FIRST RACE – 23 degrees all day … A swirling wind that generally played as a Pocono-atypical stretch tailwind … Midcard, um, interesting weather, as you’ll see … SPORTSMANSHIP moved second-over, left uncovered ¾, wore down a tiring MILITARY MASTER A late. The latter went up a bit belatedly and tucked fourth, moved uncovered into turn two, went 28 against the wind to clear 11/16, visibly weakened midstretch and couldn’t quite last to the line. DARK HORSE was three-wide to get around lagging horses, gained two-wide on the turn, did well to be third. ARTACHE HANOVER was caught inside and badly shuffled, got free midturn, not all that much once clear. BEST SHOT N was out past the 3/16 for the lead, set the pace, couldn’t resist the winner late backstretch and backed up. POINTSMAN couldn’t go with cover. SPIDER MAN HANOVER left for the two-hole, gave ground most of the last half. CAVIART SAGE was always far back.
SECOND RACE – LIMA SPARTAN went to the lead, yielded past the 1/8 for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and proved much the best. BADIX HANOVER was on top past the 1/8, set the pace, no match for the winner but held off the rest. HAYMITCH started a long uncovered move off turn two and challenged the leader, couldn’t sustain late. BJ’S GUY was wide early, tucked fourth 3/16, then second-over, three-wide headstretch, couldn’t gain. BEACHMASTER TWO circled a pair of slower horses but couldn’t pass the others. THUNDER SOME WHERE and MISTER TRUTH both lost contact in the second half.
THIRD RACE – SHARE THE WEALTH got a forward spot, came uncovered towards the 11/16, trotted steadily and proved the best. ARGENTO was outside late backstretch but then ducked back in, angled wide headstretch and did well for second. BAR COINS moved behind the cover of the winner on the far turn, evenly. SKRILL retucked around a gapper on the backstretch but still far behind, closed with good trot but made a break just before the wire, placed. CREATE set the pace with two moves and had things his own way, but couldn’t maintain the lead. TNT BLUE CHIP went on to get the front off the first turn, yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, not much. THE OTHER TWO were never close then fell even further behind.
FOURTH RACE – JK MIKI MANTLE, the son of two Horses of the Year (Always B Miki – JK She’salady), moved with cover before the half, left uncovered before the 5/8, ducked in briefly on the turn then moved out, powered away in a most impressive debut. MELANIE’S NICK was uncovered going to turn two, went in 27.2 the third split to zoom right on by the leader, couldn’t handle the winner but clear for second in a good race. BEST BETTOR left three-wide, made the lead to the 3/16, didn’t have the sprint to deal with the top two but went along steadily for third. BUCHANNON HANOVER was the innermost of the speed, yielded, fair in the very quick last half. HUNT FOR CASH raced into the pocket past the 1/8, backed out at the 5/8 but couldn’t keep up. THE OTHER PAIR were in the last two places throughout.
FIFTH RACE – ALL RISE put a foe in behind early and set the pace, drew clear even though the pace was slowing. NIGHT FLYER K left but soon was taking back, then followed the parked horse, left uncovered before the 11/16, went on very steadily to be a good second. CHECKMATE HILL pulled before the ¼ and grinded up raw, got to the two-hole past the 5/8, won a three-way photo for third after expending a good bit of energy. O JONNIE was outside, gapped, came on a little nearing the wire. CRITICAL MASS was shuffled when the pocketsitter tired 5/8, got out ¾, went back inside for the stretch, so-so. CARAMEL MACCHIATO was shuffled to last, three-wide on the far turn, appeared to jump some debris in his path headstretch and broke. ARCH CREDIT actually showed first off the gate but took the pocket, had little from soon past the half.
SIXTH RACE – Sun … FOX VALLEY CACHET moved uncovered 5/8, got cover ¾, went after the new leader in the stretch and drew off handily. HOFFMAN HANOVER was double-looped and wide to the first turn, pressed on to take the top 5/16, yielded for the pocket, vacated that spot ¾ and went past the leader, second-best. JAGGED LITTLE PILL had the early pocket, caught in and gained some, came between horses and just got the distant third. IDEAL DESTINY didn’t take too long to get the top, saw two go by in quarter two, backed out to avoid a shuffle, evenly. SWEET OMEN briefly had cover off the first turn then went on to get command past the 3/8, tired in the last quarter. SHE LOVES THE HUNT was never close. GOTTALUVIT HANOVER made up ground on the far turn and tipped wide but then went offstride. SWEET HELLO had little to offer.
SEVENTH RACE – A snow squall … PHANNY’S MATTER moved towards the half, had cover then lost it 11/16, advanced, drew off in the stretch. MYREANNA was erratic – had the early pocket, gapped, tightened in, gapped badly into the backstretch, tighter 11/16, gapped on the far turn, then came up the Pocono Pike and was second. HOT CHOCO LATTE was uncovered early on turn two, challenged, got into the pocket 11/16, backed out behind the winner headstretch, OK. BUCKET HEAD went down the road, tired. SUNSEEKER HANOVER got the last check. BOURBON CHESTNUT had some pace in the stretch but far too belatedly. BARSTOOL BELLA tucked, then was outside but couldn’t go enough. BLUE TESLA was off the gate, then broke towards the first turn.
EIGHTH RACE – Sun … BYGONE HANOVER left some, came out of the three-hole 5/8 and grinded, showed the most late. LADY ELECTRA was out between horses for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, close but not enough. BETTOR STRAIT N UP was three-wide to the first turn and on top soon thereafter, set her own pace, couldn’t keep the lead to the wire. HELLRUNNER HANOVER gapped the middle half, outside on the far turn but couldn’t gain. SOUTHWIND MOLLY didn’t make her presence felt. TRULY made a break late on turn one.
