FIRST RACE – Temperatures start in the mid 40s and rise to 50 … FOO FIGHTER N went away like a scalded cat, had an open-length lead throughout, came home in 28.2 after the wild pace and looked to be safe throughout. LOVE THE ACTION made the pocket then was loose/gapping the entire way, paced on with gameness for second. ALBERGO HANOVER started first-over on the second turn, was determined in the last 1/8 and kept going well. SPORTS TEEN sat third-in, had the use of the Pocono Pike but seemed a little hard to steer and went between horses, may have been pinched nearing the wire. DA MAGICIAN needed until almost the 3/8 to get into the 4-hole, angled out in the stretch and had some finishing kick. WATERWAY was not prominent. SHOREVIEW and BURNING MIDNIGHT both had excess cover. CAL tried to advance second-over but could not.
SECOND RACE – BABES DIG ME was looped and between horses early, needed to the 3/8 to get the front, but strung the field out and won for fun for the Jim Pantaleano “bottomed ‘em out” Double. OFFICIAL DESIRE sat in, was gapping a gapper on the turn, then found a better gear and came up the Pocono Pike to win the photo for second. BAMSKI was three-wide to the 3/16 then tucked fourth, moved out late backstretch, blindswitched past midturn, then found a seam between horses and had pace on the money. BLOW A CLOUD N was forwardly-placed, outside before the 11/16, tried to the wire. WHITE HAIR ROCKS was third-over, three-wide mid-far turn, outkicked in the battle for minor honors. WINDSONG JACK and LOUD SPLASH never got a call. TALK SHOW outleft everybody to turn one, yielded 3/8, empty ¾. INDEPENDENT ONE was the first to move outside but couldn’t generate cover, then fell back.
THIRD RACE – COALITION HANOVER moved sharply nearing the 3/8 to go right to command, had no problem thereafter. LOU ED ZEPPELIN gained the lead 3/16, yielded just past the 3/8 for the pocket, couldn’t keep up on the turn, then drifted into the Pocono Pike and didn’t allow MAJOR MAKEOVER clearance, placed for the passing lane violation. MAJOR MAKOVER yielded 3/16, stayed in third, had a foe drift down into the Pike and only got around him and potential trouble by cutting a pylon, had pace on the end. SPECIAL TYLER stayed in, showed a high turn of late foot after clearing in tight quarters midstretch. SARANAC BLUE CHIP moved out uncovered 11/16 but couldn’t gain enough. HIGH ST CORRIDOR needed to the ¼ to settle in, then was second-over but gapped. A FEARSOME HANOVER looked at leaving then took back all the way to last, third-over far turn, took a knuckling bad step headstretch losing any chance for a check. BUD TRUCK gapped out, broke late.
FOURTH RACE – TRICKY DICK took over 3/16, rated the second quarter, in charge to the wire. MADDYS LEADING MAN was innermost of a bunch of leavers and defended the pocket, clearly second. CEFFYL DWR was the outermost of potential leavers, took back and settled last at the ¼, had his cause aided by the two breakers far turn, swung wide and finished alertly. KEEPTHETAB HANOVER gapped midpack inside. WINGMAN HANOVER was second-over but gapped. SIX O’CLOCK NEWS was three-wide leaving, tucked third, looked up on the bit at a couple of points, made a break while having nowhere to go before midturn and went to the infield. SPUNKIN’SROCKETMAN was underway raw just before the half, was finding some better strides near the ¾ but then broke near midturn.
FIFTH RACE – BUSBOY HANOVER was three-wide 3/16 to the front nearing the ¼, didn’t have a hard time of it in winning decisively. WILSONS VINNER showed early speed, sat in third until angling wide to headstretch, finished with speed. ROCKIN INTHE HILLS stayed in and was shuffled to last, used the Pocono Pike to be along for third. MYIDEALSON N was quick off the wings, yielded for the pocket, got loose in the pocket ¾. HALLIE’S COMET was behind a stale wall two- and three-wide, four-wide early far turn, closed well belatedly. UNION STATION never factored. JUST N ACE was between horses leaving, briefly with cover then uncovered from the ¼, never got near the leader. DO YA THINK moved to follow the parked horse 3/8, three-wide early in the backstretch but just hung in place there.
SIXTH RACE – NATIVE’S SWEETLOU was outleft, got into gear at the 1/8 and wrested command by the ¼, rolled on the front end and was impressive. A REAL MIRACLE had the early lead quickly then yielded for the two-hole, kept up well in a fast mile but wasn’t threatening late. AMERICAN REBEL could only tuck seventh early, then third-over, three-wide with cover from midturn and four-wide headstretch, continued in sharp form by coming from last at the stretch call to nab third. BARNABAS got a midpack tuck, then was second-over, three-wide past the ¾, not bad at all. MY MIND IS MADEUP sat in and was shuffled some behind the sluggish favorite, split horses before midstretch and finished well, though the outside ones may have had the momentum advantage. APEX SEELSTER moved raw 9/16 but never reached the winner. UPTOWN FUNK and BRAVO TEX N was always near the back. TULLOW N appeared to be struggling to keep up much of the mile.
