FIRST RACE – Temperatures in the low 50s … Late rain would turn the surface to “good +1” for race 12 and then “sloppy +1” for the last two races … SWEET N FAST N was three-wide leaving and got the pocket in the 26 opener, vacated same 11/16 and went right by the pacesetter, able to drew clear late. BOBBY DAZZLER went up raw off two turn, briefly three-wide before the ¾ to not lose momentum as a horse pulled, two-wide challenging on the turn, second-best. MAJOR DESIRE got position mid-first turn, evenly to be next-best. DAAMERICANSKY was four-wide to the first turn and three-wide to the 3/16, made the top at the ¼ in a hot number, continued to ramble on, passed ¾ and tired. DREAM OF LUCK moved two-wide but gapped. AMERICAN CHROME had some speed, no factor late. LOUD SPLASH gapped at the back.
SECOND RACE – PALOMAR left well to clear 3/16, stayed in charge, drew away coming the last half in 55. MUSCLE MACH A left well enough to defend the pocket, couldn’t keep up on the far turn, photoed CLAYTONS BETTOR N for second. The latter left and spotted, sat in, to the Pocono Pike, a bit of late pace. BULLVILLE TERROR came out raw towards the 5/8, didn’t threaten but held on fairly well. BILBO HANOVER didn’t make his presence felt. DIVISION BELL came outside into turn two, got cover towards the 5/8, but didn’t close much. BLACKLIGHT was near the back throughout. ROLL WITH TIME gapped third-over.
THIRD RACE – ARTISTS RUFFLES moved second-over, three-wide late on the turn, wide and just edged everybody. ALEX TYE went on to command 3/16, yielded to the 3/8, pocket, Pocono Pike, just outkicked. WALTER MITTY sat in then backed out third-over past the ¾, angled widest midstretch and finished well. SULLIVAN was on the move from third before the ¼, took over before the 3/8, kept going fast, held well. THE CANDYMAN CAN was first to the top, yielded, stayed in third, went to the deep Pike, gained well midstretch, then may have been in too-tight quarters, did break just before the wire, placed. BRAVO TEX N moved grinding at the half, hung in there well.
FOURTH RACE – CHUCKY DE VIE backed off early, stayed in, angled off the pylons late turn and wider early stretch, just up to grab the DH1 with CONSUS VICTORY. The latter left to the lead then yielded to sit in the two-hole, shuffled a bit as the first-over went by on the turn (only to break), then went to the Pocono Pike, made the lead midstretch, caught for the tie in the last step. LIGHTFOOTED LEGEND went on to the lead past the 1/8, rated the half then sped up to try to keep the first-over outside, had lost the lead but kept the foe outside when that one ran headstretch and thus was given a second life, held pretty well. CAPTAIN KRUPNIK backed out to second-over ¾ when the original second-over ran, gapped the first-over on the turn, not bad. FRAC made no moves. VOSS VOLO started slowly, moved second-over but gapped in the fast third split, broke 11/16. MAJESTIC MARVEL was first-up into the second bend, went 27.3 down the back to take the lead early on the far turn, couldn’t quite clear inside, then broke turning for home.
FIFTH RACE – CLOSING STATEMENT was between horses leaving, crossed over then yielded off the first turn, right back out for the retake and went fast fractions, handled confidently late. BLOW A CLOUD N kept the opposition three-deep much of the opener then yielded, sat third, came to the pocket when the pocketsitter pulled but did not gain, up the Pocono Pike, gained some but didn’t really menace. HYPNOTICDREAM was locked in far back at the ¾, came up the inside for the very distant third. PEMBROKE JOEY offered little. TITANIUM N couldn’t get into the hunt. CAVIART MAX was three-wide 3/16 then went to the lead off the first turn, yielded for the two-hole, came out 11/16 but went backwards, drifted wider in the lane. PARKLANE JET moved uncovered towards the half but never got close.
SIXTH RACE – DING DING DINGER controlled this from the beginning to the end, opening a big lead down the backstretch, then under urging late to stay clear. MAJOR OFFENSE moved second-over behind non-helpful cover 5/8, three-wide to late turn, along for second. KILLER MARTINI gapped early then narrowed in, was third-over, four-wide in the stretch and had good if belated pace. DIALAMARA came out raw 5/8 from behind the gapper but only managed to go evenly along with that one. BARON MICHAEL left, was able to tuck in the pocket off the first turn, couldn’t keep up the last half. LORD OF MISRULE was too far back. TOATSMYGOATS gapped, offered little. KJ OWEN moved outside but never reached.
SEVENTH RACE – BENJI’S BEST made the lead at the 1/8, yielded to sit a two-hole, eased out headstretch and went right by to win in fast time. SOMEBEACH BARON set the pace with two moves and rolled right along, lasted for second. REGAL SON had some cover leaving, went up and tucked third 3/16, pulled out 5/8, didn’t get close enough to the leader to pin the winner in, but paced steadily to the line. BELLOWS BINGE swung four-wide in the stretch and finished with speed. CINNAMACK came off the rail ¾ but soon ducked back in, not a major factor. TJ BLAST gapped at points, also never a major player.
