FIRST RACE – “Good +1” throughout the day, which featured temperatures from the mid- to upper-40s … Stretch tailwind … BLOW A CLOUD N came out raw at the 5/8, got cover from the pocketpuller ¾, had the most pace to the wire. JANAID made the lead, extended the favorite almost to the second turn in fast fractions before yielding, came out again ¾, got a small lead late on the turn, which he preserved until late. WILSONS VINNER gapped off turn two, caught up and could move to the pocket, had the option of the Pocono Pike but chose to pull out behind the first-over then duck inside him midstretch, steadily. WAGON MASTER moved with cover, circled wide but couldn’t quite reach. BUSBOY HANOVER was never a factor. SPORTS TEEN left, was hung out through almost all of 28.1/55.3 en route to the lead into the second turn, set the pace, wilted in the last 3/16. ALWAYS THE SUN considered leaving but took back, got on a line badly late on the first turn, lost contact past the half.
SECOND RACE – SCOTT ROCKS was out 3/16 for the front in a fast quarter, rolled along, under encouragement the last 3/16, may have bore out some but held gamely. P L MUNSON tucked third at the 1/8, stayed in, used the Pocono Pike and almost made it. LYONS AMUSEMENTS went away quickly to grab the lead, yielded 3/16 and sat the two-hole, considered coming out early stretch but chose to go between horses, good but not quite enough. LEAR SEELSTER started uncovered to the half, never reached the wheel of the pocket horse but went on steadily. TULLOW N offered little. SOMEBEACH BARON swung wide from third-over 11/16 blindswitching SIMPLE KINDA MAN; neither entered contention. DA MAGICIAN labored at the rear.
THIRD RACE – FERNADO left behind cover, went three-wide 5/16 to have the momentum to clear before the second turn and just did so in a cutthroat half, went on to open a big lead at the 5/8 and maintained clear space behind him to the wire while understandably tiring. RANGERS SURESHOT was in the lively outer flow well behind the winner, left uncovered on the far turn, OK to be second. MYIDEALSON N gapped cover, then found a bit better pace as the tempo slowed. REDHOT ROMEO sat in and was shuffled back to last then outside behind a gapping one, unfurled with steady pace. AN THE THUNDEROLLS moved uncovered into turn two, went into an empty pocket ¾ but had little left. WISE IMAGE was hung past the 27.2 opener, then was between horses to get the lead before the 3/8, yielded into turn two in the lightning (under the circumstances) half, gapped out 5/8. JEREMES GENERAL had the rail and hung two foes a long way briskly, started gapping off turn two.
FOURTH RACE – J M MANDAMIN started to move before the half but had to wait on the outer tier forming, third-over, four-wide just past the ¾ (about as early as you’ll see a horse four-wide here and winning), kicked very strongly in the latter stages and overhauled GROOVY JOE. The latter was urged leaving, on top at the 3/16, got pressure down the back, held very nicely. RODEO ROCK wound up second-over, not really smooth down the back, three-wide early on the far turn, finished steadily. YANKEE ROLLER A was on top at the 1/8, ceded the front for the pocket 3/16, had his chance in the lane but couldn’t summon enough. SEEL THE DEAL N stayed in, deep Pike, couldn’t reach. BABES DIG ME left well, came out at the half and moved up in the third quarter, but flattened in the fourth.
FIFTH RACE – POLAK A made the front just past the 1/8, yielded 5/16 for the two-hole, outside late on the turn, was passed to the inside but fought on and was up by a nostril in the last step. LORD OF MISRULE let and yielded, stayed third-in, got to the Pike, took a short lead just past midstretch, just edged. SWEET TALKIN SATIN left and was behind cover to just past the 1/8 then went up, took over 5/16, didn’t get pressure on the lead, just outsprinted home. KEYSTONE STEAM was three-wide to the 1/8 before settling in fifth past that point, uncovered before turn two, never reached but bettered the others. JUST PLAIN LOCO came out third-over but ducked back in, evenly. RECORD MACHINE did not feature. SPRINGBRIDGE PROUD came second-over on the second turn, three-wide ¾ but never gained.
