FIRST RACEMICHAEL’S MONSTER left like a monster, forced his two closest rivals to reconsider attempts to brush to the lead, went right on and was a safe winner, not looking like a $60.40 horse with four quarters at 28 or a bit more. SHORE OF HIMSELF quarter-moved, saw he wasn’t going to be released and did make it into the two-hole nearing turn two, tried again in the stretch but was held at bay. LINDYSALWAYSTHINKN was looped, went on at the 1/8 but got the message 3/16 and tucked in the two-hole, gave same past the 3/8, held for third. THE BIG PICTURE wasn’t really in the main picture. HERE COMES RED moved out raw 9/16 but didn’t gain much, then fell back. OCTAVE never featured. CHAMP CHARBEL couldn’t keep up from before the half.

 

SECOND RACESOUTHWIND XENA was looped early, got in a higher gear at the 1/8 and took over 5/16, went on at a decent clip keeping much of the field strung out, a safe winner. MIKI THE CLOWN got the early pocket, gapped a little third-in ¾, but then had better pace along the inside late. FASTERTHANARUMOR made the front quickly, yielded for the two-hole and stayed fairly plugged-in, but didn’t have much left late. SNUF ENUF HANOVER went around a couple of tiring horses. LOUD BRAZILIAN was uncovered 9/16, gained a little and retucked fourth, not making up ground late. CANDY PAINT had little to offer here. DONOTWRITEMEOFF was the trailer at every call.

 

THIRD RACESERRANO VOLO was three-wide leaving and on to the front 3/16, rated quarter two, had too much for this crew. CHING CHING LUCKY went three-wide late on the far turn as cover got stale, finished very well for second. BALLET BARRE was the first on top, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t gain in the Pocono Pike. DA BOOGIE MAN never menaced. BREEZING PRAYER tucked third at the 1/8, went first-over 11/16 and gained a little, but couldn’t sustain the gain. CHOCOLATE MATTERS gapped at the back.

 

FOURTH RACEMIKIBYTHESEASIDE defended the two-hole early, moved uncovered into turn two and just kept on grinding, finally got by HIGH BALLER but still got resistance from that one to the line. The latter left hard, pushed a foe until nearing the 3/8, yielded but quickly retook, had the winner come grinding at him by the 5/8, did well to resist that one as well as he did in a fast mile. MAJOR SHOW was well-placed second-over but couldn’t keep tight late backstretch, best of the rest. LINEMAKER was three-wide to the 1/8, found no hole so pressed on before the ¼ to the lead before the 3/8, yielded to the retaker before the half, struggled in the pocket from the 5/8. BOLTMAN was behind gapping cover, swung three-wide far turn, got the last check. CAPTAIN GOOGLE was never close; nor was ADDISON HANOVER, and the latter broke headstretch.

 

FIFTH RACEDEL DIGGITY left between horses to 3/16 command, yielded at the ¼ for the pocket, gapped from early backstretch to midturn, then came on as the pace slowed and was successful. JM BETONSIX tucked midpack, came uncovered towards turn two, slowly advanced, ducked in on the far turn, gained in the Pocono Pike as the tempo slackened. BRUSH N CRUSH was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide to the 1/8 for the lead, rated quarter two then got away a bit in a fast third panel, tired. BET ON CHRISSY stayed connected, outside far turn, next-best. IMONABEACH HANOVER got a slow start, took the last check. ALESSANDRA HANOVER never factored. TOUGH LITTLE BEACH pushed the early proceedings and yielded, gapped from past the 5/8. HILDA BE MINE moved outside but couldn’t keep up. ROARING SURREAL broke 5/16.

 

SIXTH RACETRUFFLES TOO was underway before the ¼ and took over the racetrack just past the 3/8, went a fast ¾, in no danger late. DAGON HANOVER made the lead 3/16, hung the winner a like distance before yielding for the pocket, clearly second. PROTOSTAR was underway raw on the second turn, wasn’t a major danger and faded but still held third. THE NEXT PAIR never factored after inside trips. PILOT HANOVER moved out before the 5/8 but never got tight on cover. ISLAND LILY was last, had just begun a three-wide move before midturn when breaking.

 

SEVENTH RACEFIRE UP looked a bit fired up behind the gate, let the outside leavers go then moved 3/16 to the lead before the 5/16, clear almost all of the second half. GHIBLI left for the lead, induced a tuck, then yielded to the winner for the pocket, loose in the pocket the last half, a clear second. KRISTIELEIGH sat in, blocked on the far turn, came clear to midstretch and finished with solid trot. BARNUM raced into the early pocket, all done ¾. CUSTOMARILY was outside in a dull flow, ducked in, got a check. A MILLION CHUCKLES was second-over, three-wide far turn as cover fell back, didn’t gain, finished with “b.e.” KOKOMO got in fourth to the 3/16, moved uncovered down the back but had little to offer.

