FIRST RACE – Coolish; stretch tailwind that got more intense midcard, then greatly moderated the last few races … GOLDEN GESTURE made the front, yielded 3/8 and sat in the fast pocket, outside midturn, paced right on by. ARCHETTO HANOVER tucked third, out behind the winner midturn, clear second. RUNHAPPY TEN moved in front of the parked horse and finally got the lead in a fast half, kept going to a fast ¾, paid the price in the last 1/8. COACH CAL was able to come up the inside and almost made it to third. IMAGINEUWITHOUTME went outside late backstretch but couldn’t gain. PRINCE ASTON offered little. MIKE’S POWERHOUSE dangled outside midpack the first half, then faded.
SECOND RACE – MEADOWBRANCH FLASH was last very far off the leader, circled up to the ¾ and ate into the leader’s margin with every stride, bore out in the stretch but still caught that one. DARTH FADER took the pocket behind the insistent rail horse early, moved 5/16 and had to work to get the lead, opened up a huge lead from the 5/8 into the far turn, but was methodically grinded down by the winner while staying far ahead of the rest. LIMA RAIDER backed out, had some late foot. MAYFIELD DUKE got a spot to the 3/16, then was second-over, left uncovered 11/16, not too much. BRINGITONHOME N was shut out of a hole first turn so had to proceed forward, uncovered until being able to get into the pocket 11/16, not much after that point but had showed energy. TERLINGUA was very reluctant to yield, but once he did he started backing up. BIG GAME HUNTER shut a hole first turn, never heard from again.
THIRD RACE – BIG NUDGE was nudged outside raw near the half, grinded up to the leader and took over ¾, firmly in control. LUCKY JUNE BUG hung a rival just past the ¼, yielded, backed out behind the winner late backstretch, uncovered ¾, just did hold second over SILVERMASS VOLO. The latter was outside but not tight on cover, ducked inside in the stretch and almost got the place. FRENCH MONI was never prominent. CLARION HALL was parked just past a quick quarter, rated the half, had no answer for the winner to the ¾ and faded. THE OTHER PAIR were well removed at the back.
FOURTH RACE – JEREMES GENERAL took over at the 1/8 then put the co-favorite behind him, rated quarter two, got a challenge late backstretch through the turn, but saw that foe off and won easily. ARTACUS was uncovered 9/16, made steady progress and battled with the winner from before the ¾ through the turn, couldn’t sustain the forward progress but clearly second. HES GONE BADDER spotted into turn one, ducked to the Pocono Pike and was along for third with some late foot. ALL IT TAKES left and took the pocket, couldn’t keep pace in the last 1/8. CHANCELLORCULLEN N made steady progress from last second-over but then gapped on the far turn. GRANTOR HANOVER never factored. COLE PORTER N never entered the main picture.
FIFTH RACE – STRETCH THE LINE never settled in but gradually went forwarded, pushed by his main foe until clearing past the 3/8, had only that one remotely close the last half, drew off late in a giant mile for a 2YO. HURRIKANE CHUCK went to the lead towards turn one, pushed the winner over a quarter of a mile (27.2 second quarter) before yielding, stayed close-up until just before midstretch, good mile in his own right and a ton ahead of the others. CHARIOT DRIVE was away third from the rail and was already gapping by the half, just did save third over CURRENT YANKEE. The latter passed a straggler down the back, then ducked inside and almost made the distant third. HONALI couldn’t offer enough puff. KEYSTONEFIGHTNIGHT pulled before the half but broke shortly thereafter.
SIXTH RACE – WISENHEIMER was in the early mix, let it settle, moved in front of the stands to the lead, opened a huge margin in a very fast 3/4s for this type, tiring some but too far ahead. STOP RESISTIN sat in, came out late far turn and was along for second. TAKE A WISH took back early, moved outside ¾, overhauled for second. SWEET HEART AS was way back when he moved out 5/8, cover ¾, three-wide far turn, came on as the pace slowed. CREWS HILLTOPPER was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide to the lead at the ¼, yielded for the pocket, started gapping out 5/8. DYNAMIC EDGE went in front to the 3/16 and yielded at the ¼, inside, struggled the last half. NOTHING BUT MUSCLE and WATKINS never entered the picture. WINGS OF SPEED was four-wide early, drooped down behind cover, then broke at the ¼.
SEVENTH RACE – ARTACHE HANOVER left for the pocket, stayed within a reasonable distance of the leader, then came out midturn and gobbled him up midstretch. LAREDO TORPEDO N got the front quickly and strung foes out most of the way, just did hold second. MYIDEALSON N circled a gapper late backstretch, paced steadily late. AMRCANBOOTSCOOTA A was way back in last, then circled tired foes. HERE COMES SWIFTY got into the three-hole before the 3/16, gapped out down the back. DA MAGICIAN showed little.
