FIRST RACE – Rain before the card and intermittently during it, making for a “sloppy +1” track that seemed a little more tiring towards the end … Temperatures in the high 40s …Swirling, changeable wind … TITO ROCKS got in front at the 1/8, buried the field with a 26.4 third quarter, won handily. FRISKIE ALL NITE was away nicely and sat in the pocket, stayed fairly close to the winner. FOREVER FAV took a 3-tuck to the first curve, gapped ¾, held third over GRAY DRAGON. The latter left but was taken back, four-wide to the first turn then gradually retreating, stayed in, finished with pace in the Pocono Pike. MAJOR BETTS moved uncovered into turn two, gained some while pacing his own third split in 26.3, but was done soon afterward. BENSON BOYS N was never a factor. SHNEONUCRZYDIAMND A gapped cover second-over. EXPLOIT was third-over behind a gapper, moved wide ¾ but made no inroads.
SECOND RACE – SWEET HEART AS originally sat in towards the half, then got a literal and figurative break as the second-over miscued, backed out to second-over 5/8, three-wide past midturn, enough late to just get by WARRIOR WAY. The latter was forwardly-placed, dove deep in the Pocono Pike, got the briefest of leads deep stretch, just missed. MACMORRIS HANOVER tucked third just past the 1/8, quarter-moved and rated the half, sped up to meet a challenger, not enough in the lane. PAPI HANOVER came through from the rail to force tucks, yielded for the pocket, inside the pacesetter but not enough. MUSHANA was uncovered on turn two and speed-grinded up, held on pretty well. BANZAI AS never entered the main proceedings. MATT’S MUSCLES, off the gate, gapped at the back. MOVEOUTOFMYWAY K had just moved to second-over when breaking going into the backstretch.
THIRD RACE — ALL OR NOTHING defended the pocket and stayed close, a little loose on the turn but closer headstretch, then gained into the 27 kicker to win confidently. SHAKE IT went right to the top and set the pace as he pleased, came home in 27 but was still outeighthed. ALL THE CHIPS saw the inside two going strongly and tucked third, outside midturn, did well. DOCTOR BB didn’t have enough kick. BUCHANNON HANOVER wasn’t keeping up on the far turn. WAR OF WILL didn’t keep up at any point, including going to the start.
FOURTH RACE – BACKSTREET PLAYER avoided trouble with the horse breaking inside him before the start, was uncovered 9/16 and dueled with BJORNSSON the rest of the way, wore that one down by a nostril. The latter was in front 3/16, really slowed the half then picked it up when the winner came calling, gave his all to the line. BIG BEN HANOVER yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and was not very far off. TNT BLUE CHIP sat in, went evenly. DUSTIN HANOVER was second-over, slightly gapped cover, evenly. BRIGHT SIDE UP broke before the start, recovered and caught the field by the half, but faded. PAYMAQ broke just past the start.
FIFTH RACE – LANJO LEE yielded for the pocket, backed out late backstretch as the first-over took over 11/16 and was raw, drew clear easily with his own back half in 55.1. HUNTSVILLE PLACE moved out late backstretch, gradually got close to the top two on the turn, continued on and was up for second. LETMECALLYOUBACK moved from third 5/8 and went right by, tired and couldn’t hold second. ALWAYS BETTER was not prominent. THIRD POWER was on top at the 1/8, set the pace, was challenged 11/16 and had no response. THE OTHER PAIR were well back.
SIXTH RACE – MISTER BOINGA was four-wide towards turn one, dropped down and took a 4-tuck 3/16, uncovered into turn two and went right on to challenge the favorite and clear ¾, all alone. TUIS SHADOW made the lead before the 1/8, pushed to the fast quarter and yielded, came on late in the Pocono Pike to edge MON AMOUR for second. The latter was out past the quick quarter to get command, had no answer for the winner, couldn’t preserve second late. TRICKY DICK and REAL MCCOY passed tired horses in the stretch. WORTHY OF HONOR had forward position, faded. LEPANTO was second-over but gapped. SWIZZLE HANOVER gapped throughout.
SEVENTH RACE – DERECHO left behind cover then tucked third at the 1/8, moved before the 3/8 to get the lead into the second turn, fought off the first-over, then held gamely against the move of JUST A WRANGLER. The latter got a second-over trip, three-wide midturn, came up a little shy. HASH-TAG SWAG changed his mind at the half and stayed in, edged outside early stretch and was along for third. LEGAL POWER made two speed moves then yielded to the winner, tired in the stretch. SALVADORS SUN never featured. THISJETSABOOKIN was out most of the ¼ to get the lead, saw two go by in quarter two, moved again first-over at the half and challenged, tired badly, BEACH FIRE K was third-over when going offstride ¾.
EIGHTH RACE – DANDY protected early position, stayed in, inherited the pocket 5/8, was loose in it until headstretch, then moved out and had a terrific last 1/16 to thunder by BEER CHEESE in a 28 last quarter,. The latter was quickly on top, yielded to the chalk, inherited the lead 5/8, shook off the first-over and had a clear lead early stretch, but got outtrotted late – still a very good mile. BAR COINS got in motion after the breaker 5/8 and rushed up to challenge, then fell back. DONATELLO HANOVER stayed flat. TARGET PRACTICE backed out to second-over but broke far turn. MALONE was looped early, worked to the lead near the ¼, rated the half, broke on his own 5/8, placed. UNLEASH THE TITAN broke 3/8.
