FIRST RACE – REGAL SON left, yielded for the pocket, had to wait for the Pocono Pike as the outside horses threatened, rallied quickly enough to defeat BLAZEN RIVER N. The latter was out third-over behind stagnant cover and was out three-wide from the 11/16 onward while steadily gaining, made the lead early stretch, just missed taking it all. BELL I NO looked like he was going to clear easily towards the 1/8 but had a few bad steps, regathered and made the top 3/16, set the pace with pressure from the 5/8, not enough. WAGON MASTER started uncovered into turn two, made a big rush in a personal 26.4 third quarter, reached the leader 5/8 and was at his throat the rest of the way, outkicked. NATIVE’S SWEETLOU couldn’t reach from last. ROCKIN INTHE HILLS gapped second-over. STICK WITH CRAMER had some early speed but never factored thereafter.
SECOND RACE – LOVE THE ACTION went to command before the 3/16, made the favorite work for the lead before yielding for the two-hole, outside headstretch and went on steadily for a fine victory. WHITE HAIR ROCKS was first on top then yielded, came up the Pocono Pike and gave a good accounting of himself. SCOTT ROCKS quarter-moved from third, was rocked to make the lead before turn two, briefly opened up a clear lead at the ¾ and early turn, but got a little weary late. BRAVO TEX N was third-over, three-wide just past midturn, finished well. TULLOW N stayed in from last, deep Pocono Pike, fair. KEYSTONE STEAM was uncovered before turn two, never really threatened the leader before fading some. SWEET N FAST N was second-over, accepted the blindswitch past midturn, not all that much late.
THIRD RACE – CONSUS VICTORY was three-wide to the 1/8 and got the front just past the point, set a fast pace at 58-1, then made the lead stand up to the wire. MYSTICAL WYNN stayed in, got to the Pocono Pike as the two-in and three-in both fanned wide, steadily. NOTHING BUT MUSCLE left, was looped, paused when a foe broke, tucked third off the first turn, came out 5/8 but went right back in, fanned wide again headstretch, one-geared. HOT SUMMER KNIGHT left, got the pocket as an early challenger broke, out for the stretch, fair. TRUEMASS VOLO had cover, was best of the rest. MASSIVE OPULENCE gained a little bit late. ANDOVERS TOUCH was never a factor. CRAZYCAT moved outside, briefly got cover, was going to go three-wide when that one proved sluggish but could get to two-wide as the sluggish one retucked, little. SHESWILDNFREE left between horses and had made the pocket just past the 1/8 and just before breaking.
FOURTH RACE – YANKEE ROLLER A was three-wide leaving then two-wide to 3/16 command, yielded but retook 3/8, got pressure down the back but shook that one off and won easily. HEISMAN PLAYER was between horses and looped at the 1/8, went on to the lead off turn one, yielded for the pocket, came out in the stretch, lost a little ground but was the only one staying reasonably close. ISLANDSPECIALMAJOR came inside the trouble at the half, held on for third. HORSING AROUND started uncovered into turn one, was bothered by the breaking horse and never regained the needed ground; BULLVILLE TERROR and INDICTABLE HANOVER were also badly bothered. EGOMANIA was urged leaving, came uncovered down the back and made a 26.4 challenge, but was fading most of the last ¼. P L MUNSON made a bad break at the half, then lost his driver.
FIFTH RACE – MISTER BOINGA was three-wide to the first turn to command past the 1/8, trotted both halves in 57 as a good winner. CEFFYL DWR sat a pocket trip, edged out headstretch but got a wheel under CAPITAL T STORM causing that one to go offstride, finished well, but was placed for causing interference. BELIEVER came out ¾ behind cover, wide in the stretch as a foe went offstride, had good trot at the end. CLANCY’S BAR stayed inside, not quite enough. SPUNKIN’SROCKETMAN moved out ¾ but couldn’t get into the main battle. PREACHER MAN was away slowly and was always at the back. CAPITAL T STORM moved uncovered 5/8 and challenged, still in contention for a large share when bothered just into the stretch and suffered an “ix.”
SIXTH RACE – Wind has diminished some … BAUTISTA went right down the road, went 27.2 down the back to tire out the opposition, drew clear in the last ¼. GRAPPLE HANOVER rode in the pocket, stayed close until just past the ¾, held off STEUBEN HANOVER for second. The latter was badly looped and three-wide early, worked up to third 3/16, moved out again just past the ¾ but wasn’t able to rally for the deuce. HEAT WAVE HANOVER got around slow starters to tuck third, stayed in, not nearly enough towards the end. BANK BOX TREASURE had to go three-wide early stretch to circle a horse with a problem, back inside, wide stretch, decent recovery. NEXTROUNDSONME also had the same difficulty, ducked in for the drive, OK late. LINDY’S BIG BANG started gapping going towards turn two. GUILTY DESIRE was rough before and after the start, moved outside but only dropped way back, came back with “b.e.”
SEVENTH RACE – Four different leaders from just before the pond in the stretch … best of all was SPORTS TEXT, who made a delayed early move to pick a 5-tuck 3/16, then was third-over, three-wide with cover late turn, wider and just up in the last step. URBAN RENEWAL was second-over, three-wide ¾ as his cover started to falter, closed steadily, got the lead in the shadow of the wire only to be just passed. WAR-N-MUNN left, gained command past the 1/8, yielded to the retaker to sit the two-hole, Pocono Pike, to the lead in midstretch, just failed to hold. BLOW A CLOUD N made two speed moves and put up sprightly numbers, held well. BARNABAS was fourth-over, tried a three-wide move 11/16, did gain, but not enough. JANAID was in a blindswitch on the turn, slow to clear between horses in the lane, OK. ALWAYS THE SUN was not part of the main picture. CLASS SIX was uncovered at the half, weakened little by little in the last ¼.
