FIRST RACE – Card opens with a slight stretch headwind … WORLDSSTONECOLD AS made the lead, had outside challengers fill the holes behind him as the pocket horse broke past the ¼, rated the half, no problem the last half. JOE EXOTIC was up to challenge for the lead then took the pocket just past the ¼, sat close, not enough in the lane but clearly second. VINCENTI went second-over, three-wide late turn, along for third over COMMAND THE MARKET, who hugged the inside then didn’t show that much late. FATHER OF IRELAND avoided trouble and got the last check. MR BLUMETTI looked to leave but took back, then third-over, couldn’t rally enough. FASHION ON A STAR was three-wide to the 3/16, dropped down behind cover, got a 3-tuck past the 3/16, came again raw down the back, but faltered in the last quarter. ENDYMION came through well past the start and was protecting the pocket just past the ¼ when breaking, possibly because of a dislodged pylon on the track near the area of the break.
SECOND RACE – BETTORS AUTHORITY made the early lead, yielded to the favorite past the ¼ and sat the golden journey, moved out near headstretch as the first-over broke, sailed right on by. COUNTER OFFER went in fifth at the 3/16, backed out to be second-over, went inside far turn, up the Pocono Pike and got second. INTENTIONS got in gear at the 1/8 and grabbed the front past the ¼, set fractions a she pleased, came up short at crunch time. RAGE THE MOON, last much of the way, went wide around the other stragglers. DARLA HANOVER backed out to third-over but had little to offer. HURRIKANEKINGCARLO was boxed in behind a sluggish one much of the last half, Pocono Pike, not too much. DUSTUP HANOVER left and tucked second, couldn’t keep up the last 3/8. ROSA’S REBEL was uncovered going into the second turn, came a long way raw and had gotten to the pocketsitter’s flank when running late turn.
THIRD RACE – ONE AFTER NINE had the early pocket then quarter-moved, set a good pace and drew away from these. PRACTICAL CAT went to early command, yielded to sit in the pocket, saved second late over MELANIA. The latter was two-wide on the second turn but needed until almost to the ¾ to get to a gear enabling her to gain, three-wide late turn, finished steadily. STORM BRINGER gapped the last half. SHADRACK HANOVER ducked inside an early breaker and tucked third, came back out at the half, got up to the leader’s saddlepad before the ¾, then gradually ran out of gas. CHARMING BANK was never a factor. HALL IT OFF broke coming off turn two. DANZON HANOVER made a mistake as the field swung off the turn before the start. TUFF TO BE LINDY was vying for the early lead when making a break.
FOURTH RACE – DIGNITY HANOVER, a bit rank behind the gate, was content to trail in the main group, swung outside and wide, caught SAYONARA ANGEL late. The latter spotted, moved outside midturn, had the lead past early stretch, almost lasted to the line. I’M HAPPY HANOVER moved 3/16 to control the throttle 5/16, rated the half, didn’t have enough late. YOUNG MICHELLE went right to the lead, yielded for the two-hole and stayed connected, Pocono Pike, not too much. LADY’S REWARD lost stride at the start.
FIFTH RACE – CAPTAIN ROMANCE was three-wide to the 1/8 and to the lead, never let up in an overpowering victory. NUMBER ONE HILL was between horses to the early pocket, stayed close until the stretch, clear of the rest. BOLTMAN had early speed and yielded to the outer pair, not too much in the lane but did retain third. LINDYSALWAYSTHINKN was uncovered at the half, almost got even with the pocket horse late backstretch, but then gave ground in the last 1/8. BULLVILLE JONATHAN stayed inside and got the last check. SIX DEGREES moved out second-over, three-wide as cover faltered, bore out some early stretch and didn’t make up ground. ARRHYTHMIC SURGE dangled outside midpack before fading. THE OTHER DUO were always far back.
SIXTH RACE – VINYASA tucked third at the 1/8, moved outside 11/16 to challenge ¾, took over entering the stretch, then urged to hold off MYREANNA. The latter got to the lead, yielded before the 1/4, sat in, advanced when the pocketsitter broke on the turn, came up the Pocono Pike to just miss. MISS MAYTRIX was outside, not helped by sluggish then breaking cover, had some late trot. B FLOVER stayed back early then got in gear at the 1/8, needed almost to the second turn to clear though in pedestrian fractions, just came up empty late. BUCKET HEAD never featured. LILYBET was parked 3/16 before taking over, strung a brusher that far and more before yielding for the pocket, looking to stay close when going to a break midturn and was taken wide. KOKOMO was second-over but gapping before breaking far turn. CARAMELA HANOVER was offstride at the start.
SEVENTH RACE – DAGON HANOVER moved uncovered 5/8 and challenged, went right by on the turn, finished nicely. WORTHY OF HONOR was away quickly for command, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, backed out behind the winner past midturn, a clear second once RED REDEMPTION broke. The latter sat in, angled wide into the stretch, was gaining but went to a run midstretch, placed. KEYSTONE BARRACUDA was away second in the lineup-minus-one, moved to the lead 3/8, challenged on the far turn and gave way. ME TOO BABY stayed in, blocked on the turn, not too much once free. TRICKY DICK went uncovered off turn two, got to second-over but gapped. ABOVE THE CLOUDS never made the main radar.
