FIRST RACE – Rain early, so track “sloppy +1” through four races; with the sun coming out, the track was rated “good +1” the rest of the card … JANAID left and yielded, stayed in until late turn then came on with a burst while a bit on a line, took over midstretch, then held off the charge of LOUD SPLASH. The latter was two- and three-wide in a nonflow, four-wide towards headstretch and flying through the lane. MAJOR ASSET was three-wide to the 1/8 and two-wide until taking over off the first turn, went on and opened up the pocket for a foe, continued on the lead unbothered as the first-over never reached, but tired after some good fractions in the off going. DO YA THINK gapped at the back down the back, then found a seam early stretch and came on some. LITTLE ADMIRAL didn’t have all that much after an inside trip. VICTORIAS MAVERICK was four-wide to the 1/8, three-wide to the 3/16, then two-wide, got into the pocket before the 3/8, came up empty late. AMAZON was second-over, three-wide midturn but failed to come on. DARTH FADER got in front towards the 1/8, yielded, gapped letting a horse in, uncovered at the half but had little progress before retreating.
SECOND RACE – WARRAWEE VELOCE was fourth-over, three-wide with cover on the turn then four-wide headstretch, picked them all up late. MELODIES MAJOR stayed tight on cover second-over, three-wide late turn, took over early stretch, almost lasted to the line. ROCK IDOL was third-over but gapped, blindswitched two- and three-wide on the turn, stayed in the lane behind the place horse and advanced. AMERICAN CHROME was outside much of the ¼ for the lead, yielded for the pocket, appeared to consider joining the outside flow past the 11/16 but stayed in, to the Pocono Pike, fair. MUSCLE MACH A stayed in, gapped down the back, then tighter and behind a wall early stretch, had to angle very wide losing all chance. ALEX TYE quarter-moved, was under constant pressure from first-over DUCKIES DYNASTY from the half, tired alongside that one in the last 1/8. The latter was first on top, yielded later on turn one, back out again into turn two, had the lead while outside from the 5/8 to midturn but could not clear, gave way after a hard journey. MISTER INDIANA was off the gate and never in the picture.
THIRD RACE – MACMORRIS HANOVER picked an early tuck, then quarter-moved, steadily advanced to the lead beyond the 3/8, rated the half, had pressure from the first-over, dealt with that but then saw a resurgent THE LIONKING AS coming on in the Pocono Pike, gamely held the advantage. The latter went away well and put foes in behind, pushed the winner then yielded, gapped on the turn but then made another strong push in the Pike, just missed. TSM PHOTO BUGGER had the early pocket at the 1/8, came out raw 5/8 and challenged, stayed in the fight. MARION GONDOLIER did everything about a half-step slower than those around him. JACK RULES was inside, insufficient late response. GRAPPLE HANOVER broke just past the start.
FOURTH RACE – Sun! … REBELLIOUS was looped early, went up to challenge but was put into the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, won a long fight with WHITE HAIR ROCKS. The latter stayed in, angled out in front of a gapper late turn and wider headstretch, tried hard, almost made it. ROBBIE BURNS N was shuffled to last, spent most of his last quarter angling to follow the place horse, then did well once free. CAPTAIN MULZAC used the “leave/yield/gap/tighten/first-over” tactic recently prevalent, fought the leader hard on the turn, couldn’t sustain the move. RESTORE OUR FLAG zipped out to command, forced the winner in behind, got pressure from the first-over, didn’t fade too much. YS MATHIS moved uncovered from last into the second turn, got cover 5/8 but then couldn’t keep with it.
FIFTH RACE – Track upgraded to “good +1” … SOMEBEACH BARON made the top at the 1/8, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and paced away easily. BRAVO TEX N got in gear at the 1/8 and went up, needed mild urging to clear 5/16, kept going at a good clip, no match for the winner but held second. BELL I NO was looped, tucked fifth at the 1/8, uncovered off turn two, one-geared in not a fast-enough gear but went on steadily for third. REGAL SON sat in, went inside in the stretch but didn’t appear to have too much. BELLOWS BINGE was second-over, gapped then tighter, so-so. SWEET N FAST N sat in, finished decently. INDIGO ART was not a factor. MY MIND ISMADEUP pushed the 1/8 and yielded, third-in, could offer very little late.