SIXTH RACE – ALBERGO HANOVER used the rail to maximum effect, parked challengers three-wide to the 3/8, yielded early on turn two for the pocket, had to wait for the Pocono Pike but once clear paced to the fore in the slowing tempo. NATIVE’S SWEETLOU was outside with cover early off the top three, in before the ¼, gapped in front of the grandstand, outside just past the half and soon three-wide to circle the parked horse to two-wide raw past the 5/8, kept coming at the leader during and past a wild 3/4s, made the lead with an 1/8 to go, held with great courage though bearing out a little. SWEET N FAST N followed the path of the place horse from the half, edged in some late as things decelerated. PROVEN DESIRE was widest in the lane with some pace. ROCKIN INTHE HILLS was three-wide fully to the 3/8 in a wild battle, to two-wide to clear on the clubhouse turn, got new pressure from late backstretch, tired. CLASS SIX left between horses, urged to try to clear 5/16 but instead got looped past the 3/8 and left raw two-wide, fell back. HORSING AROUND kept the pocket closed, then fell back by an ever-widening margin from the 9/16.
SEVENTH RACE – THE WALL was three-wide to the first turn to command to the 3/16, rated the second quarter then sped up and nobody got near him, didn’t hit the wall but kept going to the wire. WARRAWEE UNIQUE made the lead at the 1/8 and yielded for the two-hole, outside headstretch, gained a little late but not enough. CAPTAIN MCKEE had some early foot, swung wide headstretch from third-in, also gaining a little but not enough late. NEWBIE stayed inside, no factor. WHEN YOU DANCE took back early, moved uncovered at the half but never got close; TREVOR ONE followed that one’s cover but gapped it. HALLIE’S COMET had a problem before the 3/16 and was pulled up.
EIGHTH RACE – LOVE THE ACTION was three-wide to the first turn, got the point beyond the 3/16, backed off the half then had twin 27.4s coming home to keep BAMSKI safe. The latter got positioning to the first turn, started uncovered going into turn two, grinded up and reached the winner before the ¾, gave that one a hard fight home in a good mile. BURNING MIDNIGHT was second-over, gapped some ¾, distant next-best. SUNSET BRAYDON stayed in, blocked late on the turn, to the Pocono Pike, so-so, reported back with “b.e.” IN SPADES was third-over, gapped a gapper ¾. GLENGARRY KNIGHT N was never a factor here. A REAL MIRACLE went out between horses to 1/8 command, yielded past the 3/16 for the pocket, stayed tight until suddenly backing off midturn.
NINTH RACE – TRENTE DEO got out in a good flow after a fast half, left uncovered to the ¾, had gotten ahead before headstretch and extended his advantage through the lane to win in fast time. WINDSONG JACK moved uncovered 9/16 and made a big burst, pacing his own third split in 27, to get the lead late on the backstretch, proved no match for the winner on his back, just did hold second. MY MIND IS MADEUP was third-over, gapped far turn, closed some to be photoed for second. REVELRY was fourth-over, didn’t enter the picture. PRINCE OF TIDES was urged leaving, got the pocket, was quarter-mover #1, yielded to QM #2 towards turn two, was shuffled late backstretch, out in a blindswitch but didn’t gain once clear. MISSISSIPPI RABBIT was QM #2, left uncovered 5/16 and under urging to clear early second turn, done when challenged towards the ¾. WHITE HAIR ROCKS was very fast leaving wide right to the lead, saw two go by in quarter two, in, shuffled some, outside turn, very little left.
