FIRST RACE – Another warm day with a “fast” track … Some stretch headwind to start … SEAL O’NEILL, calmer early this week, had a great second-over trip, three-wide early on the far turn, could draw away from these. The next six were within a half length, fronted by COXCOMB, who was wide leaving when he made a break, caught the field, broke again off the second turn, recovered again, didn’t tip wide until midstretch and was still seventh with 100 feet to go, but closed past a big pack to grab second. CHUCK THE CHEESE was looped leaving and parked with cover to the 3/16, then on to gain the front past the first turn, backed off the half then was under hustling tactics the rest of the way, held pretty well. JK’S PILOT was first-up into turn two, gave the leader a hard challenge from the 5/8 onwards, held well. SVENGALI was third-over, three-wide slightly off cover far turn, steadily. RACINWITHEWIND made the lead 3/16, yielded for the pocket. Pocono Pike, missed a half length for second but didn’t get a check. WESTERN WALTZ left, yielded, a bit loose before the ¾, deep Pike, OK late. RIPPLESONTHEBEACH broke at the start.
SECOND RACE – BET ON BLAKE left well, yielded 5/16 and had a good ride in the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and drew off. CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN was five-wide before the first turn, three-wide to the 1/8, and on top 5/16, had to really speed up (with the wind) down the back to meet the pressure of the first-up, held second in another race with the horses behind the winner well-clustered (the next six were within a length at the wire). TERRY A HANOVER took an early tuck, third-in, evenly. STIENAM’S BEACH came first-over into turn two, went a big third quarter to press the leader, held OK. GUINNESS PANIC stayed in from last, had some pace in the Pike. JACKIE MOON suffered early “b.e.”, was third-over but gapped in the quick third panel, OK at the wire. BEACH FORECAST stayed tight second-over, three-wide late turn, not enough at crunch time. FULL MOON BEACH didn’t enter contention.
THIRD RACE – PLAY THE FIELD went to early command, yielded to sit the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, to the lead midstretch, had just enough to hold off DRAGON STRIKES. The latter got an early spot then had a good second-over trip, three-wide late turn, found his best strides a bit too late to take it all. MANNY was looped early, worked up to the lead 5/16, had pressure, not quite enough in the latter stages. ALI tucked third, came first-overland before the 9/16 and pressed the leader, couldn’t sustain the forward move. INDIGO ART sat in, not enough pace. MUDVILLE gapped, was moving a little better nearing the finish. ROLLIN IN NEW YORK was last, lost ground much of the last half.
FOURTH RACE – MISS MCKEE was parked just past a good opening quarter, rated the half then sped up when challenged, had enough to keep on rolling to the wire. KENOGAMI COCO was a little rough past the start and got away sixth, second-over and left a small gap, then wide and good late. CRAZYCAT rode third-in, locked in on the turn, to the deep Pocono Pike and gained. SHADRACK HANOVER started raw 3/8 and speed-grinded, advanced to the stretch then backed off some. SORTIE was third-over, came between horses in tight quarters midstretch and had trot. PAPI HANOVER took the lead early, yielded off the first bend, a little loose in the pocket the last ¼. DARTY, a bit off the gate, was last throughout.
FIFTH RACE – PREMIER ROCKSTAR was three-wide to the 3/16 then accepted the pocket at the ¼, waited, to the Pocono Pike, right on by to win handily. KILLER MARTINI started uncovered into the second turn and got cover at the other end of the curve, three-wide midturn, good race. LYONS AMUSEMENTS was looped early, had a hole shut on him and had to tuck back fourth, had space to get tighter inside down the back but didn’t, fair late inside. LEAR SEELSTER was last, angled out behind the place horse then inside him deep stretch to show pace finishing. LEGAL POWER wanted the lead, slowed the half then sped up, still not much in the lane. OWEN shut a hole 3/16, then uncovered of turn two, but didn’t pose a serious threat.
SIXTH RACE – THAT OLE BAR STOOL left for the pocket, pulled 11/16 and went right by, named his margin and likely will be facing better shortly after this fast mile. TOP ME OFF got cover 5/8 and worked in a good flow, continued on well late. MISTER BOINGA went in third to the 3/16, outside 5/8, soon had cover but lost it ¾, inside stretch, not very far off second at all. CHAPOLIER was six-wide when looking over at other leavers and decided to take back to last, made up a lot of ground in a race better than the line may suggest. WHAT A DAME gapped early, couldn’t go this much. TRAIN never entered the picture. CREDIT CON was right to the top, powerless when the leader came to him to the ¾ and faded. MON AMOUR was never a factor.
SEVENTH RACE – ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP stated his intention to cut the pace with a 25.3 opener, moderated the half but had to get into a much higher gear when the winner came first-over, got that one to back off, then stayed game to defeat inside rival SEXY BLUE CHIP in 1:49.2, fastest mile of the year at Pocono. The latter left and took the pocket, stayed close, battled strongly to the line in the Pocono Pike but couldn’t catch the strong winner. CAVIART MAX started uncovered 3/8, speed-grinded his third split in 26.1 fighting the leader, was shaken off on the turn and retreated to third-inside, far ahead of the rest. BELLOWS BINGE kept a hole closed early, gapped most of the last half. AMERICA’S GUEST was second-over but couldn’t go with cover (no wonder with a 1:21.1 3/4s). BEVANS CULLEN N was always far back. TUXEDO BAY was three-wide to the 3/16 then took back to fourth after very hard usage to the ¼, tired.
