FIRST RACE – Slight stretch headwind … LEAR SEELSTER followed the lively cover of NATIVE’S SWEETLOU, left uncovered on the turn then ducked in late turn, to the Pocono Pike and caught that rival. The latter spotted fifth, uncovered at the ½, in gear at the 5/8 and sailed past the leader past the ¾, held well after the hard trip. TULLOW N committed outside 11/16, couldn’t go with the top pair but was along for third. LYONS AMUSEMENTS had the pocket from the rail as only one other horse left hard, sat in the two-hole then was shuffled past midturn when the leader tired, slid out two-wide, couldn’t make a sharp regaining of ground. PROVEN DESIRE was never close. SUNSET BRAYDON was also caught in the far turn shuffle but didn’t respond once clear. BAMSKI was urged leaving to no effect, fell back inside. FOO FIGHTER N went right to the lead, had a clear advantage 3/8 and didn’t get pressure until the ¾, but had nothing to give when called upon.
SECOND RACE – MISSISSIPPI RABBIT pushed the early dynamic and yielded, eased out just past the half and rushed right to the lead 11/16, opened a clear advantage on the turn that he kept to the wire. BARNABAS followed the winner, gapped as that one went up to the lead then was left raw, did get into the pocket far turn, clearly second-best. WHITE HAIR ROCKS was in the lively flow, also tucked in on the turn, distant third. BURNING MIDNIGHT was last behind gapping cover, made up good ground in the lane. BLOW A CLOUD N left between horses and wound up in the pocket, shuffled badly from the ¾, extricated himself then ducked back in, couldn’t recover enough. CAPTAIN HILL was first to pull 3/8 and an 1/8 of a mile later he was fourth-over, then gapped midbackstretch. BOBBY K HILL went forward a little late in the beginning, three-wide then backed off into a tuck, also shuffled out of it. THISJETSABOOKIN was three-wide past the 1/8 in getting the lead in a 26 opener, had no answer when the winner challenged 11/16.
THIRD RACE – MYKINDACHIP was three-wide leaving to the lead just past the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, accelerated midstretch and won easily while becoming a millionaire. OLLIE’S Z TAM left between horses and settled third early, then quarter-moved and rated the half, was challenged the third quarter but shook the first-over off, no response for the winner. CENTURY FURY yielded for the pocket, in then backed out past the 5/8 and quickly three-wide 11/16, to two-wide past the ¾, not enough in the sprint home. SCOOTNROLL gapped down the backstretch, outside late turn, fair late. IDEAL WHEEL moved from last before the half, challenged the leader but had no more to give just past the ¾.
FOURTH RACE – WARRAWEE UNIQUE tucked in third 3/16 and waited there until almost the 3/4, then grinded up and proved the best. PALOMAR was behind dull cover and went three-wide before the 11/16 to get around it past that point, got new cover on the turn, battled on. TELL THEM LOU was three-wide leaving with encouragement to the lead just past the 1/8 in a snappy opener, yielded to the brusher for the two-hole, did well in the Pocono Pike. THEFREEDOMFIGHTERN sat in, came between horses in tight quarters late with pace. SOMEBEACH BARON defended the pocket early, then quarter-moved and slowed the half, then took off again down the back, not enough in the last 3/16. CAPTAIN NASH gapped near the back down the back, stayed in, angled out in the lane, fair. PRINCE OF TIDES was urged leaving but only got to the five-hole, came uncovered into turn two but didn’t have much here. DA MAGICIAN never surfaced. WINDSONG JACK went three-wide to pass a fader but never did so.
FIFTH RACE – ROCKIN INTHE HILLS made the front and pushed the chalk well past a steaming opener before yielding, came out in the stretch and paced right on by impressively. SCOTT ROCKS was used very hard to make the lead past the wicked initial station, rated the half, didn’t get any pressure, but did not have as much as the winner late. SWEET N FAST N sat in, was urged far turn, mustered late kick to grab third. CLASS SIX was forwardly-placed, gapped the last ¼. GHOST DANCE didn’t keep up but got the last check. LOVE THE ACTION was three-wide to the first turn, slotted fourth 3/16, moved raw early second turn, never got closer than even with the third-in horse; AMERICAN REBEL followed that one’s cover, sent three-wide 11/16 but never gained.