 

EIGHTH RACEMILIEU HANOVER was looped, patiently kept jetting to the front past the 26.4 quarter, slowed the half, then stepped home in 55.3 – 27.2 to hold these off. SO NICE HANOVER left and got a good forward spot, moved outside 3/4 and was game late to defeat WICKED WAYS for second. The latter was three-wide to the first turn and crossed over soon after, yielded to the winner, to the Pocono Pike, could not quite save the deuce. ROLL ON MAMA moved with cover to the ¾, had pace finishing. MY CAM GIRL gapped early, tightened in, again looked to be struggling 11/16 but got better, then was boxed in the latter stages. DOUBLEOFFTHEWALL gapped early, narrowed in, but couldn’t get into the main action.

 

NINTH RACE – Some stretch headwind … HIP HOP GRACIE made the front to the 1/8, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and went by as coolly as you’ll ever see a $74.60 horse go by. SWEET BOUQUETS left, had the pocket, quarter-moved, went on at a decent clip, couldn’t quite hold the advantage, did photo SPIT AND VINEGAR for second. The latter went up third-over, four-wide headstretch and gained into the wind and the slowing last quarter. BLESSINGSANDFAVOR started uncovered at the half, got cover 5/8, three-wide late turn, finished steadily. WHAT A DAME came out of third 5/8, gained slowly, kept digging to the wire. BLING IM A WINNER stayed in, gapped. FINLANDIA was last at all stations.

 

TENTH RACEBELMONT MAJOR N left and tucked fourth at the 1/8, came uncovered 9/16 and streaked up in 26.2 to challenge, continued to pressure the pacesetting CIGAR SMOKING TONY and was up on the line, big mile. The latter was parked 3/16 for the lead, had the winner come at him late backstretch, threw twin 27.1s coming home and still was caught in an unlucky loss. TELL THEM LOU gradually tightened in on cover second-over, went inside late on the turn, to the Pocono Pike, not very far off. IM A GIGOLO N sat in, angled out late turn and wide in the stretch, finished better than anybody. ACTOR HANOVER gapped third-over; had “b.e.” MANKAT left and yielded for the pocket, tired at the ¾. THE OTHER PAIR were always far back.

 

ELEVENTH RACEIDENTITY POLICE came out 5/8 while still far back, rapidly gained and went by towards headstretch, enough to resist the late kick of ONE AFTER NINE. The latter moved out second-over but couldn’t go up with the winner, stacked wide and was eating up the late ground. CAMDEN HILLS tucked then had the pocket as an outside foe broke, moved 5/16 to the lead just past the half, yielded to an early backstretch brusher, then backed out behind the winner nearing headstretch, OK. CARTIER BI moved before the half, was left raw and went on to take the top into the backstretch, felt the pressure of the winner, held decently. LAVANTE couldn’t keep up 5/8. F X HANOVER broke at the start. FRANKASAURUS was going up to tuck in the pocket to the 3/16 but miscued. VINCENTI broke before the start.

 

TWELFTH RACERHETT HANOVER moved uncovered 9/16 and stormed a 26.4 third split to challenge the leader by the 11/16, went head-to-head with that one to the line and got the advantage late. HIS BEATS HANOVER was looped and tucked, was early mover #2 and took over, came home in 55.3, just caught at the end. DOUBLE METAL pulled the early pocket to get the lead then yielded to sit the two-hole, in the Pocono Pike, a step shy of the top two. STELLAR YANKEE gapped early backstretch then backed out to second-over just past the 5/8, did well. BRAZEN BRAZILIAN was three-wide to the first turn and got the top at the 1/8, saw two go by, inside, evenly late. IMAGINARY LINE gapped third-over. AMAZING BET never featured. WHITE BELLY also did not enter the main picture.

 

THIRTEENTH RACEP L NOTSONICE was parked with cover early, got in gear past the 1/8 and went on to take over control 3/8, put up a good half and then went 27.1 down the back to throw a KO punch at the opposition. MISTER BOINGA was out past the 1/8, pushed until the 3/8 then yielded for the pocket, loose from the leader from the 5/8 but persevered on for place. WORTHY OF HONOR was on top towards the first curve, yielded, couldn’t make any late inroad. SVF BLUSHINGBRIDE sat in, waited for the Pocono Pike and had a bit of trot on the end. ALTUS HANOVER was second-over behind nonflowing cover, three-wide late turn, evenly. DON’T SASS ME went first-up just before the half, made little headway n a 27.1 backstretch split, so-so. THE OTHER THREE couldn’t keep up.

 

FOURTEENTH RACECAPTAINS MAID was unhurried early while outside, challenged past the ¼ and got the lead just past the 3/8 during a 27.4 quarter against the wind, had the pocket horse move and step by ¾, but went to the Pocono Pike and overhauled that foe late in a very good showing. CAPSAICINN took the early pocket, moved at the ¼ in front of the favorite, got command then pushed that one, vacated the pocket to get the lead ¾, couldn’t make the lead stand up after hard usage. UPTOWN HANOVER came out 5/8, got cover then lost it ¾, not quite enough. WIGGLE DELIGHT raced with cover, finished well. RUTHMAE HANOVER quickly cleared, saw two go by in quarter two, faded in the lane. THE OTHER PAIR never made their presence felt.