FIRST RACE – Mid 70s; stretch headwind … ROUGH ODDS looked to leave but took back, moved at the ¼ with the favorite outside and brushed to the lead 3/8, saw the chalk move up to stalk him, but maintained a safe margin late. KILLER MARTINI moved three-wide behind the parked horse, had great second-over cover, three-wide into the stretch, just second in the shadow of the wire. BROTHER JAMES had a four-wide wall in front of him into turn one, waited with cover and then they all tucked, so he was left raw most of the mile, gradually moved up, held with great gameness, still second two steps from the wire. LITTLEBITASWAGGER took advantage of the rail to seat a host of early challengers, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, had his chance in the Pocono Pike but came up a bit shy. ROLLINWITHAMBITION was four-wide leaving, took back and got inside at the ¼, gapped a bit down the back, out in a blindswitch on the turn, eased wide early stretch, not quite enough. BOBBY K HILL left but took back, then was caught in, not much late. HOPETOBEFIRST had excess cover, three- and four-wide on the far turn, couldn’t reach. SEAL O’NEILL didn’t keep up third-over.
SECOND RACE – HURRIKANE EMPEROR, after the speed show last week, yielded 3/16 and sat nicely in the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and was full of late pace. DOUBLE METAL backed out ¾, gapped a bit on the turn, better in the stretch to just nose PAT MCGARRY A for the deuce. The latter was on top 3/16, cut a wind-sensible pace, shook off a far turn challenger, but then did not have enough late. CERTIFIABLE was four-wide early, took back to last, behind a gapper ¾, around him on the turn, ducked inside in the lane and finished strongly – the race was better than the line may suggest. CLOSING STATEMENT moved uncovered 5/8, advanced to battle on the turn, fell back. CAVIART ROCKLAND needed until the ¼ to tuck midpack, gapped down the back, not a major danger. HORSE was always far back. MACH WEST was uncovered 3/8 but did not get close.
THIRD RACE – STORM IS RAGING drifted out to a 3-tuck 3/16, moved not long off the first turn to the lead approaching the second curve, went on quickly and drew away from these. QUEEN OF ALL came through at the start and went by near the 1/8, pushed the winner a little then settled for the pocket, stayed close most of the way, fought to save second over PRACTICAL CAT. The latter moved uncovered 5/8 and gradually progressed, held well though just short of the deuce. ONE AFTER NINE gapped cover down the back, then had some late trot. RED REDEMPTION was first to show, yielded, third-in, gapped 5/8. SPREE was not prominent. TRAIN was fourth-in, didn’t keep up from the 11/16.
FOURTH RACE – CAVIART MAX moved into turn two, brushed in 26.2 down the back to clear 11/16 and left these far behind. INDIGO ART was last-over, three-wide with then four-wide without cover late turn, steadily for the distant deuce. PUZZLING sat in then backed out to follow cover at the half but gapped it, kept going at one good gear and almost second. GO WEST GO FAST was very wide leaving and three-wide to the 1/8, got the top just after a fast ¼, yielded to the retaker, backed out 5/8 when the pocketsitter faltered and was soon left raw, battled the rest hard and was still second nearing deep stretch. SADIQ HANOVER was outside, blindswitched, not enough late kick for a major minor award. DRAGON STRIKES left and yielded, gapped inside. ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP made two speed moves, was challenged by the winner down the back and faded once passed 11/16. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL dropped far back.
FIFTH RACE – SEXY BLUE CHIP went right to the lead, set the pace as he wanted including a 27 third quarter to leave these behind, won as he pleased. BARRYWHITE HANOVER settled for third early past the 1/8, uncovered 11/16, did well for second. COXCOMB was away enough to defend the pocket, under a hold early, started going loose in the pocket before the 5/8. OCTAVE gapped inside. THE LAST TWO remained the last two throughout.
SIXTH RACE – DAAMERICANSKY took the lead at the 1/8, was clear almost all the way, saw PREMIER ROCKSTAR coming late but the driver handled the winner as if comfortable that he would last. The latter went into third at the 1/8, moved out 9/16 to go around the gapping two-holer and did so past the 5/8, steadily made up ground in the last quarter in a good showing but had to settle for place. OWEN didn’t have good cover and was three-wide from the 11/16 onward, clearly next. DREAM OF LUCK was shuffled some behind the tired horse, out in a blindswitch on the turn then back inside, got past tired foes. WELL DONE SON moved behind cover then was left raw past the 5/8, inside far turn, little left late. AMERICA’S GUEST was always far back. PIRATES ALLEY went through at the start, yielded at the 1/8 and soon had trouble staying with the leader, faded very badly.
SEVENTH RACE – CHING CHING LUCKY started raw towards turn two, got cover at the half, was blindswitched then backed out to three-wide with cover, widest in the lane, gained as the pace slowed and was just up on the money. THE IRISHMAN set the pace with two moves, just missed lasting. CREDIT CON was three-wide 3/16 to the lead, yielded for the pocket, had a chance upon the Pocono Pike but couldn’t quite make it. NEWSBOY sat in, then backed out in a blindswitch, ducked in headstretch and finished alertly after the traffic difficulty. TRICKY DICK gapped trying to tail the first sweeper. WHAT A DAME was third-over, out three-wide 5/8 and was left out there the duration, faded. BRIGITTE BI was inside, not that much late. CAPITAL T STORM was uncovered past the half, battled the leader, but was done on the far turn.