NINTH RACE – A snow squall so intense it created near whiteout conditions … JOE JOE JOE sat in the two-hole until headstretch, then caught DARTY on the money. The latter raced the pace without pressure, held gamely, just nipped. LAZER JET sat midpack, outside at a distance midturn, far-back third. CHOCOLATE MATTERS got a slow start and gapped at a couple points, evenly. PHANTOM RUSTY was never prominent. ALLOUTOFLIGHT also gapped at points early, gapped out for good 5/8.
TENTH RACE – Sun … WHATA TREASURE moved at the 3/8 and got to be second-over at the half, three-wide midturn, steadily to outpace two rivals to his inside. P L LEEROY moved before the 3/16 to get control of the throttle off the first turn, held gamely. ROGUE CHEDDAR was used to clear just past the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, a bit loose down the backstretch, outside headstretch, had his chance but didn’t quite have enough. PIRATES ALLEY left well and yielded, sat in, to the Pocono Pike, fair. SKYWAY FIREBALL came uncovered at the half, advanced some then backed off in the last 3/16. THE OTHER DUO did not reach contention.
ELEVENTH RACE – P L OLIVIA went straight to the front and could not be caught. BLESSINGSANDFAVOR grabbed the pocket at the 1/8 and followed the winner, couldn’t keep up in the last ¼ but still was second. FINAL CLASS sat in, to the Pocono Pike and fair. NEWSBOY stayed in, to the deep Pike and gained some. BLING IM A WINNER got away well, uncovered off the second turn, never got close to the winner before fading. IDENTITY POLICE moved into turn two and got cover at the other end of the turn but gapped it. CHING CHING LUCKY never entered contention. PADRE broke past the half.
TWELFTH RACE – SAMMY THE BULL N quarter-moved from third, had the opposition only reach his wheel, drew clear in the lane. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N raced into the pocket 3/16, came back on the attack 9/16, couldn’t overtake the winner but battled gamely to be second ahead of AN THE THUNDEROLLS. The latter left purposefully for the early lead, was content to yield for the pocket, lost ground in the lane and failed to hold place. WHATA TWIST was last, gained three-wide through the final turn and through the stretch in a very good showing. WHAT’S GOIN ON came out at the half and quickly gained cover, but soon was gapping it a bit, no late threat. BRADY TO GRONK was never prominent. MCLEISH stayed with the main group until headstretch. BAYONET was third-over but couldn’t keep up.
THIRTEENTH RACE – DREAM OF LUCK was outside past the 9/16 and soon had cover, stayed in the two-path in the stretch as his cover ducked inside, just enough to outfoot TERRY A HANOVER. The latter was three-high to the 1/8 and in front 3/16, saw two go by in quarter two, backed out to third-over ¾, wide in the stretch and closed very strongly to come up just shy. BELLOWS BINGE was quarter-mover #2, fought off the first-over, but didn’t have enough for the late closers. MANKAT moved raw nearing the 5/8, couldn’t go by, went inside late turn and to the Pocono Pike, OK. THE NEXT THREE did not enter contention at any point. MUSCLE MACH A made two speed moves then yielded to an onrusher to sit the pocket, had had enough at the ¾.
FOURTEENTH RACE – WINNING IS SWEET made the lead into turn one, went on strongly forcing some tucks, yielded 5/16 but retook the lead, would not let the favorite get by him approaching the ¾, then held off the Pocono Pike bid of RYCROFT N. The latter was four-wide to turn one, three-wide most of the ¼, then onward to lead 5/16, yielded for the pocket, stayed close then took his shot in the Pocono Pike, just missed. FATHER SARDUCCI did leave from the rail, yielded to turn one, out uncovered 3/8 and grinded up, had almost a full length advantage 11/16 but couldn’t cross over, fell back on the turn and looked done, but found renewed life in the stretch and paced gamely. DEVISSER was five-wide to turn one, saw no value remaining outside so took back to tuck, then was second-over, gapped down the back, three-wide late turn, OK. RANSOM DEMAND backed out to fourth-over, advanced in a blindswitch far turn and into the stretch, then had to change course for a continued clear path, steady effort. BUSH MAN A was three-wide early and between horses until tucking behind the winner near the ¼, inside, gapped most of the last half. REYS N A RUCKUS was third-over behind gapping cover, three-wide ¾ but didn’t gain. JUMPIN JAKE FLASH had the best view throughout.
FIFTEENTH RACE – DOWNTHEROAD Z TAM went up gradually and got into the pocket just past the ¼, gapped early backstretch but was tighter 11/16, to the Pocono Pike, lead midstretch, withstood RENO DINERO. The latter led the outer flow from nearing turn two, challenged, kept going gamely to the wire and just failed. ALWAYS BETTER was second-over, steadily for third. A SHORE LEGACY was away strongly and set a relatively quick pace for these in the frigid climate, drew clear headstretch but then paid the price for his exertions. SWEET SUCCESS moved third-over, drifted half-and-half off the second turn then bothered a foe, made up ground through the backstretch but flattened in the last 1/8; following an inquiry was placed for casing interference. LATEST ATTRACTION was never prominent. IVY STUD was fourth-over, got tangled up with a foe and suffered an interference break. CAPTAIN EMOTION let and yielded, gapped late on the first turn and gave the pocket off that bend, fell back considerably in the last quarter.