SIXTH RACE – CONQUEST AS sat in, then backed out to third-over 11/16 after a foe broke and as the outer tier became the place to be, followed cover on the turn then swung three-wide, the strongest late. BANK BOX TREASURE was three-wide to the 1/8, briefly had cover then was left raw, relentlessly grinded to the lead before the ¾, couldn’t deal with the winner’s kick but courageously saved second from the horse on his back, JACK RULES. The latter backed out behind the parked horse 3/8 and had excellent cover, uncovered to the ¾, couldn’t quite get second though racing well. KEYSTONE SERGEANT was out in the flow but gapped, ducked in stretch, OK in the Pocono Pike late. FOREVERHILLREIGN never factored. RIVER OTTER was innermost of a gaggle of leavers, yielded for the pocket, trapped when the lead changed hands to the ¾ but didn’t seem to have much anyway. CR BLAZIN BEAUTY went on to the lead just past the 3/16, continued at a good clip, powerless when challenged late backstretch. MASSIVE OPULENCE was closer to the outer fence than the inside pylons leaving, took back to tuck, had just backed out to third-over 9/16 when going to a run.
SEVENTH RACE – REVELRY appeared to give a pocket tuck to prepare for a quarter-move, parked most of the frontstretch for the lead, but thereafter had no proble, stepping home in 54.3. RETOUR AU JEU moved just as the winner cleared and was uncovered, could finally make the pocket to the ¾, tired late but held the distant second. BLACKLIGHT left wide, took back, moved third-over, was blindswitched, came clear two-wide past midturn, finished OK+. TREVOR ONE was second-over, gapped early in the backstretch then got tighter, inside third mid-far turn, evenly late. SWEET ROCK was looped early, got in the two-hole nearing the ¼, inside, checked ¾ when the horse in front of him broke, into the Pocono Pike but didn’t rally. BRAVO TEX N made a three-wide sweep from fourth-over 11/16 to no avail. HOW ARE YEE JOHN was near the back throughout, swung wide but had no shot into a 54.3 back half. HIGHRTHANANEAGLE A started quickly, pushed the winner through the frontstretch then yielded, started gapping not too far into the backstretch, broke to the ¾ and went inside.
EIGHTH RACE – Wind picked up a little … WARRAWEE WHYNOT was fastest away, yielded before the 3/8 for the two-hole, hard to steer late turn and into the Pocono Pike, but produced enough forward pace to get the decision. MIKIBYTHESEASIDE left with cover, left raw 3/16 and made the lead near the 3/8, had hard pressure from the first-over from the 5/8, shook that one off and paced sturdily to the line. STELLAR YANKEE was uncovered from next to last and paced his own middle half in 55.2 to put high heat on the leader, held well. TERRY A HANOVER left, made the pocket 3/16, in, out in a blindswitch late turn then went back inside, fair late. WIN PLACE ‘N SHOW was second-over from last behind excellent cover, three-wide past midturn, not quite enough to reach. SARANAC BLUE CHIP gapped down the back, not a major danger. LOU ED ZEPPELIN backed out to third-over off turn two, four-wide mid-far turn, couldn’t gain nearly enough.
NINTH RACE – CAPTAIN SLEAZE was in front going to turn one, rated the half then dialed up the speed when a challenger came on, briefly clear headstretch, then held back the late charge of MAJOR MAKOVER. The latter was up on the bit past the 3/8 but waited for cover, got it, three-wide past midturn and a little wider spinning off the curve, closed well. EMBLAZE HANOVER was wide early, put in third past the 1/8, came uncovered off turn two and fought with the leader while going his own third split in 26.4, appeared shaken off late turn but doggedly carried on to the line. HULOU yielded for the pocket, gapped when the price of pacing went up down the back, evenly. SIX DEGREES gapped at the back, came between horses late while possibly in tight quarters. BATTERUP HANOVER couldn’t do much from third-over.
