FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind; hot twilight weather … BLENHEIM was three-wide past the 1/8 before taking back, got in fifth past the ¼, then on the roll raw again before the half, worked up with a 27.1 third split to go right to the lead and leave these in the dust. DARTY was first to show, pushed a foe most of the quarter then yielded, inside, waited then came out with cover, ducked back in in the stretch and was along for second. WISENHEIMER was outside most of a pretty good opener, yielded 3/8, backed out behind the winner towards the ¾ but soon was left raw, fair late. STOP RESISTIN was looped between horses, pressed on but needed until almost the 3/8 to clear, came under pressure and gave way as the winner went by to the ¾. ANDOVERS TOUCH and BILLIE BLUE never factored. CELEBRITY SERENA started the outer flow and got the winner out, but couldn’t begin to stay with that one.
SECOND RACE – HIGHVIEW CONALL N quarter-moved and controlled the pace, a safe winner here. JEREMES GENERAL had the speed, got a foe to tuck, then yielded to the winner, neither gained nor lost ground late. HES GONE BADDER was uncovered 9/16, made mild progress, OK mile. T’S ELECTRIC left and took the two-hole before the 3/16, gapped before the 11/16, couldn’t gain in the Pocono Pike late. MEADOWBRANCH FLASH sat in and was shuffled, angled widest to headstretch and some pace belatedly. CHANCELLORCULLEN N was second-over but gapped and didn’t get into it. GRANTOR HANOVER was never prominent.
THIRD RACE – ZOOMING went up and found a tuck fourth at the 1/8, moved out uncovered 5/8 and gained steadily, took the lead in the stretch and won for fun. HOT SUMMER KNIGHT was outside at the half and got cover an 1/8 later, gapped it on the turn, but gained some more to gain second, good race. FRENCH MONI was well-placed until getting caught behind a tired pocketsitter on the turn, went to two-wide and trotted OK between horses for third. SIR JOHN F was far back, outside far turn, was moving fairly quickly at the wire. UVA HANOVER left strongly and went a 26.4 quarter to get control, rated the half, tried to answer the winner on the turn, but that effort and the first quarter caught up to him late. DA BOOGIE MAN was outside until getting in the pocket before the ¼, couldn’t keep up far turn. CALL ME THEFIREMAN never factored. PRESIDENTE ZETTE gapped at the back. INNISFALLEN broke at the half.
FOURTH RACE – SWEET TALKIN SATIN was four-wide early but backed off and tucked, gapped from before the ¼ almost to the ½, then got going after the fast midpoint, two-wide to three-wide raw around the parked horse to two-wide raw, steadily gained, then drew away. MYIDEALSON N went two-wide covered/three-wide uncovered/two-wide covered, gapped cover on the far turn but found better foot late and came on to nip BETTER B ROLLING. The latter followed the winner’s path although somewhat in arrears of it, looked to be second but was just caught on the line. A REAL MIRACLE left three-wide to the front, decided to hang both the early and a later challenger in a wild pace, paid the price in the lane. BRINGITONHOME N left, had to hustle at a couple of points to keep the pocket closed behind a duel, finally backed off 5/8. BIG SWEEP OSBORNE offered little. SPORTSMANSHIP was between horses leaving and was looped, went up, urged 5/16 to clear but was left out in the air in wicked fractions, faded going to the 5/8.
FIFTH RACE – KATKIN AND COKE was three-wide early then two-wide, made the lead at the 3/8, was clear on the lead from the half to deep stretch, where he got tired but was far enough ahead of ULYSSES N. The latter sat in, had to wait for the Pocono Pike because of a pocketsitter/first-over wedge well off the leader with the second-over nearby, narrowed in menacingly late (in a 30.4 quarter) but came up a bit shy. CELEBRITY MASERATI went to the lead, hung the winner a ways, yielded, started leaving a gap at the half, never narrowed the gap much but held for third over GRAN PARAISO. The latter gapped second-over then got tighter, came three-wide into the stretch and almost got third. KANDY KORN and NOBLE ANTHONY (who was pushed wide by a breaker on the far turn) made up some ground as the pace slowed late. CELEBRATE WINNING went raw from third before the 5/8 as the winner was getting away, couldn’t go around the gapping pocket horse then faded. LAKEVIEW TAMMY broke while not in contention on the turn. SWISS PLATINUM looked to want to go forward early but broke.
SIXTH RACE – ALL ABOUT RUSTY moved outside at the half, methodically worked closer and closer, proved best over HUGH HEFNER N late. The latter was between horses and tucked third, came out with cover 5/16, left uncovered 3/8 and went right on to the lead entering turn two, went at a good clip to the ¾, but then didn’t have enough late. TERLINGUA was wide leaving to 1/8 command, saw two go by in quarter two, gapped down the back, then moved outside as the pocketsitter faded and regained some ground. ARTACUS had dull cover third-over and came three-wide, fair. BEACHMASTER TWO was no factor. BAYONET left, yielded, retook the lead, yielded again, backed up in the last ¼. BIG GAME HUNTER moved second-over but couldn’t keep pace.
