FIRST RACE – Mid 70s; late rain forced the change from “fast +0” to “good +1” for the last three changes … Stretch headwind … DC BATGIRL was looped leaving and made the front at the ¼, got a breather at the half, then demonstrated her superiority by coming home in 55 without threat. BRONZE OVER N was three-wide to the lead at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, stayed close to the stretch, clearly second-best. DELIGHTFUL SUMMER was out for position, stayed in, did what she could as a safe third. CHEEKIE BABE sat in, struggled to keep semi-close the last half. PRAY THE ROSARY had dull cover second-over, three-wide midturn, got the last payday. DRAGON SPARKS never sparked. DONEGALARTCHOKIN N was wide early and took back into her own hole, went uncovered on turn two, never advanced beyond midpack then backed off some. DIRTYLITTLELIES was always last.
SECOND RACE – KAUAI KING landed on top at the 1/8, yielded to the favorite to sit the pocket, outside early stretch and “slowly but surely” (he paced his last quarter in 27.3) wore down the leader. JOHNNY ROCKETTE was away second then improved that position by one past the quarter and got a breather to the half, reignited the speed without backstretch pressure, held well but couldn’t keep the winner from going by. TOLLY-HO was uncovered from next-to-last and impressively made a steady gain to the lane, held on to third (own last half 54.4 raw). PARKLANE TERROR sat in, outside stretch and gained a little. BLACKLIGHT sat third-in, not much in the latter stages. PETER DALT was wide early and was under a hold to take a tuck, no factor thereafter. KEYSTONE STEAM gapped inside; LOVE THE ACTION gapped outside.
THIRD RACE – MAJOR DESIRE took some sting out of an early challenger before yielding, content to sit in the two-hole, outside past midturn, proved the best of these. SHOREVIEW was forwardly-placed, to the Pocono Pike, did well but had to settle for second. MY WISH CAME TRUE started raw on turn two, didn’t get close in the fast third quarter, got some cover past midturn, steadily. CONCUR was stuck inside, had some pace along the inside late. IDEAL WHEEL was three-wide to the first turn then on top 3/16 in a fast fraction, rated the half then went a big third quarter, but couldn’t maintain his advantage. PLAY THE FIELD was a bit hard to take back, then second-over, wide stretch, couldn’t get closer.
FOURTH RACE – TSM WESTERN SOUL was quickly on top, slowed the half, sprinted with the wind down the back to avoid the inevitable confrontation with FAST MACHINE to the ¾, then held that one at bay gamely to the wire. The latter was uncovered in turn two, one-geared up in the fast backstretch, reached the leader ¾, fought with that one the rest of the way, good but just shy. CAVIART CARMEL sat in the two-hole, a bit loose in the quick third panel then closer, Pocono Pike, OK. CATIE FAYE HANOVER advanced inside, not tight on the top few, then had better pace from midstretch. SOME KINDA ANGEL had good cover second-over but couldn’t quite go enough. BYGONE HANOVER moved out, was briefly three-wide on the second turn then settled to third-over at the half, didn’t make an impact. THE LAST TWO gapped through the last half.
FIFTH RACE – LADY WARRIOR went right to the top, yielded to the early brusher and stayed behind her in the quick pace, Pocono Pike, made it a bit of heavy work going by the leader in a 29.3 last quarter, but did get the job done. IN LOU OF MONEY was on the move from third before the quarter and took over, continued on quickly, paid the price midstretch although hanging on gamely. LOVELY LADY MAY was gapping at the ¼ but was tighter by the ½, uncovered without reaching the leaders, in third ¾, evenly late. TSM ARTEMIS T had nonflowing cover, lost it, never got close. RELLA TIVITY struggled in the last half. GODIVA MACKIAVELYC made the pocket 3/16, gapped out the last 3/8.
SIXTH RACE – BIGLY wound up second after an early breaker and moved at the ¼ to the lead, slowed quarter two, opened a big lead ¾ which he held to midstretch, then saw the margin shrinking late but withstood CRAZY SUPERSPORT. The latter was uncovered on turn two, got to retuck third after a breaker, then outside and got to tuck in a distant pocket, advanced through the wire to make it interesting late. DOUBLE VODKA DON gapped early, moved outside 11/16, passed a tired horse. GINGER TREE BRAD left and had the lead going to turn one when going offstride, caught field, inside far turn, made another break headstretch, recovered with some Pocono Pike trot; an inquiry gave no reason for placing. MR CRIMSON was wide leaving, went to the top after a rival broke, yielded for the pocket, empty at the ¾. BAR COINS was behind dull cover, broke ¾ while appearing to be in tight quarters. OH BOY was away third, was asked for speed nearing the half but instead galloped.
SEVENTH RACE – DRESDEN took a tuck at the 1/8, waited in third until the 11/16 then moved outside, went right up to battle the leader, showed her quality late. ALWAYS B LAUGHIN was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide most of the ¼ for the lead, didn’t get pressure until nearing the ¾, just couldn’t handle the winner today. WHO’S SMOKIN N was innermost of the leavers, got one to tuck and pushed the other to almost the quarter before taking the pocket, a bit loose midbackstretch, held OK. FANCY AND FAST couldn’t keep up inside at the ¾; SHADOW ONE was outside her and had the same problem. THE REMAINING THREE never were in the main hunt.
