FIRST RACE – Welcome back for the 2022 racing season here at The Downs! … A mild day for mid-February – 45o, no moisture, stretch headwind … WON LAST FEELING was outside behind cover leaving and tucked at the 1/8, pulled raw into turn two and grinded, kept going strongly and was a going-away winner. LYONS AMUSEMENTS pushed to the 1/8, yielded, quarter-moved, needed some encouragement to get by just past the 3/8, held the winner out with a quick third quarter, but couldn’t hold on to the lead. BLOW A CLOUD N was three-high to the 1/8, made the lead off the first turn, pushed the chalk a ways before yielding for the pocket, gapped a little in the fast third split, did better late. GUINNESS PANIC made the lead at the 1/8, yielded, stayed third-in, went to the Pocono Pike but bore in and was placed last for going inside pylons. WESTERN TYRANT was second-over, gapped behind the winner on the top but did better late. CLASSIFIED MATERIAL worked from third-over, not bad. DISMISSAL SLIP offered little. THEFREEDOMFIGHTERN broke while last going into the second turn.
SECOND RACE – SHAMMA LAMMA got a good second-over trip, gapped cover slightly in the quick third panel but went on strongly when tipped three-deep midturn, gradually to the fore. RIFLEMAN came out at the 1/8, made the top going to the 3/8, had hard pressure down the back, held gamely for second over SADIQ HANOVER. The latter looped everybody leaving, yielded to sit the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike, edged for second. ROLLIN IN NEW YORK was looped early, got in fourth 3/16, started uncovered early on turn two, paced his third quarter in 27.1 raw challenging the lead, gradually backed off a little. EXTRADITE N left well, sat close-up, deep in the Pike but couldn’t gain. HULOU and TJ BLAST couldn’t do much off of cover. ROCK THREE TIMES was never prominent.
THIRD RACE – KENOGAMI COCO left well, made the lead at the ¼, yielded and sat the two-hole under a good hold, to the Pocono Pike and beat out MARION GONDOLIER. The latter let the outside ones go, was out before the ¼ but needed most of the frontstretch to clear, set the pace without a challenge until the stretch, overpowered by the pocket horse but still held well. MY LINDY WINNER moved off the rail 11/16 and finished steadily. ROSE RUN VINCENT made the lead at the 1/8, yielded, stayed in until the far turn then moved behind cover, ducked back in early stretch and finished evenly. TRICKY DICK gapped at a couple of points. ZOOMING trailed throughout.
FOURTH RACE – FULL MOON BEACH was four-wide heading to the first turn, then went behind cover 3/16, moved three-wide at the half to get to two-wide raw 5/8, grinded, drew away late in a very big mile. WAIMAC ATTACK N went to the lead and kept foes outside, challenged by the winner, not his equal late but well ahead of the rest. TOLLY-HO kept the pocket closed, moved out behind the winner midturn while looking to have pace, but broke approaching headstretch, regained stride and closed well to beat out the others; no reason for placing was found. KYUQUOT moved outside down the back, three-wide around the parked horse ¾ but never reached. MONEYORROSES left, was left out in the air, looped to the 5/8, didn’t fade badly. LUZIANA was behind a wall far turn, evenly. THE OTHER DUO were not prominent.
FIFTH RACE—SEVEN IRON made the lead at the 1/8, had the pace his own way, just enough to turn back WORTHY OF HONOR. The latter yielded at the 1/8 for the two-hole, stayed tight until going to the Pocono Pike, had his chance, came up just short. VOSS VOLO was uncovered early on the clubhouse turn, never reached the leader but continued on gamely. TEDDY BROSEVELT grabbed an early tuck fourth, backed out to second-over just past the 5/8, briefly blindswitched far turn, cleared and finished steadily. WINGS UP was last, widest in the lane and not bad. KEYSTONE SERGEANT moved with cover early backstretch, gapped letting a foe out, three-wide far turn, flattened. O JONNIE could offer little. CHECKMATE HILL gapped a little in the 3-hole most of the way, broke going to the deep Pike.
SIXTH RACE – BLACK CHEVRON N was between horses early and was looped, went on to take over just past the ¼, repulsed the first-over then stayed clear of BULLVILLE TERROR inside of him. The latter moved off the second turn and wound up second-over, slid into the pocket midturn as that spot’s former occupant faded, raced well. MUDVILLE was caught behind a tired horse on the far turn, got in gear midstretch to the inside and finished well. CAPTAIN DISOMMA was third-over, evenly. MAJOR OFFENSE was the innermost of three leavers, yielded, moved uncovered 5/8 and challenged, got a bit tired late. WILSONS VINNER was three-wide most of the 1/8 to loop to the lead, yielded past the ¼ for the pocket, all done on the far turn. MIKIMOTO had some foot at the end after being last throughout.
SEVENTH RACE – MOON BRIDGE was three-wide early, made the front 3/16, got a breather to the half, was in control to the wire. CREWS HILLTOPPER moved raw 5/8, ducked in late far turn after the pocket horse broke, held for second over POWERFUL YIELD. The latter moved outside late in the backstretch, finished well. PRESIDENT was out between horses to the top before the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, broke in same just past midturn and was taken to the infield, ran home, placed last. ALEXANDER HANOVER got good early position, then struggled to keep close much of the rest of the way. ARCH CREDIT never surfaced. GINGER TREE KNOX moved outside but went backwards. STARDUST MEMORIES was last most of the way.
