FIRST RACE – Only in the lower 50s throughout the card … JUMPINTHEJAILHOUSE went right to the lead and set a wild pace for these even in midsummer, had NAMJE tighten in in the pocket from the ¾, fought head-to-head with that one before holding on in a 32 kicker after the hot numbers. The latter yielded, gapped though staying reasonably close then gaining from the ¾, outside stretch, just lacked the needed kick late. CAPTAIN KRUPNIK was last in a different area code most of the race, in a blindswitch headstretch and along between horses for a very distant third. LODI BANK ROBBER swung wide on the far turn and almost made third. BATTING STATS was left uncovered down the back, evenly. NICE STUFF tucked, then took back for a tuck, moved and retucked fourth down the back, little thereafter. ROSE RUN RUDI was away third, left a big gap from the 3/8. MEADOWBRANCH RUDY was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked in, was not keeping up by the 3/8.
SECOND RACE – Stretch headwind in earnest … MILADY DENVER A left between horses and got the early pocket, came out late turn, grinded past VELOCITY MCSWEETS in the last step. The latter was three-wide early, got the lead past the 1/8, set the pace, barely beaten in a good race. MOVE OVER SIS got forward position, stayed in for the stretch, couldn’t gain. MORE THAN KUTE moved off the rail with cover late turn, couldn’t gain. HURRIKANESKY and RHYME N ROLL both gapped before the half, had a private race for fifth which the former won. MY CAM GIRL, looking a bit hard to handle, went uncovered into turn two, started to back up before the ¾.TRUSSED UP TRUDY misbehaved right at the start.
THIRD RACE – TIPSY BARTENDER wound up in the pocket early, moved 5/16 to the lead 3/8 and had a clear lead thereafter, then crushed them with a :28.4 last quarter against the wind. FORTUNAPEDIA was widest of the leavers, saw one break and went on to command 1/8, yielded in front of the stands, soon was loose in the pocket, held for the very remote second. RELENTLESS JACKIE was between horses leaving, broke, caught the field by the ¼, outside with stagnant cover, uncovered on the turn, made a very good recovery to get third. AMBERS CHAMPION stayed semi-connected, not enough for a major minor award late. OK SUNNY was uncovered into turn two, retucked fourth ¾, little thereafter. BRUTAL APOLOGY was gapping before the half. DIVINE MOONSHINE broke w-a-y before the start. TART OF MY HEART broke an 1/8 before the start, recovered and cut the pack only to run again at the ¼.
FOURTH RACE – DARTH FADER was three-wide to the 1/8 then cleared to the lead 3/16, had an open lead much of the last half, was faltering late (29.4 last quarter) but was kept going to the wire. I AM GOLDEN was second-over from last behind not-great cover, wide in the stretch and finished nicely. IMAGINEUWITHOUTME used the rail to enough advantage to maintain the pocket, went loose before the 5/8, came back a little in the slowing tempo. FRANKIE ROCKS A moved raw off the second turn, never got close to the leader. CALVERY HILL left between horses then tucked just past the 1/8, little late. BAYONET lost contact with the field.
FIFTH RACE – Six within a half length at the wire is usually a sign of a diminishing pace … CIRCLE OF LIFE AS went up between horses on a slight delay, made the lead past a quick quarter and also put up a quick half, then came home in 1:01.3 but held off the onrushing masses. PHANTOM RUSTY got the top early, yielded past the ¼ for the pocket, room inside the leader in the stretch, argued with that one to the line. LATOKA was second-over, three-wide late turn, gained but not quite enough. FASHION WINNER was three-wide to the 3/16, took a tuck past the ¼, underway again raw to the 5/8, went up and challenged the leader around the turn, held well after a hard journey. EVANNA was third-over, four-wide stretch and gained as the pace diminished. NOBLE WARRAWEE was third-in, room deep in the Pocono Pike, not off by much – but no check. PRAYERS DO MATTER never factored. ONE FANCY KID broke at the half. MONEY MAVEN was off the gate and never improved.
SIXTH RACE –Wind shifting to a stretch tailwind … OURLITTLEGENERAL A tucked fourth past the 1/8, then gradually closed in while third after a foe broke near the ¼, outside and three-wide past midturn, paced away. BIG MACH, a bit rank early, retucked around a gapper late in the backstretch, made up enough ground to get the nod over VAGANOVA for second. The latter took control 3/16, went on at a pretty good clip, tired in the lane. SI SEMALU was first to show, yielded for the pocket, moved outside midturn but could not advance despite urging, went back inside late turn, not too much. THE BUS A couldn’t offer much. BETTORS HOPE left a big gap before the 5/8. PAY LATER was never a factor. OUTRAGEOUS STORY was third 3/16 when making a break and going to the infield.
SEVENTH RACE – JOEY PRO was three-wide early, secured the lead at the 1/8, drew away the last 3/8. BANZAI AS moved uncovered 5/8, kept on going well to be well ahead of the remainder. MAGNIFICENT SEVEN moved out and soon got cover but gapped it, distant best of the others. BUTTER TOFFEE couldn’t keep up the last ¼. ALLY WAY CAST yielded for the pocket, was running on fumes the last 3/8. SIX BAX was never close. VITANI AS broke at the half.