SEVENTH RACE – DAYTONA DREAMIN was wide early, eyed a four-tuck 3/16 but decided to press on, left out in the air the rest of the way, at points with an advantage, was passed by the Pocono Pike horse but courageously kept fighting and got the nod. STICK WITH ME KID was away in the pocket and stayed close, to the Pocono Pike, got a brief short lead midstretch, just failed to prevail. KEYSTONE SERGEANT gradually worked his way up to tighten behind the winner’s cover, three-wide late turn, best of the rest. FREDDIE MAC sat in, to the Pocono Pike but never got close to the top two. BELLA AVA went right to the lead, had the winner outside (and slightly ahead) at points though the middle half was not overly fast, regained the lead heading for the stretch but tired. BABY MAKER HANOVER was not quick early, three-wide then took back, then was third-over, didn’t tip wide in the lane and was not a major danger. CRITICAL MASS and SHOSHIE DEO both had trouble keeping up, at different points. PONDA’S MUSCLE MAN was last at every call.
EIGHTH RACE – DELISHKA N was innermost of three leavers and retained control in 26.2, moderated quarter two then sped up in quarter three so that the first-over never really reached, saw ABIGAIL DAWN gain inside her in the lane but looked to be being handled confidently. The latter went right to the pocket and kept it closed, a bit loose in it on the turn but was resurgent in the stretch, good second. SWEET ROCKIN GIA came raw 3/8 and one-geared it, hung in there tenaciously. GEORGIE MARTIN N was third-over behind gapping cover, finished with pace. JUXTA COWGIRL was three-wide to the 1/8 and tucked third at the ¼, struggled in the last ¼. SURE R LOOKIN GOOD gapped second-over. VELOCITY MCSWEETS was not factor. TRAFFIC JAM always had the best view.
NINTH RACE – LORD OF MISRULE left side-by-side with WHATSTROUBLNUROCKY, made the top, yielded for the pocket, came outside headstretch, looked like he was going to be outkicked up the Pocono Pike by GIVEN UP TERROR, but that one got funky late and the “LORD” got the win. WHATSTROUBLNUROCKY left well, yielded, outside 3/16 to the lead, slowed the half, had hounding pressure in the quickened third quarter, shook the first-over off, not quite enough to last to the line. GIVEN UP TERROR stayed in third, access to the Pike as the pocketsitter pulled, looked ready to go by midstretch when putting in bad steps and had to be steadied. RECORD MACHINE avoided the outer tier. THISJETSABOOKIN was third-over, four-wide late turn and had late pace. REDHOT ROMEO didn’t do much from second-over. NORTHERN SPORTSMAN was first-over before the half, challenged, got tired midturn.
TENTH RACE – SHECANDANCE N was last until midturn, swung wide and had a furious last 1/8 to nose out CRAZY CUTE. The latter was underway before the ¼, worked some to get the lead 3/8, kept in front until the last step. APRIL AVA was three-wide to the first bend then two-high to the lead 3/16, pushed a brusher some then yielded 3/8, Pocono Pike, not far off. CAVIART CHERIE left between horses for the early lead, yielded, stayed third-in, appeared to have room deep in the Pike but didn’t have the necessary steps. LUCKY ARTIST A gapped second-over, ducked in on the turn, came back with a bit of pace late. PRAIRIE WESTERNGAL moved raw past the 5/8, but her bid didn’t last long before she tired.
ELEVENTH RACE – LITTLE SANDY TOES let two battle it out early then was on the move nearing the ¼ to the lead 3/8, had twin 28.1s coming home to be the best here. BRING ME DIAMONDS went to the lead, got a foe outside her to tuck, yielded to the winner and kept tight, neither gained nor lost ground late. BULLVILLEKARLA was second-over, three-wide just past midturn, finished solidly. IDEAL CLASSIC was three-wide early then two-high to the pocket 3/16, third-in, deep Pike, not quite enough. YES DOUBLE DOWN moved raw at the half with flicking, got to the winner’s wheel but no closer before falling back. THE OTHERS could not make their presence felt.
TWELFTH RACE – VICTORIAS MAVERICK took charge early and wouldn’t let anybody by, drew clear from the 5/8. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN was between horses early and took back, stuck in behind a “wedge” from the 5/8, to the Pocono Pike and up for the distant deuce. SOMWHERENBROOKLYN N was uncovered before the ½, raced side-by-side with the pocket horse well off the winner, held OK. ALL ABOUT HEAVEN went from the rail before midturn to widest headstretch, had late pace. IMAGINEUWITHOUTME was second-over, not helped by cover but didn’t show much at crunch time. UNION STATION was four-wide to the first turn, took the pocket off that bend, loose from the 5/8. TSM ARTEMIS T didn’t factor. ASTON HILL DAVE was outside early, wide but couldn’t gain. COLUMBO was stuck outside midpack the first half, then fell back.