FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind … HIS BEATS HANOVER was wide to the first turn, had cover to the 3/16 then went on to get the top 5/16, responded to CAPTAIN ROMANCE’s challenge, was even with that one on the turn, regained a bit of an advantage early stretch and was relaxed a neck winner as you’ll see with a 26.4 last quarter. The latter gapped much of the first half, then in gear and paced his back half in 54.3 raw, as noted even with the pacesetter on the turn, held stoutly. BEACH TOWN BOY was looped leaving and went on to 3/16 command, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, stayed connection, to the Pocono Pike but outpaced. STELLAR YANKEE went up strongly behind excellent cover, good but didn’t gain in the fast kicker. HIGH BALLER gapped slightly third-over, OK late. WHITE BELLY was the first on top, yielded to two foes, struggled on the far turn. BOLTMAN gapped and was no factor.
SECOND RACE – HALL IT IN was parked 3/16 for command from the outer post, yielded to the frontstretch brusher for the pocket, outside in the lane and right on by. RAMSES got forward position, moved 5/16 and got the lead in a soft second quarter, couldn’t maintain the advantage to the wire. TEST YOUR MAGIC gapped a little inside down the back stayed inside, gained some late. ORIGINAL SMOKEY was the first leader, yielded, sat third-in until coming out late far turn, but had no late lick. TARGET PRACTICE got the last check. THE GOGESTER was not prominent. GAVINATOR moved two-wide but didn’t gain, broke late far turn. DR TRUFFER came uncovered from midpack at the half, gained in the third quarter but then tired significantly.
THIRD RACE – CHARMING BANK got to the lead, yielded for the two-hole and stayed close, outside headstretch and looked ready to take a shot at FRANKASAURUS on the lead when that one broke towards midstretch. The latter was out to the 3/16 for the top in a good opener, rated the half then left most of the field behind to a fast ¾, still on the lead when breaking before midstretch, was gotten back on gait; an inquiry revealed no reason for placing him. ARMANI HANOVER was a little off the gate, still pushed forward a trifle belatedly and found the three-hole, started gapping before the 5/8, got a little closer approaching the far bend, came up empty late. LAVANTE gapped midrace, evenly late. COMMAND THE MARKET was never close. LEGION OF HONOR also was not capable of going at this speed. CREATE was moving off the rail into the backstretch when breaking.
FOURTH RACE – DEL DIGGITY made the top before the 1/8, slowed the half, then powered home in 56.1 – 28, all alone in the last quarter. INDUSTRIAL HEMP left outside the winner and tried to make the two-hole but was shut out of it and took a 3-tuck past the ¼, moved outside late turn and finished well. IMONABEACH HANOVER had nonadvancing cover, three-wide ¾ through the turn, caught AMERICA WINS for third. The latter shut a horse out of the pocket before the ¼ and sat in the two-hole, gradually unplugged the last 3/8. ODDS ON CARLY and SNUF ENUF HANOVER were both stuck inside behind a fading one far turn; the former went outside and got the last check, while the other went wide and showed a bit of pace. JK’S JENNA struggled in the last ¼. CAVIART LUCIA tucked fifth at the 1/8, came uncovered 9/16 but didn’t advance. ROARING SENTINEL made a break early, caught the field, but then faded the last ½.
FIFTH RACE – RED REDEMPTION went to the top, rated the half, then left the rest gasping after a big third quarter, won in fast time. CARTIER BI moved out behind cover 11/16, soon was left uncovered and tucked in the pocket, clearly second. FATHER PATS SECRET sat the two-hole, loose most of the third quarter then faded even more. ONE AFTER NINE tucked third past the 1/8, moved out 11/16 and gained, made a two-hole but broke mid-far turn, regained stride and rallied for fourth; an inquiry into the break saw no reason for placing. SCIROCCO BIG JOHN broke between horses trying to gain early position, couldn’t catch up. FASHION ON A STAR was not heard from. JOE EXOTIC broke at the start. WORLDSSTONECOLD AS was gapping by midrace.
SIXTH RACE – CUSTOMARILY got a dream second-over trip until midturn where he was left raw, trotted on well (in a not-fast last quarter) to be clear. LAA DEE GAA gapped in the outer tier, wound up fourth-over, four-wide headstretch and came from seventh to second with good late foot. KOKOMO came out third-over before the 5/8, three-wide turn, outkicked for second. ARBITOR HANOVER went uncovered into turn two, grinded and crossed over on the lead midturn, could not sustain late. A MILLION CHUCKLES was last, went between horses in the stretch and finished steadily. MYREANNA was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the ¼ in by far the fastest quarter of the race, rated the half then picked it up as the two-wide wave came on, yielded midturn. BARNUM, who was third-in, and GHIBLI who made the lead between horses then yielded for the two-hole, were both caught in as the pacesetter tired, didn’t show much once clear.
