FIRST RACE – After Saturday’s cancellation, the track was “fast” for the Sunday program … Temperatures in the low 40s at the start of the card dropped to freezing by program’s end … Wind was not very strong and variable throughout the card … ABSOLUTE INTENT gapped the top two in the fast initial panel, was uncovered 9/16, grinded by on the turn, drew clear. SPORTSMANSHIP left, yielded 3/16 for the pocket in a brisk opener, had to wait for the Pocono Pike far turn as the winner started to edge clear, decent but not sharp response in a 30.2 kicker. SPORTS HERO got a spot fourth, stayed in, edged out in a blindswitch late turn then swung wide, finished with speed. TODDLER TANTRUM was third-over behind not-good cover, three-wide late turn, outkicked for show. OHOKA JOHNNY N was wide much of the quarter taking back, stayed in, gained some late. WHAT’S GOIN ON was last, gained a bit on the extreme outside. YS SUNSHINE was uncovered at the half and soon got cover, but gapped it most of the last 3/8. POLAK A left hard to get the lead 3/16 in a 27 opener, under attack down the back and had little resistance in the last 3/16.
SECOND RACE – BAY MEADOWS moved from third just past the half and went 27.1 down the back to clear 11/16, stayed strong to the wire. NIHILATED TRUTH was three-wide between horses to the pocket at the 1/8, then quarter-moved, couldn’t hold the winner out in the big third split but pursued him home doggedly in a fine effort. TJ BLAST stayed in, shuffled some as the pocketsitter lost touch, outside midturn and wide stretch, clear if far-back third. NEWBIE was underway raw 3/8 and got cover into the backstretch but couldn’t go with it. ROCK THREE TIMES gapped a gapper third-over. MORE DRAGON and SUNSETBOOZECRUISE were never heard from. SPIDER MAN HANOVER left nicely four-wide right to the lead, yielded, started gapping out not that long into the backstretch.
THIRD RACE – FAST MACHINE came uncovered into turn two and blasted a 27.3 third panel to easily grab the lead and quickly draw clear. PARTY LINE was three-wide to the 1/8 and went on to take over 5/16, no match when the winner came calling but held off HUNTING FOR ANSWRS for second. The latter worked to the fore just past the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, gapped midbackstretch then was blocked on the far turn, had the Pocono Pike, didn’t appear to have an excuse for not being second. JAGGED LITTLE PILL stayed in, then backed out down the back, three-wide late turn, closed in some. BOTTOM BLUES was forwardly–placed early, was stuck inside, evenly late. GENESIS was behind cover which stopped flowing. TREACHEROUS GIRL was raw at the 5/16, got the winner out at the other end of the frontstretch, then couldn’t keep up with her. DON’T GO THERE was not heard from.
FOURTH RACE – SKYWAY FIREBALL was away fourth, had the two- and three-holers come out down the back and raced up the pylons into the pocket, slipped out headstretch and won for fun. JAMAICAN COWBOY gapped in the third quarter, took the inside route on the turn, moved outside midstretch and was a clear second. ROCKIN PANDA left between horses and went on to grab command, under pressure from before the 5/8, tired. MCLEISH left, yielded for the two-hole, vacated same 9/16 but never could get by the leader. BJ’S GUY was three-wide to turn one before sliding into the 3-spot, moved to second-over down the back and then three-wide before the ¾, came up empty. SHARKNADO lagged badly.
FIFTH RACE – GROSETTO AS moved at the ¼ and was left raw 5/16 to the front just past the 3/8, set the pace without threat, had enough to keep off KEYSTONE SERGEANT. The latter was raw early on turn two, got to tuck in the pocket before the 11/16, looked to edge out late turn but then went back in to the Pocono Pike, steadily but couldn’t get there. PUERTO RICO was behind dull cover, shifted inside late turn and won a photo for the distant third. CRITICAL MASS was first to the front, saw two go by in quarter two, backed out down the back and retucked third before the ¾, just caught for show. CARAMEL MACCHIATO was not prominent. WHOUCALNCRAZY followed cover, lost it, and couldn’t gain. ALL RISE tried to circle dull cover but never reached. GINGER TREE KNOX was outleft, pressed on to the lead 5/16, yielded just past the 3/8, couldn’t keep up midbackstretch.
