FIRST RACE – FULL MOON BEACH was three-wide to the 1/8 en route to the lead, rated the half, then was in control with back fractions of 54.4 – 27. MIKIBYTHESEASIDE left between horses and was looped, took the pocket at the ¼, stayed well-connected but could not gain late. DOUBLE METAL took back early, went first-up at the half, didn’t reach the leader but held pretty well behind the first two. SOMEWHEREINVERONA was three-wide with cover to the first turn, slotted fifth, moved second-over, gapped a bit, three-wide headstretch, evenly. STELLAR YANKEE stayed in and was shuffled, some in the Pocono Pike once finding space. HIGH BALLER pushed past the 1/8 and yielded, gave the pocket, nothing left the last 3/16. NEXT BIG THING did little from third-over. CAPTAIN ROMANCE was parked with cover early, took back to last, not heard from again.
SECOND RACE – KATKIN MORGAN was last early, got to third-over, four-wide late turn, had a huge last 1/8 to trot past everybody. WORTHY OF HONOR left three-deep to turn one to the lead at the 1/8, released a foe off turn one to sit the pocket, outside stretch, never ahead but steadily for second. FOCUS POCUS went out between horses and was looped, on top past the ¼, set the pace, not enough late. GERARD got early position, inside, best of the rest. BANG BANG BOINGA stayed in, seemed to be struggling to keep up the last ¼. MISTER BOINGA was second-over, three-wide, not that much. CAVIART EMMA went uncovered 3/8, went up in 28.1 the third split but then couldn’t gain any more. GREEK LEGEND never factored.
THIRD RACE – FINLANDIA was away alertly for the pocket, outside past midturn, won easily. LAA DEE GAA was uncovered 3/8, trotted very well with her own last half in 57 for second though perhaps a trifle rough late. PAINT BY NUMBERS came through to defend the three-hole, up the Pocono Pike for a distant third. MYREANNA was second-over, gapped cover far turn. BARNUM, wide leaving, took back to tuck fourth, not heard from again. ARBITOR HANOVER took control from the pole, rated the half, still had nothing left for the stretch. KOKOMO gapped at the back. SPRING QUEEN couldn’t keep up from not much past the ½.
FOURTH RACE – CHING CHING LUCKY backed out to second-over, gapped the third split, in gear midturn and finished steadily to get the decision. BLAZING PRAYER stayed in and was shuffled to last, out on the turn and wide early stretch, came on well. NARZARIO was three-wide to the 1/8 before taking back to last, then came raw at the half and trotted up in 28 to fight the leader, held his ground very stoutly. DAGON HANOVER was away quickly to get the early lead, yielded, stuck inside, found a seam to the left of the breaking leader after he fell back, good in bad-luck mile. RED REDEMPTION quarter-moved and went on at a fast clip, still ahead and looking for an answer to the closers when breaking, placed. ISLAND LILY was looped leaving, on top just before the ¼, yielded for the pocket, already had moved to the Pocono Pike and was showing little when the pacesetter broke.
FIFTH RACE – BANZAI AS quarter-moved and went on at a good clip, proved himself the best. PUERTO RICO left and strung the field out early, yielded for the pocket, clearly second-best. KATKIN AND COKE took the pocket into the first bend, came out second-over 5/8, not enough kick but edged SHEER MUSCLE for third. The latter was on the show horse’s back, was blindswitched ¾ but cleared when the sweeper flattened, some late. FINAL DREAM did not make his presence felt. CELEBRITY SERENA followed the winner’s move before the 3/8 and was left raw, challenged, tired. KANDY KORN tried to gain three-wide from last but could not.
SIXTH RACE – Wind picked up some to be a stretch tailwind … B A SUPERHERO was three-wide past the 1/8 for the lead, strode clear the last half. STRONGERWITHLINDY stayed connected in the first four, outside far turn and had some finishing speed. DR TRUFFER stayed in third, Pocono Pike, won a picture for third over GAVINATOR. The latter was on top at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, went loose before the 5/8. BEER CHEESE took back early, did get a check. TEST YOUR MAGIC tucked fifth, struggled to keep up from before the half. THE OTHER PAIR were away slowly and never in the picture.
SEVENTH RACE – BOLTMAN pushed the early pace then yielded, then quarter-moved, in firm control of this race in a fast time. OHARE HANOVER was way back early then moved with sluggish cover, four-wide before midturn and came a long way to be second. CHAMP CHARBEL made the front between horses 3/16, yielded, gapped the pocket horse, but came out in the stretch and was along to be the distant best of the rest. SPINNAKER HANOVER was showing pace going under the wire. ROSA’S REBEL was uncovered 3/8 inside the breaker, went three-wide to try to get around that one but didn’t gain much. JOSE could not be seen among the front ones. HERE COMES RED went up a bit late but did grab a 4-tuck 3/16, back out raw down the backstretch, could offer little. ADDISON HANOVER broke to the 3/8.