EIGHTH RACE – MY FRISKIE BOY would not surrender the early lead, rated to the half, then had a very long and tough challenge from DREAMS ARE TRUE, but kept him at bay. The latter was three-high almost to the 3/16 before taking back to fourth, went uncovered 5/8 and paced in 27.4 down the back to reach the leader, fought hard with him to the wire. SKYWAY BILLY stayed close early, was behind a tiring horse on the far turn, came clear early stretch and finished alertly. AIN’T IT FUN tried to get the early lead but went into the pocket at the 3/16, started to gap out ¾. ARTACHE HANOVER couldn’t stay with cover. YS SUNSHINE couldn’t reach his fast-moving cover. THE OTHER PAIR were never major dangers.
NINTH RACE – CASTYOURCROWN was outside early then tucked at the 1/8, moved out nearing the half but significantly gapped cover in the fast third quarter, better in the last ¼ (31) and three-wide headstretch, along. MOSCONI HANOVER worked up into the pocket at the 1/8, stayed connected throughout, to the Pocono Pike and got a brief short lead midstretch, outkicked. BANZAI AS kept position leaving, uncovered early on turn two and went 28 down the back to engage the lead in a fierce duel, held on pretty well. SEVEN KNIGHTS was behind bad cover, three-wide before the ¾, ducked in for the stretch and was OK. CHUCKY DE VIE left with high speed to the early lead, rated the half but then had to go another big quarter against the first-over, tired from early stretch. NOTMEITSYOU never factored; nor did FLY EAGLE FLY. NEWYORKBLUEBLOOD moved outside but gapped badly.
TENTH RACE – FRONTIER ROLLO pushed hard early, finally yielded but was quick on the retake, was in full control of this crew. BRAVO TEX N picked an early tuck fourth, came up the inside late and won a five-horse photo for the distant second. LORD OF MISRULE left between horses, took back to tuck third 3/16, angled out late turn and wide for the stretch, nipped for place. KEYSTONE STEAM was second-over but gapped cover, widest in the stretch and moving very well. LEAR SEELSTER lagged the early action, started uncovered on turn two and went up in 27.3 raw, got left behind by the winner but stayed in the scrap for minor honors. MAJOR DESIRE was three-wide for much of the 3/16 before taking the lead, yielded, pocket, left behind the last 3/16. ZIGGY SKY never got into it. SOCIAL THEORIES fell far back.
ELEVENTH RACE – ICANFLYLIKEANANGEL left strongly and soon had an open lead, drew off again on the far turn, then was under mild coaxing to withstand TWO AM. The latter maintained the pocket while occasionally gapping as noted, raced well in the stretch. ALTUS HANOVER was uncovered off the second turn, went a very big mile. SWEET HEART AS spotted, went evenly late. ONEMORESWAN backed out on the far turn but couldn’t enter contention. COMMON PARLANCE made a couple of small breaks. NIGHT FLYER K was not a factor.
TWELFTH RACE – WESTERN JOE left between horses, didn’t take the pocket 3/16 and went on to the lead, strung out the field in a 29.3 second quarter, then left them gasping with a 54.2 last half, very impressive. WAR-N-MUNN was three-wide 3/16 to circle the winner, yielded for the two-hole, stayed close to the ¾, then finished well ahead of the rest. THE CANDYMAN CAN left and pushed, yielded, sat third, just edged the rest. GENTLEMANJIM II IE swung widest in the stretch and closed well. BEACH BLANKET BOOK gapped second-over, then three-wide midturn, so-so. CAPTAIN CASH actually paced his own third quarter in 26.3 while going uncovered but couldn’t make much of an inroad. REDBANK BLAZE A sat last most of the way. PATERNITY SUIT A raced inside, didn’t have much.
THIRTEENTH RACE – REAL MCCOY got around early trouble and settled third, gapped most of the middle half then gained on the turn outside and moved to contention, went right on by. KEEPER OF SECRETS was three-wide to the 3/16 to clear the inside breakers, got in gear 5/8 and followed the winner on the turn, had solid trot finishing. LADY RESORT AS quarter-moved from the pocket, set the pace, tired. BY A HOFF HANOVER worked to the early lead, relinquished and sat second, little in the last 1/8. SEARCHING FOR YOU was a bit off the gate then behind the first turn breakers, never entered into it. BRIGITTE BI was bothered towards the first turn when GROSETTO AS ran broke; both were far back.
FOURTEENTH RACE – WHITECOOKIE, not the best-gaited of horses, grinded up to take over 3/8, sped up enough to keep a challenger outside in a 27.1 third quarter, then drew away from these easily. BETTOR BE OSCAR A gapped to the far turn while inside, then was in gear, went four-wide in the stretch and finished nicely. TERRY A HANOVER took the innermost path and was along for a no-factor third. NOWHERE CREEK A tucked at the 1/8, came back out at the half then paced his backstretch in 26.4 raw to challenge, tired from those exertions. HEAVEN’S GAIT put a couple of leavers in behind him, let the winner go 3/8, gave way at the ¾. KEYSTONE PHOENIX took an early tuck, then was just a little off his cover second-over, three-wide headstretch but empty in the latter stages. MAURICE gapped third-over.