FIRST RACE – The track was rated “good +1” for the first three races, then dried out and was rated “fast +0” … Stretch tailwind … PICKLED PREACHER cane uncovered at the half and with a rush cleared to the lead past the 5/8, drew clear and kept on going well to the wire. BARON MICHAEL followed the winner’s cover, left raw before the 11/16 and into the pocket before the ¾, fought hard to the wire to edge GOLDEN GESTURE for second. The latter was first in motion from last and enjoyed excellent cover, uncovered on the turn, just photoed from second. RUN ONEOVER N pushed the quarter and yielded, was shuffled badly late on the backstretch, finally got outside mid-far turn, retucked, couldn’t gain back any more ground. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN couldn’t get into the main picture. SUNBURST CRUZE also was shuffled badly late backstretch, outside midturn, couldn’t recover much. HIGHVIEW CONALL N was parked to a 26.2 quarter for the top, was challenged past the 5/8 and called it a day.
SECOND RACE – PAPI HANOVER left, yielded, underway 3/16 to the lead at the ¼, slowed the half with the wind, then picked it up vs. the wind as the first-over came on, put to a drive late to hold off NICE STUFF. The latter went to 1/8 command, yielded to sit the two-hole, struggled to keep close down the backstretch behind the duel, then had a surge late and didn’t miss by much. EVA DAIRPET FR moved uncovered into turn two and went raw in 27.2 down the backstretch to challenge hard, bore out in the stretch but still kept scrapping. ZOOMING stayed in, next in line. EXPLOSIVE MAGIC stayed in until moving two-wide mid-far turn, didn’t enter the main picture. ARCHIBALD moved second-over but almost immediately was gapping.
THIRD RACE – EL TORO LOCO was the only hard leaver, set the pace as he pleased and won as he pleased. CALIFORNIA GOLD moved out from behind a loose pocket horse 11/16, tucked in headstretch, couldn’t make up ground in the latter stages. GONNA B HANOVER had the pocket, went loose in the third quarter, the last one to stay flat. ZETTE FLAME was out with cover late backstretch but broke ¾. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP was off the gate and rank at times, miscued before the second turn.
FOURTH RACE – MEADOWBROOK FLASH moved uncovered into turn two, went up quickly then saw the pocket horse pop out and get the lead, left raw, grinded to the wire and held on in a close finish in a 30.1 last quarter. MAJOR SUGAR RUSH gapped most of the way, angled wide early stretch and roared home in the last 1/16 to just miss. LIMA RAIDER backed out to follow the winner, three-wide past midturn, not far off. CHANCELLORCULLEN N was third-in, shuffled far turn, to the deep Pocono Pike and had a good gain in the slowing tempo. JEREMES GENERAL went to the lead, saw the pocket horse go by him 11/16 and gapped, kept going and actually beat that one out in the Pocono Pike. ALL IT TAKES left, went into the pocket 3/16, moved early backstretch to get the lead late backstretch and open up a clear margin, but had little left late. ALL ABOUT RUSTY was not prominent.
FIFTH RACE – GRACELYN HANOVER sat two-wide early as double-looped, went up towards the lead, bore wide off the first turn but onward to the lead, clear the last half. EL KISMET was right on top, got a foe to tuck, yielded to the winner, gapped from the half, but still held second. BUCKET HEAD left, settled in the early pocket at the 1/8, maintained third late. HL REVINA moved out from behind a gapper backstretch, kept advancing gradually raw, not bad. TRINITY HANOVER swung wide headstretch, was offstride through the stretch and was placed eighth for violation of the breaking rules. TICKET TAB struggled to stay connected but could not. THE OTHER TWO never reached contention.
SIXTH RACE – CATHY HANOVER left from the rail and had the pocket, then moved 5/16 to the lead 3/8, set the pace, had CAVIART CARMEL inching closer the entire last quarter and had to be good to defeat that one. The latter protected the 3-hole early, moved out 11/16 and worked her way up, kept on coming in a fine showing, only to just miss. AILEY HANOVER moved uncovered 5/8 to get around a gapper, picked up cover 11/16, couldn’t go with the top two late but far the best of the rest. SANTA FE’S MJ had more than the remainder. HAD ME A COOKIE was never prominent. AMERICA WINS was three-wide leaving to command at the 1/8, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, faded in the last ¼. SWEET KATIE BUG left between horses, took a couple of awkward steps and took back to tuck, never got back into the race.
SEVENTH RACE – CHUCKY DE VIE left well and yielded at the 1/8 for the two-hole, outside past midturn, took the lead past upper stretch and held off SANCHEZ ROCKS. The latter moved uncovered and got ever-closer, kept coming in the lane and just missed. LIBERO HANOVER crossed over from PP9 by the 1/8, didn’t have any pressure, held fairly well. CHOCOTURE sat in, gapped down the back, outside in the lane and next in line. UNABATING was away third, got to the pocket late on the turn, but couldn’t gain in the Pocono Pike. THE NEXT THREE were always far back. NOBLE ANTHONY backed out to follow cover past the 5/8, didn’t have too much, then broke headstretch.
