FIRST RACE – No wind to start; temperature would rise from 55 to 60 through the afternoon … AMAZON made the lead 3/16 in a hot quarter, rated the half, strung out the field then had only YOUR HONOR close from the 5/8, kept that one at bay. The latter went to the lead, pushed the winner then yielded and sat a tight second, good but second-best, far ahead of the others. SNUF ENUF HANOVER did not get a good start, moved out to the ¾ and went past the rest. DANCING TINA, also away a bit slow, was next in line. SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA did not seem easy to steer, moved out but had little to offer. ROAD READY WES tucked third, couldn’t keep up most of the last half.
SECOND RACE – SPECTACULAR ROCK made the early lead, yielded, moved from third before the 5/8 and stepped right by just past the ¾, went his own back half in 56 in a $7500 claimer to win by a ton. ARCHETTO HANOVER moved behind the winner but immediately couldn’t keep up, left uncovered far turn, stayed on for second. SKYWAY BILLY made the lead 3/16 then yielded after almost a like distance to sit the pocket, backed out to the new second-over on the turn, OK. The remainder were with a length of each other, far off the winner, at the wire: NEEDLESS TO SAY was three-wide to the first turn, tucked third, back underway before the ¼ to get the lead just before the 3/8, could not answer the winner ¾. LIMA RAIDER gapped inside. BB’S HARLEY moved outside but never got close. THE OTHER TWO never featured.
THIRD RACE – SHES SO SWEET went right to the lead, seated a foe, then yielded to the chalk for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, went by fractionally midstretch, never extended that advantage vs. a game foe but did beat her out. SO IRRESISTIBLE was satisfied with tucking third early, then moved off the first turn to the lead 3/8 and got a rating to the half, challenged by the winner and gave away a small advantage midstretch, but paced on gamely to just miss. BACI BACI left, opted not to fight the winner at the 1/8 but took the early pocket, inside, deep Pike, good. RABLE gapped early, uncovered early on turn two, got to the leader’s wheel but no closer before falling back (just a bit) in the last 3/16. INDRA HANOVER was third-over behind gapping cover, three-wide just past the ¾, not bad from a tough spot. MAJOR HOULIHAN was second-over, gapped, blindswitched far turn, couldn’t enter the main picture.
FOURTH RACE – TRUSSED UP TRUDY was the innermost of four leavers in a six-horse field and certainly took advantage of geometry, forced two tucks then hung a hard-used foe to the front past the 3/8, sat behind the fast pace then went to the Pocono Pike, grinded by late. THE LADY SHERIFF was four-wide to the 1/8, three-wide to the 3/16, then two-wide before being able to get the lead past the 3/8 in fast fractions, continued at a quick clip, was game but got a little weary very late. JUSLIKEAQUEEN was two-wide to the early pocket, eased outside past midturn, clearly third. SHE’S A BILLIONAIR was clearly best of the rest. LULU DE VIE was away slowly and never got close. MSAMERCASWEETHART A was three-wide to the 1/8 then took back to tuck, not heard from again.
FIFTH RACE – Mild stretch headwind starting … INCASEYOUDIDNTKNOW left, was tucking when taking one bad step before the first turn (where her “b.e.” might have occurred), started uncovered towards turn two, grinded away, came her back half in 55.2 in a very brave victory. AP BLAZE OF GLORY was third-over far turn, ducked between horses from last headstretch and came through well to win a big scramble for second. BEACH CRAZY took back early, stayed in, to the deep Pocono Pike and had some pace. SO DIVA moved raw 3/8 but soon got cover, three-wide headstretch, OK. ROLL ON MAMA lived up to her name, went a fast third quarter trying to deal with the winner, not quite enough. ATOMIC FIREBALL secured the pocket, had her chance in the Pike but came up empty.
SIXTH RACE – SWAN BY LAND yielded for the pocket, took to the Pocono Pike, went by midstretch, held off the closers to give Tom Jackson a win in his first local appearance of 2021. INFINITE ZETTE went in fourth before the 3/16, then went second-over, three-wide off the turn, OK. WILLIS THE MAN was last among the main group until the ¾, then moved outside, four-wide headstretch and finished well. ORIGINAL SMOKEY made the top 3/16 and set the pace, got no middle-half resistance, couldn’t maintain the lead to the wire. CARTIER BI sat in, evenly. TUFF TO BE LINDY had some speed, vacated third to go raw 11/16, faded a bit late. CHECK MY SCORE wanted to leave but broke. MONEY MOVES was offstride an 1/8 before the start.
SEVENTH RACE – Stretch headwind increasing … ANDOVERS TOUCH quickly outleft all foes, yielded to sit in the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and won easily. SEVEN KNIGHTS moved out of third before the 11/16, steadily late. LADY EAGLE quarter-moved from second, set the pace, came up shy at crunch time. SEVEN IRON had some kick in the latter stages. COURT’S N SESSION was uncovered past the 5/8, got cover but gapped it, ducked inside late turn, fair. WILLY MOUSE was never a factor. TRAVELLER was moving outside into the second turn but broke.