EIGHTH RACE – WHISKEY BLU was looped while three-wide to the 1/8, then two-wide to command 5/16, pushed a challenger then yielded just past the ½ to sit the two-hole, outside early stretch and was handled confidently, going by with a couple of taps. TYPE A tucked in fourth, then was on the move as the winner went to the lead but needed until just past a fast half to get the front and get inside, went on to a good ¾, tried hard but came up just shy (first start of year). TOP ME OFF got forward position, came back out 5/8, not in the league of the top two but was very game to beat the rest for third. JACK FIRE sat in, finished OK (as the pace slowed) in the Pocono Pike. ROBBIE PEV was second-over past the 5/8 but couldn’t work into the main mix. THE IRISHMAN was four-wide leaving, got the front at the 1/8, yielded 5/16, inside, tired. INCENTIVE never factored. TRUFFLES TOO misbehaved going to turn one.
NINTH RACE – Wind has picked up some … CAPTAIN HILL set the pace with two moves, tired them out with a 26.4 third quarter and was an easy winner. A REAL MIRACLE was second-over behind a horse who never reached the winner, wide into the lane and finished nicely. BAMSKI was away third, gapped third-inside down the back, got to the Pocono Pike and was next in line. DARTH FADER started uncovered just before the half but couldn’t get to the winner in the 26.4 third quarter, fair. LOUD SPLASH gapped third-over, then found better strides in the stretch. VALIANT IVY went to the top past the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole. stayed fairly close a long way then had nothing more to give. BUSBOY HANOVER gapped at the back.
TENTH RACE – SUNNY CROCKETT yielded then quarter-moved, got a moderate pace, well in control of these. ETHAN T HANOVER came through at the start, in command 3/16 then relinquished for the two-hole trip, lost ground late but enough to retain second. INAMINUTE HANOVER came out soon off the second turn, got cover past the 5/8, three-wide past midturn but drifted wider, finished very well once straightened away. NEW LEGACY used the inside to get a decent payday. TART TONGUE sat third, was laboring to keep up the last 3/16. TRICKY DICK started raw just past the 5/8, but his bid didn’t amount to much. WORLD BANK was not a major player.
ELEVENTH RACE – POINTS NORTH left and had cover behind a quick early duel, left raw off the first turn and needed until the other end of the frontstretch to clear, never took his foot of the gas, game winner. ALLUNEEDISFAITH N was out past the ¼ for the lead, pushed then yielded towards turn two, went from the pocket to the Pocono Pike, good effort but did not get by. STONE HANOVER was second-over, three-wide ¾ and around the tiring first-over until two-wide raw late turn, another right in the fight to the end. VETTEL N moved three-wide from third-over, left without cover late turn, steadily. REBELLIOUS did not factor after an inner journey. AINTNOBETTOR A and HICKFROMFRENCHLICK never entered the main picture. BLOOD LINE pushed past a fast quarter, yielded, back out again raw before the 5/8, tired towards mid-far turn.
TWELFTH RACE – RESPECT OUR FLAG was very wide early, slotted in fifth 3/16, then second-over off the second turn, wide in the stretch and up in the last step. OLLIE’S Z TAM was by far the fastest away, forced a quick quarter then contented himself with the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and made the front midstretch, just failed. AFLAME HANOVER was looped and parked past a quick quarter, got a breather to the half but then stepped it up again, passed midstretch but tried hard to the line. CLOSING STATEMENT decided to tuck, uncovered at the ½, went his own third quarter in 26.2 and didn’t back off at all late. ALEX TYE kept a hole filled early, inside, deep in the Pike, not quite enough. JK MUSICMAN got the outer tier started and was third-over, gapped down the back. THE LAST TWO were the last two at every call.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Wind has diminished again … SPLASH BROTHER landed the early pocket then quarter-moved, increased the speed past the half and lost his opposition, then came home in 26.3 very easily. CURIOUS CORTEZ went on to the front 3/16, yielded, sat the pocket, gave ground inch by inch in the 54 – 26.3 back fractions but was still clearly second. PRINCE OF TIDES left some, maintained third after staying inside. LETS ROLL tried to roll raw past the 5/8 but couldn’t gain into these fractions. GENTLEMANJIM II IE gapped inside. CAPTAIN CASH slotted in 3/16, moved outside 9/16, then couldn’t go with cover. BLACKLIGHT never was in the hunt. HP NAPOLEON broke early, caught the back of the field, but never was in the main action.
FOURTEENTH RACE – NO MAS DRAMA was three-wide past the 1/8 then tucked, moved with cover 3/8 which she lost before the half to a break, battled the leader in a 27.2 third panel and went by before midturn, very impressive. AFTER ALL PAUL quarter-moved, came under pressure but that foe broke, then got the pressure from the winner and yielded the lead towards mid-turn, held in there well. THE LIONKING AS was parked to near the 5/16 for the lead, yielded, gapped the dueling duo 5/8, edged MISS MCKEE for a distant third. The latter moved out but gapped the winner, steadily but not enough. GREAT UNKNOWN was outside, crossed the wire with steady trot. PAPI HANOVER was inside, did not factor. TWO AM was never close. HATIKVAH was racing inside when breaking not long into the backstretch. WITH OUT A DOUBT went to the early lead, saw two go by and charged out again raw past the 3/8, but broke on turn two.