EIGHTH RACE – URBAN RENEWAL got a forward spot early, moved 11/16, challenged, went by and won in control. APEX SEELSTER was behind the winner, gapped before the ¾ then closer following his cover on the turn, good to be second far ahead of the rest. MAKE SOME WAVES was between horses while wide early, tucked fifth, gapped the front four on the turn, then angled out early stretch and picked up the pacesetter and pocketsitter. SONG CYCLE SENESE came through in a big group of leavers, went to the lead, got a rival to tuck, set a good pace, had nothing left in the stretch. HOW ARE YEE JOHN left wide, got the two-hole past the 1/8, kept up, also had no gain in the lane. THE OTHER FOUR were in the back throughout and never had a say in this.
NINTH RACE – SCHNICKEL FRITZ was first on the front, yielded for the two-hole, moved outside past midturn, went by early stretch, gamely able to take the win here as the pace slowed. HOT SUMMER KNIGHT went uncovered past the 11/16, got cover on the turn, wide, kept coming but just missed. ARCH CREDIT sat third-in, got to the pocket and the Pocono Pike, had a chance inside, just short. PUERTO RICO moved out far turn, OK. WATKINS went evenly. GEMOLOGIST went to the lead at the 1/8, set the pace, passed shortly into the stretch and faded. KISS ON FIRE AS broke at the start.
TENTH RACE – Wind all but calm … LOVELY DONNA sat fourth until the 11/16, then hit a very high gear quickly and had collared the leader before headstretch, drew away. SHOULDABEENATD sat third, out behind the winner midturn, in gear late to be along for second. BETALADY pushed early then yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, not enough kick. MAJOR OCCASION A went to the top at the 1/8, set the pace as she pleased, was overwhelmed by the move of the winner on the turn, so-so late. THE OTHER DUO sat at the back.
ELEVENTH RACE – ADRIANO HANOVER was unhurried early, on the move into turn two and paced 27.2 down the back to challenge the leader, finally worked by that stubborn one in midstretch. NIALL HANOVER was three-deep to 1/8 command, rolled on the lead, held well until very late. LITTLE ADMIRAL was on front to turn one, yielded, two-hole, Pocono Pike, so-so. BRINGITONHOME N got early position, was hustled to get out to follow the winner late backstretch but gapped. LAREDO TORPEDO N moved behind the winner to the half but was soon gapping. THE OTHER TWOSOME never were in the hunt.
TWELFTH RACE – LITTLE SANDY TOES left between horses and landed in the pocket, a little loose in the two-hole throughout, to the Pocono Pike and just caught RAPUNZEL BLUE CHIP on the money. The latter was three-wide towards turn one to command past the 1/8, set the pace, just outsprinted. CAPTAINS MAID moved second-over, found her best strides midstretch and was doing well late. WATCHWHATMYFEETDO came uncovered to the 5/8, got to the leader’s wheel at the ¾ but no closer, kept digging to the line. BULLVILLEKARLA couldn’t make her presence felt; nor could LITTLE HONEYBADGER. MADAME LEZA A had gate speed, started to gap at the half, a gap which, after tightening briefly 5/8, grew bigger in the last ¼.
THIRTEENTH RACE – CAN’T SAY NO was three-wide to the 1/8, then two-wide and needed until the 3/8 to clear, immediately had the parked horse come at him but managed to keep him outside in the fast fractions, drew clear after a lot of energy use. CHOCO CHARLIE came on the move at the half to follow the parked horse, three-wide midturn, closed well and a clear second. KEYSTONE THUNDER left, couldn’t clear the pole horse so took a tuck past the 1/8, stayed in the pocket, gapped the last 3/16. STOP RESISTIN wound up third-over, three-wide with cover midturn, not enough kick. BELIEVER was four-wide early then ducked behind cover, lost that 3/8 so went up to challenge hard, had a ¾ of a length lead past the 5/8 but was not allowed to clear by the winner, inevitably had to pay a price but went a big mile. THE BACK DUO never entered the picture.
FOURTEENTH RACE – DELISHKA N was four-wide early and looped, grinded to the front 3/8 and got a breather to the half, picked it up down the back as the first-over came up, in control in the last quarter. A CRAFTY LADY moved out on the second turn, came up raw in 27.1 to challenge the winner, not in her league but game to maintain second. DELILAH DE VIE followed the place horse, three-wide in the stretch, almost second. ARNIE’S ANGEL was third-over in the good outer flow, not bad late. GRANT ME THIS went to the early lead, yielded to the 3/16, inside, shuffled a little headstretch, but not that much once clear. DOUBLEOFFTHEWALL was not a major presence. WIGGLE DELIGHT went wide but was too far back. TRAFFIC JAM never factored. KAITLYN N was five-wide towards the first turn, three-wide towards the 1/8 and got the lead, yielded to the 3/8, found the early effort catching up to her ¾.