FIRST RACE – Strange day weatherwise: Temperature starting at 60, fast track, stretch headwind; then in races 7-10, rain started, with the track “sloppy +1” after the seventh, and the temperature dropping 17 degrees in that period; a reversal of wind direction midcard for the next few races … RICH AND MISERABLE was outside with cover at the ¼, lost cover 5/16 and went on to the lead, going his own second split in 27.3 vs. the wind, but stayed in control to the line. P L NOTSONICE was double-looped early, pushed on to the lead 5/16, then yielded for the two-hole, had a shot up the Pocono Pike, good but second-best. MARION GONDOLIER was uncovered from early backstretch, held on well. SWEET HEART AS was second-over, gapped far turn, couldn’t gain late. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT went into the early pocket before the 3/16, sat in, backed out on the far bend but didn’t come back on. CUPID HANOVER was first to show on top, pushed past the ¼ and yielded, not enough to offer in the last ¼. WARRIOR WAY was never prominent.
SECOND RACE – CAPTAIN MULZAC was between horses to a fast quarter before getting the lead, kept his righthand foe parked, drew away from all but the two-holer in a 27 third quarter, was still looking good when that one broke early stretch and thus was far clear, with his 1:50.1 equaling the fastest mile of the year at Pocono. KEYSTONE TENACIOUS used the rail to maximum advantage, yielded for the pocket, stayed on the winner’s back, was looking for more early stretch when misstepping, righted the ship in time to cross the line second and then be adjudged guilty of no reason for placing. BAMSKI avoided the outer tier and was up for third. CLASSIC PRO fell back off the top two midbackstretch. LINCOLNJAMES sat in, moved out on the turn but couldn’t make a forward dent. WON LAST FEELING looked at leaving but took back, soon got in an outer flow that would go nowhere. DERECHO came out behind the parked horse past the ¼, went three-wide early backstretch when that one backed off, to two-wide but never got close. CAL went out to contest early but was limbed three-deep through a hot ¼ and then two-wide, started to back up soon off the second turn.
THIRD RACE – ALL OR NOTHING was four-wide leaving, went on to two-wide and then the front at the ¼, came home in 54.3 – 27.1 as much the best. CAPTAINGIDDYUPNGO got a forward position, on his own while gapping from the ¼ to the 5/8, then asked for more at the latter point when moving outside, clearly second here. LETMECALLYOUBACK got an alert start and the lead, yielded for the two-hole, couldn’t sprint enough late. ROLL WITH THE FLOW was never in any flow until the far turn, best of the rest. ONE OF THE GUYS took back early, got a tuck 3/16, gapped from the backstretch. DIVINE RIGHT was out second-over midbackstretch but had little to offer. BUCHANNON HANOVER never featured. PRAISE ME HANOVER lost contact past the half.
FOURTH RACE – THAT OLE BAR STOOL was three-high to turn one then went up and claimed command at the ¼, had a very easy time of it. BACKSTREET PLAYER got a forward spot, gapped in third down the back, outside late turn, drifted out a bit through the lane but held second over WESLYNN CROWN. The latter sat in, went inside the place horse midstretch and just failed to catch him. BIG BEN HANOVER yielded at the ¼ for the pocket, began loosening ¾. REECE N TEDDY was never heard from.
FIFTH RACE – Drizzle started … GO WEST GO FAST was three-wide to the first curve then on top 3/16, lived up to his name from there (at least the second part), handled confidently late. SULLIVAN left well then yielded for the pocket, put in a good chase in the Pocono Pike, well-clear of the rest. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL tucked third to the 1/8, uncovered soon into the backstretch, went up to challenge, couldn’t keep his forward move going the last 3/16. AMERICA’S GUEST came out 11/16, gapped three-wide cover far turn, got the last check. CHICKEN NUGGET backed off to spot fourth at the 1/8, then moved second-over, three-wide far turn, but had very little late. THE OTHER PAIR were always near the back.
SIXTH RACE – Wind beginning to change to a stretch tailwind … PAYMAQ went up to tuck third 3/16, outside soon off turn two, grinded, made the lead midturn, a bit tired on the end but not to be caught. DONATELLO HANOVER moved second-over, gapped at points, then gained to the line late. MALONE was away second, very loose in the pocket, then swung outside past midturn as the leader tired, found a better gear midstretch. JOYGO rolled on the engine, could offer no resistance to the winner in the last quarter. TARGET PRACTICE had disconnected by the half.
SEVENTH RACE – And the rain started in earnest … SHAKE IT yielded, quarter-moved, then came home in 56 – 27.2 as absolutely the best. CAPTAIN COOK took a tuck 1/8, came outside headstretch and was up for the distant second. TUF COOPER stayed in, to the Pocono Pike and enough for third. DEFENSIVE PLAYER went to the front at the 1/8, yielded to the winner, got more and more loose the last 3/16. HUNTING FOR MILES started out raw entering turn two, gained some into the backstretch wind, tired significantly from the 11/16. JK MIKI MANTLE was moving second-over when miscuing on turn two. I PAY YOUR SALARY broke while last in the frontstretch.
EIGHTH RACE – Track goes from 60o and “fast +0” to 48o and “sloppy +1” between races 7 and 8 … DUCASSE moved second-over 5/8, three-wide far turn, circled to the lead headstretch and drew away. BAR COINS moved out late far turn, avoided any problems inside and closed well to be second. BJORNSSON was in front at the 1/8, let a parked rival make the top to sit the pocket, may’ve been bothered slightly by the headstretch trouble, to the Pocono Pike, could not get second. CANTSTOP YANKEE bypassed an early tuck and pressed on to 3/8 command, set the pace, bore out headstretch and got into TNT BLUE CHIP, tired, placed for causing trouble. TNT BLUE CHIP had the pocket early, pulled out uncovered to the 5/8, still in the fight for minor honors headstretch when in tight with the pacesetter and suffering an “ix.” BEER CHEESE broke near the first turn.
