FIRST RACE – Mid to high 40s; usual stretch headwind … OWEN came out at the 5/8, was full of pace and quickly went three-wide 11/16 to uncovered before the turn and by past midturn, stormed home in 55 very impressively. POINTSMAN worked his way to the top at the 1/8, strung out the field much of the way, clearly second-best. OHOKA JOHNNY N was out behind the winner but couldn’t go with him, three-wide far turn, along for third. IYQ YQR stayed in, not able to reach. ROCKIN PANDA left and yielded, little left in the last quarter. OUR REGAL IDEAL N and READY TO RUMBLE N were always far back. BADIX HANOVER was urged leaving, tucked third, was urged when pulled outside 5/8 but didn’t go forward.
SECOND RACE – DOWNTHEROAD Z TAM left strongly and took over early, pushed a foe past the ¼ then sat the pocket, outside in the stretch and had an easy time getting by. MASK ON MASK OFF was looped early, made the lead past the ¼, went along nicely, proved no match for the pocket rocket. ALWAYS BETTER left well, was well-placed, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. CAPTAIN EMOTION stayed in, avoided trouble, fair late. SWEET SUCCESS was second-over, had already started three-wide around faltering cover before midturn before being bothered. IVY STUD gapped a little to the half, went in 27.2 down the back to challenge, tired ¾ and was backing off when making a break causing difficulties, placed. ETBAUER was third-over, was shoved way wide mid-far turn and suffered an “ix.” PERFECTLY SAID wasn’t close, couldn’t avoid the trouble late turn.
THIRD RACE – WHAT’S GOIN ON moved uncovered from last entering the backstretch, got cover 5/8 and advanced, had a dislodged left headpole headstretch, looked to have to be steered carefully in the lane but finished with the most pace. SPIDER MAN HANOVER left for the early pocket, came out of third 5/8 raw, challenged hard, held well. SPORTS HERO showed good early foot to clear by the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, had to wait for the Pocono Pike, then had a respectable response. PETER PUMPKINEATER backed out into the flow, a bit better in the lane. SPINOUT made a quarter-moved from third, set the pace, wilted late. CLASS HERO couldn’t keep up.
FOURTH RACE – JAMAICAN COWBOY took a midpack tuck, moved uncovered 9/16 and dashed right on past to the lead to the ¾, all alone at the wire. JAMES RIVERSIDE sat in, gapped, advanced inside on the turn, outside before midstretch and just second. BRADY TO GRONK briefly tucked third then quarter-moved, set the pace, had no answer for the winner and lost second at the wire. WHATA TWIST gapped cover, OK late. VILLAGE CHAMP didn’t offer too much. MT ADAMS was always well off the pace. MCLEISH was parked to the 1/8 for the lead, yielded to the early brusher, threatened to try to retake to the second turn but rethought that move, came back out to the ¾ after the winner rushed by but had no more left to give.
FIFTH RACE – SANATTLE SLEW got second-over cover just past the half, gapped it, left uncovered ¾, had the most of these closing into a 30.1 last quarter. BEST SHOT N, looked rough-gaited, followed the winner, three-wide midturn, couldn’t get the job done. CONSTNTLYSIDEWYS A took the early pocket then was on the move before the quick ¼ to set the pace, couldn’t last to the wire. CAVIART SAGE was wide going to the first turn and dropped in fourth, came uncovered just past the ½, got to retuck in the pocket ¾, Pocono Pike, couldn’t muster enough. HAPPY CAMPER was shuffled to last, had some on the end of it. MORE DRAGON was never a factor. SKYWAY BILLY was three-wide to turn one, soon thereafter made the top, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t keep up near the ¾.
SIXTH RACE – MIMI OCEAN HANOVER went a fast 3/8 to get to the lead, but didn’t have to come home very fast to maintain solid command. BLING I’M A WINNER started uncovered early on the backstretch and went up making a bid, couldn’t get to the pocket until late on the turn, then clearly second-best. HOT CHOCO LATTE retucked down the back, outside on the turn, along for third. MYREANNA backed out to follow cover, did not threaten. SHALL I FEAR ALL was outside 3/16 until grabbing command, yielded a like distance later to sit second after a quick early pace, kept close to almost the ¾, then was all done. BUCKET HEAD left and yielded, unplugged before the 5/8. GHIBLI broke coming off the second turn. BLUE TESLA broke not too long after the start.
SEVENTH RACE – SAMMY THE BULL N was on the go on the second bend, brushed quickly to the lead, was in control to the finish. MONEYORROSES followed the winner but couldn’t match his early backstretch move, grinded up, decided to move inside past midturn, had enough to retain second over SOMWHERENBROOKLN N. The latter couldn’t keep up in the fast third split, briefly went in midturn but then back out when the place inside moved to the pylons, finished steadily. AN THE THUNDEROLLS made the front to the 3/16 in a fast opener, yielded to a brusher nearing turn two then was stuck behind that one, some recovery. BJ’S GUY left, pushed, yielded, shuffled, backed out, couldn’t keep up. LIMA SPARTAN moved out towards the 3/8 and went up to the lead, but couldn’t even retain that lead much past early backstretch and gradually faded.
