FIRST RACE – Some stretch headwind to start … ROCK KING DEO briefly settled second 3/16 then quarter-moved, slowed the half, then was not threatened to the wire. RUNHAPPY TEN was in front at the 1/8, yielded to the winner for the two-hole trip, outside in the stretch and had a bit at the end of it. ARTACHE HANOVER showed some speed then sat in third, held evenly late. GOLDEN GESTURE went uncovered from last into turn two, picked up cover at the half but got no third quarter benefit from it, swung three-wide just past midturn, had late pace. KOLT POWER never featured. CAPTAIN DISOMMA backed out to third-over, did not swing wide, not prominent. ARCHETTO HANOVER took back between horses early, came raw at the half, made up a bit of ground before backing off.
SECOND RACE – SWEET HEART AS was three-wide to the 1/8 to command before a fast quarter, yielded 3/8 to sit the pocket, moved to the Pocono Pike and nosed out MUSHANA. The latter was outleft and remained in the two-path with cover to the ¼, then forward to 3/8 command in a very fast half, held very grittily, just edged. BLENHEIM was the early leader, yielded, back first-over off turn two, kept on grinding and was right there on the money. MARION GONDOLIER raced inside, did not have a clear path late. TRUEMASS VOLO followed cover entering the backstretch, wide in the lane and finished with trot. RIVER OTTER sat in, not a late factor. ARCHIBALD moved out in the cover flow but was gapping by the 9/16. PAPI HANOVER wanted to leave but soon made a break.
THIRD RACE – TRAFFIC JAM had the pocket leaving, was on the move before the ¼ to improve that position by one, set the pace and had no real problem. MOTO MOONBEAM N scooted away to the top before turn one, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t gain in the lane. LITTLE SANDY TOES was asked behind the gate but could get away no better than a gapping third, revved up and moved uncovered 5/8, not quite a major threat to the leader, held on pretty well. YES DOUBLE DOWN moved with cover and immediately started to gap, wide in the stretch and a bit better. THE BOSS’ WIFE offered little.
FOURTH RACE – MUAY HANOVER left enough to defend the pocket, a bit loose but still preserving the two-hole from the 3/8 to the 7/8, went to the Pocono Pike and still had a forward gear in the 30.4 kicker. SOUTHWIND FROST was out most of a quick quarter for command, handled everything thrown at him from his right, but was caught to his left. SLATED TO WIN came out with cover, tightened in on it then was three-wide from the 11/16 through the turn to get close, but could not sustain the gain. MUSKINGUM was third-over, wide with cover, OK. FASHION POSSESSED was uncovered before the 3/8 and made a long grinding challenge, tired some. GEMINI EDDIE was between horses and tucked early, shuffled to last, gapped, a bit late on the far outside as the tempo decelerated. CASH FOR GOLD was limbed the duration while not being a factor.
FIFTH RACE – RACING LIFE left enough to put everybody behind her, had an open lead from the ¼ and widened it late in the backstretch, was getting a little tired late and had her mind kept to business in warding off PEMBROKE IDEAL BJ. The latter left but backed off, gapped in the pocket as implied above, hit a better gear late turn and narrowed in up the inside. HEAVEN SENT ME was one-paced for third. LIFELUVN YANKEE struggled at times to stay with the horse in front of her. YES OUI SI came outside far turn but didn’t gain. ALWAYS B ROYALTY was always last in a lineup from start to finish.
SIXTH RACE – BULLVILLE TERROR quarter-moved and set the pace, bore out badly in the lane taking MAJOR OFFENSE out wide with him, photoed that rival but was placed for causing interference. The latter forced tucks early from the rail, yielded to ride the two-hole, was pushed very wide throughout the stretch, placed first. MELANIE’S TEDY had cover leaving, tucked fourth 3/16, sat in, OK up the inside. ROCK ON LINE gapped near the back inside, to the deep Pocono Pike and beat out the rest. LUZIANA gapped third-over, salvaged the last check. WAY TO CLOSE was never close. MARCO BEACH spotted, was back out and in gear second turn, went up in 27 to challenge the leader, but tired. HOW ARE YEE JOHN left, backed off to the pocket past the 1/8, backed out to second-over with cover, three-wide late turn, but came up empty late.
