FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind, strong at times, as generally reflected in the fractions … Speed didn’t last to the wire until the 10th race … BABES DIG ME got the pocket at the 1/8, gapped in the 25.4(!) third quarter, but gradually reeled the pacesetting CURIOUS CORTEZ in. The latter went right to the top, tried to steal the race in the third quarter (odd quarters = 52.2), almost lasted to the end. WHITE HAIR ROCKS was well out of it going to the ¾, but downshifted and gained with every stride, didn’t miss by much. BLACKSTONE and AMERICAN VIRGIN gapped behind the gapping pocket horse down the back, evenly late. BELLOWS BINGE never featured. REGAL SON took back early, came out into turn two but his move never amounted to much.
SECOND RACE – MACMORRIS HANOVER basically was one-paced, working to the lead just before the ¼ then yielding for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and gradually but surely going to the wire first. NOTHING BUT MUSCLE was outleft and outside early, uncovered before the ¼ to the lead 5/16, got pressure in the third quarter and around the turn, was just worn down to the inside. EVANNA left between horses and tucked, uncovered at the half and attacked, stayed in the fight until very late. LANDONFITZ was shuffled badly inside on the far turn, found room between horses towards midstretch and finished with trot. NATURAL KEMP left, yielded before the ¼, inside, gapped far turn. IMPACTER was first to move 3/8 then got cover at the half, gapped out ¾. SEVEN IRON had an excess of cover, went between horses early stretch in tight quarters, finished with trot. FOREVERHILLREIGN was third-over, three-wide towards headstretch, flattened and bore out.
THIRD RACE – NEEDLESS TO SAY took the pocket, right behind the two battlers to the far turn while up on the bit, to the Pocono Pike and had enough to defeat a game JANAID. The latter was wide around the early breaker and tucked in third, uncovered 9/16 and went up to contest the lead, never gave up to the wire. LOUD SPLASH also was wide around the early breaker, gapped, then swung wide in the stretch and was up for a no-factor third. CAPTAIN HILL left in 26 to ensure the lead, rated the second split then sped up when challenged, tired headstretch. AMAZON came uncovered off turn two but soon got cover, gapped it until the ¾, wide but failed to improve. DARTH VADER was twp-wide towards the first turn when making a break.
FOURTH RACE – WAR-N-MUNN was three-wide well past the 1/8 before tucking, came out 11/16 and swiftly advanced, got the lead late on the turn, drew away. INDIGO ART was last, came off the rail late turn but then ducked to the Pocono Pike and closed steadily to decision SWEET N FAST N for second. The latter moved outside midturn then was three-wide when the pocketsitter pulled, finished steadily. ALBERGO HANOVER was the innermost of three bombers leaving, kept one outside past a 25.4 quarter until yielding, but then went right back to the lead, hit the ¾ in fast time, tired. LOVE THE ACTION was between horses early then two-wide past the 25.4 opener to get control, soon yielded for the pocket, vacated same late turn but had no gain. URBAN RENEWAL tried uncovered off turn two but went backwards.
FIFTH RACE – ROBBIE BURNS N was between horses early, squeezed a tuck 3/16, uncovered to the 5/8 and battled with the leader from the 11/16, inched away from midstretch. OLLIE’S Z TAM was three-wide to the 3/16 and parked past another 25.4 opener to the 5/16, slowed the pace then picked it up again when challenged, held well but had to settle for second. LYONS AMUSEMENTS took back, moved second-over, narrowed in on cover to the ¾, finished steadily. MACH WEST was innermost of the leavers and pushed the quick quarter and slightly beyond before yielding, gave a little ground the last 1/8. GONNAHAVEONEMORE was never prominent.
SIXTH RACE – CAPTAIN MALICIOUS left very quickly, yielded for the pocket and awaited the Pocono Pike, got there and took over, just enough to withstand DUCKIES DYNASTY. The latter left with urging, landed the pocket, stayed in and was shuffled badly, got clearance towards midstretch when the two horses got tangled, angled and was flying in the last 1/16. ROCKIN INTHE HILLS tucked then quarter-moved, set the pace, shook off the first-over, tired late. TRIP HAMMER sat in and offered little. MUSCLE MACH A had to go wide around the early stretch trouble. ROCK IDOL gapped second-over, advanced a bit on the turn, well-placed to get a good share when BARNABAS got a wheel under him. The latter was looped and couldn’t get in before the ¼, then was uncovered going to turn two, pressed the leader, was beginning to tire when getting tangled up with ROCK IDOL; had shown a lot of energy before that.
SEVENTH RACE – BAMSKI was shuffled to last, got going three-wide to midturn after a sweeper broke, kept on coming and picked up a tired bunch. AMERICAN CHROME stayed in, had the pocket 5/8 but escaped it in a blindswitch midturn as the pacesetter faded, ducked in to the Pocono Pike and had a brief late lead but was caught. CAVIART ROCKLAND was out with cover early, went frontward before the 3/16 but couldn’t clear, then couldn’t find a hole and had to be steadied, renewed his pressing for the top, somehow actually got past the pacesetter far turn after a very hard road, still had the lead midstretch in an extraordinary showing. MAJOR OFFENSE was two-wide and gapping, continued two-wide on the turn as the sweeper broke and the parked horse got to the inside, OK. NATIVE’S SWEETLOU didn’t enter the picture. WALTER MITTY would not yield and had a challenge at his throat throughout, finally gave way far turn. BAY MEADOWS got the pocket at the 1/8, gapped the two fighters early backstretch then in gear 5/8 and soon three-wide, advanced menacingly but then broke midturn.