TENTH RACE – ONE EIGHT HUNDRED was extended to clear to the lead 3/16, really backed down the middle half, then drew away without asking in a 27.1 last quarter on a day when no other race came home faster than 27.4. WARRAWEE WHYNOT gave the winner a good tussle before yielding, sat the two-hole, started to get loose mid-far turn, held second in a good outing. STOP STARING backed out second-over, three-wide into the lane and lost a little ground straightening away, then finished nicely. TREVOR’S ACE tucked third, in, went to the Pocono Pike but had little to offer. SIX DEGREES was buried last, found room between horses midstretch and had kick once clear. MOVE THE LINE had some early foot, in then backed out to third-over 11/16 but couldn’t get in the hunt. BATTERUP HANOVER came from last uncovered and got to the winner’s wheel ¾, but had nothing left in the last 1/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – COALITION HANOVER briefly settled third to the 3/16, then soon was on his way to get the top 3/8, had to fight off in turn the first-over and then the Pocono Piker, but stayed strong to the wire. CAPTAIN SLEAZE forced an early tuck, then yielded when the winner came calling to the 3/8, waited, went inside, held his ground well but couldn’t go by. STELLAR YANKEE came raw from last on turn two, gradually ranged up to cover on the backstretch, wide in the lane and closed well. MIKIBYTHESEASIDE had the pocket early, moved out again before the 5/8 and pressed the winner, faded only a little. AQUAMAN HANOVER had little inside. BUD TRUCK couldn’t keep up the last ½.
TWELFTH RACE – HE’S A SNOB quarter-moved under tap urging and made the lead 3/8, drew clear on the turn and kept rolling to the wire. MAD MAN HILL stayed outside early, in gear at the 1/8 to the lead at the ¼, yielded for the pocket, loose in the two-hole from the 5/8, did a little better late but was not getting to the winner. KYUQUOT rushed raw 9/16 out of fifth and made up a lot of ground, fell back a little on the turn but continued to pace on doggedly to the wire. MAJOR MAKOVER was able to swing out all the way to four-wide late turn, had good pace late. TARKIO went right to the lead, yielded, backed out to second-over 11/16 but gapped some. TERRY A HANOVER never entered the main picture. WIN PLACE ‘N SHOW trailed to gain outside down the back but tired 3/4 without getting close.
THIRTEENTH RACE – ALEX TYE was on the move from third at the 1/8 to take over the racetrack at the ¼, yielded to the chalk for the two-hole trip, to the Pocono Pike, proved the best today. CAPTAIN NASH started raw early on turn two and made a big move to go up towards the leader, lost ground the first half of the far turn, but kept on pacing determinedly in a good showing. BRAVO TEX N was last, four-wide late turn and charging home very strongly late. PATERNITY SUIT A quarter-moved, set the pace and looked to be in control, but came up shy at crunch time. JAHAN HANOVER was first on top then relinquished, boxed in on the turn, was going evenly when having to steer a bit wide of the tiring pacesetter late. DIVISION BELL came up the deep Pike and wasn’t bad. DIRT ON MY BOOTS was second-over gapping slightly, three-wide past midturn but could offer little late.
FOURTEENTH RACE – CLOSING STATEMENT left behind cover and tucked, quarter-moved but waited on the chalk’s early move, then sent three-wide to the 3/8 to two-wide to clear early on turn two, went a fast third quarter and was very impressive today. AFLAME HANOVER was three-wide past the 1/8, tucked third, quarter-moved in front of the winner, cleared to the lead between horses 3/8, yielded, could do no more than hold his ground late. BILL HALEY N was first to the top, saw two brush by in quarter two, evenly late to maintain third in the fast mile. SCOOTNROLL sat in, gapped on the far turn, next. BELL I NO gapped in last but took the inside path to the last check. CAPTAIN CASH preserved the pocket early, then moved uncovered before the 5/8, never got close and formed a clogging “wedge” from well before the ¾ with CENTURY FURY, who moved three-wide 5/8 but never got into the action. JOESSTAR OF MIA A was outside, hampered by these two and lost all chance.