SEVENTH RACE – ALWAYS B LAUGHIN made the rail between horses at the 1/8 and yielded 3/16 for the pocket, waited until late on the far turn, came a little wide off that bend, found overdrive just past midstretch and gained on a sharp AVAYA HANOVER and just was along. The latter was three-wide past the 1/8 to the lead 3/16, rated quarter two, then stepped home in 54.3 – 27.1, did everything but win in a nice showing. EXTRILLA HANOVER swung wide off cover headstretch and was a very distant third. SWEETONTHEBEACH pushed the early proceedings and yielded, then started to struggle 5/8. DRAGON SPARKS started up uncovered into the second curve but never got close. DELIGHTFUL SUMMER was never in it. MORE THAN KUTE fell far back.
EIGHTH RACE – GRACE AND FAVOR was parked 3/16 for the lead, rolled along at her own pace and drew clear. NONNA BELLA was in front then yielded to the winner, couldn’t keep up late backstretch but still managed second. BUTTERFLY FACE S retucked around a gapper, then continued on uncovered 5/8, gained but couldn’t quite make second. AULTER EGO went evenly. MOODY BLUE left, tucked third 3/16, didn’t have too much left late. CHARLIZE HANOVER was always far back; same with OK SUNNY, who was also a little off the gate. GOO GOO LU LU was wide early, then dangled outside, got a midpack tuck 3/8 then immediately started to gap, broke past the half.
NINTH RACE – FOREVERHILLREIGN came third-over, started a big three-wide move past the ¾ and kept on gaining to take the victory at $51.20. SO LONG HANOVER was quarter-mover #2, had cover then went on to the front towards turn two, set the pace, held off all but one. WORTHY OF HONOR was forwardly-placed early, then shuffled all the way to last, swung out wide and gained in a hard-luck mile. FOCUS POCUS tucked third, then was quarter-mover #1, yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not enough. BANG BANG BOINGA was uncovered into turn two, challenged, tired gradually. GERARD was first on top, also suffered a shuffle, was in tight quarters through the stretch. TRICKY DICK was second-over, blindswitched on the turn, couldn’t get into the main action.
TENTH RACE — BELMONT MAJOR N was unhurried early, but was hurried to pace a 26.3 backstretch raw to get the lead ¾, didn’t clear until midturn, extended to withstand TELL THEM LOU. The latter was second-over but couldn’t stay with is big brush, narrowed in through the lane. CIGAR SMOKING TONY circled wide and also gained late. ACTOR HANOVER went to the lead past the 1/8 and had an open lead at a couple of points, kept the winner outside part of the turn before he passed. HORSE left, yielded, loose at points in the pocket, Pocono Pike, couldn’t regain meaningful ground.
ELEVENTH RACE – QUICKEST HANOVER tucked third, came uncovered at the half just before the first inside breaker, challenged and went by the second inside breaker, then held off WHAT A DAME. The latter picked her way through the various challenges of the backstretch, tucked then came out in the lane, closed well. BLESSINGSANDFAVOR retucked in the holes of two different breakers, went on OK late. J-S MISS EMMA was not prominent. LILYBET set the pace with a fast opening quarter and a slow second quarter, had a challenger down the back and broke fighting that one far turn, went inside the pylons, placed. FINLANDIA took the pocket, was in tight quarters at the half behind the pacesetter, then made a break into the backstretch. MOVE OVER SOME was outside leaving, jumped it off before turn one.
TWELFTH RACE – GANGSTER HANOVER made the lead, yielded, moved early to take the lead, and what was a 1¼ length lead at the half became 3 lengths at the ¾, 10 lengths at the stretch call, and 14¼ lengths at the wire as he blasted home in 54.4. DON’T SASS ME came outside ¾ and made it to the distant second over CAVIART EMMA, who followed her move. MISTER BOINGA stayed and was shuffled on the far turn but didn’t have much late response. CAN’T SAY NO made the lead 3/16, yielded, then saw the distance between himself and the winner grow greater and greater and greater … SVF BLUSHINGBRIDE was last at every call.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SHORE OF HIMSELF tucked third then made a quarter-move, set the pace, held to the wire while coming home in 56.1 – 28. CAPTAIN GOOGLE was first to the lead, yielded to the winner and sat in the pocket, held second over OHARA HANOVER. The latter was out on Route 315 coming off the second turn, moved out and paced in 27.1 to come close to catching cover, then swung wide headstretch and continued to close, total last half 54.4 – one to keep an eye on. MAKE MY DEO was last, followed the show horse, also did a good job gaining a lot of ground. MAJOR SHOW never reached contention. THE BIG PICTURE tucked fourth, came out 11/16 but couldn’t stay in the main action. CHAMP CHARBEL offered little. HERE COMES RED was away for the early pocket, came up empty in the stretch. ROSA’S REBEL was leaving a hole by the 3/8.
FOURTEENTH RACE – ISLAND LILY went uncovered to the 11/16, battled the leading DAGON HANOVER the rest of the way home, proved the stronger late for Matt Kakaley’s sixth win of the day. The latter headed right down the road in quick numbers, held very well. CHING CHING LUCKY moved outside down the back but gapped, did better late. BALLET BARRE went with the pacesetter early then backed off to the pocket, loose down the back, not too much late. I AM THE STORM gapped 5/8. CAPITAL T STORM could offer little. MELANIA was wide early, broke 3/16. BILLIE CLAIRE was quarter-moving from third but soon rolled offstride.