FIRST RACE – The American Harness Drivers Club provides us with an exciting last half in the opener … INAPERFECTWORLD got the lead, yielded before the 3/16, came out off turn two and was briefly three-wide as the pocketsitter pulled, then to first-over and went to the lead ¾, held off all of the opposition. ZOOMING moved off turn two, briefly four-wide past the 9/16 then settled behind cover, lost cover ¾ and went on to challenge, just missed. CR BLAZIN BEAUTY was in the outer flow, ducked into the pocket late backstretch then had to back out with cover midturn and swing three-wide headstretch, not far off. MARION GONDOLIER was in front before the 3/16, yielded 5/16, came out of the pocket and went by 5/8, couldn’t hold out the winner ¾, not quite enough late. TRIUMPHANT’S CHIP sat in, gapped much of the backstretch, to the Pocono Pike, evenly. FRENCH MONI could not enter the main action. FASHION POSSESSED was three-wide to before the 3/16, then two-high to command 5/16, called it a night when challenged 5/8.
SECOND RACE – Stretch headwind has picked up … CASH IS KING quarter-moved, rated the half, then had SWEET TALKIN SATIN right at him from the half, battled on gamely to get the nod in a five-way close finish. The latter went uncovered towards the second turn and had reached the leader just past the half, went 26.3 down the back with a giant challenge, stayed right in the fray to the line. HIGHVIEW CONALL N was first on top then yielded, in then moved outside ¾ and gained on the turn, OK late. BAYONET was in front at the 1/8, yielded to the winner for the two-hole and sat right behind the front battlers, Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite do it. JEREMES GENERAL was well back through most of it, gained up the far inside in the last ¼. NORTHBROOK RON tried to follow the first-over but couldn’t go with him. THE OTHERS were never in the picture.
THIRD RACE – A CRAFTY LADY moved 3/16 to command 5/16, set wind-appropriate fractions, opened a big lead before the ¾, well in charge. BULLVILLE KARLA tightened in at the ¼, moved out midturn and wore down PIREAUS midstretch for second. The latter had the top immediately, let the winner go, started to go a bit loose 11/16, held in the late battle until midstretch. MACHIN MARLEY went evenly. TRUSSED UP TRUDY broke while last past the 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – RECIPROCALBLUECHIP was between horses much of the quarter then took the pocket, attacked up the Pocono Pike in the stretch and caught BLENHEIM. The latter charged through and insisted on the lead forcing wholesale tucks, slow-fast in the middle splits, good but couldn’t withstand the winner. MIGHTY SURF was looped and three-wide with cover past the 1/8, took back to tuck midpack past the ¼, uncovered at the half but never reached the front duo, but good to hold off SIMPLY VOLO for the show dough. The latter was gapping second-over, did better late. JACK RULES gapped a gapper third-over, but came on for the last check. RIVER OTTER was three-wide most of a quick quarter, tucked third towards the front straightaway, out of gas in the stretch. ANDOVERS TOUCH never featured. CHOCOTURE had no punch at the ¾. MUSKINGUM was looped and between horses when breaking to the 3/16.
FIFTH RACE – ABIGAIL DAWN was the only leaver and soon had the lead, backed up the half, then came home in 55.4 – 27.4 unthreatened. PAIGE’S GIRL maintained the pocket, neither gained nor lost ground late. LITTLE SANDY TOES one-geared uncovered from next-to-last off turn two, got to the saddle pad of the pocket horse but no closer, courageous in going on for third over ROCK N ROLL ROSIE. The latter had an inside trip, outpaced for third. Both BRING ME DIAMONDS (outside) and BETZSIESBOOKINIT (inside) could go with the late action late backstretch.
SIXTH RACE – PREACHER MAN went right down the road, opened a big lead late backstretch, and was well clear, looking more like a 2-5 shot than a 22-1. STRIKING GENSON was about at The Woodlands when he pulled from the back of the pack early backstretch, kept passing horses, course-corrected wide midstretch and showed promise while finishing second. RARE MUSCLE sat third, wasn’t keeping up on the turn, edged a bit wide headstretch, was pinched between the drifting pocket horse and the place horse midstretch and was gathered, then restarted and up for third. TART TONGUE was three-wide to turn one, got to the pocket after the horse inside him broke, made up a little ground on the leader far turn, but came up empty late. FATHER OF IRELAND was not prominent. MUSCLES TANGO gapped at a couple of points. TRUFFLES TOO broke entering the backstretch before the start. SOOT HANOVER left between horses, was asked for a little more speed nearing the first turn but made a misstep.
