FIRST RACE – 80 degrees; stretch tailwind … ARTACHE HANOVER left alertly for command, kept up a torrid pace without great pressure, in control to the line although DARTH FADER gained some late. The latter was hustled away to maintain the pocket and stayed tight behind the fast numbers, outside headstretch, gained only after the winner was gone. GO SUE ME left but was looped and tucked third 3/16, stayed close until mid-far turn, just did preserve third over AIN’T IT FUN. The latter retucked around a backstretch gapper, moved out two- and three-wide with cover far turn and then four-wide for the stretch, closed OK. WHATA TREASURE was second-over, three-wide midturn, never menaced. ROCK IDOL gapped throughout. SPORTSMANSHIP started uncovered at the half, almost got to the winner’s wheel nearing the ¾, then dropped back in the last stanza.
SECOND RACE – SPIT AND VINEGAR circled right up to the lead, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, stayed behind the pacesetter until midstretch, then came out and just had enough on the rail end of it to nip TUIS SHADOW. The latter defended the pocket then moved out 5/16 to take over 3/8, set the pace with some far turn pressure, shook that off, held gamely but came up shy in the picture. SCIROCCO PATRICK was second-over, gapped a bit, just caught BILLY RAY HANOVER for third. The latter started uncovered just before the ½, gradually advanced and fought with the leader on the far turn, gave some ground grudgingly. FRAC was looped, tucked in third at the ¼, gapped down the back. WILLIAM STAR was always at the rear of the main group. PONDA’S MUSCLE MAN broke 3/16.
THIRD RACE – DARK HORSE was three-wide briefly early but took back and was well-placed behind the breakneck duel, moved with cover into the backstretch and then three-wide to the 5/8, swept right to the lead late backstretch and drew away. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N was in between horses for 3/8 of a mile in a very rapid tempo before making the lead, could do nothing about the winner’s move, actually had pretty well after all the early hardship. ART ALLSTAR left very strongly from the pole and kept challengers three-deep until the 3/8, thereafter yielded and sat the pocket, distant third. CODE MEISTER was away slowly, passed tired horses. BAKLOUVA could offer very little. CHANCELLORCULLEN N was out in the three-path 11/16, to two-wide and then to the rail, little late. REYS N A RUCKUS was left out three-wide past the 3/8 in thunderous fractions, then two-wide raw, was understandably left behind past the 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – BY THE BOOK was out to the fast ¼ then took the pocket, stayed third-in before the 5/8, moved outside midturn and stacked wide, just up for The Trot Man. CLASSIC HILL was three-wide to the first turn, tucked, wound up in fourth from which he came raw 5/8, grinded up to the leader, took over into the stretch, just failed to sustain. MATS PALEMA moved second-over, steadily and not far off. THE BOSS MAN was innermost of the leavers, forced tucks then yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, shuffled when the pacesetter gave way late far turn, not too much once free. PATRICK PALEMA had cover to the ¼, then went up to take over the racetrack just past the 3/8, had hard pressure on the turn and succumbed. MOJAVE HANOVER gapped at the back. CHELIOS broke at the start, caught the field but didn’t enter contention. CHROME PACKAGE moved outside but never gained.
FIFTH RACE –MG’S BEST ERA EVA made early on the turn two and got cover at the half, moved three-wide far turn and showed sharp pace but bore out badly near headstretch, regathered and marched home strongly. CLEAR THE WAY raced on to command 3/16, rated the half, had to settle for second. LIZZIANA went in fourth to turn one, uncovered at the half and kept to a steady grind to the finish. JAGGED LITTLE PILL left, yielded 3/16 for the pocket, couldn’t mount a stretch offensive. CHANCES ARE IDEAL broke just past the start, recovered and was third-over, pretty good in recovery. KILEE ROCKS was inside, evenly late. SWEET GADGETS was gapping inside by the 9/16. TEEN DREAM was always near the back.
SIXTH RACE – ZAPPA was away enough to maintain the pocket, waited for the Pocono Pike then had an immediate response when shown open racetrack, not too much speed late but enough for this crew. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT got in third 3/16, was again on the move uncovered 5/8, gradually advanced, never had the lead but stayed going forward to the wire. TSM PRINCE TRISTAN was uncovered at the half then picked up cover, so-so in the slowing last fraction. U BAKE THE CAKE put up a rapid quarter setting the pace, came under advancing pressure from before the ¾, not enough to the wire. ANOTHER LONG SONG was third-over, three-wide late turn, OK late. ROJO MAN was gapping at the half, caught up and was three-wide early on the turn then picked up cover, gained while widest of all late. WINE BAR was never a major presence. IT IS WELL was gapping 3/8, fell way back, returned with “b.e.”
SEVENTH RACE – MATTER OF TRUST was quickly in front, yielded in front of the stands for the pocket, stayed there until early stretch, then moved out and just caught A PERFECT HELEN very late. The latter wavered whether to tuck third past the 1/8, did so 3/16 then decided to move to the top off the first turn, lead 3/8, had the advantage most of the way in pretty quick fractions, but just failed to sustain her lead. CARAMEL MACCHIATO was second-over, ducked in far turn, a clear third. HEART MATTERS gapped midbackstretch then got closer, wide and made up a lot of ground in the last 1/16. SOUTHERN AUTUMN maintained the early pocket, raced forwardly-placed, gapped early on the far turn. RHEIA ROSE didn’t enter the picture. QUICK BET moved raw off turn two, came up in 28 to get near the lead, but that drained her energy. COOL MISS WENDY got a slow start and was disconnected the last half.
