FIRST RACE – “Sloppy +1” throughout the card … MUSCLE MACH A was away third then quarter-moved, set the pace, drew away from these in the stretch. VAGANOVA settled in the early pocket at the 1/8, sat third-in, came up the Pocono Pike to take second. SI SEMALU was in front going to the 1/8, yielded to the winner and stayed close until the stretch, outside, but tired. CAPTAIN KEEN was second-over, three-wide midturn, outfooted LUZIANA for the next spot. The latter started uncovered at the half, gained throughout the third quarter but began backing off midturn. DEERFIELD BEACH gapped much of the way. SPORTY REDHOT sat in and was shuffled to last, never a factor.
SECOND RACE – IMAGINEUWITHOUTME left between horses and wound up in the pocket, quickly moved late backstretch to get the lead before midturn, won coasting. FRANKIE ROCKS A hustled to catch the gate, away third, moved out off turn two but soon retucked, outside in the lane and found better strides late. JEREMES GENERAL was four-wide early, out until the 3/16 to make the top, yielded to the winner’s move past the ¾ and tired in the lane. CHANCELLORCULLEN N was never prominent. CALVERY HILL had dull cover, got the distant last check. A WISH FOR WINGS was always near the rear. TRICK CARD was three-wide early and looped, with cover then to the inside to the 5/16, briefly had cover past the half then left raw, never threatened. QUAKE BLUE CHIP offered little.
THIRD RACE – GINGER TREE CAREY had some speed, pulled from third at the half and went her third split in 27.4 to clear to the lead ¾, looked to be in control. DELILAH DE VIE had cover from going to the second turn, wide around it when it gapped on the turn, finished very well. CASSIE’S BELIEVER went out to grab the early lead, yielded for the pocket, was shuffled some on the turn as the winner took over, then to the Pocono Pike, had a decent response and was well ahead of the others. AL-MAR-GOT A FEVER began uncovered towards turn two, got cover at the half but couldn’t stay with it, left raw ¾, continued on evenly. TRIPLE DIP took over at the 3/16, rated the half, did not have enough sprint to keep the winner outside ¾, tired. THE REST OF THE FIELD did not make their presence felt.
FOURTH RACE – B FLOVER was looped early and outside, saw the early pocket horse move 3/16 then went up behind that one to gain the lead to the 3/8, fought off pressure, won nicely. QUICK BET was second early, moved before the winner 3/16 then yielded for the two-hole, clearly second-best. DIVINE MOONSHINE went up second-over behind good cover, three-wide late turn, steadily. TSM EMILIA T sat in, shuffled some on the turn then three-wide with cover, four-wide in the lane and was coming on well. WORKOUT GIRL spotted midpack, backed out to third-over, blindswitched past midturn, came between horses with trot from midstretch. OK SUNNY was uncovered into turn two, made a big move at the leader the entire third quarter and through the turn, then tired. FORTUNAPEDIA was four-wide early to get to the front, yielded, was gapping inside before the 5/8. RELENTLESS JACKIE could offer little. AMBERS CHAMPION lost gait early.
FIFTH RACE – SPORTSMANSHIP was third-over, tipped wide early stretch, was still seventh nearing midstretch but had the most pace late and was along at $141.60, the biggest price at Pocono since June 2, when the win mutuel was $169.40 on … SPORTSMANSHIP. LAREDO TORPEDO N was uncovered from the 3/8, battled the leader from just before the 5/8, never stopped digging. POINTSMAN cleared to the lead at the 3/16, got a second quarter breather then came under the gun the last 3/8, almost held gamely. BRINGITONHOME N was third-in, had to be handled carefully late in very close quarters while with pace. BIG MACH was second-over, tipped wide, OK but outkicked. HIGHVIEW CONALL N was fastest away, yielded 3/16 for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not all that much late. KJ OWEN stayed in in last, never had clearance. LITTLE ADMIRAL was fourth-over, tried gaining four-wide late turn but could not.
SIXTH RACE – TEDDY BROSVELT raced third-over, swept three-wide 11/16 and remained three-deep through the turn, overhauled BATTING STATS. The latter left, was looped and tucked, went uncovered second turn, cleared to the lead just past the ¾, almost lasted to the line. ARCH CREDIT went in front going to turn one, yielded, shuffled early turn then out in a blindswitch, found room to angle wide and made a good comeback. CAPTAIN KRUPNIK took a rough step past the start, recovered and was second-over, was blindswitched by the winner late backstretch, left uncovered before mid-far turn, next in line. GINGER TREE KNOX was fourth-over, wide with cover on the turn, finished OK. GLIDE IN THE WIND was too far back. BUTTER TOFFEE sat in and was shuffled back around the far turn. POND JUMPER was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to 3/16 command, set the pace, engulfed in the last quarter.
SEVENTH RACE – ROCKNROLL CAPTAIN had a great second-over trip advancing nicely, three-wide midturn, to the lead just past midstretch and proved best. CAPTAIN TERROR, looking very hard to control, raced third-over, four-wide headstretch, closed well for second. DIVISION BELL stayed third-in, out in a blindswitch headstretch, not clear in the lane but gained in the path behind the winner. HOW ARE YEE JOHN was in front going to turn one, yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not enough. TITANIUM N was uncovered at the half, challenged but didn’t reach past the leader’s wheel until headstretch, not quite enough. REYS N A RUCKUS was wide early to the lead just past the 1/8, set the pace, little left late. SOUTHWIND DREDGE gapped in last.
