FIRST RACE – Mid to low 40s … strong stretch headwind most of the way … flurries developing midcard, with the track “fast +0” for the first eight races and then “good +1” … TULLOW N had a good cover trip, one-geared it late through the slowing last quarter to get the decision. LORD OF MISRULE came up third-over in the good flow, wide stretch and almost got the nod. CHICKEN NUGGET made a delayed frontward move at the 1/8 and got into the pocket at the ¼, shuffled on the far turn, swung widest and finished very well. CAL was first-up just before the half, challenged in 27.2 with the wind down the back, got to the pocket midturn and to the Pocono Pike, not quite enough to get by. CAPTAIN MULZAC was away well, quarter-moved and went 28 into the wind to clear, had pressure, weakened midstretch. CLASSIC PRO went right to the lead and forced a tuck in the 26.3 opener, yielded for the two-hole, gapped on the backstretch and on the turn, then had no room as the two inside horses gave him no clear path. WINDSUN GOTHAM lost contact the last half.
SECOND RACE – OWEN got a forward spot, moved into the second turn and had the lead nearing the half, went 26.3 down the back to bury this field, all alone. HOPETOBEFIRST was out behind the winner, got to retuck in the pocket towards the 5/8, second-best. AMERICA’S GUEST was off the gate and way back, three-wide far turn and had steady gain late. KEYSTONE TENACIOUS was in the outside flow, left uncovered later in the backstretch, fair. JUST A WRANGLER was caught in and followed a shuffled foe out into a blindswitch before the 5/8, never prominent. HASH-TAG SWAG yielded for the pocket, shuffled badly when the leader gave way, came out in a blindswitch and retucked, not prominent late. IDEAL STAR N was away slowly and never was a factor. TRENTE DEO made the lead 3/16, rated the half, surrendered without a fight at the half, and backed through the field with a problem, was pulled up.
THIRD RACE – MUSHANA sat fourth, moved out far turn and widest in the lane, had the most late kick. ITSONLYMONEYHONEY sat third, followed cover just past the ¾, wide, not quite enough. CAN’T SAY NO let an outside leaver go then was moving 3/16 to reclaim command, rolled, couldn’t last. KEYSTONE SERGEANT stayed in, had to zig-zag for stretch clearance and gained (into a slowing last panel). CHUCKY DE VIE quickly gained command, yielded, pulled the pocket just past the ¾, tired. CHRISTOPHER CRAZO was never prominent. FRAC lost contact down the back. KEYSTONE THUNDER broke well before the start, caught the field nearing the ¼, but fell back the last half.
FOURTH RACE – CAPTAIN ROMANCE was three-wide early to get the lead past the 1/8 in a hot opener, went his second sub-27 quarter in 44o weather to fend off the favorite, very impressive performance. DANCIN DRAGON stayed reasonably in touch, outside stretch and performed gamely to wrest second over BILL HALEY N nearing the wire. The latter came uncovered at the half, paced in 26.1 the third split and could only get to the leader’s wheel, tucked in the pocket, out again in the lane, couldn’t gain and just failed to hold second. SOUTHWIND OZZI was between horses leaving, sat the pocket, was loose in it most of the last half. HUNDIE N couldn’t keep up 11/16. WAR-N-MUNN was first outside to turn two, got cover but couldn’t stay with it. THE OTHER PAIR were never prominent.
FIFTH RACE – EUROBOND took a spot third and went on behind the fast pace, outside to the ¾, went on by the leader in hand. BIG OIL set all the fast pace stringing out the field, overpowered in the latter stages. P L NOTSONICE defended the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, no gain but clearly third. THE OTHERS just held their positions all the way around while not being able to factor in the very fast trot mile.