NINTH RACE – MISTER BOINGA gradually worked his way up with then without cover until taking over at the 3/8, trotted home well. FOCUS POCUS was uncovered 11/16, saw the pocket horse start to edge out past midturn but then saw that one break, carried on and narrowed in well on the leader. DAGON HANOVER had cover, distant third. ONE AFTER NINE let a fast leaver go early, moved 3/16 in front of the winner, go the lead then yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, looked o be edging out again past the ¾ but broke, regained stride; an inquiry gave no reason for placing. TRICKY DICK and REAL MCCOY were never forward factors. BANG BANG BOINGA left well from the outside to make the top, yielded to two horses, looked to be tiring early stretch when making a break. TUIS SHADOW jumped right at the start.
TENTH RACE – VETTEL N circled everybody early, forced one tuck then let another foe go 3/8, only to retake into turn two, had a game foe to each side but himself was game and held on. LET IT RIDE N moved raw from last at the half but got nobody out so had to do the speed-grind, fought very hard to the very end. MR DS ROCK was looped and three-wide past the 1/8, took back into the pocket just past the 3/16, inside, finally got to the Pocono Pike and had a sharp late burst to be right there. PRINCE OF TIDES was looped between horses, pressed on to the lead 3/8, quickly yielded to the retaking winner, came up just a bit shy late. ELVER HANOVER was on the rail, was bothered by a breaking CASUAL COOL headstretch. The latter followed cover but gapped it, then broke headstretch.
ELEVENTH RACE – … and down to 43 degrees for this event, where it stayed for the rest of the card … BULLVILLE FRANK was behind dull cover, three-wide from midturn, just got by in the very last step. THIRD POWER got to the top at the 1/8, yielded, came back out from third midturn, kept coming although appearing to never get the lead. HUNTSVILLE PLACE came with a big rush at the half and cleared past the 5/8 while pacing his third split vs. the wind in 27.3, fought hard and still had the lead two steps out. KEYSTONEFIGHTNIGHT quarter-moved, yielded 5/8, came back in the Pocono Pike but may have been lugging in and had to be urged right-handed on the left side, right there. INSTANTANEOUS CASH couldn’t go with his cover and was left raw, didn’t get close and ducked in on the turn, gained some as the pace slackened late then looked to be shut off at the wire. FORKNER HANOVER sat in, was gaining some when breaking midstretch. CRACK A SMILE was three-wide to the 1/8, settled in at the ¼, looked a bit hard to handle, faded.
TWELFTH RACE – Wind calm … BELIEVER left with cover, eased in fifth 3/16, then was second-over, three-wide headstretch, closed strongly to just beat out the two inside ones. MACMORRIS HANOVER was three-wide past he 1/8, went along to take over 5/16 and soon yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, had a short lead past midstretch, just nipped. ICANFLYLIKEANANGEL moved off the rail at the 1/8 to join the frontward-heading procession, uncovered 5/16 to the lead 3/8, held pretty well. MUSHANA moved third-over but gapped, OK late. DARTY was first to the top then saw three go by in the next quarter mile, inside, to the inside stretch, evenly. BANZAI AS was not prominent. BANK BOX TREASURE left between horses to 1/8 command, yielded 5/16, came again raw past the half, gave way. VOSS VOLO was never close.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Pouring rain … LANJO LEE waited in fourth then moved at the half, paced like a machine in 26.1 down the backstretch to clear easily, still filling his hopples in the end in an extraordinary showing. SILVERSTONE went in third pat the 1/8, like everyone else couldn’t keep up down the back, outside in the lane and along for the distant second. GREG THE LEG outsped everybody early, really backed off the half, couldn’t go with the winner down the back, just failed to hold second. ALWAYS BETTER made the pocket, gapped down the backstretch, fair late. GUSSY’S TRUMP CARD got the last check. C-BET HANOVER was never prominent after not getting a good start. DOCTOR BB was behind dull cover, not a factor. TREVOR’S HUNT couldn’t go with cover as soon as he reached it at the half, had little.
FOURTEENTH RACE – LEGAL POWER went right to the top and was leaving nothing in reserve, tired midstretch but just hung on over KILLER MARTINI. The latter moved early on the second turn, found no cover, speed-grinded in 27 down the back but didn’t threaten the leader until midstretch, relentless and just missed a nose. HASH-TAG SWAG sat third-in, backed up a bit late turn by the fading pocketsitter, to the Pocono Pike and narrowed in well. P L LEEROY was looped early and made the pocket past the 1/8, not enough in the late stages. BEACH FIRE K moved out on the final turn but couldn’t gain enough. LEAR SEELSTER tried to go with cover but gapped. COMANCHE CREEK was way off the gate and was always disconnected.
FIFTEENTH RACE – DA DELIGHTFUL left behind cover, left coverless just past the 1/8 and went to the lead at the ¼, repulsed the first-over and then still had 27.1 speed the last quarter to leave these behind. DOUBLEORNOTHING N took the lead just past the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, kept up well until the last 1/8, clear in second. ITALIAN LAD N gapped most of the first half, eased to a half and half position early in the second turn, got in gear and went up first-over, tired; an inquiry against him for possible interference early on turn two resulted in no action. FRISKIE ALL NITE left and yielded, didn’t show too much in the last stanza. PERFECTLY CLOSE didn’t find his cover particularly useful, wide and had some at the end. JAHAN HANOVER never posed a threat. WATER SPORTS TEEN moved before turn two, was briefly three-wide as a horse eased out but didn’t accelerate, settled back to second-over, empty before the far turn. STATEMENT MADE A never was a factor in here.