EIGHTH RACE – MISTER DAVID C was three-wide to the 1/8 and on the lead 3/16, rolled right along without pressure, kept to mild urging and held off CAPTAINRYANMICHAEL. The latter was second-over behind not-especially-beneficial cover, three-wide midturn, found his best steps just a little too late. BET EIGHTTHIRTYONE left between horses to 1/8 command, sat the two-hole, could not gain in the stretch. BET ON ZETTE started raw off turn two, gained some down the back but couldn’t sustain the gain. DS HEARTLAND was third-over, three-wide with cover far turn, didn’t enter the picture. SUCCESSION struggled inside. THE OTHER PAIR were well in arrears.
NINTH RACE – BRONSKIMACKENZIE A reached the lead 3/16 and had absolutely no problem, finishing in 27.2 under a hold. LIME TWIST was first to show, yielded for the pocket, began to unplug to the ¾ but retained second. RHYME N ROLL followed along and held third. FEAR MY SHADOW avoided the outer tier, couldn’t gain inside late. TRAFFIC JAM was second-over in a dull flow, left two-wide midturn as the first-over bore out, very little. TRUSSED UP TRUDY was uncovered off turn two but never headed the third-in horse, bore out far turn and faded.
TENTH RACE – WINNERUP was three-wide to nearing the 1/8 to the lead at the ¼, a runaway winner the last half. MUSHANA moved outside 11/16 and gradually gained to be a clear second. GREAT MAGIC left, yielded at the 1/8, stayed in 11/16, went to the Pocono Pike and had decent late trot to beat the others for show. TSM PHOTO BUGGER advanced behind cover, not bad. HL REVADON moved wide from last and was in the fight for third. MEADOWBRANCH RICKY never contended here. JACK RULES was between horses to the front at the 1/8, yielded at the ¼ for the pocket, saw the distance between himself and the winner grow steadily from the 5/8. TOUGH MAC never featured.
ELEVENTH RACE – FAR BETTER was three-wide early then rode two-wide the rest of the way, gapped two different cover providers, moved up to third early far turn and ducked in, then came up the Pocono Pike and showing great perseverance got the job done. RUNHAPPY TEN backed out behind the sweeper 5/8 and retucked in the pocket, came out in the stretch, caught up the inside. SULLIVAN tucked in fourth 3/16, uncovered near the half and quickly went right by 5/8, turned for home with a clear lead but couldn’t make it stand up. DARK HORSE got in the two-wide path before the ¾, three-wide midturn, closed well. LITTLE ADMIRAL sat in and was shuffled badly, backed outside, came back on well. BLOW A CLOUD N started quickly, yielded for the pocket, then was hopelessly shuffled out of it when the pacesetter tired. DA MAGICIAN gapped early and was far back. VALRHONA was wide early in pursuit of the lead, which she got at the 1/8, surrendered when challenged, faded quite badly.
TWELFTH RACE – SANTAFE’S COACH was the only horse tight on the horse in front of him when he went raw 5/8, got into the pocket on the turn, out again for the stretch and stayed strong to the wire. AMERICAN CHROME boiled down the road with a clear lead from before the 3/8 to the ¾, held pretty well against the winner. JK MUSICMAN came through at the start and got the pocket, then was loose past the ¾, gained back a minimal amount of ground. DIVISION BELL was outside far turn but couldn’t get closer. THE OTHER DUO did not get a fast start and gapped at the back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – BANK BOX TREASURE showed some speed, then quarter-moved, bore out a bit in the lane but had full control of this. KEYSTONE SERGEANT began first-over at the half, grinded along with steady speed and decisioned a pair for second. O JONNIE was second-over, three-wide far turn, late speed. BILLIE BLUE made the top at the 1/8, got a foe to tuck, yielded for the pocket, tired through the stretch. FRAC moved third-over down the back, but gapped. TW LAUXMONT was three-wide to the 1/8 and went to the pocket 3/16, gapped out on the turn. CRITICAL MASS never reached critical trotting mass. PITTSTOP KIP was not keeping up at the 5/8.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BLACKLIGHT dueled most of the ¼ with MELANIE’S TEDY before making the lead, went on in quick numbers for bottom-level horses and had an open lead most of the way, saw the lead shrink but did not seem in danger. The latter forced the early action, was loose in the pocket, got closer the last 3/16 but didn’t seem a win threat. ROCK THREE TIMES sat in, closed up the Pocono Pike. WAY TO CLOSE tucked third then left a big gap almost the entire rest of the way. ABSOLUTE INTENT was inside, got the last check. WILD WEST moved outside to try to get around the gapper ¾ but himself went backwards. TAKEITTOTHEFACE was outside midpack or worse throughout. SI SEMALU trailed at every call.