SIXTH RACE – CHEEKIE BABE originally moved out to follow cover on turn two but couldn’t keep up and ducked back in, rode the pylons, found clearance inside and had a good last 1/8 as the pace slowed to be along. PLEASURE SEEKER was in front before the 1/8, yielded, was shuffled when the pacesetter gave way past the 5/8, slipped out past midturn and tipped wide headstretch, steadily. BYTHEWAY HANOVER went in fourth at the 3/16, came raw entering turn two, cleared late 5/8 and opened up what looked like it might be a winning lead, but hit the wall midstretch. GEORGIE backed out in front of gapping cover at the half and was left raw 5/8, tired a little. GETTING GONE was forced widest in the lane and had good pace. DEL DIGGITY hugged the inside, evenly. TSM PRINCESS TEDDI gapped cover. CATIE FAYE HANOVER refused a pocket tuck and made the lead at the ¼, rested to the half, then had no answer for the brusher and faded.
SEVENTH RACE – A bit of a stretch tailwind … HURRIKANE WILLIE G let the outside ones decide early positions then quarter-moved, had no trouble with these. FINAL CLASS left between horses to 3/16 command, forced a tuck, then let the winner go, not in that one’s league but held well for second at 60-1. HIP HOP GRACIE came uncovered past the 3/8 and made a big rush down the backstretch to challenge, held well. HALL IT OFF was caught behind a tired one on the far turn, swung wide and finished nicely. BY A HOFF HANOVER was three-wide well past the 1/8, then two-wide and accepted the pocket at the ¼, tired the last 5/16. CHROME PACKAGE never got close. CHING CHING LUCKY was away slowly, couldn’t keep up behind the uncovered horse. BRIGITTE BI broke an 1/8 before the start.
EIGHTH RACE – CONSUS VICTORY took command early, slowed the half, and was well in control of this one. EPOS OSTERVANG DK went out to secure the pocket, had a perfect trip, not enough sprint late. ALEXANDER HANOVER took back early and was far back, trotted a very big last quarter to miss second by not much. CREWS HILLTOPPER went raw at the 5/8 and made a mild bid but couldn’t sustain it. SHOOT THE THRILL was gapping towards the ¾. NOTMEITSYOU didn’t have enough. ARCH CREDIT also took back early, trailed thereafter.
NINTH RACE – ITSONLYMONEYHONEY sat in fourth to the ¾ then moved outside, gained quickly once in gear and took over command midstretch. CR BLAZIN BEAUTY yielded and sat the pocket, waited for the Pocono Pike and was along for second. RED REDEMPTION got the lead 3/16, kept the field strung out with a big third quarter, little left late. THE IRISHMAN was three-wide to the first bend, tucked third before the 3/16, distant best of the others. PHANTOM RUSTY sat in and got the last check. THE OTHER THREE couldn’t get near to the front action.
TENTH RACE – For this race there was a minor stretch headwind … CHAMP CHARBEL was away strongly four-wide to the early lead, yielded past the ¼ for the pocket, gapped from off turn two until near headstretch, then came inside the leader as he tired and outclosed a pair. LINCOLN BOULEVARD took back amidst many leavers, went first-up past the 3/8, never reached the leader until the stretch, just got second over BETTORS AUTHORITY. The latter followed cover, went three-wide nearing the stretch, didn’t miss by much. GETYOURLICENSELIAM was looped and three-wide to the 1/8, then forward to 5/16 command, opened up a big lead which he held into the stretch, but couldn’t sustain in a 29.4 last quarter. BRAZEN BRAZILIAN got the last check. HEAVEN’S SUPERSTAR left well, stayed in, faded late backstretch. ZOES LUCKY GUY and JUNIOR MAN were far back.