EIGHTH RACE –AIN’T IT FUN got POLAK A to take back twice before the 3/8, continued to be the one in charge, stayed solid to the wire. ARTACHE HANOVER tucked third, moved before turn two and went up to challenge, got into the pocket 5/8, moved outside late turn, finished steadily. GOLDEN GESTURE went into the outer flow before the half, left raw 5/8, went inside ¾, couldn’t quite get to second. DARK HORSE looked at leaving but took back as several others showed quick step, tucked sixth at the ¼, in the outside tier, kept on coming. MR BIG LOAD got the last check. HEREHECOMESAROCKIN sat in and was badly shuffled as the pocket horse backed up, moved out belatedly but had little. POLAK A wanted the lead but couldn’t go by early and tucked before the ¼, out again soon off the first bend but again forced to go back in the pocket, started backing up early backstretch. JANAID was always far behind.
NINTH RACE – KEYSTONE SERGEANT had cover to before the 3/16, then flicked at to go on to the lead nearing the 3/8, dealt well with a challenger to both sides in the stretch. PHANTOM RUSTY went by before the 3/16, yielded in front of the stands for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike, just missed getting there. O JONNIE was uncovered near the 5/8, held his ground stoutly. CARAMEL MACCHIATO sat in, had no room in the later stages. ARCH CREDIT yielded, stayed in, moved outside midturn and wide headstretch, couldn’t quite reach. GINGER TREE KNOX flushed cover but was gapping before the ¾. ADELANTE S was looking to leave when breaking, got close to catching the field by the half but broke again down the backstretch.
TENTH RACE – WHATA TREASURE was in a great backstretch flow, left uncovered ¾ and quickly moved to the lead, drew off in a big performance. PIRATES ALLEY was able to get out into the flow, couldn’t go with the winner late but well ahead of the others. P L LEEROY was three-wide to turn one, made the lead just past the 26.4 ¼ then yielded, shuffled, didn’t get outside until past midturn, closed well in a better mile than it may look. ROGUE CHEDDAR went to command, yielded, caught in, shuffled then outside ¾, fair late. NIHILATED TRUTH stayed in, gapped down the back, not all that much. SPORTSMANSHIP was outside midpack through much of the first half, then made his move and gained through the backstretch, got the lead ¾ but had little left late. TODDLER TANTRUM spotted, then quarter-moved, came under pressure down the back, yielded and fell way back. QUEEN KENDALL never featured.
ELEVENTH RACE – SIR GENE G HANOVER was near the back, angled widest entering the stretch and outkicked these in the 30.3 last quarter. HYPOTHETICAL was uncovered at the half, briefly had cover then saw it bear wide so went on uncovered, not fast but steady. LUZIANA sat in, along for third deep in the Pocono Pike. BAYONET was three-wide to the first turn, went on to set the pace from 3/16, came up empty in the stretch. IMIDEAL HANOVER protected the pocket, could offer little late. TOWNLINE JATED was looped early and settled third at the 1/8, went raw to the 5/8 but quickly bore out, no factor. LAREDO TORPEDO N was way off the gate and never entered the picture.
TWELFTH RACE – IC A FREE SPIRIT had good early jet, in front just past the 1/8, slowed quarter two then sped up quarter three not allowing the first-over any closer than his rump, drew clear. NATHAN FEELSGOOD rode in the pocket virtually the entire way, outpaced SKYWAY FIREBALL for second. The latter had some speed, moved uncovered early on turn two, made mild progress in the fast third panel, held OK. MACHING TIME flushed cover, gapped it and ducked in ¾, best of the rest. NEWBIE never entered the picture; nor did INFORCE. AMERICAN COLT N gapped out starting at the 5/8.
THIRTEENTH RACE – APRIL ANGEL was underway before the ¼ to grab the lead, faced hard pressure on the far turn, then saw that foe bear out, looked in control to the wire. JAGGED LITTLE PILL forced an early tuck from the rail, yielded to the winner, stayed close, moved outside with stretch clearance, made up a little bit of ground. FAST MACHINE came uncovered 5/8 and fought hard with the winner around the far turn, but then bore out through the stretch though not ceding much ground. MIKI ROSE took the early pocket, sat in, outside on the turn then inside a drifting opponent in the lane, fair. BYGONE HANOVER gapped second-over, went inside far turn, evenly late. SWEET AND FEISTY didn’t have good cover, then was a bit rough and bore out late far turn. HELLRUNNER HANOVER gapped from the 5/8. CAVEN POINT trailed at every call.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TRENTE DEO rushed out to the lead, didn’t have much relief on the front end against a pair of challengers, held together nicely. STATEMENT MADE A was outside 3/8, briefly three-wide 5/8 then to two-wide to challenge, took a vacant pocket midturn, came back out early stretch and pursued very gamely to the line. YUPPER was looped, shut out of holes, finally got into the pocket 5/8 as that spot’s former occupant faded, held well considering the trip. DEETZY backed out to follow good cover but could not offer much. HEARTBREAK HILL made up a good deal of ground. WILSONS VINNER never featured. BLACKLIGHT made a break coming off turn two. LITTLE POWER left, raced into the pocket 3/16, kept the hole closed until the 5/8, then faded well back.
FIFTEENTH RACE – HORSE left briskly and took over at the 1/8, went a big third quarter with only two able to stay close down the back, got the job done here. ONE OFF DELIGHT A went in third at the 1/8, uncovered before the 5/8, didn’t gain in the fast third split but kept coming doggedly late. MR CENSI left and quickly yielded, stayed connected, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. STENDAHL HANOVER didn’t keep up down the back but got much closer on the turn, wide headstretch, OK. INDIGO ART had poor cover, had to make a big sweeping move just to clear dead wood and get to the rail fifth, not much chance today. BILBAO HANOVER came out past the 3/8 but never went anywhere. CANT KNOCK ME was off the gate, drifted outside until getting in fifth 5/16, not heard from thereafter. BOYS IN THE BAND offered very little.