FIRST RACE – A cool day (46o) at Pocono, with a stretch tailwind starting early in the card … KEYSTONE STEAM moved uncovered into turn two, was between horses the length of the backstretch battling the pacesetter to his left and a sweeper to his right, edged past the leader midturn but in getting the advantage clipped that one causing massive interference, paced on gamely but was placed last for the violation. CLASS SIX originally sat in then went out into a blindswitch 5/8 and gained in the lively two-wide path, wasn’t affected by the trouble, bore out in the stretch and had to settle for second, then placed up. A REAL MIRACLE made the top before the 3/16, then saw two others go past in quarter two, went out into a blindswitch behind CLASS SIX and advanced, bothered slightly headstretch, next in line. SPORTS TEEN got to the progressive two-wide tier on the turn, checked then had a clear path and gained some. CAPTAIN HILL gained up the inside then had to angle fairly sharply to avoid the trouble headstretch, finished OK. BLOW A CLOUD N made two speed moves then yielded for the pocket, ran up on the bothered horse near headstretch, went to the inside while on an “ix” but recovered some. NOTABADGAME moved out to last-over, started a three-wide sweep off the second turn, gained circling, flattened midturn, then was shoved wider by the trouble. BURNING MIDNIGHT moved out but gapped allowing horses to get out into the midbackstretch blindswitches, then was bothered. DARTH FADER was quarter-mover #2 to the lead just past the 3/8 and set the pace with great pressure, was still fighting to keep horses parked when he was clipped, stumbled, and broke, causing the big interference.
SECOND RACE – LOVE THE ACTION left strongly, yielded nearing the 3/16 and sat the pocket, outside in the stretch and was very strong the last 1/16. REGAL SON sat in, left a small gap down the back but gained a bit back on the turn, to the Pocono Pike and just edged ROCKIN INTHE HILLS for second. The latter worked to get the lead 3/16 and kept on rolling down the road, came up shy. BUSBOY HANOVER moved first-up just past the 5/8 but never headed the pocket horse, held OK. GLENGARRY KNIGHT N trailed most of the way, so-so late. SWEET N FAST N moved out but couldn’t enter the main picture.
THIRD RACE – K RYAN BLUE CHIP settled third at the 1/8, then quarter-moved, looked to be in control of this assemblage. CAPTAIN NASH moved second-over from last, gapped most of the third quarter, then better on the turn, wide and just second. CAPTAIN CASH left with some speed, stayed in, squeezed between horses to midstretch and just missed place. MACH WEST went to the front 3/16, yielded for the two-hole, didn’t have much punch late but still in the photo for second. VELOCITY KOMODO was buried on the rail, had access to the Pocono Pike but didn’t gain. BULLVILLE TERROR backed out to third-over but couldn’t contend. FEELING CAM LUCKY started uncovered before the 3/8 and paced his own middle half in 55, but couldn’t sustain in the lane.
FOURTH RACE –- BOBBY K HILL tucked third going to the first bend, out and going before the 3/8, needed until early backstretch to clear, but then remained in charge in a sharp mile. CLASSY HILL backed out to the 11/16, soon had to go three-wide around a stalled horse, two-wide raw on the turn, good second. GIVEN UP TERROR circled three-wide from last far turn then went inside in the lane and was along for third. WHITE HILL ROCKS took command in a 26 quarter, hung the winner a ways then yielded past the half, tiring late. WINDSONG JACK and LIVE LUCKY did not factor. FOO FIGHTER N left, put in the pocket past the 1/8, moved out again after the winner cleared but had no more forward gear.
FIFTH RACE – SCOTT ROCKS left enough to maintain the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and got by a stubborn BELL I NO. The latter was uncovered at the 3/8 and reached the leader at the 5/8, went head-to-head with that one just before the ¾, took a short lead early stretch, went on courageously. NATIVE’S SWEETLOU had a great second-over trip, did well late. TULLOW N tucked third, backed out and angled wide early stretch, finished with a big rush in a mile that was better than it may look. WATERWAY sat in and was shuffled to last, had some pace between horses late. LYONS AMUSEMENTS went to the front, got a fairly moderate pace for this type, still didn’t have enough at crunch time. SUNSET BRAYDON backed outside but couldn’t get into it.
SIXTH RACE – BRAVO TEX N took an early tuck, backed out to second-over off turn two, left uncovered ¾ as the parked horse cleared, battled with him through the turn, then drew away. DA MAGICIAN was looped, lost cover 3/16, methodically grinded up and went by 11/16, couldn’t go with the winner late but held remarkably well after a tough journey. BETTER WATCH OUT was the first on top, yielded past the 1/8 and stayed tight in the pocket, squeezed out before the ¾ to avoid a shuffle then ducked back inside on the turn, OK+ for third. ABSOLUTE INTENT left a gap early, inside, out in a blindswitch far turn, between horses and with some late pace. LENWOODS REAL DEAL had trouble staying with cover. BLUEBERRY HANOVER never featured. TERRITORY was three-wide to turn one, on top past the 1/8, was challenged down the back and gave way 11/16. THE OTHER TWO were well back.
SEVENTH RACE – ALLUNEEDISFAITH N left well, forced a tuck, then let a foe go just past the 3/8 to sit in the two-hole, outside and a safe winner. TRENTE DEO bided time outside early, appeared to consider a tuck late first turn as a foe was parked but then went on as that one finally went inside, to the top just past the 3/8, urged midturn, good as second-best. AIR FORCE HANOVER needed until almost the ¼ to ease into the pocket, stayed in, OK. ALEX TYE sat in, moved out midstretch, fair. AINTNOBETTOR A gapped cover, evenly. CLOSING STATEMENT moved raw into turn two, went :26.4 against the wind down the back but never headed the pocket horse, tired. OLLIE’S Z TAM was at the back throughout.