EIGHTH RACE – MON CHEVAL led from the first step to the last, strung the field out and came home in 28 on her own in a most impressive debut. BAPTISM worked up into the pocket to the 3/16, stayed close to the ¾, clear in second. AVACAKES tucked fourth, out and retucked third past the 5/8, couldn’t gain any more. HODA HANOVER was outside FASHION PRINCESS as hose two came on for the distant last checks. FIERCE WOMAN and MISSALETTE (who defended the pocket past the 1/8) were both leaving gaps by the half. SOUTHERN AUTUMN broke well before the start.
NINTH RACE – BARON MICHAEL retucked at the half, was second-over but gapped the latter part of the backstretch, then in gear turn, wide to a midstretch lead, had just enough to hold off DARK HORSE. The latter made up ground to be a tight third-over, gradually angled wider in the lane and came on well. BUGGER BRUISER sat the pocket, got into high gear quickly once shown the Pocono Pike and didn’t miss by much. REDHOT ROMEO angled widest, just had too far to come (last quarter 29.2). PICKLED PREACHER came out 5/8 and went up raw to challenge, in gear nearing the ¾, got a short lead early stretch but was tiring at that point. RAKSMACH N was trapped in, didn’t appear to have full clearance inside. VICTORIAS MAVERICK went right to the top in a fast opener, set the pace, got pressure to the ¾ through the turn, tired. BLOW A CLOUD N tucked third 3/16, developed a problem in front of the stands and dropped way back.
TENTH RACE – DIXIECHICK HANOVER yielded for the pocket, came out to the ¾ just before the leader broke, was forced wide but didn’t have to check too much and emerged headstretch with the lead, which she maintained. A PERFECT HELEN was out behind the winner and also had to steer wide, came on well late to get second from GUMDROP HANOVER. The latter reached the front at the 1/8, yielded to the favorite for the pocket, had to pause for a few strides to avoid the breaker then came through on the inside losing some momentum, OK late. MISS PRINCIPLE gapped, was in the middle of the confusion then steered inside for fourth. VOGUE broke leaving, was far back when the trouble occurred, steered around a breaker and salvaged the last check. MIMI OCEAN HANOVER tucked third then quarter-moved, seemed to be going along well when making a break just past midturn. DREAMONHIGH was outside behind cover when misstepping 1/8. PINK GYPSY was caught in behind the confusion late turn and went offstride. JUST DO IT LUCAS didn’t have much.
ELEVENTH RACE – ABIGAIL DAWN decided to go into the pocket at the 1/8, waited until the Pocono Pike, then worked through to just catch ALII NUI. The latter used the rail to advantage and went 26.2 to the quarter to keep control, just failed to hold on. MAJOR BATTLE was second-over to the half, three-wide midturn, closed well. SWEET ROCKIN GIA was third-over, four-wide headstretch, closed a little better than the third horse but couldn’t make the Trifecta. GEORGIE MARTIN N came up the inside down the backside, not quite enough late. LUCKY ARTIST A started uncovered before the half, pestered the leader until tiring midturn.
TWELFTH RACE – MUSCLE MACH A was in the dynamic outer flow, left uncovered at the half and challenged, sustained her bid steadily and proved to be the best. NEWBIE was behind semigapping cover, four-wide headstretch and closed very stoutly. ROCK THREE TIMES was two-wide in a four-wide tier behind the first leader, let outside foes loop him, followed them and was left raw 3/8, went on to the lead at the half, got a little tired late. MOVE THE LINE had an excess of cover, steered through a small seam in the lane and finished well. ALL ABOUT HEAVEN wound up second-over, seemed to be all-out from the 11/16. WILDCAT HILTON was three-wide most of the ¼, briefly had cover then went on to the lead 3/8, yielded at the half, not too much response late. WAY TO CLOSE was outside most of the ¼, yielded, inside, might not have been fully clear nearing the wire. ASTON HILL DAVE was the first on top but in the many lead changes wound up sixth at the half, not a late factor. R U MACHIN ME never featured in this mile.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LATE NIGHT DATE A was away second then improved that position by one after the quarter, came home in 54.2 – 26.4 and needed it to hold off ROCK IS SWEET (although GNap may have been measuring). The latter quickly got to the front, yielded to sit the pocket, cut into the winner’s margin from midstretch and was well ahead of the others. BRING ME DIAMONDS spotted fourth, sat in, gapped out before the ¾, just held the distant show. BULLVILLEKARLA was inside, moved diagonally between horses headstretch, found her best strides a bit too late in the battle for third. TRAFFIC JAM never threatened. LITTLE SANDY TOES wound up second-over, gapped down the backstretch; so did TRUSSED UP TRUDY further back. SHES SPORTY A, a bit hard to handle early, fell way back.