EIGHTH RACE – RIPPLE OF HOPE wasn’t involved in the early skirmishes, moved raw into turn two and had cleared by the 5/8, in control from that point. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP was three-wide leaving to the front before the 1/8, encouraged a tuck, slowed at the half, didn’t fight the brushing leader 5/8, kept up well behind that one. TSM PRINCE TRISTAN was four-wide early to two-wide by the 1/8, took the pocket, came outside 11/16 but fell back in the stretch, still a clear third. SHOCK PROOF gained some for his placing. SURE BIRD was gapping at the half, got the last check. BEETLEJUICE was third leaving, couldn’t keep up. WINE BAR was never close. BUBBA ARUBA moved behind the winner’s cover, but gapped it, was left raw, then broke 11/16. MANUKA was trying for early position as the innermost of the quicker starters but lost gait.
NINTH RACE – NAMJE gapped much of the first half, then moved second-over, left raw midturn, closed well to edge JUMPINTHEJAILHOUSE by half a nostril. The latter was away sharply to clear from post eight in a fast ¼, yielded to the 3/8, saw another lead change on the turn and was shuffled a little third-in, had a crisp response deep in the Pike to just miss in another good showing by the Brocklehurst Brigade. SANCHEZ ROCKS was uncovered at the half, trotted steadily at the leader and went by midturn, couldn’t hold the lead to the finish. STOP RESISTIN was double-looped, patiently went on past the fast quarter to the lead to the 3/8, came under pressure, yielded command on the turn but persevered OK. KING CAST gapped third-over. SCHNICKEL FRITZ raced into the early pocket, inside, gapped far turn. O JONNIE never entered the picture. PHOENICIAN lost contact in the last quarter.
TENTH RACE – CRAZY CUTE protected an early forward spot, moved uncovered off turn two and went 27.2 down the back to clear 11/16, far and away the best this afternoon. SHES PUKKA N did not have good cover, three-wide far turn, paced very well late. APRIL AVA used the rail to advantage, yielded 5/16, was stuck behind a tired pacesetter, to the Pocono Pike and along for third. SURREAL FEELING had too far to come, widest and closed well. NATASHA tried to gain up the inside in the stretch but didn’t have enough. BYE BYE FELICIA did not factor in this one. MAJOR OCCASION A proceeded up gradually, took the lead past a quick quarter and went on at a rapid clip, fought with the winner down the backstretch before yielding, gradually backed up. SUNNY DEE was three-wide early but took back, theoretically had great cover from the winner except she couldn’t stay with it and clogged the two-wide tier.
ELEVENTH RACE – FINAL DREAM left well, yielded, retook in front of the stands, opened a big lead which she maintained for a half-mile from the 3/8 on, got a little tired (30.4 last quarter) but still prevailed as the longest shot on the board. NICE STUFF was three-high to curve one, made the top 3/16, yielded to the winner, didn’t keep up midrace, but stayed steady to the inside of the winner in the lane. SKYWAY JAGUAR sat last, gained up the inside far turn and in the stretch to just miss second. CHOCO CHARLIE sat in, moved outside in a blindswitch late turn angled wide and gained as the pace slowed. FRAC was never a factor by missed second by only a half length. KARETS spotted third to the 1/8, uncovered off turn two but couldn’t make an impression.
TWELFTH RACE – INVINCIBLE was far back behind dull cover down the back, three-wide ¾ then ducked inside for the stretch, got the nod over ANDOVERS TOUCH. The latter was first on top, saw two go by, back out 9/16, reached the leader late backstretch and fought with that one past a quick ¾ and into the lane, trotted on steadily to just come up short. EVANNA quarter-moved and went fast fractions, got pressure late backstretch, was still in the fight when breaking midstretch; an inquiry gave no reason for placing. LATOKA was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to get in front at the ¼, yielded just past the 3/8 for the pocket, left behind before the ¾. CRITICAL MASS gapped down the backstretch. HALLANET tried to gain two-wide but could not. MONEY MAVEN gapped in front of the stands and broke going to the half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – GEORGIE MARTIN N was looped between horses early and finally made the top 5/16, looked to be in control but a late surge from BRING ME DIAMONDS made it interesting. The latter was three-wide early then two-wide to the front 3/16, yielded 5/16 and sat the pocket, fell back a little upper stretch then found much better gear and narrowed in while bearing out some. DOUBLEOFFTHEWALL left, stayed close until late on the turn, just held in a photo for third over BULLVILLEKARLA. The latter was second-over behind not-robust cover, three-wide midturn, found her best strides a little too belatedly. ALKIPPE tucked then was not heard from again. VELOCITY MCSWEETS was never on the radar. YES DOUBLE DOWN came uncovered 3/8 but never got closer than the wheel of the pocket horse before falling back. LITTLE SANDY TOES gapped at the half, no factor.
FOURTEENTH RACE – ENZIO made the lead 3/16 in quick opening fractions, rated the half, then trotted home powerfully by herself for a double for Meadows trainer Kelly Paver. CLASSICALITY was uncovered at the 3/8 then got cover on turn two, went inside the cover ¾ and wait to wait for clearance, got it headstretch and along for a clear second. ZLATAN was first to emerge with the lead, yielded 3/16, struggled to keep up early backstretch then got tighter, then loose again, held third. MASSIVE OPULENCE was third-over, ducked in, angled out early stretch and had some late trot. EV’S GIRL moved uncovered at the half, never reached the lead, bore out late turn, still got the final payday. KEYSTONE THUNDER and CREWS HILLTOPPER were always far back. TUIS SHADOW spotted fourth to the ¼, not much the last half. BANZAI AS ran early.