FIRST RACE – Earlier rain caused the track to be rated “good +1” for the first four races, then a rerating to “fast +0” from the fifth on .. Warming temperatures … Stretch headwind late … STORMONT VENTNOR was underway from fourth before the ¼ to the lead 3/8, drew away before the ¾ and won like a 1-5 shot. BANZAI AS was uncovered from next-to-last off turn two, made a little progress, got cover ¾, wide in the lane and up for second in the last step. NICE STUFF gapped inside down the back then tightened in ¾, Pocono Pike, just edged for the deuce. DARTY left enough to protect the pocket, was blocked on the turn then came clear as the fading pocketsitter broke and went inside, so-so. LODI BANK ROBBER didn’t enter the picture. ARCH CREDIT left between horses and took third, moved outside ¾ but didn’t gain. MEADOWBRANCH RICKY gapped at the back. WINGS OF SPEED made the front going to curve one, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, began to unplug before the ¾, broke unsuccessfully trying to find more midturn and went to the centerfield.
SECOND RACE – WATCHWHATMYFEETDO rode second-over cover from past the half, three-wide past midturn, had the most kick late. STOWAWAY HANOVER went right to the lead, rated the second split then sped up in the third, almost lasted to the line. TRAFFIC JAM sat in third, blocked late far turn, to the Pocono Pike, some response. LITTLE SANDY TOES moved raw towards turn two, never really attacked the leader but held on OK. VELOCITY MCSWEETS was third-over, had belated pace. NATCHEZ BELLE left and settled into the pocket 3/16, was having trouble keeping close the last 5/16. MACH OF SHAME gapped at the back throughout; came back with “b.e.”
THIRD RACE – DIVINE MOONSHINE made the lead before the 1/8 in by far the fastest ¼ of the race, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, came out late turn and whooshed right by. OK SUNNY quarter-moved, set the pace at a non-taxing clip, but still could do little about the winner; stayed for second. AMBERS CHAMPION went out for the early pocket, inside, clear in the lane, high-lined to maintain third. GLOBAL DESIGN S was second-over at the half, swung wide for the stretch, so-so. TRINITY HANOVER was first-up at the half but never got close enough to be a major danger. BUCKET HEAD offered little. OLLIE EL broke 3/16.
FOURTH RACE – TRICK CARD secured the early pocket and waited, outside early stretch and closed in tandem with I AM GOLDEN to the far inside, just edged that one. The latter sat third on the rail, ducked right to the Pocono Pike and was just edged out. RUN ONEOVER N pulled past the ¼ to follow the parked horse, three-wide 11/16 to get two-wide far turn, best of the rest in a good mile. STATESMAN N went right to the lead, rated the half then sped up, drew clear around the far turn, but tired. CHANCELLORCULLEN N was looped early and took back, not inside until past the ¼, angled wide before midstretch and had some finishing kick. SAULSBROOK LANNY was outside behind cover near the back early, went up uncovered when his cover finally got in, went a good third quarter then had no more left. GRANTOR HANOVER was never prominent. CALVERY HILL was two-wide with little.
FIFTH RACE – In the sunshine now, track rerated to “fast +0” … JULA SILVER STATE tucked third, came raw 11/16, gradually grinded up and raced hard to be up in the shadow of the wire. UNMISTAKABLE was away second, moved 3/16 to gain control just after the ¼, had things her own way, held well in a long duel. RELENTLESS JACKIE left for 1/8 command, yielded for the pocket, not quite as good as the first two but better than the rest. MR TEE moved outside on the turn but did not gain. SURE BIRD was so-so to finish in a DH5 with SNICKERS BLUE CHIP. The latter broke 50 yards before the start, caught the back of the field and made a decent recovery – and everybody got a purse check.
SIXTH RACE – CAPTAINS MAID was three-wide early, dropped down behind cover then went on 3/16 while under no rush, on top before the 3/8, came home in 56 – 27.4 to hold her only challenger, BULLVILLEKARLA safely off under high-lining. The latter went out, induced a tuck, yielded to the winner and stayed close, outside late turn, raced well behind a very good horse. MADAME LEZA A left, took the early pocket 3/16, couldn’t stay with the top two late backstretch despite urging, a very distant third. MORE THAN KUTE gapped inside. MY CAM GIRL came raw 5/8 but couldn’t make much of an impact. HURRICANESKY was outside with little. NEW NUMBER WHO DIS gapped.
SEVENTH RACE – EVANNA left three-wide to get the lead at the 1/8, saw an early rival break, went on at a fast clip, had an open lead early stretch but went to a run, moved inside but galloped home, placed last for violation of the breaking rules. BELLA AVA sat in the two-hole, started to get loose ¾, looked like she was going to be second when the leader ran, placed first. CHOCOTURE spotted third, moved outside 11/16, finished decently. BARNEY MAC sat in, gapped on the turn, not bothered late by the breaking horse, evenly. O JONNIE was far back most of the way, finished gaining as the pace slowed. FLY EAGLE FLY never factored. CRITICAL MASS and SIX BAX were far back throughout. ETRA DE VIE left four-wide, was two-wide contending for early position when breaking 3/16, caught the field but then broke before the half.