EIGHTH RACE – QUEEN OF ALL made the top at the 1/8, set a fast pace keeping a challenging foe parked, didn’t have either of the stretch contenders pose a major threat. RED REDEMPTION let for the pocket and stayed tight until the ¾, looked all-out in the last quarter and did just hold second over DAGON HANOVER. The latter tucked at the 1/8, moved out 5/8 and was soon sweeping three-wide to get to two-wide uncovered 11/16, challenged, held on pretty well. NEWSBOY was shuffled some, passed the others. TRICKY DICK gapped the last half. BOASTER COASTER never factored. PRACTICAL CAT was four-wide leaving, three-wide to the 1/8, then left out in the air, actually had a short lead 3/8 but the winner went enough to keep him out, faded late backstretch. NIGHT FLYER K disconnected the last half.
NINTH RACE – LITTLEBITASWAGGER moved from third off the second turn and went 27 down the back to clear 11/16 and go off to a decisive victory. RYCROFT N was caught in and shuffled then backed out to join the flow after the winner was gone, four-wide off the far turn and closed well. TRENTE DEO came out behind a horse who couldn’t stay with the winner’s cover, three-wide late turn, won a picture for third. JUST A WRANGLER sat in and was shuffled significantly, outside in a blindswitch late turn, cleared in a thin seam to the left of the show horse midstretch and finished with pace. BOBBY K HILL went right to the lead, yielded in a quick quarter for the pocket, didn’t have too much the last quarter. WELL DONE SON was uncovered 3/8 then got cover behind the winner early backstretch but could not go with him. HEARTLANDBANYSBRO was four-wide early, to two-wide by the 1/8 and made the lead before the fast quarter, moderated the half, but couldn’t answer the move of the winner late backstretch. ARTISTS RUFFLES didn’t have enough the last 3/8.
TENTH RACE — J M MANDAMIN left well from the rail, pushed a foe past the ¼ then yielded for the pocket and waited, went to the Pocono Pike and quickly took over, then held off TITO ROCKS to his left. The latter protected forward position early, stayed in, to the deep Pike and closed well. ISLAND OF THE SEA was three-wide from third-over ¾, finished strongly. CAPTAIN ROMANCE looked at leaving but took back to tuck fourth, started uncovered 9/16 and speed-grinded up, gave some ground from early stretch. CAVIART LUCA stayed in and was shuffled to last, had to angle to the extreme outside midstretch and finished with pace. I’LL DRINK TO THAT was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide just past a fast quarter to get the lead, went on, tired in the lane. I’M A GIGOLO N was last, stayed inside and finished with some power. REBELLIOUS was second-over but gapped to the ¾.
ELEVENTH RACE – GO WEST GO FAST was the only hard outside leaver and was on top into turn one, set the pace without pressure, had some foes narrowing in late but prevailed, again claimed for a Pocono-record $40,000. BAMSKI was fourth-in, gapped far turn, then angled wide early stretch, hit overdrive midstretch and wasn’t too far off at the line at 45-1. BRAVO TEX N tucked, then was uncovered into turn two, never reached the pocket horse’s wheel until midturn, continued on very gamely. IDEAL WHEEL was away well and got the pocket trip, not quite enough. MAJOR DESIRE stayed inside, not gaining along the inside late. JUST N ACE was behind gapping cover with little chance. TULLOW N was not heard from. WESTERN TYRANT needed most of the quarter to settle in, then was again underway second-over towards turn two, but gapped his cover.
TWELFTH RACE – CARLISIMO was pushed past a fast quarter to get the lead, slowed the half, then stepped it up in a major way to deal with the first-over BETTOR MEMORIES down the back and through the turn, was able to slowly edge away from that tough foe from midstretch. The latter vacated third raw at the half and came with everything he had, paced his own third quarter in 25.4 and got a head up ¾ but couldn’t clear, backed off a little late but well ahead of the rest after a giant outing. AMERICANLIGHTNINGN was out of there quickly, pushed the fast quarter then yielded, stayed pretty well connected behind the wild duel in the third quarter, fell back some in the last 1/8 but still held third. WAR-N-MUNN tucked, briefly out then back in at the half, gapped in the lightning third split, outside late turn, evenly late. TOWN GOSSIP was uncovered from next-to-last into turn two but was in another time zone on the outside down the back, did get the last check. THE OTHER THREE were beyond midpack throughout and never in the main picture. … There was a general inquiry after the race which yielded no placings.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LETS ROLL took the top past the 1/8, ceded the lead in front of the grandstand and waited in the pocket, had room to move outside headstretch and outsprinted these by a decisive margin. FRISKIE ALL NITE pulled from third 5/8 and gained a little, couldn’t keep the winner locked in, did catch CAVIART ROCKLAND for second. The latter was in front going into the initial curve, yielded, retook to the 3/8, set the pace without pressure but didn’t have the necessary speed coming home. HE’S ELECTRIC gained some early backstretch, blocked on the far turn, edged out headstretch and grabbed the next spot. MACH WEST left a gap throughout the second half. TWIN B FIGHTER had major traffic woes. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL was uncovered into turn two, gained a little but stopped gaining when getting cover just past the 5/8. DOUBLEORNOTHING N was outside but had little to offer.
FOURTEENTH RACE – JL CRUZE was looped early and methodically worked his way to the lead past the ¼, rated the half, was not in serious doubt. RICH AND MISERABLE got position leaving, gaped slightly as the backstretch pace quickened, then was blocked midturn as the pocketsitter started to falter, clear headstretch and a clear second. MARION GONDOLIER also was trapped in late far turn, shook loose and had trot to be third. DEE’S RED DELICIOUS had dull cover second-over, wide late far turn and had some on the end. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT moved uncovered into turn two, never got close to the main action. BEERTHIRTY K went right out to take over, yielded to the winner, stayed close to the ¾, then was tired. P L NOTSONICE had settled into a tuck then broke 3/16.