SIXTH RACE – FOREVERHILLREIGN was fourth-over, followed the third-over when he went three-wide before the 11/16, was on the grandstand side through the stretch but picked up the favorite. DAYTONA DREAM gapped early, got tighter, went uncovered before the half, one-geared uncompromisingly, went in front early stretch and stayed there for a long while. PROTOSTAR was third-over, went three-wide not too much past the 5/8 and was limbed three-deep while challenging the rest of the way, flattened a little but still a very good mile. ICINGON DE CUPCAKE was second-over, blindswitched from before the 11/16 behind the favorite, never came clear while keeping pretty tight. ONE DIRECTION took the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike but couldn’t summon enough. NATURAL KEMP took command from the pole, rated the half, gradually got pressure two- and three-wide, couldn’t defend the advantage. LIONBACKER KIDD swung wide but couldn’t make up the distance. SEVEN IRON left and was briefly three-wide, tucked third past the 1/8, then never got free as the field was compact and three-wide most of the way from late backstretch.
SEVENTH RACE – CAVIART ROCKLAND was parked past the 1/8 for command, slowed the second quarter, left the opposition behind. RECORD MACHINE sat in, came outside midturn and closed nicely to just be second over WINDEMERE FRANK. The latter advanced second-over, two-wide raw ¾ when his cover took the pocket, made it to second but was just beaten out of it late. NOX VEGAS BLUECHIP got a tuck third, uncovered off the second turn, tucked in the two-hole into the far turn, tired some. FRISKY PEDRO left, yielded to sit the pocket, couldn’t keep up ¾. ABSOLUTE INTENT moved uncovered 3/8, got cover early backstretch but couldn’t go with it and went inside. THE OTHER THREE gapped badly the last 3/8.
EIGHTH RACE – HOT SUMMER KNIGHT followed great cover second-over, three-wide late turn, just caught PRESIDENT in the shadow of the wire. The latter was uncovered on the lead, fought with the pacesetter and alternated short advantages until early stretch, where he finally put that foe away, just caught at the end. LIVE WELL LIVED was the first to show, forced a tuck, then yielded to a brusher, pocket, Pocono Pike, had aim but not quite enough. CLASSIC VENTURE was third-over, three-wide behind cover far turn, briefly blindswitched but kept trotting behind the winner in his path. FINAL DREAM worked into the pocket 3/16, in, gained in tight quarters. DYNAMIC EDGE was last, four-wide headstretch but couldn’t reach. OOH RAH quarter-moved, was in a serious battle from the 5/8 on, faded in the lane.
NINTH RACE – BUSBOY HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn, then briefly had cover before continuing on to the lead before the 3/8, rolled right on and did not have any anxious moments. BAMSKI was urged leaving, took the early pocket at the 1/8, third-in, deepest to the inside and along for second over NEEDLESS TO SAY. The latter forced a tuck then pushed the winner to near the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket, couldn’t hold place late. BLACKLIGHT advanced inside down the backstretch, not too much late. CLASS SIX did not have good cover. NEWBIE moved with cover but soon lost it to a break, didn’t advance thereafter. BLOW A CLOUD N stayed in, no factor. URBAN RENEWAL moved outside off the second turn, didn’t gain much before breaking 5/8.
TENTH RACE – AFTER ALL PAUL was looped leaving, went on to take over 5/16 and backed down the half, had to speed up as the first-over pressed hard, but went on strongly to the wire while bearing out a little. ROCK OF CASHEL was behind cover early, tucked fourth before the 3/16, stayed in, went to the deep Pocono Pike and finished well to edge KING ALPHONSO. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8, got the lead, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, outtrotted to his inside for second. MYSTICAL WYNN yielded, moved first-over on turn two and battled the leader getting a small advantage at a couple of points, couldn’t quite sustain the move. PAPI HANOVER cut over to the rail early, stayed in, out in a blindswitch late turn, found room between horses past midstretch and finished well. BURN NOTICE looked to want to get a quick start but broke, got back on but was last, joined the two-wide flow, not a bad recovery. SORTIE was second-over, gapped a little late backstretch, three-wide far turn, couldn’t reach.
