FIRST RACE – Swirling wind to start … BAY MEADOWS went to the point entering turn one then yielded to the 3/16 for the pocket, stalked the pacesetting JK MUSICMAN then wore him down nicely late. The latter was three-wide leaving, needed until nearing the 3/16 to clear, rambled on the lead, not quite enough. WAY TO CLOSE came uncovered from far back 5/8, made steady progress although not in the league of the first two. MOVE THE LINE stayed pretty well connected until the stretch, then fell back. ABSOLUTE INTENT gapped the main pack 11/16. MAJOR HUMOR was last all the way.
SECOND RACE – IVANNA got an early forward spot, moved uncovered early in the backstretch and went right past to the lead 5/8, was well clear before midstretch but then made a break and galloped home as could not go anyplace safe to restore gait, was placed last for violation(s) of the breaking rule. TOUGH MAC got underway at the half and soon had cover, lost it 5/8 and went to the pocket ¾, going to be a clear second when the leader broke. FRAC took the pocket 3/16, was shuffled when the pacesetter gave way then backed out, recovered some ground. THE NEXT THREE could not gain contention. PITTSTOP KIP got the lead, rated the half, still was passed easily 5/8 and fell back.
THIRD RACE – Wind shift to stretch tailwind … CALIFORNIA GOLD was well-placed throughout, moved out past the ¾ and had the most trot in the sprint home. HIGH TOPS made a move 5/16 after the creaking quarter, went a little faster in the middle, OK but second-best here. MUSCLES GLOWING was the only leaver and got away with a 31.3 opener, yielded for the pocket, didn’t have enough quickstep. GONNA B HANOVER went evenly. THE GOGESTER couldn’t go with these.
FOURTH RACE – LUISELLA moved from third at the ¼ and had the lead past the 3/8, continued at a good clip for these, drew off in 28.2 in hand, another win for the hot freshman trotting team of Williams – Grant – Jackson. RHEIA ROSE went on to the lead 3/16, stretched the winner a little then yielded, kept up close to early stretch, did well but didn’t have as much sprint as the impressive winner. WILD KAT G moved out far turn and got around a gapper, distant third. MIGHTY ANGEL had the early lead, yielded 3/16, appeared all-out the last 5/16. GOO GOO LU LU gapped gapped at the ¾. RAVIOLI broke near the start. JANINE’S ACTION was between horses early when making a mistake. SUNDAE FUNDAY gapped early and kept falling further back.
FIFTH RACE – BAY CITY left for the pocket, quarter-moved with the breeze, got pushed but made the lead, yielded as the horse behind him retook but stayed close, out in the stretch and wore down the leader late. SUCCESSION was clear into turn one, made the winner work in quarter two to get the lead, came back out to the 5/8 and reclaimed the front 11/16 into a slight breeze, just gave way late. MISTER DAVID C had to come three-wide around tiring cover late turn, finished strongly. HUMBOLDT HANOVER sat in and saved all the ground inside and in the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite keep his momentum going very late. ARSONIST gapped a lot to the half, came out behind the place horse midbackstretch and soon was left raw, not too much late.
SIXTH RACE – GRACE AND FAVOR, a 2TF making her debut against older foes (male and female) for Team WGJ, moved before the ¼ right to the lead and stayed in complete control of this. HURRIKANE WILLIE G left well to get the lead, yielded for the pocket, the only one staying remotely close to the winner. GAVINATOR stayed inside and was along for the distant third. MANUKA got into the early pocket before the first turn, started to back up 11/16. AMBERS CHAMPION moved outside uncovered but could make no headway; DREAM ZETTE moved outside with cover but could make no headway. GOTCHA HANOVER was disconnecting by the half.
SEVENTH RACE – MIND HUNTER was away second then moved off the first turn to the lead before the 3/8, got a slow middle half, disposed of the first-over, looked in charge even before REGENTS HANOVER broke. The latter took a tuck, looked rarin’ to go in the hole but stayed in, then backed out second-over 11/16, three-wide midturn as cover tired, was closing powerfully before breaking nearing deep stretch while perhaps lugging in; no placing needed. KEYSTONEFIGHTNIGHT burst away from the rail, yielded for the pocket, not enough to go with the top two late, held third over PRAIRIE HANDSOME, who made up some ground wide. DONTLIKEITLEAVE fell back nearing the ¾. BRIDGESTONE gained rapidly during a slow third quarter to draw abreast of the leader, but suddenly backed off midturn.
EIGHTH RACE – SWEET HEART AS quarter-moved, needed until past the 3/8 to clear, had enough to hold off the inside bid of UVA HANOVER. The latter went away well from the rail and forced a tuck, pushed the winner a ways then released him, sat until the stretch, came up the inside and gained some, but not quite enough, though well ahead of the rest. MARVELOUSTRIX followed cover, went evenly to be third. BARLEY moved outside 11/16, advanced until midturn then flattened. NOBLE ANTHONY was never a major danger. TROTTING Z TAM left, took the pocket past the 1/8, unplugged from the 11/16. ONE FANCY KID was never in the picture.
NINTH RACE – COUNTERPARTY RISK worked to the pocket just past the 1/8, quarter-moved, got a 31 breather with the wind in quarter two, charged home in 27.3 on her own. MISS HELEN HANOVER left sharply to soon take over the racetrack, yielded to sit in the pocket, also finished very nicely inside the winner. CATHY HANOVER had some speed, fell back in the latter stages. SHIPNSTROL HANOVER sat inside, couldn’t keep up in the late sprint. SWEET KATIE BUG was away slowly, uncovered on the second turn, never got close, fell way back. TRAVELLING LADY had dull cover but still didn’t show much. MARVELOUSMISSMABEL was trailing when she made a break headstretch.
TENTH RACE – MAGIC VACATION left very well to take over early, set a swift pace and was in total control here. OOH RAH defended the pocket, came out headstretch but didn’t have too much. SIMPLY VOLO was second-over behind sluggish cover, coming on well at the wire. GOLD MEDAL SWAN vacated fourth towards the 5/8 but never made much of a gain despite encouragement. POND JUMPER had traffic trouble late turn and upper stretch that kept him out of contention for the major minor awards. SVF CASH DEPOSIT was outleft, tucked third just past the 1/8, not much in the last 3/16. TAKE A WISH gapped at the back. EXPLOSIVE MAGIC broke early.
ELEVENTH RACE – CAPTAIN MCKEE was three-wide leaving, then had cover until the 3/16, then went up to challenge for the lead and got there 5/16, continued to set a very fast pace, courageous to the line. ELWELL was between horses to near the 3/16 to gain control, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, pulled out ¾ but went back inside, came out again stretch but didn’t have quite enough. QUATRAIN BLUE CHIP retucked around a gapper late backstretch, paced well along the inside. TUXEDO BAY pushed the early pace and yielded, came out nearing the ¾, briefly three-wide then back to two-wide as the pocketsitter retucked, tired. MAC ANOVER couldn’t go enough. THE LAST FOUR never got into the main action of the race.