EIGHTH RACE – AULTER EGO came on the grind before the 5/8, proved the best in the 1:01.2 last half. KRISTIELEIGH started well, yielded and sat a tight two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite take it all. AMBERS CHAMPION was carried up by good cover, couldn’t quite produce enough late. MATTER OF TRUST was third-over, tried to come between horses in the lane instead of winging four-wide, found no clear path. HODA HANOVER left between horses to the 3-hole at the 1/8, gapped in the third quarter then tighter, so-so in the lane. ROMANTIC TILE S was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide past the 3/16 for the top, set the pace, nothing left late. PRAYING DION didn’t show much. MOODY BLUE broke taking back early.
NINTH RACE – PRESTO was out 5/16 to make the lead, yielded to a brusher and sat in the pocket, outside headstretch and presto! she was in the lead and drawing away. CUSTOMARILY came out on the turn and went wider early stretch, finished with energy. WHAT A DAME had to go up raw, couldn’t reach to keep the winner locked in past midturn, fair late. PREACHER MAN was underway at the ¼ and hit the top by the 3/8 in a quick second split, dictated terms but came up short. BALLET BARRE was in front early and pushed the winner past the ¼, inside, not a factor for major minor honors. SNOWFALLA gapped at the back.
TENTH RACE – STELLAR BB had nice cover second-over, gapped it on the turn, but kicked in late and was just up on the line. TELL THEM LOU was uncovered into turn two, challenged, looked to be going by when the leader broke and was briefly clear, but caught by the horse on his back. IDEAL ARTILLERY was inside, out in a blindswitch headstretch, switched paths to find clearance and came home nicely. ACTOR HANOVER was urged early, three-wide 1/8 and on top past the 3/16 in a 26.2 opener, yielded to a remover for the pocket, Pocono Pike, a bit shy. HORSE had forward position, inside, deep Pike, fair. CIGAR SMOKING TONY had excellent cover but did not fire. RHETT SEELSTER tried to gain wide on the turn but could not. RED POWER controlled the pace with two moves, asked for more late turn, but made a break early stretch.
ELEVENTH RACE – NEZBLANC was three-wide to the 1/8 and on the point 3/16, went three 28.1s to open, stringing out the field, got a little tired late and was mildly urged, but seemed safe. SO LONG HANOVER went up between horses to the pocket, loose in same the rest of the way although gaining some ground back in the last ¼. BALDAQUIN didn’t have great cover, wide and finished strongly as usual. DON’T SASS ME took his time easing in to the pegs, outside then raw on the turn, next-best. FOREVERHILLREIGN came out before the 11/16, got to retuck third far turn, not much late. ROBBIE PEV was always far back. DARTY had gate speed, dropped out of it 5/8.
TWELFTH RACE – AVAYA HANOVER forced an early tuck, let a foe go then retook, tried to steal it opening a big lead in a big third quarter, did hold off CAPTAINANDTELLY in a picture under urging. The latter was first-over, came her own last half in 55.1, got the pocket ¾ and continued to gain ground until coming up just shy on the money. JUBILEE QUEEN was behind the place horse, gapped and was left raw on the turn, got show in a three-way photo. UPTOWN LADY backed out to the outer tier, very well late. EASYRUNNER HANOVER circled horses to the first turn, out just past the 3/16 for the lead then immediately surrendered it for the pocket, went on evenly. BLONDE ONTHE BEACH joined the two-wide tier, outpaced. SWEETONTHEBEACH tried to step around the winner early but was denied access so took back, gapped out 11/16.
THIRTEENTH RACE – ONE AFTER NINE had superior speed; if it were a prizefight, they would have stopped it at the half after the pocket horse broke. F X HANOVER came out from behind the gapping pocket horse on the turn and was clearly second. ENDYMION passed strugglers for the very very distant third. LEGION OF HONOR went uncovered before the half, got nowhere close, briefly had cover on the turn but could do little. VINCENTI inherited a very distant pocket as the previous 2-holer jumped at the half, done at the ¾. JOE EXOTIC and OKOLICA never entered the picture. FATHER PATS SECRET got in the pocket at the 1/8, was still reasonably close to the winner when lapsing from gait near the half.