FIRST RACE – CAPTAIN MCKEE stayed in third, moved out with cover midturn, built up his closing speed and was along in the last step. MELODIES MAJOR came up in 27 into a fast pace to challenge the leader, had the lead early stretch, caught in the last jump. JESSE DUKE N had “b.e.,” appearing to be left-side near the head, to the first turn, sat the pocket, had to wait for the Pocono Pike, came close after poor luck. DREAMS BEACHBOY caused a lineup with a quick start, had pressure from late backstretch, gave way early stretch. FEELING CAM LUCKY came out second-over but couldn’t keep up and went back in.
SECOND RACE – Stiffening stretch tailwind … TOUGH MAC was third-over, three-wide late turn, easily got past a tired field. MUSKINGUM disdained a 3-tuck and went on to the lead before the 3/8, went a rapid second quarter (partially because of the wind), still had a clear lead to midstretch but could do little about the winner, held second. CHUCKY DE VIE was three-wide almost to the 1/8 to clear shortly after that point, yielded before the 3/8 to sit in the two-hole, vacated that spot past midturn, bore a little wide headstretch, evenly late. NOBLE ANTHONY was far back, came on steadily belatedly. GREEK LEGEND came out to the 5/8, got a bit closer, blindswitched by the winner late turn, not too much late. DEVIOUS HANOVER was the innermost of three leavers, yielded at the 1/8, started gapping at the half. FASHION WINNER was never in the picture. SCARLETT RAIDER broke right at the start.
THIRD RACE – CONAIR HALL was three-wide into turn one and had the front past the 1/8, kept on rolling and had an open lead much of the third quarter, tiring late but held off ALL HEART I AM. The latter left to maintain the pocket, gapped down the back, got tighter and tighter nearing the wire but couldn’t go by. BARLEY moved up past the 5/8 but never reached the lead, took third over KANDY KORN. The latter went around a gapper, evenly along the inside late. CIRCLE OF LIFE AS broke just past the start, recovered half the ground. GOLDEN ZETTE was looped between horses and tucked third past the 1/8, gapped out 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – AGGIORNAMENTO had the front past the 1/8, pushed a foe to the 3/8 before yielding then sat the two-hole, outside headstretch and right by with big strides. SLAVE LABOUR was three-wide to the 1/8, gradually made his way to the front 3/8, got a 1:00.2 middle half, was clearly second. A ONE A showed speed, yielded, faded some in the lane. REECE N TEDDY moved out raw past the 5/8, gained some on the turn but then flattened. HIGH TOPS moved outside late turn but couldn’t get into the main argument. THE BACK THREE were never factors in this contest.
FIFTH RACE — BIZET left well to make the lead at the 1/8, continued on at a good clip, was well in control here. NICE STUFF vacated third 11/16, outfooted DYNAMIC EDGE late for second. The latter hit the front early, yielded for the pocket, got a bit loose on the far turn, fair late. SPEED BALL SWAGGER moved outside 5/8, got cover 11/16, couldn’t go with the cover, next in line. CRITICAL MASS gapped behind the quick pace. THE LAST THREESOME never got into the principal fight.
SIXTH RACE – PATSVILLE took the early lead, yielded, moved to the 3/8 and was back on top before the ½, drew away in the last quarter, with fast even-numbered quarters. KING PRINCESS left between horses, took the lead at the ¼, saw two go by in quarter two, moved outside midturn and decisioned ALWAYS B ROYALTY for the deuce. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8, ducked behind cover to the ¼, then onward to command to the 3/8, yielded to the winner on the second turn, just missed saving place. BET ONLINE went evenly inside. ALESSANDRA HANOVER moved out ¾ and got cover midturn but couldn’t gain. MELBA (off the gate), TRAVELLING LADY (broken equipment), and SWEET KATIE BUG were all far behind by the half.