EIGHTH RACE – BLESSINGSANDFAVOR moved second-over at the half, went three-wide before midturn, got the lead into the stretch, opened a good lead then withstood CHOCOLATE MATTERS. The latter settled in third and gapped the early battle, backed out to third-over and the lively tier 11/16, three-wide not keeping with the winner’s cover far turn, then came on strongly late. SECRET EDGE wanted the lead but was forced to accept the pocket, then shuffled late on the far turn, found room between horses upper stretch, OK recovery. CAN DO IT ALL got in fourth early, went raw at the half and trotted up to fight the leader, took a brief lead approaching headstretch but was all done at that point. ARWEN DE VIE got a slow start, couldn’t keep up with the main action throughout. GHIBLI put an early foe in behind, rated the half, had pressure in the third quarter, nothing left the last 3/16. FLAME AWAY misstepped before the initial turn.
NINTH RACE – ONE DIRECTION was three-wide to the first bend and in front at the 1/8, had things his own way on the front end and won comfortably. PHANTOM RUSTY sat in third, came up the Pocono Pike and trotted steadily. INNER PEACE yielded to ride in the two-hole, outside late turn, lost ground in the stretch. WINNING GENE settled back in fourth past the 1/8, moved out ¾, swung wide headstretch, OK. THE OTHER THREE did not have any say in this outcome.
TENTH RACE – CARRINGTON forced an early lineup, had only MILIEU HANOVER stay close after the favorite fell back past the half, kept to mild urging to the wire to hold that one off in 55.1 – 27.2. The latter sat second, a bit loose when the pace increased down the backstretch, outside early stretch and gained, but not enough. IN HIGH COTTON and REALIZATION retucked around the fader early backstretch but never got close; MILEY ROSE backed out behind those two, retucked, no factor, finished with “b.e.” ALWAYS B DANCING stayed close until just past the half, when she suddenly had no forward gear, was pulled up.
ELEVENTH RACE – Drizzly conditions for the next couple … SOME DEAL HANOVER left and got a pocket trip, outside shortly into the stretch and powered home nicely. BARRYWHITE HANOVER set the pace on his own terms, not enough late. JIM ROCKS left a little gap in third much of the way, held that position. SETH HANOVER moved uncovered 9/16, evenly. THREE DRAGONS was very wide leaving then tucked, was second-over, evenly. IMAMAJORPLAYER was not a major player here. SHAKEALEG HANOVER was looped leaving and didn’t get in until the 5/16, fell back 11/16. SOCIAL THOUGHT pulled uncovered 3/8 and was moving up when breaking going into the second turn. CAVIART SKINNER was well off the gate and had no pace.
TWELFTH RACE – A BETTER GAME started outside from last into turn two, had cover from off the second turn but couldn’t reach it, uncovered mid-far turn, kept coming in steadily and just nipped BRIAR right on the money. The latter hustled out of fourth into the backstretch, went up to challenge and cleared to an open lead on the far turn, just failed to last to the line. IDEAL HANNAH backed out ¾ behind the winner, finished steadily. WELLTHERACEISON was in the pocket when shuffled around the turn as the pacesetter faded, couldn’t recover. ADELIA HANOVER was never prominent. EMORI HANOVER crossed right over to the top, set the pace, had no more when challenged ¾.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Wind calmed after the sprinkles … MEETMEINTHEMIDDLE was outside midpack early then in gear to the 3/16, waited for the pocketpuller to clear then went past him past the 3/8, drew away in the 30 last quarter. CIMERONKEN was out past the 1/8 to grab the stick, saw two brush by, moved outside late turn after the winner was gone, along for the distant second. TYSON yielded then quarter-moved in front of the winner, yielded just past the 3/8 for the two-hole, little response the last ¼. MOOSE MADNESS was a little off the gate, out at the half and soon coverless due to a breaker, one-geared without threatening. PUERTO RICO never was a major factor. BOY MEETS GIRL K gapped at the back. CAMPBELLINI was starting to roll uncovered at the half but soon jumped it off.
FOURTEENTH RACE – MORROCKIN K didn’t leave but was underway before the ¼, waited for another early mover to clear then assumed command before the 3/8, had twin 27.4s coming home to hold off the only one to stay close, CRAZY COOL. That one made two early speed moves then yielded for the pocket, went on steadily but wasn’t threatening late. SANGRIA JULIE moved outside on the far turn and got the distant third. BETTER BID HANOVER went to the lead going to the 1/8, saw two go by early, not much response in the last 1/8. TSM PRINCESS LEXI went to the Pocono Pike but was a bit rough and didn’t gain. LAZY DAY HANOVER moved outside from far behind but never gained. NOPE NOT YET never featured. RED RED HOT was looking to leave but broke.