ELEVENTH RACE – PATERNITY SUIT A yielded just past the 1/8, stayed third-in, gained access to the Pocono Pike as the pocketsitter went outside, got in gear quickly and went right to the lead. MYKINDACHIP took over just past the 1/8, yielded after a fast quarter to sit in the two-hole, outside near headstretch, didn’t appear to ever get the lead but went on steadily for second. OLLIE’S Z TAM was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to a fast opener, kept rolling on the lead, with the pace eventually taking its toll. PRAIRIE PANTHER stayed in, split horses late and had good speed at the end. LYONS AMUSEMENTS was between horses leaving and took a tuck, started raw off turn two but never got near the lead, went wide for the stretch after the pocketsitter pulled out, evenly. CAPTAIN CASH was not heard from. ATTA BOY DAN was off the gate and gapping early, no factor. JK MUSICMAN moved second-over, gapped, tightened a bit, then faded.
TWELFTH RACE – RICH AND MISERABLE pulled 3/8 to follow the parked horse, three-wide 5/8 to go around that one and challenge hard from the ¾, grinded away and proved the best late. MISS MC KEE was looped and powered on to the lead off the first turn, kept going to keep one foe parked then kept going to brace against the winner, held very well in a fast mile for this class. GHOSTINTHESHELL S came out behind the winner, couldn’t stay with that one’s wide move, then three-wide ¾, came on steadily. JUST MAYBE THE ONE got a forward position, was stuck behind a fader late turn, then outside early stretch and won a photo for fourth. GEMOLOGIST was away quickly and cleared by the 1/8, yielded to the place horse and kept the pocket closed until the far turn, then faded. TRUEMASS VOLO stayed inside, finished with “b.e.” ARCHIBALD and THISISSHE never featured. BANK BOX TREASURE was three-wide to before the 3/16, had cover to the ¼ then was left raw, challenged in a fast tempo, was looped going to the ¾ and faded.
THIRTEENTH RACE – BENJI’S BEST was outside but way off the lead at the half, advanced two-wide then left uncovered to the ¾, really hit a high gear, went three-wide near headstretch when the pocketsitter pulled, drew away – helped by the fractions, but still with a powerful late kick. SUGARTOWN made the lead just past the 3/16, yielded past the quick opener and stayed connected through the fast numbers, came out towards headstretch, just did work by NOTABADGAME at the end. The latter was three-high to the 3/16 and parked past a very fast opener, put up giant fractions on the lead, almost held on to second. CURIOUS CORTEZ retucked around a fader, out again in the stretch to get around another tired horse. ALBERGO HANOVER got the last check. BENSON BOYS N never was in the main picture. WAR-N-MUNN was four-wide leaving, dropped down behind cover and got in at the ¼, came out down the back and retucked third around a fader, not much to offer late. SHANE ADAM wasn’t prominent. LOVE THE ACTION kept the early action three-wide until the 3/16, started gapping behind the hot pace before the half.
FOURTEENTH RACE – FABRICE HANOVER, three-wide before the 1/8, was in front at the ¼, didn’t get much pressure, then was too far ahead to be overhauled by the closing BLOOD LINE. The latter was out third-over in not much of a flow, three-wide with cover far turn to four-wide headstretch, passed many horses but had to settle for second. NIGHT WATCHMAN tucked, then he and MAJOR OFFENSE (who was pinned in from the ¼) went to the Pocono Pike after inside trips and got the next two spots in a big photo. MIGHTY SANTANA N moved second-over, three-wide ¾, evenly. CAPTAIN MALICIOUS defended the pocket, had trouble keeping up in the pocket from the backstretch. DECLAN SEELSTER moved raw before the half, briefly second but never at the leader, tired. SPANISH ART came out at the ¼, fourth-over, not prominent.