FIRST RACE – Strong stretch headiwnd – only three last quarters beat 30 today … ARCHIBALD was uncovered 3/8 and gained from there until the ¾ while going his third split in 28.1, couldn’t cross over on the turn but still proved a safe winner. KEYSTONE THUNDER backed out third-over, three-wide around a gapper midturn, finished well. CHRISTOPHER CRAZO was out to the 3/16 for the lead, had the winner come at him nearing the 5/8, worked hard to keep that one from crossing over to the pegs, held pretty well. PUERTO RICO was on top early, yielded 3/16 for the pocket, Pocono Pike, not all that much. FRAC stayed in, deep Pike, not all that much. KARETS backed out to second-over but gapped the winners’ cover.
SECOND RACE – COOL MISS WENDY got a tuck 3/16, moved out into turn two and soon picked up good cover, followed it until late on the far turn, had the most trot in the stretch. OK SUNNY was third-over, gapped cover a little down the back then got tighter, swung wide, not as much kick as the winner but enough to get second. AMBERS CHAMPION sat in, came clear in the Pocono Pike and didn’t miss second by much. FREE DRINKS was kept out three-wide 3/16 as the horse inside her made a break, got in third at the ¼, came back for more raw at the half and was in a tough battle with the leader, couldn’t sustain. TRINITY HANOVER was away quickly to get the lead, came under pressure from the first-over a long way, couldn’t sustain. FASHION PRINCESS made a break at the back of the pack just past the ¾. RELENTLESS JACKIE wound up in the pocket, still in contention but miscued midturn and went inside the pegs. PRAIRIE TRINKET was looped leaving, went offstride 3/16.
THIRD RACE – DREAM OF LUCK made the lead just past the 1/8 in a fast opener, rated the half then went on as he pleased and won handily. CLASSY HILL left and yielded to sit in the pocket, stayed tight for ¾, held the deuce. THE BUS A fell in third, retightened down the back and moved out midturn, but didn’t have much forward gear late. HURRIKANE GEORGIE gapped from the ¼ until the far turn, swung wide but didn’t gain. MR MCDREAMY stayed inside in last and also couldn’t make much impression late.
FOURTH RACE – MATS PALEMA left between horses and settled in third, gapped through and past the second quarter, in gear 5/8 and grinded up, ducked in the pocket past midturn, up the Pocono Pike to the lead midstretch, withstood the late charge of BLACK HOPE. The latter was last of the main pack, moved out with cover 11/16, wide in the lane and moving well late. ZETTE FLAME was outleft but used track geometry to put foes in behind, didn’t have pressure on the lead but still was overhauled. A ONE A gapped a gapper midrace and never was in the main contest. BEETLEJUICE was the first to show, three-wide to turn one and then into the pocket 3/16, started to go loose 11/16. DON’T I WISH broke 50 yards before the start.
FIFTH RACE – DIXIECHICK HANOVER went out between horses to secure the pocket journey, stayed tight, outside late turn and right by, easy winner. INFANTE DEO moved uncovered past the 5/8 and gained, tucked in third on the turn and used the Pocono Pike to take second. EL KISMET was three-wide to turn one and on top past the 1/8 in by far the fastest quarter of the race, didn’t have any punch left late. BUCKET HEAD stayed flat but offered little. DIVINE MOONSHINE broke w-a-y before the start, caught the field nearing the first turn, but then broke again 3/16. MONEY MATTERS had some early speed, jumped while inside 11/16.
SIXTH RACE – CHARLIE BAR stayed in third, pinned in on the far turn, went to the deep Pocono Pike and easily proved the best of these. RAMSES pushed a foe past the 1/8 then yielded for the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, never got to second until the final couple of steps. KAACHING KAACHING left well, took over control past the 1/8, slowed the second quarter, didn’t have pressure, but also didn’t have enough to last to the line. MANUKA came uncovered 11/16, gained some ground while trotting steadily to the finish. DOWN THE PIKE MIKE and DR TRUFFER raced near the back of the field. SURE BIRD was already disconnected by the ¼.
SEVENTH RACE – HASHTAGMADEYALOOK went into the early pocket past the 1/8, vacated third nearing the ¾, trotted a good last quarter and drew away. CLASSIC VENTURE took the early lead, pushed a foe a bit then yielded to sit in the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and clearly second. EV’S GIRL was three-wide early, bypassed a 3/16 three-tuck to press on to the lead, had to go 28.1 into the wind to gain command, paid the price in the stretch. BANZAI AS was no factor most of the way, outside far turn, almost made the distant third. SILVER JAGUAR did not keep up in the last quarter. DAYTONA DREAMIN was already gapping at the back not much past the ¼.
EIGHTH RACE – KAUAI KING left, was two-wide then went a bit wider to be sure to clear a breaker, pressed on to gain command 3/8 with taps, won the race with a 27.3 third quarter during which nobody could make a dent in his lead, comfortably. SEND IT IN JEROME left, looked like he might make the pocket even before a rival broke, stayed in, outside late turn, found a good fast last gear but belatedly. BET EIGHTTHIRTYONE had the pole and used it well, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t keep up past the ¾. HONALI sat midpack, gapped 11/16. HURRIKANEKINGCARLO never was on the radar. AMERICAN ZESTAR was trying to keep the pocket closed when breaking before the 3/16 and going to the infield, regained the course and sat at the back of the field, couldn’t do much, placed for causing interference to AMERICAN ARTIST K. The latter was wide around the breaker then made an “ix” to the 3/16.
NINTH RACE – POWERFUL YIELD held onto the pocket, lengths ahead of the third horse through the third quarter, outside headstretch, wore down KING CAST. The latter went to the lead in a good quarter, was the lead horse in a two-horse breakaway down the back, fought against the winner but finally succumbed. MOSCONI HANOVER followed a backstretch mover around a gapper while well off the pace, two-wide most of the turn and then three-wide late turn, nicely. ANDOVERS TOUCH was the first to move to the 5/8 to clear the gapper, tucked third 11/16, Pocono Pike, OK. LAKEVIEW TAMMY never entered the picture. LATOKA was four-wide leaving, still three-wide 3/16 when making a break. PERFECT LOVER was three-wide leaving, took back to tuck third at the ¼, started gapping 3/8, fell way back.