EIGHTH RACE — TSM BATMAN yielded later on the first turn for the pocket, stayed tight, came out early stretch, paced away with a 27.3 last quarter, and wasn’t that easy to pull up – not what you’d expected from a $99.40 winner. LENDA HAND MAN got a forward spot, gapped slightly from past midbackstretch through the turn, then was better inside and up for second. DROPTHERAKEFREDDY was parked much of turn one for the lead, got a soft second quarter and then not much of a third split, still didn’t have enough. IVY STUD was uncovered going to the half, made progress into the backstretch wind, then couldn’t sustain it. PLAY THE ACE was third-over, a bit late to get the last check. WARRAWEE EXTREME was uncovered to turn two then got cover at the half, slightly off of it down the back, three-wide approaching headstretch, not too much. BOOGIEWOOGIEBEAVIS never surfaced. MELANIE’S NICK jumped before the start.
NINTH RACE – TEDDY BROSEVELT tried the front end this week and liked it – on top at the 1/8, he put down a wicked quarter and half, was clear through the last ¼ then slowing a bit. MATT’S MUSCLES briefly checked behind the breakers towards the 11/16 then went between them, continued up uncovered, along for second. J-S JASPER yielded at the 1/8 and wasn’t able to stay tight the rest of the way. SUNDANCEDIAMOND avoided trouble. CHOCO CHARLIE had just moved outside 5/8 when cover broke in front of him, sending him into an “ix.” GOES DOWN SMOOTH tucked, out raw to the 5/8 but soon offstride.
TENTH RACE – TACHYON didn’t leave but was on the move 3/16 and made the top before the 3/8, fought off third quarter pressure and drew clear. BEYOND THE LENS left, wound up third-in behind a gapping pocket horse, moved outside late turn with room, closed strongly. THERESNOLIMIT S was uncovered at the half, gave the winner a good fight while trotting his third split in 27.3 into the wind, couldn’t hold second late. BY A HOFF HANOVER made the lead just past the 1/8, yielded, was not tight in the pocket from early backstretch, evenly late. MUSCLE DYNASTY got the last check. AMBERS CHAMPION wasn’t in contention. PADRE was second-over, started gapping 11/16 and was fading when breaking to headstretch. PHANNYS MATTER broke early, caught the field then gapped and broke again.
ELEVENTH RACE – COVENANT WOMAN got a fine trip staying tight second-over, three-wide to headstretch, closed steadily and caught IMAREALROCKINLADY late. The latter went right to the top in a 26.1 starting fraction, set a fast pace with only two horses keeping up, drew off from the first-over but couldn’t hold off the late charger. IRISH SONG started uncovered into turn two, made a good advance down the backstretch and held her ground well late. TARGARYEN EMPRESS shut a hole before the 3/16 and soon wound up inheriting the pocket, from which she was slightly loose of the leader much of the rest of the way. BETTOR STRAIT N UP was left outside early, got in third just off the first turn, gapped down the back. RAINBOW RISING, a bit off the gate, gapped at the back; HELLRUNNER HANOVER gapped before breaking on the turn. MADELYNN SOPHIA made the pocket, appeared to be moving a little wide towards the ¼ then made a break, recovered and was taken back to last, made another break.
TWELFTH RACE – SORTIE was underway from third before the ¼ and quickly made the lead, went a fast second quarter with the wind, looked to be in control the last half. KEYSTONE THUNDER was way sharply to the top, yielded for the pocket, stayed tight, Pocono Pike, won a photo for second over KEYSTONE SERGEANT. The latter was looped early and went into the two-hole at the 1/8, came back out just past the 5/8, didn’t reach the winner but fought hard for the place to the line. O JONNIE went around a gapper then stayed in, fair late. ZSA ZSA DABOR was uncovered 9/16 and got cover just after the 5/8, tight on it and looked up on the bit through the turn, but put in rough steps and looked to bolt wide headstretch, losing all chance. CRITICAL MASS gapped in the second half. JUSTIFY broke near the back at the half. CHOCOLATE MATTERS was already disconnected by the half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – WOLFTRAX sat third-in, moved outside headstretch then came between horses as the pacesetter bore out and finished briskly to take the photo from MIKI MINAJ. The latter was way nicely to 1/8 command, yielded and sat the two-hole, Pocono Pike, had the lead midstretch but was just caught on the end of it. DINNER PARTY made two speed moves, left the outer tiers behind coming off the turn but bore out in the stretch and was caught. PROSPECTORS GOLD, showing no quickstep, was out most of the ¼ before tucking, third-over then three-wide 11/16 but never got up a good head of steam. FRAZZLEBERRY went around a gapper, was buried inside on the turn, but then had little once clear. CAPTAIN COOK was second-over, blindswitched before the ¾, little late. MCDREAMER was raw into the second bend, gained a little down the back but then backed off. CAPTAIN EMOTION was gapping by the half, fell far back.