, never really got to the leader before fading. REDHOT ROMEO was never close.
SIXTH RACE – Wind beginning to convert to a stretch headwind … CLASS SIX was out 3/16 to get around the pole horse, rated the half then dealt with a hard third quarter challenge, had two more join the late chase but prevailed gamely. SUNSET BRAYDON tucked third nearing the 3/16, gapped some to the ¾ but then found more pace and angled wide headstretch, narrowing the gap late and managed second in the last step. BARNABAS tucked, then moved uncovered not much past the ¼, grinded, fell back a little late turn but then came back on late in a gritty performance. WATERWAY yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, had no apparent excuse. ALEX TYE was three-wide early then took all the way back to last, came a long way with pace for the last check. ELECTRIC WESTERN was third-over, three-wide ¾ but couldn’t get into the main mix. REVELRY did not feature. URBAN RENEWAL moved early and had great cover but couldn’t stay with it. JUST N ACE left, had cover before ducking in at the ¼, never again prominent.
SEVENTH RACE – SWEET HEART AS tucked third to the 3/16, then moved in front of the stands to 3/8 command, won in hand. WORTHY OF HONOR put everybody in behind early, yielded to the winner to sit the two-hole, went on well but never looked a threat to go past. TRICKY DICK moved out raw 5/8, got to even with the pocket horse but no closer, tired, third-best. I’LLALWAYSBEBACK was forwardly-placed but lost ground in the last ¼. BOSCH went evenly inside. CHERRY RED was behind gapping cover, three-wide far turn, so-so. ZOE F gapped early, moved out down the back but gapped cover there. THE OTHER PAIR never factored.
EIGHTH RACE – GLENGARRY KNIGHT N, urged leaving, was three-wide to the 1/8 then took third 3/16, stayed in, aided when the pocket horse slid out early stretch, was able to produce a very fast last 1/16 to just catch FOO FIGHTER N. The latter made the front 3/16 in a 26.1 opener, never had a horse look him in the eye until the winner nipped him three steps out. IN SPADES stayed in and was shuffled to last, came all the way up the inside with consistent pace (as the tempo slowed). BRAVO TEX N had to circle five-wide headstretch as the outer tiers plugged, moving fastest of all late. IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N pushed hard then yielded to sit the two-hole, outside soon into the stretch but did not gain. SOMEBEACH BARON was fourth-over from last, four-wide mid-far turn, OK. MY MIND IS MADEUP was third-over, three-wide 5/8 to try to circle gapping cover, but couldn’t get into the main argument. LOUD SPLASH was a gapping second-over. WAGON MASTER started the outer tier at the 3/8, moved up then fell back through the last quarter.
NINTH RACE – J K MUSICMAN was uncovered past the 9/16 and paced a third split of 26.3 himself to get a length advantage near the ¾ but was left outside by pacesetting BELL I NO, got the nod over that one in a good stretch fight. The latter needed most of the ¼ to make the top, could hold the rushing winner out ¾ and reclaimed a short lead in the lane, just edged out. SEEL THE DEAL N yielded nearing the ¼ to sit the two-hole, finally decided to go into the Pocono Pike, OK. WARRAWEE UNIQUE also raced inside, had to wait for SEEL THE DEAL N to pick a stretch route then chose to go deep in the Pike, not bad. MR CENSI was buried inside, had pace once free late. BLACKLIGHT did not make his presence felt. ACTOR HANOVER was outleft and spotted midpack 3/16, then was second-over but gapped out. WESTERN HILL offered little. DECLAN SEELSTER left hard and was wide early, took back and was three-wide to the ¼ before able to get back to last, never again a presence.
TENTH RACE – Wind has picked up … TITO ROCKS was three-wide early, got in fourth at the 1/8, moved raw off the second turn and went in 26 flat with the wind down the back to put pressure on WHOS BETTER, was in Thunderdome with that one through the lane and bravely got the decision. The latter took over past the 1/8, rolled on at a good clip, battled very gamely against the winner. HOT DEUCE left then yielded for the pocket, not in the league of the top two the last ¼ but decent. LORD WILLOUGHBY A went evenly after an inside trip. TAM MAJOR A looked to leave but soon was taking way back, sat in, fair inside late. CAPTAIN NASH was third-over but gapped a gapper, three-wide late turn, not quite enough. TRENTE DEO couldn’t get into the picture. THE WALL moved second-over but was soon leaving a gap.