NINTH RACE – CHICKEN NUGGET was third-over, three-wide 11/16 and gained, to two-wide late turn, outfooted CAPTAIN MULZAC but not by that much. The latter pushed and yielded, uncovered on turn two, grinded away and was able to cross over to the inside lead late turn, tried very hard to the line. WON LAST FEELING wanted the early lead but was put into the pocket 3/16, inside, slid out headstretch and finished well. LINCOLNJAMES was second-over, blindswitched by the winner 11/16, able to swing wide nearing headstretch, OK. CLASSIC PRO worked hard to seat a rival early, had a big challenge from the first-over and finally gave way late on the turn. MUDVILLE gapped inside. SULLIVAN moved from last at the ¼ and wound up fifth-over, not much chance from there; same story for fourth-over CAL.
TENTH RACE – KEYSTONEFIGHTNIGHT left between horses to command at the 1/8, yielded to the 5/16 but cane back out 3/8 and retook control, was in a long battle with the first-over chalk when that one broke headstretch, safe from there. DEFENSIVE PLAYER was second-over but gapped, then found better strides in the last ¼. INSTANTANEOUS CASH was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the 5/16 for the lead, yielded for the pocket, gapped the duelers on the far turn, fair late. CAPTAIN COOK was far back, wide, moving well late. DIVINE RIGHT gapped at several points, then had no stretch clearance. BAREFOOT BLAZER did not make an impact. KINGSVILLE left, yielded, moved out 5/8 and pressed the winner from the 11/16, head-to-head with that one through the turn, then bore a bit wide headstretch before galloping.
ELEVENTH RACE – EL TORO LOCO made the lead at the 1/8, slowed the half, was not challenged until late, holding off the big closing kick of THAT OLE BAR STOOL. The latter moved out behind cover past the 5/8, three-wide midturn, made up a lot of ground with an own last quarter of 28. HIGHGATE vacated fourth 5/8, steadily. CANTSTOP YANKEE went right to the top, yielded for the pocket, didn’t have much left in the last ¼. JOYGO looked to be going all she could just to stay close. PINEWOOD HANOVER broke before the start. EMMA TALKING was sitting third when losing gait 3/16.
TWELFTH RACE – CRACK A SMILE made the lead, got a slow second ¼, couldn’t speed up enough to keep the chalk from brushing by ¾, but kept on digging and easily picked up that one in the lane. SILVERSTONE started uncovered into turn two, paced in 27 raw down the back to clear the lead, could not sustain the advantage but did hold second over MASK ON MASK OFF. The latter gapped early backstretch, then appeared to go inside the pylons to avoid trouble later down the back, advanced inside, Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite reach for second. BULLVILLE FRANK was second-over but gapped, then lost momentum when the backing-out horse made a break past the 5/8. I PAY YOUR SALARY and TREVOR’S HUNT were also bothered by the late backstretch incident. FORKNER HANOVER raced in the pocket, backed out behind the brusher 5/8 but soon broke stride, bothering those in back of him.
THIRTEENTH RACE – ROBBIE PEV tucked in fourth then was third as a rival broke, underway raw off turn two and trotted up smartly to clear ¾, drew away. FOCUS POCUS was three-wide early, went on to command just past the 3/16, fought with the winner the third quarter, surrendered the lead, did hold for second although tiring late. DIVINE SPIRIT pulled and soon got the winner out but could not keep up with him, did better in the stretch. ONE AFTER NINE followed cover, no factor. BANG BANG BOINGA was stuck inside and shuffled, but didn’t gain once free. MOON BRIDGE was never prominent. HURRIKANE WILLIE G went to the lead, yielded for the pocket, devoid of further trot before the 5/8. HOPE SO broke sitting third late on the first bend.
FOURTEENTH RACE – PRINCE OF TIDES was on the move from fourth before the ¼ and got the top, took a breather in quarter two, then continued in invincible form against his opposition. CAPTAIN ROMANCE made the lead 3/16, yielded to the winner, gave determined chase but was not threatening although pacing a big mile on his own. VIRGIN STORM sat inside, caught SHAKE THAT HOUSE for third. The latter left well to defend the early pocket, tired in the stretch. STATEMENT MADE A sat in and got the last check. AFLAME HANOVER gapped early, moved second-over but couldn’t reach cover, three-wide far turn when cover faltered, not in the hunt. AMERICAN INFLUENCE moved raw 3/8 and spent a long time on the rim before backing off 11/16. HORSE didn’t have great cover and was not heard from.
FIFTEENTH RACE – CAPTAINGIDDYUPNGO came out just before the ¼ and was pushed just past the 3/8 to get the top, had things his own way, had to stay sharp to defeat GREG THE LEG. The latter got an excellent start, pushed the winner some before yielding, went to the Pocono Pike and tried hard to the line. C-BET HANOVER went up raw down the back, never reached the leader but paced well for third. ONE OF THE GUYS got the early pocket, stayed in, couldn’t hold third. GUSSY’S TRUMP CARD was no factor. IVY STUD moved outside, made a break midturn. PRAISE ME HANOVER kept falling further behind the second half.