SEVENTH RACE – MEADOWBROOK FLASH had to check before the half as did everybody but the pacesetter (and the breaker), moved out from the distant third 11/16, moved up on the turn, bore way out in the lane and was still three lengths down midstretch but finished well to catch the unlucky DARTH FADER. The latter was out most of a fast ¼, kept rolling and opened a gigantic lead when the pocket horse broke before the ½, hit the wall early stretch and was caught, well-clear of the rest. SUNBURST CRUZE was third, then came through the second turn trouble and was a distant pocket horse, recovered some ground. LIMA RAIDER was bothered, passed tired opposition. GRANTOR HANOVER was bothered, gapped out ¾. ALL ABOUT RUSTY was bothered, moved outside the gapper but had little. R U MACHIN ME made the top, yielded near the ¼, gapped 3/8 and made a break early on turn two scattering most of the opposition.
EIGHTH RACE – CAVIART CHERIE was three-wide early while intent on getting the lead and did so at the ¼, came home in twin 28s while looking in control. TALL POPPY N moved first-over to the 5/8, grinded up, raced very well for second. PRAIRIE WESTERNGAL was away quickly from the rail, yielded at the ¼ while either hard to handle or a bit rough, sat the pocket, got loose in same ¾, held third in a photo over ABIGAIL DAWN. The latter sat in then came up the far inside with some pace. CANDY ON THE BEACH moved second-over, wider only in early stretch, fair. JUXTA COWGIRL had a tall order to fill coming from third-over. BAD MS JOHNSON gapped in last.
NINTH RACE – IMAGINEUWITHOUTME was outside almost to the 5/16 before reaching the front, slowed quarter two then sprinted, opening a good lead that he never relinquished. CODE MEISTER started uncovered on the second turn, never reached the leader but battled on gamely to take second. SPORTSMANSHIP had some speed, stayed in, evenly late. CHANCELLORCULLEN N took the lead just before the 1/8, kept the winner out well past the ¼ before yielding for the pocket, then couldn’t keep up in same from the 11/16. SHARKNADO sat in, found a tiny sliver of room only very late. ALL IT TAKES worked second-over, three-wide midturn but didn’t gain.
TENTH RACE – The track’s leading trainer and driver combine with the longest shot on the board to take the feature … CRAZY CUTE had a golden trip second-over, kicked in midstretch and got the lead late, then just held off BYE BYE FELICIA. The latter was third-over, moving very well at the finish. APRIL AVA went out between horses to take the lead (25.4), finally got DELISHKA N to go into the pocket at the bottom of the second turn (54.1), had to deal with a fresh first-over challenge, held very well under the circumstances. SHES PUKKA N left with cover, got the chance to dive inside 5/16, then was back out to challenge (the third quarter was understandably moderate after the fierce early action), battled on gamely. DELISHKA N was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide battling for command, wouldn’t go into the two-hole until nearing turn two, stayed close in the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite summon enough. PANSY’S IMAGE left well, yielded, third-in, to the deep Pike but not gaining late.
ELEVENTH RACE – CLASSY CHAPEL N brushed sharply from fourth at the ¼ and had these gapping throughout, absolutely in control. MARYMACISBACK got a forward position, came uncovered into turn two, never reached the leader, but did well to be clearly second. CHEEKIE BABE gapped, then advanced up the inside on the far turn until having to pause behind a tired one late turn, to the Pocono Pike and up for the distant third. ROCK N ROLL ROSIE made the top and forced a tuck from a rival, did yield to the brush of the favorite, a bit loose in the pocket the second half, tired. CRYSTAL SPARKLES got the last check. SWEETONTHEBEACH left hard wanting the lead but had to accept the early pocket, couldn’t keep up ¾. RHYME N ROLL backed out to two-wide 11/16 but had little to offer. TSM ARTEMIS T had grinding cover but couldn’t stay with it.
TWELFTH RACE – BLOW A CLOUD N went right to the front, got a breather, responded to a big third quarter challenge holding the outside foe two-wide, then drew away – still a handful pulling up. AMERICAN WIGGLE came through early and protected the pocket, was loose in same late in the backstretch duel, persevered to be a clear second. DREAMS BEACHBOY wanted the front but was rebuffed and had to take back to fourth before the ¼, came with a rush off the second turn and paced his third split in 26.3 to perhaps get a small advantage before the ¾, but soon was backing off. CLASSY HILL kept a hole closed early, sat in, evenly. BLACKLIGHT was not heard from. CAL spotted early, then moved second-over but was soon gapping. THE BUS A was always near the back of the bus. MUSCLE MACH A could do little off cover.