EIGHTH RACE – Stretch headwind starting to kick in … APEX SEELSTER had some speed, then worked out a dream second-over trip, uncovered late turn, wore down MAKE SOME WAVES. The latter took the early pocket at the 1/8, vacated third 9/16 and pressed the leader, got by that one late on the turn, held very well. STOP ACTION was behind a dull third-horse, three-wide and closing nicely for the distant third. SETTLEMOIR was three-deep to the 1/8, didn’t make the lead until near the 3/8 but did get a slowed second quarter, had pressure come to him, not enough to resist it. VAGANOVA spotted midpack, then gapped great cover while third-over. LUZIANA never featured. THE BUS A was out behind an excess of cover and didn’t reach. SI SEMALU went to the front, yielded to the 3/8, caught behind the tiring leader on the turn but was empty late.
NINTH RACE – CHIPLOSIVE was on top 3/16, never threatened, drew clear in the last ¼. TUIS SHADOW stayed a connected third, outside midturn shortly before the pocket horse broke, then a clear second. CIRCLE OF LIFE AS was behind the gapping BUTTER TOFFEE, outside into the far turn, just nipped that one for third. BROOKVIEW BLUTO was in front to the first bend, yielded for the two-hole, got a bit loose far turn and broke nearing headstretch. THE OTHER TWO were beginning to lose contact before the half.
TENTH RACE – BELIEVER got an early spot and waited in fourth until the ¾, moved up around the turn and trotted right on by in the lane. SEVEN IRON went wide for early command, saw two go by in quarter two, backed out behind the winner past midturn and was a clear second. BULLY BOY was quickly in gear late first turn and rushed to the lead, set a fast pace stringing out the field a long way, but was laboring late. NAMJE moved from second to the lead then let a foe go and sat the two-hole, loose down the back behind a fast ¾, Pocono Pike but couldn’t gain back ground. SCHNICKEL FRITZ moved outside but gapped. ANDOVERS TOUCH was off the gate and never a factor. STOP RESISTIN broke w-a-y before the start.
ELEVENTH RACE – IMAGINEUWITHOUTME moved from fourth crisply near the ¼ and went right to the top, opened up a big lead 5/8 and coasted home much the best. FRANKIE ROCKS A was second-over, gapped down the back but better on the turn, wide off same and edged JEREMES GENERAL for second. The latter was in front at the 1/8, yielded past the ¼, stuck third-in down the back and around the turn, got clearance in the Pocono Pike, fair speed. LAREDO TORPEDO N went into the three-hole past the 1/8, moved back raw at the ½ but could do little more than form a “wedge” next to an equally-struggling pocketsitter much of the last half. SPORTY DRAGON, last most of the way, got the last check. HIGHVIEW CONALL N did not make his presence felt. HALF A BILLION was outside with little. LITTLE ADMIRAL, wide early, went to the lead just past a 26.4 quarter, yielded for the pocket, fell further and further back the last half.
TWELFTH RACE – JODY was four-wide early, dropped down to two-wide with cover and then into a hole to the 3/16, brushed 3/8 and made the lead at the half, got pressure on the far turn, but was up to all challenges. ARNIE’S ANGEL spotted, then quarter-moved to 3/8 command, yielded at the half, raced steadily behind a good winner. DELILAH DE VIE came from midpack at the half, didn’t make much of a dent down the back but was better in the last quarter. ROSE RUN VANTAGE used the rail well to control the ¼, saw two go by in quarter two, looked to be in tight quarters nearing the wire. GRANT ME THIS was three-wide early, raced up to the early pocket, inside, didn’t have much response late. A CRAFTY LADY was behind a gapper in the second quarter, then moved third-over, didn’t reach. JERICHO DIVA was second-over, gapped mid-far turn. BRING ME DIAMONDS and LILY GRACE never surfaced.
THIRTEENTH RACE – HOT SUMMER KNIGHT was three-wide early in going to the lead, yielded to the looped horse to sit the pocket, outside late turn, more than enough to defeat BATTING STATS. The latter was kept in by a dull outer flow, outside midturn and narrowed in in the diminishing tempo. BLAZING TRAIL was looped between horses early, worked to the top 3/8 and set the pace, no answer for the winner but held creditably. MUAY HANOVER advanced inside. KEYSTONE THUNDER moved out in the lane but couldn’t offer enough. FINAL DREAM left and yielded, started struggling at the 5/8. DAYTONA DREAMIN came uncovered but never gained. SKYWAY JAGUAR had dull cover, also never in the hunt.