Connors’ Comments for Sunday, March 28, 2021

2021-03-31

FIRST RACE – High 50s descending to mid 50s during the twilight card … Track “sloppy +2” throughout … A stretch headwind, especially strong early in the card … WISE IMAGE was away third, then quarter-moved, cut wind-appropriate fractions, left this field behind. HERE COMES SWIFTY was between horses to the early pocket, in, gapped, got to the Pocono Pike and just took second; ARTACHE HANOVER raced behind that one and also gapped in the fast third split, deep Pike, almost second. ALTA SHELBY N was three-wide to the first turn and on top just past the 1/8, yielded to the winner, gapped down the back then got tighter late backstretch and on the turn, moved out headstretch but didn’t gain while drifting out. BAYONET was three-wide on the far turn and up for the final payday. HIGHVIEW CONALL N was always far back. SPANISH ART was outleft and two-wide throughout, advanced during the second quarter but didn’t have the speed to clear, tired. JOE HILL showed little. BIG BOY FRAZIER moved out behind cover but was soon gapping.

 

SECOND RACEMOON DOGGIE left and defended the pocket, moved to the Pocono Pike after a perfect trip and still just barely prevailed in a 31.1 kicker. HES GONE BADDER moved out before the ¾, three-wide far turn, almost got there. ALL ABOUT RUSTY was in a different area code in last much of the way, got in gear on the turn and moved widest, didn’t miss by too much. SKYWAY BILLY sat in, tried to find clearance from headstretch but could not, shut off nearing the wire possibly costing him third. GRITS N GRAVY semisettled third early, quarter-moved but was left out in a duel, held his ground pretty well. GRAVE DANCER gapped the last half. ROLL WITH JEFF was in front at the 1/8, kept a foe parked in a tough fight, nothing left for the stretch.

 

THIRD RACELINDY’S BIG BANG got underway midbackstretch, started gaining on the leader before the ¾ and was in front turning for home, much the best. WHETHER OR NOT FI made the front then yielded for the pocket, shuffled a little into the stretch then to the Pocono Pike, was a distant second. NAMJE settled back early, inside, deep Pocono Pike, fair. HASHTAGMADEYALOOK took command just past the 1/8, slowed the half then sped up, had no answer when the winner came calling far turn. GINGER TREE SKYR moved outside but failed to gain. VALLEY OF SIN lost contact 5/8.

 

FOURTH RACENEEDLESS TO SAY started a raw move at the half, blitzed by 11/16, won with no problem. HUGH HEFNER N yielded for the pocket, came out after the winner cleared and retucked in the pocket, cut into the winning margin late. SHARKNADO moved with the winner’s cover but couldn’t go with it, one-geared for the distant third. SHRIMP AND GRITS passed tired horses with a touch of late pace. RED DIRT ROCKNROLL never got close. DONEGAL JIM left for 1/8 command, slowed the half, couldn’t handle the winner later in the backstretch, faded. MCCITO gapped badly. LIMA RAIDER lost contact at the back.

 

FIFTH RACEBLENHEIM made two speed moves to be on top by the 3/8, unthreatened late. KEYSTONE SERGEANT sat in then backed out with cover ¾, three-wide later far turn, finished steadily to catch ZOOMING for second. The latter moved uncovered at the half, raced up into the pocket ¾, couldn’t last for place. MUSCLE AVE left to command, yielded to the winner, gave the pocket ¾ in the fast third panel, then moved out into the stretch and went very wide, gaining late as the pace slowed. BELLA AVA got cover before the half, left uncovered ¾, tired in the lane. ANDOVERS TOUCH was no factor along the inside. MYSTICAL WYNN moved out down the back but broke 5/8.

 

SIXTH RACEENGLISH ROSE N stayed outside midpack, got in gear before the 3/16 to the lead 3/8, in control to the wire. SUDDEN CHANGE N left and forced a tuck, relinquished to the winner 3/8, came out of the pocket nearing headstretch, OK but clearly second-best. KOTARE YARRA N left and went into the early pocket, stayed in, evenly. RHODATOLDME had little to offer. DREAM DANCING was three-wide to the first turn, went into a tuck, uncovered into turn two and gained during the third quarter, but couldn’t sustain her gain. LIGHTNING VIRGIN broke past the start, recovered and went up second-over, three-wide early far turn when her cover tired, couldn’t get into it. JUS WANNA FEEL was in traffic headstretch, made a break.

 

SEVENTH RACENEXTROUNDSONME spotted early, then was third-over, three-wide past the 5/8 and remained three-wide the duration, showed the most trot late. NOBLE PRIZE didn’t get in gear until the ¾, three-wide at a distance behind the winner, just edged CHRISTOPHER CRAZO for second. The latter stayed in then moved out in a blindswitch on the turn, gained just inside the place horse and almost edged that one. SOUTHWIND BLIZZARD started uncovered 3/8 and hammered at the leader the last half, having a small advantage a couple of times, got a little tired after hard work. PUERTO RICO made two early moves, under attack throughout the last half, gave way some. SORTIE HANOVER needed until just past the ¼ to clear, yielded for the pocket, gapped far turn. SWISS PLATINUM and RENTIER were never featured. BOB N TONY tucked fourth, went second-over but couldn’t stay with the cover.