EIGHTH RACE – ANDOVERTHEWINNINGS refused a yawning three-hole first turn and went on to secure the lead 3/8, was having a hard time with the first-over around the turn and into the stretch but then saw that one break midstretch, just held against the inside charger MRMAYOR HANOVER. The latter was second-over, couldn’t quite stay with his cover as that one fought with the leader, ducked inside for the stretch and surged late to just miss (he was ahead a couple of steps past the wire). CAPRICIOUS ONE left a big gap early, narrowed in, uncovered 5/8, had the lead a good part of the turn, was fighting with the pacesetter when breaking headstretch, galloped home; an inquiry showed no rule violation leading to a placing. SOUTHWIND CAINE gapped in last ¾, advanced inside early on the turn then had to wait to clear in the Pocono Pike, trotted well late. MR ZUANETTI moved out but couldn’t go with cover. BIG BEN HANOVER left, yielded and was well off the leader early, stayed in, gapping again by the half. COCKTAIL FASHION went to the top and opened a big early lead, yielded 3/8 and sat the two-hole, kept close until the big fight on the turn, started to fade then broke and went to the centerfield.
NINTH RACE – EMBLAZE HANOVER had cover almost to the ¼, went on to command just past the 5/16, went quickly down the back, had the pocketsitter pop out to the ¾, but handled him and the others nicely. CAPTAIN KEEN left well, yielded at the ¼, third-in tight, got to the pocket ¾, Pocono Pike, won the battle for second. TRAY SURREAL was out most of a quick opener to take over, yielded for the pocket, came outside to the ¾ but never got to the winner, then lost place late. ALWAYS BETTER gapped much of the first half inside, then gapped outside, but still was best of the rest. THANOS made a brief ruffle before the start but quickly caught back, inside, evenly late. MOVE THE LINE was out raw off turn two but never got close, never got close to cover when it formed, ducked in far turn, faded. THE OTHER PAIR gapped at the back.
TENTH RACE – DOUBLE DECEIVER was content to wait fourth until nearing the 5/8, then went his third quarter in 27 (not much wind) to challenge, had a short lead at times on the turn, couldn’t put away the pacesetter until deep stretch but did so determinedly. KOSHER MAHONEY soon made the front, had the pace his way until nearing the 5/8 when the winner came, fought long and hard with that one, weakening a little only very late in a quality mile. DUCASSE stayed in, outside early stretch and closed for third. THAT OLE BAR STOOL tucked in the pocket, was found wanting in the last 1/8. PAROLA HANOVER gapped second-over. OUTSIDE THE FIRE was outside the main picture here. TORRONE was gapping off turn two. MISSILE was well back when miscuing ¾.
ELEVENTH RACE – GEORGIE MARTIN N came out of fourth at the ¼ and went 27 in Q2 to get the lead then 27.1 to open a big advantage, saw the lead shrinking rapidly near the end (30.1 last quarter) but had enough to prevail. ANNE BONNEY N moved with cover past the 5/8, wide off the far turn, narrowed in best as the pace slowed. CHIPPER DAISY came out raw 5/8 and paced steadily after chasing the hot fractions. SUNRISE HANOVER had the pocket as there was only one leaver, in, shuffled from late backstretch to the Pocono Pike, made up a little ground. JERICHO DIVA stacked widest off cover and narrowed in. GREENHILL HANOVER sat in, no room with horse through the lane, shut off just before the wire. CASIE’S BELIEVER was last, weaved between horses in the lane as the winner was coming back to the field. QUEEN LOSTRIS N was the only leaver and made the top, pushed the winner to a fast half then soon thereafter unplugged gradually.
TWELFTH RACE – Rain before this race, changing the track to “good +1” the rest of the way … DANDY moved uncovered towards turn two, got cover 5/8 and gapped slightly in the fast third split, closer and three-wide headstretch, showed his usual grit and got by S I P. The latter was forwardly-placed, moved 5/8 and went up in 27.1 raw, challenged, took over early stretch and kept the advantage almost to the wire. POUR MEA DOUBLE found a 4-tuck at the 1/8, was caught in from past the 5/8, out in a blindswitch headstretch, first probed going inside S I P but found no room so angled between the 1-2 horses late and exploded with trot. FAMOUS FATHER went into the pocket at the 1/8, Pocono Pike stretch, a couple of steps shy. FIFTYFOUR K was last in the main pack, widest in the lane and finished well. DONZEL HANOVER was quick to establish command, got a rest to the half, was challenged hard late backstretch through the turn, didn’t lose by all that much. DRIBBLING BI was third-over, so-so late. NICE GUY EDDIE made a break 3/16 while appearing to be in tight quarters.
THIRTEENTH RACE – TALL POPPY N came through at the start to exert control from the pole, slowed the half then sprinted home in 55 – 27.2, under a hold nearing the wire. TRAFFIC JAM stayed in, got right to the Pocono Pike, came her own last quarter in 26.4 in passing the two right in front of her. PRAIRIE WESTERNGAL was ahead of the winner early but couldn’t clear her so took back for the pocket, loose from the 5/8, pacing OK late. SHECANDANCE N moved out from third midturn but didn’t gain. YES DOUBLE DOWN was gapping in last when making a break far turn.
FOURTEENTH RACE – WESTERN TYRANT held a loose pocket closed until nearing the ¼, sat third until moving raw at the half, in speed-grind mode the third quarter and got the lead headstretch, enough to retain the advantage to the wire. DO WORK SON was second-over, three-wide, kept coming and was good to grab second over INDICTABLE HANOVER. The latter was looped, pressed on to get in the pocket before the ¼, shuffled mid-far turn as the leader tired, out into a blindswitch then shifted inside, to second towards midstretch but just outkicked for place. ROCK THREE TIMES was last, five-wide in the lane and good. DECLAN SEELSTER was fourth-over, three-wide at the ¾, four-wide nearing the stretch, OK. MUSCLE MACH A was third-over, blindswitched, not that much late. AWESOMENESS was gapping inside much of the last half. HE’S ELECTRIC bolted away to a three-length lead at the 1/8, continued on a roll, had no more left to give in the last 1/8.