FIRST RACE – A bit cooler – upper 60s … POND JUMPER was parked with cover early, then uncovered near the bottom of turn one and went on to the lead past the 3/8, laid down a healthy pace, held gamely. KEYSTONE THUNDER was uncovered towards turn two, went his third quarter in 28 raw to challenge, trotted on steadily to the wire. CIMERONKEN was three-wide to the first turn then two-wide to the top 3/16, parked a rival a like distance before yielding for the pocket, a trifle loose much of the backstretch, Pocono Pike, OK. DON was in front towards turn one, yielded 3/16, stayed in, evenly between horses late. MAGIC VACATION was second-over from seventh, not tight on cover 5/8, three-wide headstretch, fair. PUERTO RICO backed out to third-over but was never a factor. B YOYO had some speed, then never featured. TYSON was slow to the gate, then broke at the start.
SECOND RACE – Stretch headwind has started … ODDS ON CARLY was outleft and three-wide to the 1/8, worked her way to the lead past the 5/16 while still getting a soft second quarter, increased the speed, enough to withstand AILEY HANOVER. The latter sat third-in, angled out early stretch and was getting closer with every stride late. CHANEL BEACH quickly controlled the racetrack, pushed the winner then yielded for the pocket, had her shot in the Pocono Pike but didn’t have enough late. BYGONE HANOVER stayed in, gapped midbackstretch, evenly. SPICY COVINA never achieved contention. QUEEN Z TAM gapped 3/8, broke to the 5/8. RAINBOW RISING left a big gap until past the ¼, came out first-over, never advanced then fell far back.
THIRD RACE – CAMDEN HILLS wasn’t going to leave, it appeared, but then went up, with cover to the 5/16 to the lead 3/8, held at bay the challenge of INFINITE ZETTE. The latter went right to the front, saw two go by in quarter two, came out again 11/16 and made a good challenge on the turn, tired a little but still a good race. SHAMROCKS moved uncovered just past the 5/8, got cover 11/16 but couldn’t stay with it on the far turn, moving a little better late. GET TO THE POINTE sat in, found room between horses early stretch, OK at the wire. TUFF TO BE LINDY had the early pocket, moved out 3/16 and got the lead 5/16, yielded for the pocket, struggled the last 3/16, reported back with “b.e.” WILLIS THE MAN was never in the main hunt. BY A HOFF HANOVER was leaving but broke early.
FOURTH RACE – SURREALIN was the first to show on the lead, saw two go by then quarter-moved, had a big lead for the last half with a 55.2 second half. BOTTLE ROCKET was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide just past the quarter, yielded for the pocket, gapped the last half but still far ahead of the others in a good showing. CHEESEHEAD came out late backstretch and was along for the distant third. JAM THAT GUITAR offered little; OCTAVE also had little to sing about. HURRIKANEKINGCARLO was between horses to the lead past the 1/8, yielded past the ¼, called it a day 11/16. BUTTER UP fell far back.
FIFTH RACE – ARTHUR BOY spotted, moved out raw before the 5/8 and gradually moved up, caught pacesetting TSM PRINCE TRISTAN late. The latter took over at the 1/8, really slowed the half then picked it up, held the lead a long way but couldn’t quite last to the finish. MY SON TY HANOVER moved up into a 4-tuck at the 1/8, came outside on the far turn, was gaining late but too late. WINGMAN HANOVER maintained the pocket, not much left in the drive to the wire. THAT’S ALL FOLKS started uncovered before the half, would have had good cover if he had reached it. JOE EXOTIC was third-over, three-wide 11/16 but didn’t gain much. ENDYMION was away a bit slow, third-over, gapped a gapper. GAVINATOR showed little.
SIXTH RACE – QUICK SIX was outleft and tucked third at the 1/8, stayed in, chose to wait for outside clearance in the stretch, got it towards midstretch and had a big rally to just get the job done. KIANNA went to the stick, accordioned the field somewhat in going four second slower in the second quarter, then sped up again, was holding off the challenge to her left but couldn’t stall the winner. BETTER BID HANOVER went into the pocket at the 1/8, took the Pocono Pike, couldn’t get there. DASH ONE was outside raw at the half, did go in 27.2 down the back but never reached the leader, evenly in the stretch. KATHY’S CHAMP circled an early gapper, struggled at the back of the main pack. DARK MIRAGE broke 3/16, recovered in the slow second quarter, outside on the turn but broke again. COME HITHER never showed much.
SEVENTH RACE – RIPPLESONTHEBEACH moved just before the ¼ and took control, drew clear in the fast ¾, drifted out a bit and was losing ground the last 1/16 but had too big an advantage. MOM’S LITTLE WORLD left between horses, wound up with the early pocket then was third-in, outside 11/16 to retuck in second ¾, kept trying to the wire. SIR LOVEALOT BC moved out down the back, three-wide when a rival pulled to the 11/16 then two-wide when that one tucked in the pocket, couldn’t sustain his move. BOLT POWER left a big midrace gap and was way far behind to the far turn, then showed good speed in the last 1/8. SHAKEALEG HANOVER never factored. BEACH BAYAMA was briefly three-wide early, to the front past the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, had nothing left at the 5/8. BARSTOOLSPORTS couldn’t get around a gapper, then broke headstretch.