SEVENTH RACE – LUISELLA moved uncovered from fourth 11/16, overtook the front two steadily in the stretch. WILD KAT G defended the pocket, moved out nearing headstretch, never ahead but steadily for second. TSM EMILIA T made the top in good order and set her own pace, but couldn’t sustain her advantage to the wire. GOO GOO LU LU stayed flat. BEHINDBLUEYES broke early. GIRL FROM QUEENS was looped, took back to the 3-hole just past the ¼, gave way nearing the ¾. BUCKET HEAD misstepped just past the start.
EIGHTH RACE – BET EIGHTTHIRTYONE advanced to command at the 1/8, yielded off the first turn and awaited the Pocono Pike, went right by when shown racetrack. HONALI got forward position leaving, deep in the Pike and along for second. DONTLIKEITLEAVE was three-wide early, briefly had cover then uncovered at the 1/8, went forward to the lead but was a bit wide late on the first turn, did make the top into the frontstretch and set the pace, not enough late and bore out a little. A DEAL’S A DEAL was uncovered 9/16 and gained to the ¾, but then couldn’t sustain the forward move. THE OTHER TWO were well off the main group the last half.
NINTH RACE — BARNUM yielded for the pocket and stayed tight, went to the Pocono Pike and gradually wore down KRISTIELEIGH. The latter went out early and grabbed command, set an unhurried pace without pressure, still could not stall the winner. FASHION PRINCESS did not get a good start, gapped midrace, outside late far turn and photoed JUST DO IT LUCAS for third. The latter was away third, evenly the last 3/8. DREAM ZETTE was a bit hard to handle and covered a lot of ground, showed a decent amount of energy. AMBERS CHAMPION made a delayed move forward, broke while three-wide into turn one, caught the field but couldn’t get back into it. MOODY BLUE went offstride just before the start.
TENTH RACE – MIGHTY SURF was three-wide to the 1/8 to the top 3/16 in a fast quarter, didn’t get much pressure, had enough to defeat TRUEMASS VOLO. The latter was between horses leaving, took the pocket 3/16, tried the winner in the Pocono Pike, good but not quite good enough. OOH RAH was on top into turn one, raced closely-placed, held off a pair to get third. BANGE BI was second-over, showed a pretty good late response. BANZAI AS started a long uncovered bid 9/16 and gained good ground, weakened slightly the last 1/8. MUAY HANOVER didn’t have much the last 3/8. LUCKY SEVENS was at the back throughout.
ELEVENTH RACE – ALL CHAMPY was behind the early duel two-wide, went up after the early wide leaver broke to the ¼, had to work to get the lead into turn two in a pretty quick half, had enough to win over TSM PHOTO BUGGER. The latter used the rail to maximum advantage, pushed the winner to near the second turn before yielding for the pocket, eased out headstretch and was game but came up shy. BIG MONEY HONEY gapped a little in the middle, stayed in, to the far inside in the lane and just third over CIMERONKEN. The latter kept the two-hole shut, not much to offer late, did return with “b.e.” ICINGON DE CUPCAKE went uncovered just past the 5/8 but never headed the third-in horse before retreating. KISS ON FIRE AS was rough to the start and then broke. ONE FANCY KID was between horses early, going up towards the leader when breaking before the ¼. BLUEBIRD KEEPSAKE left, was three-high going into turn one when misstepping.
TWELFTH RACE – MARION GONDOLIER left well, pulled at the ¼ and saw a foe take the pocket, went on to the front and continued on at a good clip for these, game late to defeat MAX’S BEAST. The latter was fastest away, yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, had a chance up the Pocono Pike, came up just a little shy. SEVEN IRON was three-wide to turn one, tucked in the pocket as the winner readied for his quarter-move, stayed connected until mid-far turn, held for the distant third over O JONNIE. The latter saved ground, locked in far turn, clear in the lane but bore out and could not make third. MEADOWBRANCH RICKY was last but parlayed sitting in into the last check. BILLIE BLUE was second-over, briefly blindswitched towards the ¾ then could go out three-wide, but could not gain. JACK RULES was behind nonflowing cover, three-wide 11/16 but couldn’t make an impression. TW LAUXMONT was four-wide to bend one, with cover, tucked fourth at the ¼, came uncovered off turn two and made a mild bid before tiring through the last quarter.