SIXTH RACE – PARTY WHIP was three-wide to the 1/8 then backed off to fourth 3/16, uncovered past the 9/16, didn’t reach the leader until near headstretch, but proved much the best of these despite not an easy trip. BLATANTLY BEST had excellent cover, enough for second. ROCK KING DEO made two speed moves, couldn’t sustain his advantage. ROCK THREE TIMES was urged early but got away in the back, retucked down the back, OK between horses late. LIL JOHNNY left between horses, made the top off turn one then yielded for the two-hole, little left late. SNAP CALL lost contact past the half. SKYWAY BILLY was empty to the 5/8 and backed through the field.
SEVENTH RACE – BELIEVER moved off the first turn to 3/8 command, went a quick third split and had a clear lead into the stretch, tiring late and just held off KINDA LUCKY LINDY. The latter moved with cover then was left raw by the 3/8, kept advancing and just missed. ALTUS HANOVER was in the outside flow, briefly three-wide as a rival moved out to avoid a shuffle, two-wide at a distance on the turn, OK. BLENHEIM was three-wide early, tucked fourth at the 1/8, came again raw into turn two, got to the pocket 5/8, couldn’t gain late. SPIRIT OF DEO got the last check. GRAPPLE HANOVER was away quickly, yielded, shuffled down the back then briefly edged out to clear a tiring foe, retucked, not much. CONSUS VICTORY was near the back throughout. SHAKE IT OFF LINDY was four-wide towards turn one and three-wide to the 1/8, in front 3/16, yielded for the pocket, had had enough 5/8.
EIGHTH RACE – The flurries started … MR CENSI took the pocket leaving and stayed tight, to the Pocono Pike, just edged a horse to each side. SPANISH ART was second-over, three-wide headstretch and finished well but just missed. MAJOR OFFENSE stayed connected third-in, went deep in the Pike and was right there at the finish. STELLAR BB wanted to set the pace, didn’t have enough to sustain the advantage to the wire. CAN’T KNOCK ME was part of a gapping last three along with SADIQ HANOVER and BLACKLIGHT, did get a check. INDIGO ART started raw into the second bend, went 27.1 down the back, tired in the last 1/8.
NINTH RACE – Track rerated to “good +1”; also the wind slackened a bit … CUPID HANOVER yielded past the 1/8 for the pocket, stayed close, to the Pocono Pike, another who had to fight off a horse on each side late. DIVINE SPIRIT rode outside the whole way, gradually grinded up, never took a backward step showing great courage. MISTER BOINGA got in third going to turn one, sat in, looked to have to wait for full clearance in the deep Pike, then was moving well late. DAGON HANOVER was second-over, gapped a bit on the turn, continued on as the pace slackened. BC’S ROSE was the leader before the 3/16, set the pace, couldn’t hold in a back 1:29.3 3.4s. BOASTER COASTER swung wide into the stretch and narrowed in well. SPIT AND VINEGAR did not contend. TRICKY DICK gapped third-over.
TENTH RACE – The fractions posted during the race were incorrect; the official fractions were 27, 55.1, 1:24.2, 1:51.4 … GO WEST GO FAST settled third early, on the move 5/16 before the parked horse reached him to make the lead just past the 3/8, wasn’t pressured down the back, then sprinted home in 27.2 to open a clear lead and be safe though tiring some late. CAVIART MAX pulled at the ¼ and was second-over, three-wide far turn, came home very powerfully. WESTERN TYRANT stayed in, had room to move out midturn, wide and also gained well. SHAMMA LAMMA was well-back, angled wide as did the second and third horses and finished with belated speed. LINCOLN JAMES was outside the mile, gradually advanced, worked up into contention, couldn’t sustain after the very hard trip. WON LAST FEELING went to the early lead, surrendered it to the winner to sit second, not much at crunch time. BOBBY K HILL got the early pocket, stayed in, gapped down the backstretch. BAMSKI was urged off the gate but did not show speed, moved out third-over but gapped.
