FIRST RACE – Low 70s; stretch headwind … ROCK KING DEO was looped and tucked third to the first turn, then quarter-moved and was extended past the 3/8 in a fast half, rolled on in the third panel, then just held off the stretchlong charge of GOLDEN GESTURE. The latter was quickly on top, hit the quarter in 26.2, pushed the winner a ways before yielding, stayed tight then tipped out nearing the lane, just came up short in a good race. DOJEA SOLO left, too the early pocket at the 1/8, sat in, kept up until nearing headstretch, won third in a three-way photo. SPINOUT briefly moved out then went back in when cover was no good, a bit late. CODE MEISTER sat in, finished with some energy. NIHILATED TRUTH was outside raw off turn two, gained very little before fading. BETTOREVER was last by an increasing margin.
SECOND RACE – DAGON HANOVER came out at the ¼ and had the lead by the 3/8, left these well in the red dust with a fast 3/4s, easy winner. GOES DOWN SMOOTH fell in behind cover early then tucked fourth, moved out past the 5/8 and retucked in a yawning pocket ¾, clearly second-best. PHANTOM RUSTY left for the top, yielded at the ¼, moved out behind the cover of the place horse and was left raw ¾, beat out the rest. NIGHT FLYER K was parked to a quick quarter, yielded, unplugged from off the second turn. ANDOVERS TOUCH never got close. ROSE RUN WILDCAT left a gap for much of midrace, got closer to stragglers but couldn’t go by them; same story for BUTTER TOFFEE. GREEK LEGEND had rough steps just past the start and got away last, never improved on that position.
THIRD RACE – ABRUZZO came out uncovered 5/8, grinded a bit closer then got into a better gear far turn, by before midstretch and strode clear. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT was three-wide to the 3/16 then to the pocket at the ¼ after the horse to his left broke, got to the Pocono Pike, not in a league with the winner but enough for second. TSM PRINCE TRISTAN refused to yield, rated the half, had the winner come to him on the turn, tired. ANOTHER LONG SONG moved off turn two and got cover 5/8, couldn’t stay with it ¾, evenly late. ROJO MAN gapped outside, wide stretch, a bit late. CREDARENA spotted fifth, was shuffled far turn, went out between horses headstretch, then ducked in midstretch, fair late. U BAKE THE CAKE sat in, struggled to keep close the last 3/8. SUNBERRY HANOVER left, was between horses contending for the lead when breaking 3/8.
FOURTH RACE – An intermittent light rain/mist began to fall; the track was never reclassified from “fast” … ARTACHE HANOVER wanted the early lead and got it at the 1/8, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket and was the only one who kept up with the leader the third quarter, outside midturn, stepped away through the lane. SPORTSMANSHIP went around two gappers to retuck third past the 5/8, outside on the turn, just did save second from AIN’T IT FUN. The latter was on the place horse’s back then was left raw 11/16, got cover again late turn, found his best strides a bit too late for second. ROYAL HEART pushed to the 1/8 then yielded, moved to the lead in front of the stands, couldn’t shake the winner with a big third quarter, then himself tired the last 1/8. WHAT’S GOIN ON needed until the ¼ to make the 3-hole, started to disconnect at the 3/8. SAMMY THE BULL N developed a problem before the 3/8 and was pulled up.
FIFTH RACE – LUISELLA went around a gapper midbackstretch and continued on raw, hit a better gear on the turn while still well off the leader in the fast pace, but trotted on determinedly and was along on the money. WILLTOWIN HANOVER was looped early, refused the two-hole 3/16 and went on to command past the fast ¼, rated the half then opened a clear margin down the back as the pocketsitter stopped, hit the ¾ in fast time with a big lead, but saw that lead eaten into by the winner the last 3/16, just failed to hold. NIKKI THE NUN was forwardly-placed, went around the gapper to the pocket 5/8, tightened in, Pocono Pike, step-and-a-half short. PURE WOW lost contact with the top three before the ¾. CARAMEL MACCHIATO did get the last check. HONORABLE LADY was always far back. PRAIRIE GINGER gapped early, also never a major factor. IVORY ROAD looped everybody for the early lead, yielded past the ¼, started falling back coming off the second turn.
SIXTH RACE – JITTERBUG FLIP was on a front-end mission, hitting the ¼ in 26.2, not backing off the pace, was clear into the stretch, but PROSPECTORS GOLD was coming up determinedly late, just did hold on. The latter came uncovered 5/8 and retucked third, up the Pocono Pike and gained well late in the fast mile. BOBS REDEMPTION sat in the pocket behind the wicked fractions, held pretty well though falling back in the last 3/16. QUARANTINI was third at the 1/8, gapping by the ¼, far back. GOD WILLING moved outside behind the place horse but couldn’t keep up. MR UNTITLED got away at the back and lost further ground. DARIO HANOVER was well off the gate and lost contact.