ELEVENTH RACE – Wind back to calm … THIRD POWER made the top easily, rated the half, never had a problem while buzzing home in 28. YER SO BAD sat the two-hole, not able to go with the winner but kept SPORTS SECTION safe to retain second. The latter stayed connected, finished with some pace. CAPTAIN COOK was behind poor cover, very wide headstretch, gained. MESSIAH never featured. MIKALOB ULTRA was wide leaving, took back, next to the breaker near the ¼, moved outside, couldn’t enter the picture. TREVORS HUNT made a miscue near the ¼, followed early cover, was able to come through two-wide 11/16 as that one bore out, couldn’t sustain in the last 3/16. MESSIER SEELSTER made a break past the start, recovered, forced wide around trouble near the ¼, uncovered before the 3/8 and was head-to-head with the second horse by the 5/8, but then ran out of gas and bore out.
TWELFTH RACE – BETTER BE OSCAR A had a great second-over trip, three-wide past midturn, probably made harder work of it than he should have off that journey but did get the “W.” BULLVILLE TERROR left, refused a look at a 3-hole and was out in fast fractions to 3/8 command, under hard pressure, just failed in a giant mile. BRAVO TEX N was fourth-over, three-wide around dull cover 11/16, covered three-wide past midturn, wider and strong. CAPTAIN CASH left nicely, was reluctant to yield but did so 3/8, pocket to the Pocono Pike, not quite enough. NOWHERE CREEK A had nowhere to go behind a wall much of the stretch, then gained behind the winner. DEETZY did not factor. STATEMENT MADE A kept the hole plugged early, went uncovered to the half and made a good third quarter challenge, but could not sustain it. DREAM OF LUCK gapped third-over.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LEVITATION took the early lead, made the chalk work to get the lead past the 3/8, gapped down the backstretch then tightened, moved out of the pocket on the turn and went easily by, had enough to keep DIVINE SPIRIT at bay. The latter vacated fifth at the ¾ and had a lot of trot in the stretch. BOASTER COASTER was forwardly-placed, to the Pocono Pike, OK. TRUMAN JR HANOVER was well off the gate, moved at the ¼, was urged 3/8 to get by before the second turn and soon opened a big lead, had the field come to him to the ¾ and gave way. KEYSTONE THUNDER was wide leaving then took a hole, not a factor thereafter. CRUSHWORTHY was three-wide into turn one and took all the way back to last, then didn’t move from that positioning.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TOWNLINE FLIGHT left very well to maintain the pocket, left a gap in the quick backstretch and a bigger one on the turn, but then found a better gear as the leader tired and sailed right by. KEYSTONE PHOENIX made the lead in a quick quarter, got a breather, then strung out the field in a 27.3 third panel, was well clear almost to midstretch, but could not finish the mission. MAJOR OFFENSE was third-over behind dull cover, came a long way nicely to be a distant third. BET YOU gapped behind the gapping winner, then didn’t have his late acceleration. STENDAHL HANOVER went a big third quarter uncovered to challenge, then tired. CANT KNOCK ME moved out into turn two and soon got cover, but couldn’t stay with it. ALL CHEDDAR trailed.
FIFTEENTH RACE – Stretch headwind in the finale. … VIRGIN STORM forced a fellow leaver to tuck, was in charge of the pace, held off some good opposition. KEYSTONE STEAM was around an early gapper, then was uncovered into turn two, was a very good grinder and kept on digging right to the wire. RIFLEMAN was underway before the 3/8 and had cover by the second turn, three-wide midturn, another good come-from-behind effort. TERRY A HANOVER took the early pocket against the winner, was still second in midstretch but faded a bit late. INDIGO ART was third-over, wide with cover midturn, did well. MIKIMOTO was never prominent. BLACKLIGHT sat third, couldn’t keep up the last quarter. SADIQ HANOVER showed little at any point.