EIGHTH RACE – ANap tactical repeat … RIFLEMAN was third-over, was blindswitched then backed out behind the wide cover, four-wide headstretch, powered by. STRETCH THE LINE sat in, wound up third-inside, got a clear early path deep in the Pocono Pike and gained, momentarily had the lead, outkicked but still a good second. BEACH FORECAST was far back, three-wide before the ¾ through the turn, tried hard to the line. IMOUTTHEDOOR had a short lead early but couldn’t clear and went to the pocket near the ¼, got a good trip, into the Pike but didn’t gain. TERRY A HANOVER kept foes three-wide to a fast quarter while insisting on setting the pace, couldn’t quite make the lead hold up. TUGGIN ON MY HEART was off the gate, in a tough spot. SOME DEAL HANOVER was three-wide to the fast opener then took back to third, out uncovered towards turn two, put in a good challenge but couldn’t sustain in the last 1/8. CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN tucked, came out into turn two and got cover, was blindswitched, didn’t have much late.
NINTH RACE – MACMORRIS HANOVER was looped, refused a 3-tuck and was left out past the 3/8 in getting the lead, had to increase the speed in a fierce duel with the first-over that lasted most of the last half until that one broke early stretch, stayed clear although the last quarter wasn’t much. BUZZ dashed right to the lead, kept the winner strung out past the 3/8 before yielding, tight until nearing the ¾ then unplugged, reclaimed second with the stretch breaker. DYLAN THE GREAT sat in, was blocked on the far turn, then went to the Pocono Pike and made up some ground. INNISFALLEN yielded, inside, gapped down the backstretch. CUPID HANOVER was last, circled wide and had trot on the end. SPIRIT OF DEO moved out but couldn’t stay anywhere close to his cover. NICE STUFF was never prominent. SHADRACK HANOVER moved boldly at the half and went 27 outside the winner, getting a slight advantage at times until headstretch, when he began to fade and bear out before breaking.
TENTH RACE – DRAGON SAID left hard but gave up the lead to ALLUNEEDISFAITH N and sat the pocket, outside early stretch and came home in 54.3 – 26.4 to just wear down his game rival. The latter left strongly to get command, had a relatively mild half, picked it up down the back and then came home even more quickly, very good but outsprinted. WESTERN JOE settled for a 4-tuck near the ¼, uncovered 5/8, retucked third after a horse broke, far ahead of the others. MYSWEETBOYMAX was gapping second-over, got around the breaker without incident, next. THE NEXT THREE were all outside and were cautious going a little wide around the breaker, never got into it. STRAIGHT UP COOL maintained position behind the two strong early fighters, started to gap late backstretch then broke ¾.
ELEVENTH RACE – IC A FREE SPIRIT was hustled up early to get the pocket trip, to the Pocono Pike and full of pace when shown racetrack, easily. ARCHANGEL THREE initially gapped third-over then caught up to the gapping second-over, three-wide midturn, steadily to just grab second. WINNING IS SWEET left sharply, cut a pretty good pace, under pressure around the far turn, just missed in a picture for second. RYCROFT N tucked third, moved uncovered into the backstretch and grinded up, flattened a bit in the lane. BLOW A CLOUD N gapped inside down the backstretch, not prominent. SPORTY DRAGON had some pace finishing after being way back. TRENTE DEO was in good position second-over but had little from the 5/8. LEGAL POWER broke w-a-y before the start.
TWELFTH RACE – RICH AND MISERABLE went up wide then fell behind cover, lost that and refused a tuck to proceed up to the lead in front of the stands, got a reasonable pace and went on to a nice victory. MARION GONDOLIER was three-leaving, then two-wide to take over the racetrack to the ¼, yielded to the winner, had a clear shot up the Pocono Pike but couldn’t get there. LADY’S IMAGE left and yielded, third-in, had room to move outside to midstretch and finished well. ROBBIE PEV followed cover two-and three-wide, four-wide headstretch, best of the others. ALTUS HANOVER was second-over towards turn two, three-wide midturn but didn’t gain. BEERTHIRTY K sat in, didn’t enter the picture. MISS MCKEE went to fourth-over but couldn’t stay with cover. STRIKING GENSON was uncovered from midpack nearing turn two, advanced well down the back, then faded in the last quarter.
THIRTEENTH RACE – THE DARK SHADOW took control in a 26.3 opener, rated the half, then went another sub-27 split fighting with the first-over, left everyone behind from midturn. “A big logjam” (J.B.) for second: CAPTAIN ROMANCE took back to tuck third at the 1/8, gapped in the big third split, Pocono Pike and just up for place. GET LIT defended the pocket, couldn’t stay tight on the winner from midturn. PRINCE OF TIDES was three-wide to the 1/8, took back to fourth 3/16, then underway raw early second turn, went up in 26.2 to press the issue, couldn’t sustain his move though holding OK late. LETS ROLL was second-over, rolled three-wide late turn, not far off second. AFLAME HANOVER was last, had pace late while in heavy traffic. REBELLIOUS was third-over, fell back.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TOWN GOSSIP was looped early and proceeded forward to the lead past the ¼, rated the half, then sprinted home in 54.3 as much the best of these. GUINNESS PANIC was forwardly-placed, came off the rail from third headstretch and was up for second over CONBOYVILLE. The latter left very nicely to circle foes and get the early lead, yielded past the ¼ for the two-hole, stayed close, couldn’t quite hold on to the deuce late. BULLVILLE TERROR gapped cover early backstretch then gradually got closer, three-wide early turn, best of the others. PARMESAN N saved ground, not too much. FRISKIE ALL NITE started raw to turn two, rapidly went up to challenge the winner, but had his bid stop nearing the ¾. THE OTHERS were always the last two.