SEVENTH RACE – MATTER OF TRUST went to the lead, had a loose pocket horse behind her until the turn, then had TELENOVELA move up sharply on that turn, then drew away again. The latter moved out from third and was gaining when circling the trouble mid-far turn, got close nearing headstretch then backed off a little but still far ahead of anyone else. RAVIOLI was on the move off the top two far turn and avoided the trouble, distant third. TURN THE TAB at first got around the far turn trouble but then lost composure and went offstride. ALDEBARAN ACRUX looked to leave but broke early, then circled many troubled horses near headstretch and got a payday. DELAVIOUS never got close. MRS TAYLOR made the pocket but struggled to keep close, backing up far turn when offstride, placed. PRAIRIE TRINKET spotted fourth, was advancing right behind the fading pocket horse mid-far turn, was in close quarters and suffered an “ix.”
EIGHTH RACE – FLIP THE SWITCH headed to the top and rolled right along, had a challenger get closer ¾ but then drew clear. EASY RIDER avoided early trouble and tucked fourth, uncovered going to the half, got to just shy of the leader’s wheel ¾, gave some ground then but clearly second. STRICT was wide early waiting on a breaker to clear, outside down the back but gapped, up for a distant third. CHAPERIDGE never attained prominence. CRAFT BREW LINDY made the pocket but was already going loose at the half. FAMOUS DAN broke shortly into the race, did catch the back of the field but could get no close. MR ZUANETTI broke at the start. TAKE SHAPE broke w-a-y before the start.
NINTH RACE – STYLE FOR A MILE was wide early, tucked fourth 3/16, on the move again 5/16 and made the lead easily in the slow second quarter, had plenty in reserve for the stretch. KILEE ROCKS refused to yield in a fast ¼, did yield 3/8 to sit the two-hole, gradually gave ground the last 3/16 but could retain second. LIZZIANA spotted third before the 1/8 off the top two, moved raw 5/8, hit a better gear at the ¾ but then couldn’t sustain the gain. JAGGED LITTLE PILL raced with cover, came on a bit late. CHANCES ARE IDEAL did not have ideal chances from last and third-over; not bad at the wire. SWEET GADGETS gapped inside, blocked past midturn as a rival faded, Pocono Pike but little to offer. SWEET KATIE BUG wanted the lead but submitted to track geometry and took the pocket 3/16 in the quick opener, little left in the last stanza.
TENTH RACE – KASEVILLE tucked third, moved off the first bend to get the lead, sped things up significantly to deal with the incessant challenge from CASH MACHINE GIRL from just past the 5/8, headbobbing with that one from there to the wire, where she got the decision. The latter gapped off the top three first turn then got closer, moved raw at the half and reached the leader to the 5/8 (own third split 27.2), was head-to-head with that one to the line, just missed. SEVENSHOTSOBOURBON went straight to the top, yielded to the winner and stayed close, to the Pocono Pike, just a bit behind the top pair. CHARMING BANK left and took the pocket past the 1/8, next in line. FLANAGAN DESTINY circled gappers and got the last check. GIVEM THE GOO moved second-over but couldn’t stay with the fast cover. SLEW FOOT and SUPER MAGIC POTION gapped at the back.
ELEVENTH RACE – Wind is diminished … GRAPPLE HANOVER was between horses to the pocket at the 1/8, up on the bit and moved off the first turn, took over and put up quick numbers, had many challenges in the last ¼ but withstood them all. PAPI HANOVER was three-wide to the lead at the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, tight, Pocono Pike, bad luck in losing by a headbob. LEVITATION stayed connected, backed out second-over, three-wide late turn, came on steadily but was just shy. BLUFFINNER spotted fourth going to turn one, came out raw 9/16 and grinded up in a big challenge, tired some late but clear of the rest. CAN’T SAY NO moved outside at the ½ but couldn’t go with the top four. VOLARE could offer little. HOT SUMMER KNIGHT never factored. SORTIE was behind dull cover, went three-wide ¾ but broke late turn.
TWELFTH RACE – AMERICAN CLASSIC was on top 3/16 and just kept rolling at a fast clip, too much for one horse and much too much for the others. SILVERSTONE was quickly in front, yielded and stayed connected to the heavily-favored winner throughout, with the others far off the top two from before the ¼. STEWARDOFTHELAND and IVY STUD were fourth and fifth most of the way, got by RACING LIBERTY, who was gapping from the 3/16, and who reported back with “b.e.” THE OTHERS could make no impression here.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Wind picked up again for the last race … NO DRAMA PLEASE went to the front at the 1/8, yielded past the ¼ but was immediately on the move again beating a rival to that punch, got the top and rated the half, saw an advancing rival break 9/16, in control the last 3/8. KNIGHT ANGEL had cover early, then went on to go to the front just past the ¼, yielded for the two-hole, a bit loose the last 3/8 but clearly second. MATT’S MUSCLES was third-over then second-over after a breaker, three-wide headstretch and gained in the lane while very wide. LIVING PROOF I AM couldn’t offer too much. PRAIRIE VIRTUE was inside, struggled to stay close through the last half. CAMPBELLINI had cover then lost it to a break past the 9/16, went 27.3 down the back with the wind to make a good raw challenge, but couldn’t sustain the move. SUM FOR ALL was never close. WHATS THE WORD was way off the gate but came charging through, yielded, wanted to move at the ¼ but was beaten outside by the winner, moved with a rush off turn two but quickly lost gait.