ELEVENTH RACE – ROBBIE PEV was third-over, swung wide and closed strongly into a slowing tempo to win easily. ONE AFTER NINE, a bit off the gate, was near the back, went wide behind the winner and picked up everybody else. MOON BRIDGE was second-over, swung wide but only went evenly. STONEBRIDGE ARMOUR was three-wide to the 1/8 and out most of the ¼ to make the lead, yielded 3/8, went right up driver Allard’s back 11/16 while unruly as the first-over came on the scene, resettled in the pocket, Pocono Pike, didn’t have too much of a late response. PIVOTAL was uncovered from the half, gained late backstretch, but couldn’t continue going forward. RED REDEMPTION set the pace with two moves, looked to be all-out by the 3/4s though holding the lead to headstretch. FOCUS POCUS was in front at the 1/8, yielded, wound up third-in, got jammed up on the far turn as the innermost tier wasn’t going much, ran up on the horse in front of him and broke. CREDIT CON broke just after the start.
TWELFTH RACE – CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL tucked third, came uncovered just before the half and blew by while pacing his third quarter in 27, opening a clear lead he never yielded in a very fast mile. HEARTLANDBANYSBRO followed the winner out, tucked in the pocket before the ¾, a clear second. DERECHO went to the front quickly, yielded, escaped a pocket shuffle 5/8, tucked back in third past the ¾, held on for the show. BEACH FIRE N got out into a blindswitch ¾, finished with a bit of pace. MR FRISKIE BOY passed tired horses. PARKLANE JET gapped down the backstretch, came out and was nudged three-wide ¾, no factor. BASS PLAYER was not heard from. LEGAL POWER made two moves to control the pace after a fast quarter, had no answer for the winner and backed up.
THIRTEENTH RACE – IM A GIGOLO N moved not long off the first turn to control the pace, came home in 55.2 and handled a tough rival in SHVAIKO. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8 and then two-wide most of the ¼ to get the lead, yielded for the pocket, had a good trip, to the Pocono Pike, showed determination but couldn’t quite make it. SNOWBALL’S ROMEO was first in, then yielded, was helmetbumping in the three-hole during quarter two, couldn’t keep pace late. GRAY DRAGON was second-over, three-wide late turn, not enough rally. VIRGIN STORM moved uncovered 3/8, challenged, couldn’t sustain in the final panel. DO WORK SON was third-over, ducked in on the far turn, was not prominent in the stretch. AFLAME HANOVER never got close. DRAGON ROARS AGAIN lost contact approaching the 5/8.
FOURTEENTH RACE – HORSE sprung right out to the lead and was aided by the confusion caused by the breaker, had a clear lead much of the middle half, held gamely to the line. EXPLOIT had begun a quarter-move from fourth 3/16 when bothered by the breaker and had to go wide, retucked in the pocket and gapped midrace, got closer, steadily but not enough. FULL MOON BEACH was probably bothered the worst in the field having to go very wide at the ¼, to second-over, three-wide past the ¾ and went on nicely. JACKIE MOON was bothered, sat in and shuffled to last, widest in the lane and had good velocity late. HIGH MINDED tucked third, bothered, in, Pocono Pike, little response late. RIVERTON AM was bothered, moved two- and three-wide but couldn’t gain enough. ROGERS IMAGE went into the pocket at the 1/8, broke at the ¼ causing confusion, recovered and paced up raw, tired in the lane.
FIFTEENTH RACE – PRINCE OF TIDES was four-wide to the 1/8, three-wide to the 3/16 then on to the lead 5/16, but the early work didn’t appear to bother him at all, as he went on at a good clip and was a safe winner. JK MUSICMAN was two-wide early before taking a hole, moved uncovered 5/8, paced very strongly to the wire though not really threatening. BRAVO TEX N was second-over, next in line. DOUBLEORNOTHING N was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-deep to 3/16 command, yielded to the winner, couldn’t match strides from the 11/16. STATEMENT MADE A showed good speed as innermost of the leavers, raced third, was blocked on the far turn but didn’t gain once shown the Pocono Pike. THE OTHER TRIO were in arrears throughout.