EIGHTH RACE – MACMORRIS HANOVER was three-high to turn one and on top past the 1/8, was very strong on the engine throughout and won very easily. SORTIE gapped a bit early backstretch then found a better gear 11/16 and moved out, along for a clear second. GRAPPLE HANOVER stayed inside, avoided trouble, a distant third. MOON BRIDGE inherited the pocket at the ¼, stayed close until the ¾ then unplugged. BANK BOX TREASURE moved outside but could not gain. KATKIN MORGAN was no factor near the back. MASSIVE OPULENCE was inside, not keeping up when breaking an 1/8 out of a mile out. TWO AM got the early lead, yielded, broke off the first turn and was taken inside, developed a problem and was pulled up.
NINTH RACE – SPORTS TEEN got an early spot, moved after a fast quarter to the lead 3/8, opened a big lead soon after the half, stayed in control. FEHERTY was three-wide to the 1/8, forced to take a tuck at the ¼, moved 5/8 after the pocketsitter gapped, retucked in the two-hole ¾, gave honest chase all the way home. WILSONS VINNER was on top by the 1/8, retained the stick in a 26.2 opener then did yield for the pocket, gapped when the winner sped up early backstretch, managed to hold on to third over JANAID. The latter sat in until moving outside in the lane, almost up for the show. SUNSETBOOZECRUISE moved outside but just clogged a tier. SO SO DE VIE had to go four-wide around dull wide foes and had no chance. NIGHT EXPLORER moved behind cover but was soon left behind.
TENTH RACE – As a light rain began to fall … KING ALPHONSO went to the lead, hung a foe to the 3/8 then sat perfectly-placed behind a 55.4 middle-half duel, to the Pocono Pike, just overhauled the resilient leader RICH AND MISERABLE. The latter gradually worked his way to the front 3/8, kept up a very fast pace with a challenger right at him from just before the half, dug in very gamely to the finish. BALDAQUIN moved second-over 11/16, three-wide midturn, narrowed in steadily. SYLVESTERAMERICA IT did OK in a fast mile. MARION GONDOLIER was three-wide with cover on the far turn, couldn’t reach. JUST MAYBE THE ONE, rough-gaited both times on the upper turn, moved uncovered as soon as the place horse cleared and tried to brush to the top but was left raw in a 55.4 middle half, paid for that hard usage in the last 3/16.
ELEVENTH RACE – PICKLED PREACHER moved at the ¼, urged to get by before turn two in a fast half, kept up the speed down the back, drew clear despite a slackening pace. MAC ANOVER went up between horses to 1/8 command, soon yielded, sat in, edged out past the 5/8 but soon went back in, up the inside and was a no-factor second. RHP went on to command past the 1/8, pushed the brushing winner to almost the second turn then sat the pocket, outside late turn but did not gain. GONNAHAVEOMEMORE gapped both inside and outside, went back in on the turn, found room between horses and gained as the tempo slowed. MOVE THE LINE did not have good cover, three-wide turn, not all that much. ROCK THREE TIMES had little after an inside trip. LEAR SEELSTER trailed.
TWELFTH RACE – Track now downgraded to “good +1” … ARTACHE HANOVER took over control past the 1/8, slowed the half , had a horse come to him late backstretch but didn’t have to pick up the tempo, then picked it up to the tune of 27.1 to draw away. ROCKNROLL CAPTAIN was second-over, three-wide late turn, beat out the rest. POINTSMAN was forwardly-placed, came out 5/8 and challenged the leader, was shaken off but held OK. SPORTSMANSHIP was in front to turn one then yielded for the two-hole, struggled the last 1/8. MILITARY MASTER A was third-over, fair late. SKYWAY BILLY didn’t enter the picture.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Track downgraded again to “sloppy +1” … SIMPLY VOLO left and went into the early pocket 3/16, vacated the pegs to go raw 5/8 and challenged in a decent pace under these conditions, went by on the turn and drew clear, didn’t want much more late but got the job done. CAN’T SAY NO left for the lead, yielded to a brusher and sat the two-hole, moved out midturn as the winner went by the pacesetter, found his best strides a bit too late (or was it the slowing pace?). THISISSHE gapped early, swung wide and was moving very well late. CREWS HILLTOPPER did not have good cover, OK late. KEYSTONE SERGEANT moved second-over but gapped, ducked inside, not too much on the end. ARCHIBALD was on the move before the ¼ to go up to get the lead, went on at a decent clip, got pressure 11/16, fell back in the last quarter.
FOURTEENTH RACE – CAPTAIN CASH had the early lead, pushed the brusher a bit before yielding for the two-hole, squeezed out midturn before the sweeper could drop down to two-wide, drew away. Four-way battle for second: STATEMENT MADE A was third-over, swept three-wide heading to the far turn, finished steadily to take second. HORSE left, went into the early pocket past the 1/8, gapped third-in down the back, but then could rerally some to miss second only by a bit. JK MUSICMAN was looped, took a hole at the 1/8, then was underway again nearing the ¼ to be on top 3/8, couldn’t maintain his margin. P L MUNSON followed the sweeper, had kick on the end. SHAMMA LAMMA was inside, didn’t get a call. ATTA BOY DAN was first-up to the half, never reached the leaders and fell back. CAMWOOD was second-over, blindswitched from past the 11/16, little late.