TENTH RACE – KYUQUOT sat in and was last, angled out towards headstretch and to the extreme outside past early stretch, had a tremendous last 1/16 to nail TREVOR’S ACE on the line. The latter had the early pocket, pulled just ahead of a long train just before the half, got to the top just after the ¾, looked good nearing the wire but was just denied. HE’S A SNOB improved early position, then had a fine second-over trip, left raw early far turn, paced well. STOP STARING wound up fourth-over, three-wide midturn, good outing. ONE EIGHT HUNDRED went right to the lead, paced a fast quarter, looked over at the challenger past the ¼ and let him go 3/8, shuffled badly far turn when that one tired, to the Pocono Pike, took a couple of steps to find high gear then was gaining very rapidly. TARKIO stayed in, outside in a blindswitch midturn to avoid more of a shuffle, fair. MAD MAN HILL was out past the ¼, fifth-over, wide on the turn but couldn’t enter the action. COALITION HANOVER, wide past the start, had cover early and tucked midpack at the ¼, came third-over, was in a good position headstretch but broke, was taken to the infield, placed for the breaking violation. STRAIGHT TALK was a little rough behind the gate, left, battled up raw to gain command at the 3/8 in a fast half, was all done ¾.
ELEVENTH RACE – SWEET TALKIN SATIN had some speed then let the top two go at it, out again 5/16 to avoid being pinned in by the parked horse and brushed to command, opened a clear lead on the turn but was rocked the length of the lane to keep GIVEN UP TERROR safe. The latter started first-up towards turn two, got in third before the ¾ but back out again midturn as the pocket horse faded, paced on determinedly to the finish. LORD OF MISRULE came three-wide from the back 11/16, to two-wide raw on the turn, made a good showing to be a clear third. FERNADO left to get the top between horses, forced a tuck, yielded to the winner for the pocket, no more forward pace the last 3/16. REDHOT ROMEO was never prominent. POLAK A was three-wide early and wanted the top but had to settle for the two-hole 3/16, started gapping 11/16. RANGERS SURESHOT was outside midpack throughout, looped going to the ¾ and faded. MYIDEALSON N lost contact with the field down the backstretch.
TWELFTH RACE – Further increase in wind … J M MANDAMIN defended the pocket early, moved to the lead past the ¼ after the favorite met with misfortune, rated the half, came home in 55 – 27.2, which was enough as his main opponents came home even faster but were too far behind. JACK’S SHADOW N moved out second-over, three-wide towards late on the turn, stepped home in 54 – 27 in a superior effort. GROOVY JOE went three-wide to the lead past the 1/8, yielded to the winner to sit the two-hole, had his shot in the Pocono Pike but a couple of steps shy. BETTOR MEMORIES came out before the 5/8 raw and paced up in 27, which didn’t let him reach the leader, kept on going well. RODEO ROCK sat in, tried coming through deep in the Pike, may have been lacking room very late. BABES DIG ME was never prominent. HIGHALATOR left between horses, was looped at the 1/8, was eyeing the 3-hole to the 3/16 when he suffered an “ex,” was pulled up.
THIRTEENTH RACE – VETTEL N went away enough to force two tucks, then let the other leaver go by at the ¼, sat a tight two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and just had enough to get by a stubborn AFLAME HANOVER. The latter looked at leaving but gradually settled back, came raw before the 5/8 and hit a better gear to the ¾, got a short lead early in the stretch, paced on with determination. CLOSING STATEMENT was briefly four-wide early, got to two-wide and grabbed the racetrack just before a quick quarter, set the pace, came up a little shy. P L MUNSON started out third-over but ducked back in, outside stretch, evenly. CASUAL COOL finished with some pace along the inside. SEEL THE DEAL N moved second-over but gapped before the ¾.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BILL HALEY N was three-wide early, backed off to third 3/16, then went second-over, three-wide midturn when cover faltered, then kicked home strongly for the fastest mile of the year here, 1:49.3. BLOOD LINE went on to grab the lead early, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike, good but just not having the steps of the winner. SOMEBODYITREASURE waited outside with cover until the winner tucked, then launched forward to get the front just before the 3/8, kept rolling at a very fast pace, not enough to last to the wire. TRENTE DEO was third-over, gapped, then found a higher gear widest and narrowed in nicely. JOESSTAR OF MIA A defended the early pocket from the rail, moved again raw before the half but couldn’t really menace although holding OK. BULLVILLE TERROR had room up the inside to gain contention down the back but did not. BELL I NO was in a difficult spot. SEEYOU AT THEBEACH never factored. … (Fun fact: Bill Haley the musician had that “spitcurl” hair design over his right eye to distract attention from the fact that he was blind in his left eye.)