SEVENTH RACE – TOP ME OFF was unhurried early and went to the front just before the 3/8, kept up a steady pace and stayed game to fend off KILLER INSTINCT. The latter left, pulled from third approaching the ¾ and came at the leader, sharp but had to settle for second. ROBBIE PEV came third-over, three-wide late turn and was along for third. IN DULCE DECORUM spotted, came out 9/16 but didn’t advance much, got cover to the ¾ but gapped, evenly. CAPITAL T STORM sat in, gapped 5/8, then was blocked a bit near headstretch, Pocono Pike, OK. DROP THE MIC angled out from far back and had a bit of stretch speed. SOOT HANOVER never was prominent. HALLS OF VALOR left well, pushed the winner to almost the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket, empty the final quarter. RARE MUSCLE was last at every call.
EIGHTH RACE – Stretch headwind picked up … SCOTT ROCKS was outleft and took back, moved raw into turn two, found a better gear towards the ¾ and attacked, wore down pacesetter SUNSET BRAYDON in a gritty showing. The latter was very fast early, went slow-fast as wind-appropriate in the middle fractions, could not resist the winner. IN SPADES backed off early, in, wedged between horses without full clearance and with pace late. HORSING AROUND used the rail well to maintain the pocket, couldn’t offer much late but did return with “b.e.” IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N advanced up the rail, had no room until past midstretch and was never fully clear, OK. JANAID was widest early, needed until near the ¼ to settle in, then was second-over, gapped ¾. RANGERS SURESHOT and WAGON MASTER were not helped by the gapping second-over. PROVEN DESIRE never got a call.
NINTH RACE – HOOLIE N HECTOR was three-high just past the 1/8, got inside 3/16, on the move raw 5/8 and went right up, got by towards late far turn, easily. BLACK TIE BASH moved out down the back but never kept with the leader, steadily to nip SWAN BY LAND for second. The latter was away second then quarter-moved, couldn’t stall the winner on the turn, failed to hold second very late. FATHER OF IRELAND went evenly. CARTIER BI never factored. MY SON TV HANOVER dropped back. BY A HOFF HANOVER quickly made the top from post eight, yielded to a brusher and sat the two-hole, looking for more when breaking late turn and going inside the pylons. BOASTER COASTER fumbled soon after the start.
TENTH RACE – ONE EIGHT HUNDRED made the top before the 1/8, went along steadily, then downshifted at the ¾ and came home in a startling 26.1 while going easily – one to watch. MOVE THE LINE left and sat second, just held that spot over BARRYWHITE HANOVER, who sat behind him then came out midstretch and just missed place. DUSTUP HANOVER and BUTTER UP were both off the gate and never close. EMBLAZE HANOVER left between horses but soon broke.
ELEVENTH RACE – MAD MAN HILL yielded for the two-hole, kept tight, started edging out as the first-over went by the leader and was soon left raw, never gave up and was along for the big money right on the wire. HULOU took back early to sit third, moved 11/16 and with a burst got by in an 1/8 of a mile, soon had open lengths, but just failed to preserve his margin to the wire. ALWAYS A JOY was three-wide leaving to command past the 1/8, set reasonable fractions, got steamrollered on the final turn but kept pacing doggedly to the line. KYUQUOT and BLAZING LIGHT stayed in and got the last checks. VICTORY MOVE was uncovered past the 5/8 but never got into contention. INTELLIGENT AM moved out but couldn’t get much going.
TWELFTH RACE – STRAIGHT TALK moved from second to control the pace, did have the quickstep on the turn to keep the rusher outside, drew off early stretch but saw that pesky foe coming back late. FIRST STATE JONI went right to the lead, yielded for the pocket, gapped early backstretch then tightened in after kicking the plugs 5/8, right-lined ¾ and made a quick burst that got him a short-lived lead, saw the winner draw clear but was still coming on late. WIN PLACE’N SHOW sat on the rail and came through inside for a good third. SWEET SUCCESS moved behind the place horse late turn but didn’t gain. SHAKEALEG HANOVER moved from third 11/16, soon got cover but couldn’t stay with it. HE’S A SNOB broke just before the start.
THIRTEENTH RACE – TARKIO was going to quarter-move but retreated as the horse in front of him did so, uncovered before the half, grinded up in 27 with the wind to take the lead before the ¾ with urging, extended to keep TREVOR’S ACE safe. The latter moved behind the winner, briefly uncovered then tucked in the pocket, back outside to headstretch, found his best strides a mite too late. BATTERUP HANOVER was in an excellent flow, ducked in and used the Pocono Pike, a step shy. STOP STARING closed well from far back. AQUAMAN HANOVER joined the outer tier as it formed, not quite enough late. TERRY A HANOVER refused to yield early, finally did so in front of the stands, then lost all chance when the pacesetter tired and he was shuffled far back. JASPER HANOVER was also stuck inside. PERFECTBOY HANOVER was very hard to put into the pocket 3/16, soon went back on the attack and this time got the lead, rated the half, but tired when challenged to the ¾ and fell far behind.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TAM MAJOR A took the pocket in a lineup, moved outside headstretch and was game to run down the pacesetter in a “Tam-Tam” finish. OLLIE’S ZTAM used the rail to advantage, set wind-appropriate fractions, just outsprinted at the tail end. BELL I NO moved raw into turn two, could make no headway until nearing the ¾, fell back a little late turn and early stretch, then came back at the end to take third from ALEX TYE. The latter sat in, Pocono Pike, no real excuse not to maintain third. TRENTE DEO closed well widest. CAPTAIN NASH didn’t have great cover, gapped it far turn, evenly late. ELECTRIC WESTERN could offer little; same with THE WALL.