FIRST RACE – JK MUSICMAN was out most of the ¼ to get the lead, strung the field out and was unthreatened in a 27.3 last quarter. TAKEITTOTHEFACE was asked leaving, made the lead, pushed the winner to the ¼ then yielded, stayed close, couldn’t gain late. PC’S EXPRESSO rallied wide in the stretch to win a three-way photo for third. AMRCANBOOTSCOOTA A came out midturn as a rival faded, evenly. PARTY BOY was last, in the photo for third up the Pocono Pike. CAPTAIN KEEN was having trouble keeping up at the half.
SECOND RACE – CON AIR HALL looked to leave but was surrounded and took a tuck, moved out 5/8 behind duelers, swung three-wide at the ¾, circled to the lead headstretch and drew away. JACK RULES made the lead going to turn one, set the pace under constant heavy pressure, couldn’t hold back the winner but maintained second nicely. ARCH CREDIT swung four-wide from last (save the breaker) early stretch and picked up the others. FRAC moved outside late backstretch but couldn’t get in the main battles. SEVEN IRON had forward position, moved out and up 5/16 but was left out to dry, hotly battled the leader in fast numbers, tired far turn. CELEBRITY SERENA was four-wide early, raced up into the pocket past the 1/8, struggling to keep up after the fast half. FASHION POSSESSED made a break before the start.
THIRD RACE – HIGHVIEW CONALL N was three-wide early right to the lead, proceeded at a steady rate and mastered these. ARCHETTO HANOVER used the rail to defend the pocket, stayed connected, outside headstretch, neither gained nor lost stretch ground. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN was three-wide past the 1/8, took all the way back to last, advanced inside, finished well, better mile than it may look. MEADOWBROOK FLASH was looped leaving, reluctantly took back to tuck 3/16, outside midturn, evenly. LITTLE ADMIRAL was behind nonadvancing cover, three-wide ¾, couldn’t get into it. LANAS DESIRE came uncovered into turn two but never got closer than the pocket horse’s wheel before fading.
FOURTH RACE – SILVERMASS VOLO moved out before the 5/8 after the parked horse faded, grinded up, went right by early stretch and drew away for amateur Maria De Bruijn’s first North American driving victory. URSIS DES CAILLONS took no prisoners, battled with the winner but had to submit, held second. CIMERONKEN was third-over, behind a gapper, stayed steady and passed horses. MUSKINGUM avoided a breaker and stayed inside, looked to be in tight quarters nearing the line. HITITOUTOFTHEPARK kept the pocket closed, faded 11/16. P C FOREIGN AFFAIR moved behind the parked horse to the second turn three-wide to the 5/8, got new cover but couldn’t go with it. FRENCH MONI was left out two-wide, faded before the 5/8. SWEET HEART AS got in fifth at the ¼, then made a break early on the backstretch.
FIFTH RACE – VALRHONA went right to the lead, strung the field out with a 27.1 third quarter, had no problem. BARON MICHAEL took back early, moved out ¾, did well to get second. AN THE THUNDEROLLS hustled away for the pocket, didn’t have much in the stretch. MYIDEALSON N had a bit of gain in the Pocono Pike. PICKLED PREACHER went wide and had a touch of pace on the end. GOLDEN GESTURE was looking to leave but took back when he saw the three inside him had the same idea, later gapped. DARK HORSE was last throughout.
SIXTH RACE – CRAZY CUTE kept up fairly well behind the 26 opener, then was on the move 5/16 to get the top 3/8, maintained a torrid pace, very game to hold off JUXTA COWGIRL to her left. The latter left like a freight train to the torrid opening number, yielded for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike, lost by a whisker while well ahead of the others. ROCK IS SWEET was second-over, gapped some down the back, three-wide late turn and along for third. CANDY ON THE BEACH tucked third at the 1/8, moved uncovered 5/8, never closer than the leader’s wheel, held OK. RAPUNZEL BLUE CHIP gapped early, then outside late backstretch, four-wide headstretch, gained some late. PRECIOUS ALEXIS gapped in last down the back, came up the Pike and had a little bit on the end.
SEVENTH RACE – IMAGINEUWITHOUTME went right to the top, parked the early mover, ran away and hid in the last quarter in a quick mile for this type. SHARKNADO gapped at a couple of points inside, outside stretch and just got the distant second over SPORTSMANSHIP. The latter made the pocket, stayed tight in the early duel, then unplugged before the ¾, couldn’t quite save second. DARTH FADER, slow to the gate, moved 3/16 but didn’t have the speed to clear, tired past the 5/8. BETTER B ROLLING got rolling to the half, followed the parked horse then tried to go around him three-wide but never gained. SOMETHINGINTHEWIND trailed, fell far back.
EIGHTH RACE – BETTORS HEART N was on top just before the 3/16, got a slow second quarter, then put down successive 27.3s coming home, showed a lot of heart in holding off ABIGAIL DAWN. The latter took command then yielded for the two-hole, stayed tight, to the Pocono Pike, inched up much of the stretch but couldn’t gain any more at crunch time. GALLERIA GAL backed out to third-over, four-wide in the lane and finished well. TALL POPPY N got an early forward spot, came uncovered 11/16, evenly. ROLL WITH ANGEL didn’t have clearance the last 3/8. CAVIART CHERIE was uncovered from last at the half, advanced some, finally got cover, three-wide headstretch, couldn’t get there but deserved better than to pace a last half in 54.2 and get no check.
NINTH RACE – TRICK CARD was second-over at the half and was carried up perfectly, but still paced his own back half in 55.3 as he swung wide and was going away at the end. JEREMES GENERAL set the pace with a second quarter breather, then got pressure from the first-over, stuck around with his usual tenacity. HES GONE BADDER got in front then yielded for the pocket, couldn’t gain in the Pocono Pike. LIMA RAIDER sat in then backed out third-over 11/16, came up empty in the stretch. NEWS WATCH went up uncovered at the half, battled the leader late backstretch through the turn, then gave way. THE OTHER TWO were at the back and did not affect the outcome of this one.
TENTH RACE – APRIL AVA was in front before the 1/8 then yielded for the perfect pocket trip, took advantage of it in the Pocono Pike and got the decision. SURREAL FEELING was uncovered at the half and was head-to-head with the pacesetter from the 5/8 to the line though both were passed to their left, held well. STONEBRIDGE SOUL was out past a fast opener for command, slowed the half, then as noted was head-and-head with the place horse the last 3/8, held well. SUNNY DEE got a second-over journey, not quite enough. STOWAWAY HANOVER didn’t have enough in the last 3/16. YS TALLIA was away last from the rail, moved third-over but fell back in the lane.
ELEVENTH RACE – BRONSKIMACKENZIE A was parked until the ¼ to make the front, yielded 3/8 but made a quick regaining move to a quick half, unusually had the third quarter the slowest quarter, then had more than enough to win in hand. ALLEYESONME AS was three-deep 3/16, then two-wide to the lead nearing the 3/8, yielded for the two-hole, good but second-best. ATORITOTELL pushed away hard from the pole, then yielded off the first turn, sat third, couldn’t go with the top two late. BRING ME DIAMONDS stayed in, gapped far turn. DEJA VROOM was second-over behind dull cover, moved three-wide past midturn, so-so late. PERSISTENT BETTOR was four-wide leaving then dropped behind cover, to the pylons before the ¼, then first-over 5/8 but didn’t gain. THE OTHERS were at the rear of the field throughout.