EIGHTH RACE – SOMEBODYITREASURE went to the lead in 27.1, strung out the field, went 27.1 the second quarter with the wind and then 27 against it to open a huge lead, hit the wall headstretch and was kept to business to maintain his lead over BLACKLIGHT. The latter went in fourth at the 1/8, moved out 5/8, to third and inside ¾, out again past midturn, steadily narrowed the margin. DIVISION BELL came out, two-wide far turn, ducked in for the stretch, beat out PALOMAR for third. The latter defended the pocket, then was bottomed out chasing the runaway leader. WHEN YOU DANCE was gapping from in front of the grandstand the first time. THE REST never got anywhere near the main action.
NINTH RACE – HELLABALOU was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the quarter to take the lead, yielded before the 3/8 to sit the two-hole, outside headstretch and gradually paced past KOMODO BEACH. The latter was looped early, lost cover at the ¼ and grabbed the top before the 3/8, didn’t have taxing fractions but was outsprinted on the end. SIX DEGREES had some gate foot, stayed in, OK late. BETTER NOT TALK made the top at the 1/8 and yielded at the ¼, came again uncovered off turn two, held evenly although not threatening. JUST CALL ME MIKI sat in, finished with some speed. HIS BEATS HANOVER never entered the picture. RIFLEMAN didn’t show much second-over. HULOU never featured.
TENTH RACE – EMBLAZE HANOVER was right on his cover third-over, spurted when the second-over ducked in and soon was three-wide, finished well. CRUNCH HANOVER took back early, was second-over, ducked into the pocket just past the ¾, outside headstretch, second-best. RED RIGHT HAND was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide with cover to just off turn one, went up and got the lead to the 3/8 during quick fractions, held out the first-out but then couldn’t withstand the stretch chargers. LOUIE THE LOOPER closed an early gap, backed out wide ¾ then three-wide with cover, fair. LYONS LEGACY gapped. TAPPED TEEN was the innermost of four leavers, pushed the ¼ and yielded, came back out before the 5/8 but couldn’t sustain any threat. POWER SWEET was off the gate, gapped far in the back. CAPTAIN SLEAZE was four-wide approaching the 1/8, went on to two-wide and got the front just past a fast opener, yielded 3/8, started fading 5/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – GAMBLIN MO was two-wide most of the ¼ for the lead, zipped along in fast fractions, the easiest of winners. STONEBRIDGE REEF took a tuck fourth, came uncovered before the 5/8, ducked in late turn, won a photo for the distant second over CAPTAINS PLACE. The latter was second-over, lost cover past midturn, steadily. MIKIBYTHESEASIDE sat in, was shuffled some then outside midturn, so-so. PHILOSOPHIZER was backed up a bit on the turn, fair late. SWEET ANGEL BOY was last, could find inside clearance when a foe broke and went to the inside, finished with pace. SOMEWHEREINVERONA was not in the main picture. ALWAYS A MIKI was three-wide early and took back, then third-over, gapped. FULSOME pushed the winner most of the ¼ and yielded, gave way midturn, broke midstretch and went to the left.
TWELFTH RACE – ONE EIGHT HUNDRED tucked third behind the early fighters, then quarter-moved, was in firm control of this contest, a couple of taps late. WATER SPORTS TEEN forced a quick rival to tuck, then yielded to the winner, kept up very well in a 27 kicker. WARRAWEE WHYNOT showed in front off the gate but could not overcome the geometric advantage of the place horse and tucked in, evenly late. ALWAYS B SWEET stayed in, had some pace in the Pocono Pike. DOUBLE METAL gapped second-over, then three-wide when cover tired, got the last check. BAZOOKA HANOVER tucked early, went raw 5/8 but didn’t get close. BAKLOUVA was always near the back. CYRUS PEAK seemed to be looking for a forward spot early but broke, caught the field but then fell far back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – WESTERN JOE drifted out then was set down at the 1/8, needed until the 3/8 to clear in fast fractions, kept up the hot pace, rebuffed the first-over, then held HESA KINGSLAYER A off to his inside while recording the fastest local mile of the year, 1:49.1. The latter left sharply, pushed the winner very hard before surrendering command, came back some in the stretch, good second. VETTEL N gained inside, out in the lane and edged HIGHALATOR for third. The latter had early speed, pulled from third just before the half, challenged, gave ground inch-by-inch the last 3/16. CASUAL COOL and IDEAL FEELING never entered the main argument. TULHURSTSANTANNA A gapped the fast early pace, moved second-over but gapped from that position as well.
FOURTEENTH RACE – STONE HANOVER was looped and took the pocket at the ¼, pulled out midturn, went to the lead midstretch and paced home well. MYKINDACHIP was mired behind dull cover, ducked in and gained, then came back out past midturn well off the top two, made up a tremendous amount of ground in the last 100 yards. BLOOD LINE quickly took the lead, put the winner in behind, set the pace as he wanted with no pressure, not enough late. LEAR SEELSTER stayed connected until the ¾. BILLY BADGER N moved outside but was behind a moribund one, lost all chance for a board position when having to circle that one wide. PRAIRIE PANTHER was not heard from. I’M BENICIO A was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked fourth 3/16, came out again early in the backstretch but only clogged the two-wide tier. BILL HALEY N broke w-a-y before the start.