ELEVENTH RACE – TULLOW N started uncovered 3/8, found a better gear 5/8 and went quickly up to the leader ¾, couldn’t get by that one until the last 50 yards. LOVE THE ACTION kept a foe out most of the ¼, yielded but was quick on the retake, opened a good-sized lead down the back, battled hard with the winner until the shadow of the wire. CAL was third-over behind dull cover, three-wide midturn, up for a no-threat third. A REAL MIRACLE left, tucked fourth 3/16, stayed in and was shuffled badly, out in a blindswitch to headstretch, got in the lane behind CAL and gained. APEX SEELSTER was moving well late after having to swing widest from last. JANAID was well-placed second-over but couldn’t keep up the last 3/8. SHOREVIEW never entered the picture. HORSING AROUND was badly shuffled when the pocket horse tired, but then showed little once free. PROVEN DESIRE was three-wide to the first turn then two-wide most of the ¼ in 26.2 for the top, yielded for the pocket, lost more and more ground from the 5/8.
TWELFTH RACE – An interference disqualification takes out a fourth straight first-over winner and gets a $174.00 horse put up … BUSBOY HANOVER took back early, came uncovered past the 3/8 and grinded up, bore wide off the final turn putting a wheel under HALLIE’S COMET, with that one going offstride, stayed ahead to the wire but was placed for causing the interference. That elevated 86-1 shot ROCKIN INTHE HILLS, who angled wide past midturn, was right behind the bothered horse and had to check sharply, then found a high gear quickly and motored home. OFFICIAL DELIGHT was second, gapped and was double-blindswitched, followed the first-over home and was elevated to second. CLASSY HILL took into the pocket past the 3/16, got to the Pocono Pike but had no gain late. MISSISSIPPI RABBIT was three-wide to the 1/8 and tucked third, inside, got room deep in the Pike but didn’t have much response. SALTY ROBYN N went down the road, moderated the half, still came up shy at crunch time. BOBBY K HILL was right behind the headstretch trouble. HALLIE’S COMET was third-over, went three-wide ¾ through the turn, had a wheel put under him turning for home and made an “ix.”
THIRTEENTH RACE – NICHOLAS BEACH briefly eased in fourth then quarter-moved to 3/8 command, went 27.3 with the wind down the back and then 27.3 against it with mild reminders in an impressive return. HIGH IMPRESSION put everybody in behind early, yielded for the pocket, held his ground pretty well. P L MUNSON left but took back for the early pocket, sat in then backed out second-over 11/16, went inside midturn as his cover stalled, next in line. FOREVER FAV left, took a 3-tuck, urged far turn but couldn’t reach the main action. TUCKER CREEK started uncovered into the second turn, paced his third split in 26.3 and got to the leader’s wheel before the ¾, but could not sustain. DIRT ON MY BOOTS appeared to run up on a foe on the second curve. BAY MEADOWS gapped cover.
FOURTEENTH RACE – ROCK THE TOWN forced a lot of horses outside of him to take back by the 1/8, then left the remaining parked horse get the top before the 3/8, sat the pocket, Pocono Pike, was strong through th lane. JOESSTAR OF MIA A accepted a spot behind the winner at the ¼, stayed in, took his shot to the left of the winner in the lane, again a good mile. PATERNITY SUIT A slid in at the 1/8, then commenced first-up going to turn two, went a big third quarter with the wind then held his ground gamely late. OLLIE’S Z TAM was four-wide to the 1/8 and three-wide most of the ¼, finally on top 5/16, went a fast third split, held on OK. PEACE OUT POSSE was looped and three-wide with cover going to turn one, finally tucked, then moved out, was third-over behind dull cover, wide and had pace in an unlucky trip. CASUAL COOL was last, had pace inside late but was too far back. RAGS TO RICHES gapped inside. CLOSING STATEMENT moved second-over but was all-out to stay close the last half. TALBOTCREEKWHISKEY didn’t enter the picture.