EIGHTH RACE – OHARE HANOVER got early position, moved uncovered before the half and went up blazing to the lead just past the 5/8 while covering his third quarter in 26.2, drew away. TUFFENUFTOWEARPINK was parked with cover until the 3/16, then moved on to get the lead before the 3/8, surrendered without a fight to the winner, was kept alive and had a clear advantage in second. SEND IT IN JEROME was behind decaying cover, ducked inside for the stretch and beat out a couple for third. MY BOY JACK was kept out past the 3/16 before making the lead, then inside until slipping out to track cover 11/16, wide, couldn’t make up more ground. MOHAWK SEELSTER followed the winner but couldn’t go with that one 5/8 and was left raw, dropped back. A SHORE LEGACY gapped inside. MESSIER SEELSTER was gapping by the half. OCTAVE lost contact.
NINTH RACE – COACH K HANOVER came out of third into turn two uncovered, trotted in 27.4 down the back to gain an insurmountable lead. BACKSTREET PLAYER was looped, pressed on to take over at the ¼, yielded to the winner without a fight past the 5/8, was a clear second. DOWN THE PIKE MIKE inherited third-in 5/8 but gapped. BIG BEN HANOVER was out behind struggling cover, went between horses in the lane, not that much. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP followed the winner out but was soon gapping then left uncovered, had little. ZETTE FURY left well to take over early, yielded at the ¼, broke 5/8 looking to keep up and was taken inside the pylons. UNLEASH THE TITAN broke in last.
TENTH RACE – Blanket finish with horses coming from everywhere … BIPBOPNALLIE gapped about eight lengths off the top quartet and the hot pace just past the half, urged late backstretch, found more pace on the turn, swung wide, proved the best of seven in a 29.4 last quarter. HURRIKANE EMPEROR tucked third, moved into turn two after the pacesetter rebuffed the first challenger, made the front at the half and kept up the very quick pace to the ¾, tiring but held dead game to the last steps. ROLLIN IN NEW YORK was three-wide leaving, went into the early pocket, tried to quarter-move but rethought that as the winner sped up, stayed in until late on the turn, stayed in the thick of it to the line. ACTOR HANOVER took command early, refused to let the first brusher go then yielded at the half, to the Pocono Pike, a half-step shy. MIKIBYTHESEASIDE was last, came all the way up the inside with good pace (in a 29.4 last quarter) to miss less than a length. MANKAT tucked, sat in, angled out early stretch but was unsuccessful in finding a clear path. BETTOR NOT TALK was out behind dull cover far back, three-wide ¾, gained steadily as the tempo slowed. LOTTERY WINNER came out off the second turn looking to clear a gapper (who would be the winner) but never made much progress.
ELEVENTH RACE – SHIPNSTROL HANOVER quarter-moved from fourth to the lead just past the 3/8, went off to a clear lead on the turn and into the stretch, then survived the late burst of PERFECT QUEEN. The latter moved second-over, three-wide late turn, found her best kick late and was quickly narrowing in. KISSINYOUGOODBYE was fastest away, yielded to the winner for the pocket, gave a little ground the last 3/16. BETTE TINA tucked third at the 1/8, moved uncovered to the 5/8, didn’t menace but did OK. SOUTHWIND MOLLY went evenly. BETTING HANNAH went outside ¾ but couldn’t get into the main hunt. SWEET HELLO was three-wide leaving, took the early pocket just past the 1/8, stayed in, backed up in the last quarter. IN A DAZE lost contact past the half.
TWELFTH RACE – BALDAQUIN yielded and sit ready in the pocket, exploded when shown the Pocono Pike and won handily. BIG NUDGE spotted around slow starters, then was first-over at the half, went 27.3 down the back to put high heat on the leader, never had the lead but stayed very game to the wire. KATKIN MORGAN sat in, angled out before midstretch, then hit a high gear and closed strongly. SO LONG HANOVER was in front at the 1/8, slowed the half, then was under pressure not far past the 5/8, couldn’t sustain. DIVINE SPIRIT was second-over but gapped 5/8. CAVIART EMMA did not contend.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SOME KIND ANGEL made two speed moves to control the throttle, put these away for good with a 27.4 third quarter, unthreatened. BYGONE HANOVER started grinding at the half, never got close but kept on trying and took second late. JAGGED LITTLE PILL was three-wide to the first turn then went in front at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, loose late backstretch, so-so late. HAZEL PARK gapped second-over, evenly. BETTER BID HANOVER had some early speed, sat in, but didn’t have much late. THE OTHERS were well off the checkgetters the second half.
FOURTEENTH RACE – SPIT AND VINEGAR was three-wide early to a tuck at the 1/8, moved out behind the pocket horse on the turn then swung wide in early stretch, closed steadily to get the decision at $214.60, biggest win price of the 2021 Pocono season. FAWN DE TOUCH stayed in, gapped down the back then got tighter ¾, went all the way up to the pocket late turn and then to the Pocono Pike, briefly had the lead, just failed to hold on to it. FINLANDIA sat the pocket journey, came out late turn, just a bit shy. PAINT BY NUMBERS was in front at the 1/8, didn’t have pressure on the lead, tired. CHOCOLATE MATTERS stayed in, went evenly for the last check. WHAT A DAME had dull cover, not all that far off. QUICKEST HANOVER broke w-a-y before the start, caught the field and went uncovered at the ¼, stayed midfield raw, pretty good recovery. DESTINY BLUE CHIP backed out to follow cover, wide, too far back. KISS AN ANGEL, off the gate, gapped at the ½, broke past midturn.