 

EIGHTH RACE – After a recall … MY DELIGHT took until the fast ¼ to put into the pocket, waited, outside late turn, drew clear. WIND BLAST was near the back most of the way, had a full head of steam four-wide late final turn, really ate up the ground in a big race. DO YA THINK would not yield the lead in a 26.4 opener, set the pace, gave way. REAL LUCKY N was five-wide early and took back, then moved out towards the second turn, was blindswitched by a sweeper near the half, went three-wide 5/8 and remained in the three-path the duration, better mile than it looks. AMRCANBOOTSCOOTA A was closely-placed, no factor late. CENTURY ENFORCER was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked, was caught in and shuffled back to last and out of it. BARGAIN SHOOTER left like three to each side did, backed off, then gapped much of the rest of the way. GOLDEN GESTURE was underway at the ¼, raw, looped 5/8 and faded. BIG MACH left, but so did the six inside him so he took back, underway with cover 3/8, eased out to three-wide position in the second turn and went a big third quarter two-wide to get fairly close before understandably tiring.

 

NINTH RACERICH AND MISERABLE left strongly to 1/8 command, had an easy time of it on the front end. DARTY was first on top, yielded for the two-hole, all-out to save place late from MOON BRIDGE. The latter sat third, moved out in the lane and did OK. ITSONLYMONEYHONEY gapped in fourth during quarter two, tightened but never factored. O JONNIE moved uncovered off the second turn, never got closer than the wheel of the three-in horse. SVF BLUSHINGBRIDE gapped throughout. CHOCO CHARLIE lost contact at the back. REMARKABLE DE VIE broke trying to get early position.

 

TENTH RACENOME HANOVER left well, yielded to the 5/16 but was quick to retake, accelerated and kept the first-over outside, then drew away. CAVIART VAL gapped until the far turn, then got going and swung four-wide headstretch, distant second. SUNSETBOOZECRUISE was looped and three-wide to the 1/8, finally made the front to the 5/16 then yielded for the pocket, evenly in the stretch. BULLVILLE TERROR followed cover, gapped during the early backstretch duel then in gear and three-wide past the 5/8 for the duration, OK. FULL VIEW came with a rush uncovered and almost cleared to the lead before the 5/8 but was kept outside, couldn’t gain thereafter. BIG CITY BUD never could get much going. WINDEMERE FRANK backed out to two-wide down the back but gapped. LOU ED ZEPPELIN had trouble staying close most of the mile.

 

ELEVENTH RACEPEGGY J was outside at the 1/8, moved to the lead not long off the first turn, got an easy pace, saw LITTLE SANDY TOES gain inside past midstretch but was assured of the win when that one got bad-gaited. NARINA HANOVER came uncovered and hit a higher gear 5/8, held steadily late. LITTLE SANDY TOES was parked 3/16 for the top, yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, looked to have a chance to overhaul the leader but got very badgaited nearing the wire; an inquiry revealed no reason for placing. SURE ARE LOOKIN GOOD was second-over but didn’t enter the main picture. THANEEYA went three-wide at the ¾ from last and did well late. RHYME N ROLL was third-over, gapped, blindswitched, evenly once clear. WINNING WORDS left and yielded, came up empty in the drive. THE OTHER PAIR did not make their presence felt.

 

TWELFTH RACEGONNAHAVEONEMORE was looped early, half-went into a three-hole, then was quarter-mover #2, set the pace, accelerated when asked ¾ and drew away in a laugher. SOUTHWIND DREDGE moved raw before the 5/8 and gained the second part of the backstretch, started to fall back midturn, but showed grit in fighting on to take the distant second. ESAI HANOVER left, yielded, made a “hidden” quarter-move then yielded again, couldn’t keep up the last quarter. WILSONS VINNER scooted up the inside, blocked upper stretch then wedged between horses in tight quarters to just miss place. TRAY SURREAL left well and got to the front past the 1/8, saw two go by in quarter two, couldn’t regain enough ground. REIGNING BILLS was second-over, went to the three=path midturn but did not gain. WHO’S NEGAN was too far back. MCNEILL Z TAM was third-over and four-wide late turn but had no effective rally.

 

THIRTEENTH RACETWO AM was three-wide leaving to the front at the 1/8, had opened a clear lead before the half despite a slow fraction and kept the open lead into the stretch, perhaps shortstrided late but safe. KING ALPHONSO had some speed, was content to sit third until midturn even with the winner opening a big margin, ate into that big margin but didn’t get there. THISISSHE was away well to the lead into turn one, yielded for the pocket, was loose in same from before the half, edged MEADOWBRANCH RICKY for third. The latter looked at leaving but took back, inside, up the Pocono Pike and fair. TRY TRY AGAIN and STOP RESISTIN both circled the gapping SPLITSVILLE, and those two had mild trot on the end.

 

FOURTEENTH RACETRUTH AND LIBERTY grabbed an early midpack tuck, began a strong move uncovered before the half and challenged, went by into the stretch and repelled the inside move of JUXTA COWGIRL. The latter left, finally yielded 3/8 for the pocket, went right to the Pocono Pike, didn’t accelerate quickly enough to catch the winner, steadily late. DELISHKA N was three-wide leaving, needed until the 3/8 with tapping the get the lead, had a hard challenge from the first-over, held OK. GRANT ME THIS was third-over, four-wide early stretch and finished sturdily. BRING ME DIAMONDS tucked early, waited inside, angled across the track midstretch and did well between horses late. YES DOUBLE DOWN got a fine trip second-over, three-wide into the stretch, not quite enough. RELLA TIVITY gapped much of the way. TRAFFIC JAM never entered the main picture. TRUSSED UP TRUDY was off the gate, ran on turn two.

Spread the love