EIGHTH RACE – KISS AN ANGEL was three-wide past the 1/8, went on to grab command past the 5/16, had an open lead most of the last half, had the favorite get closer on the turn but drew away when that one flattened. SECRET EDGE made the front to the first turn, had a rival tuck then yielded past the 5/16 for the two-hole, was loose in the pocket the last half but held for second. DEBTORS ADVERSARY moved uncovered 5/8, gained until nearing headstretch, then flattened out. PAINT BY NUMBERS left between horses and tucked 3/16, went to the Pocono Pike, evenly. RUNINOUTOFRSNTORUN moved out into turn two, retucked around a gapper, couldn’t get into the main argument. MISS MAYTRIX couldn’t keep up by the half. TWO PIECE TANLINES gapped, broke past the ¾.
NINTH RACE – JUST MAYBE THE ONE was three-wide leaving, tucked in the pocket 3/16, quarter-moved forcing a similarly-thinking foe to retreat, was hung out in a fast second quarter into the wind but did clear 9/16, went a fast 3/4s then drew off in the last ¼. MARLEY’S GUY went to the lead, was reluctant to yield but did so 9/16, wasn’t threatening the winner but trotted solidly behind that one, far ahead of the rest. CAMPBELLINI showed speed then let the two outside quick starters go, was going to quarter-move but retreated when the winner moved, kept the pocket tight in quarter two, kept reasonably close until the stretch, still was clear in third. SHOW EM ALL LINDY was raw down the back but never got close at all. IMPACTER had some rally from way back. PERSEVERANCE started gapping down the back. ONE DIRECTION (slow starter) and GRAN PARAISO never were involved in the big action.
TENTH RACE – SORTIE was last in the main bunch until the ¾, moved out, got cover but couldn’t go with it late turn, but went wider and had a good stretch move to upset these at $54.20. THISISSHE made the top past the 1/8, yielded off the first turn, gapped in the pocket at the 5/8, better in the Pocono Pike and made a brief lead past midstretch, almost got it all. STOP RESISTIN was outside with cover then in gear 3/16 and went up to the lead past the ¼, went a big third quarter to complete a fast 3/4s and open up a clear lead, but drifted out some and couldn’t quite maintain the advantage. CLARION HALL left, yielded, moved out of third midturn, steadily but not enough. HARNESS AM never factored. ST JAMES GATE was on the run an 1/8 before the start.
ELEVENTH RACE – HIGH BALLER looks like a horse with a lot of ability but is still unsure/rough-going – he was hard to settle in late first turn, moved to second-over then was left first-over, grinded up late backstretch, stayed in place on the turn, didn’t like it when forced three-wide when a foe came outside early stretch, but had a big late burst and got the victory. ICANGOGO was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-deep to before the ¼ in search of the front, slowed quarter two then turned it into a sprint, came home in 56.2 but still was caught. FLIGHT ONEFORTYSIX followed the cover of the winner, finished nicely. BARRYWHITE HANOVER left between horses, tucked third, came raw 3/8 but went wide early on turn two, settled and got a pocket tuck 5/8, outside early stretch, did well but was outkicked. DUE WEST was in front before turn one, yielded to the ¼ for the pocket, couldn’t keep it filled from before the 5/8. BUD TRUCK didn’t have enough for these; nor did BEACH CHIEF.
TWELFTH RACE – TSM PHOTO BUGGER, the 14YO, left assertively to control the throttle, slowed the half, then came home in 56.2 – 28 (something most 14YO pacers can’t do, much less a trotter) for his 58th lifetime win but first since October 6, 2019. MY LINDY WINNER moved out of fourth 5/8 and challenged towards the ¾, got into the pocket on the turn and continued inside, couldn’t reach the greybeard. JACK RULES took until past the 1/8 to settle back in the pocket, then couldn’t keep up in the late-stages sprint. MAJOR IMPACT slid into third before the 1/8, next. NONE OF THE OTHERS ever entered the picture; ICINGON DE CUPCAKE came out on turn two but never factored.
THIRTEENTH RACE – HOW ARE YEE JOHN got in front at the 1/8, got a breather in quarter two, stayed safely clear of all of these the rest of the way. SHOREVIEW yielded for the pocket, outside late turn, narrowed in a little but wasn’t menacing. UNION STATION tucked third, also gained a little late but also never seemed a winner. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N went out behind the parked horse, advanced a little behind that one on the turn then went three-wide, flashed belated pace. THESPYWHOLOVEDME was content to dangle on the rim the whole way, gained a little on the turn then held pretty well. ABSOLUTE INTENT was away last from the rail and never entered the main picture.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BELLOWS BINGE came out at the quarter and displaced the new leader nearing the 3/8, got pressure from CAPTAIN MCKEE around the turn, looked to have disposed of that foe early stretch but was all-out to defeat him. The latter came out from fourth 9/16, reached the leader and battled him around the turn, fell back a little early stretch, then bore out through the lane, but found a late surge and just missed. LINCOLNJAMES was looped between horses, tucked in the pocket, then moved again before the ¼ to get command, yielded to the winner 3/8 and followed that one, to the Pocono Pike, good but a step shy. HESTONS LUCKY CHIP moved second-over but couldn’t go with cover. R U MACHIN ME got by everybody very quickly, then saw two brush by him, faded at the ¾. THE OTHER PAIR were always the last two.