EIGHTH RACE – SOMEBEACH BARON raced out to the pocket, waited just off the pace, to the Pocono Pike and the fresher horse late over BUSBOY HANOVER. The latter had cover early, got in fourth just past the ¼, on the move again raw 3/8, speed-grinded in 26.3 with the wind, wore down the leader headstretch, caught only by the pocket rocket in another good race. SPANISH ART was third-over, had the second-over duck in and advanced, up in a photo for third. CLASS SIX asserted himself with a 26 opener, rated the half then had to pick it up as the grinder was coming, had that one at his throat until headstretch, then couldn’t go on any more. DO YA THINK got a check. NEWBIE was second-over but didn’t have much. MISSISSIPPI RABBIT was three-wide to the 3/16 then dropped in, gapped down the back. LIFEONTHEBEACH A broke 3/16.
NINTH RACE – SORTIE was uncovered at the half then picked up cover, tightened in on it late backstretch, three-wide past midturn, trotted well through the stretch and made the front late. THISISSHE was looped early, stayed out until making the lead 3/8, under pressure from the first-over, held off that one but not the one behind the first-over. NEXTROUNDSONME was third-over from last, four-wide past midturn, didn’t accelerate off the curve as well as the winenr did, but moving well late. WARRIOR ONE was forwardly-placed, went uncovered 9/16 and reached the leader by the other end of the backstretch, applied pressure, held well. THE LIONKING AS vaulted out to a quick open lead, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, couldn’t summon a late response in the Pocono Pike. JACK RULES was inside, evenly. TSM PHOTO BUGGER never was a major danger.
TENTH RACE – HICKFROMFRENCHLICK caused a lineup with a 26.4 from the rail, slowed the half, then came home in 53.4 and needed all of it to withstand J M MANDAMIN. The latter sat in the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike, gained on the leader but didn’t quite have enough to go by. BLAZEN RIVER N was uncovered 11/16 and gained sharply on the turn, tried to the wire. REBELLIOUS sat in third, not quite enough late pace. STONE HANOVER took back to last, then had no shot from that position although finishing very well.
ELEVENTH RACE – BURN NOTICE dropped right into the pocket, urged a little to stay tight late backstretch, came out behind the first-over midturn, wide, just by that one in the shadow of the wire. AFTER ALL PAUL was on the move soon off the second turn, speed-grinded vs. the leader and put him away early stretch, good in almost lasting to the line. PAPI HANOVER stayed in, came up the Pocono Pike to photo KING ALPHONSO for the distant third. The latter moved outside on the turn, finished OK. ARCHIBALD went fast-slow-fast in coordination with the wind and the traffic flow, had nothing left the last 1/8. GEMOLOGIST moved outside but couldn’t get close. RICH AND MISERABLE jumped right at the start.
TWELFTH RACE – BRAVO TEX N went away well, caused some tactical thinking from two other leavers and yielded for the pocket 3/8, backed out behind the first-over towards late turn and quickly three-wide, paced away from these. TULHURSTSANTANNA A was in the pocket at the 1/8, was going to give the pocket to clear the way for a quarter-move but stayed in when the outside challenger went on, gapped in quarter two, then coaxed to hit a higher gear 11/16 and went raw, had a brief lead into the lane, no match for the winner but held second. PRAIRIE PANTHER stayed in and came up the Pocono Pike with some pace. TAM MAJOR A was second-over to the 11/16 but gapped on the far turn. RANDOM HANOVER was third-over behind a dull one, couldn’t reach. BRAEVIEW BONDI A was three-wide to the 1/8, eyed the pocket but went on when the favorite showed he wanted to move, made the top in a hot 3/8, couldn’t hold up the last 3/16. JK MUSICMAN also was hampered by dull cover. ATTA BOY DAN looked at leaving but was four-wide towards turn one and retreated back, not heard from again.
THIRTEENTH RACE – CAPTAIN CASH left purposefully, forced a tuck, slowed the half, then came home in 54.4 – 27.1 in control. SOMEWHERE FANCY left, pocket 3/16, under a good hold in the slow second quarter, vacated the pocket 11/16, couldn’t get by the winner but clearly held second. DECLAN SEELSTER had a chance to go into the pocket ¾ but couldn’t quite reach, won photo for third over ALEX TYE. The latter came out at the ¾ with cover, fair. WARRAWEE VELOCE showed some pace up the Pocono Pike but couldn’t reach in a 27.1 kicker. DIALAMARA was last at every call.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TRUEMASS VOLO stayed outside early, lost cover 5/16 and was the last one to the top 3/8 in a very fast half, stayed game through the stretch. BANK BOX TREASURE was parked with cover until tucking midpack past the ¼, then moved raw just past the half and grinded, showed a big heart in staying in the fight all the way. FINAL DREAM was third-over, three-wide around a gapper midturn and finished well. MARION GONDOLIER was three-wide to the 3/16 and two-wide to the 5/16 to get the lead, yielded 3/8, well-spotted but couldn’t gain after the hard early fractions. MONTEVERDI angled out for clearance headstretch then came between horses with steady trot. LIFE WILL LIVED was well-placed second-over but did not have enough. PRESIDENT ducked into the early pocket 3/16, inside, to the Pocono Pike, hard to tell how much he may have had. RIVER OTTER left hard from the rail, forced a rival to the 5/16 and yielded, gapped a bit, little response late. INAPERFECTWORLD was well of the gate and never close.