SEVENTH RACE – STOWAWAY HANOVER was uncovered 9/16 and paced his third panel in 26.1 to clear to the lead going to the ¾, and kept right on going. LUCKY ARTIST forced a fast quarter, yielded but retook, had no answer for the winner late backstretch, but was game to hold on to second. JUSLIKEAQUEEN stayed in then backed out with cover midturn, some good steps late to just miss second. JENORA N pulled with cover but couldn’t go 26.1 to stay with it, uncovered ¾, could not sustain any gain. DELISHKA N was out most of the hard quarter, yielded for the two-hole, pinned in on the far turn, but didn’t have a great response once free. JUXTA COWGIRL needed until the quarter to take back to last, fair late. KAY’S DELIGHT could not go with these.
EIGHTH RACE – DAZZLING REIGN was uncovered to the 5/8 and grinded right at the leader, got the advantage only within the shadow of the wire. LOVE MUFFIN was three-wide most of a hot quarter to the lead, rated the second quarter, had the winner come at her ¾, fought with that one through crunch time, tough loss. REBEL GIRL was the innermost of three hard leavers and used the rail to secure the pocket, stayed close until the far turn when she dropped back looking all done, but then unusually refound a high gear and came up the Pocono Pike with solid trot. FAWN DE TOUCH backed out behind dull cover ¾, next in line. VICTORIANA started uncovered off turn two, got cover 5/8 but couldn’t go enough. MOVE OVER SOME left between horses, backed off to third 3/16, finished 11/16. MELANIA misstepped before the ¼. WIXX HANOVER lost gait as the field came off the turn before the start.
NINTH RACE – BILLIE BLUE left well for the early lead, yielded, came out behind the backstretch brusher and was left raw ¾, trotted home solidly for the win. LANDONFITZ came out at the ¾ following cover, wide headstretch and along for the no-factor second. FRAC made the lead at the 3/16, rated the half, urged to try to keep the backstretch brusher outside but could not, gapped on the turn, then moved outside early stretch and got around a tiring foe for third. PONDA’S MUSCLE MAN tucked third, gapped down the back, to the Pocono Pike, evenly. EVANNA got in midpack 3/16, first-over to the 3/8 and rolled right on to take over 5/8, but then got tired in the last 1/8. KANDY KORN moved out but gapped cover, not prominent. CRITICAL MASS was blocked inside on the turn, angled out early stretch but could not recover enough for the battle for minor honors. B YOYO took a long while to settle back, then was no factor; neither was ER BEN.
TENTH RACE – BELLA BELLINI was still fifth, about five lengths out, just before the 5/8 but underway raw with a frightening brush to go past the Breeders Crown champion with no problem just past the ¾, stepped home in 27 in a tremendous performance. LADY CHAOS went on to the lead 5/16, backed off the half, but couldn’t keep the winner out ¾, still herself trotted in 27.2 in a very good outing. GOO DOO DOLL went to the lead, surrendered past the ¼, gapped on the turn, held respectably. PUB CRAWL came outside headstretch but couldn’t get in it. INEFFABLE and ABOVE THE CLOUDS couldn’t go this much. ANOKA HANOVER was second-over and keeping up with the winner’s brush until past the ¾, then couldn’t stay with it and made a break.
ELEVENTH RACE – CRAZY CUTE went on to get the lead 3/16, yielded for the pocket, slightly loose from the 5/8, but continued on steadily when taken to the Pocono Pike and caught CAVIART CHERIE. The latter got forward position then quarter-moved, set a decent clip, visibly got tired in the last 100 feet and was just caught. LATE NIGHT DATE A was uncovered at the half and inched up down the backstretch, then really went after the leader from the ¾, in the fight to the wire. SWEET LUCY LOU was hard to settle inside, then was second-over, wasn’t really tight on cover, then found a higher gear midstretch and was narrowing in well. PRAIRIE WESTERNGAL went right to the top, yielded, not enough in the latter stages. GEORGIE MARTIN N didn’t have say in this. SHOULDBEENATD gapped at the rear.