FIRST RACE – ARTIST BEST was away second then was on the move early to take over 3/8, under backstretch pressure but shook that off and had a clear lead nearing midstretch, enough to keep off the closers. AWESOMENESS got in fourth 3/16, then was second-over near the half, three-wide past mid-far turn, kicked into high gear a little too late. AMERICA’S GUEST was the first one outside early on the second turn but soon was third-over, four-wide near headstretch, along for third late. BOBBY K HILL went to the lead, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, not tight-up in same the last 3/16. MCNEIL Z TAM was fourth-in, came between horses in the lane with some pace. TOLLY-HO was first-up before the half, challenged down the back, faded midturn. BLACKLIGHT left a small gap at a couple of points, no late factor. LEGAL POWER gapped early, outside but didn’t gain.
SECOND RACE – GIVEM THE GOO quarter-moved to command past the 3/8, kept up a good pace for this class, and drew off in the last quarter. ALL RISE had the early pocket, gapped a gapper early backstretch, then moved out late backstretch to retuck in the pocket midturn, distant second. BILLY RAY HANOVER also struggled to keep close in the brisk numbers, outside on the turn, held third over SCIROCCO PATRICK. The latter was among the strung-out field, had some trot on the end. BRIGITTE BI looked at leaving but then took all the way back to last, not prominent thereafter. CHROME PACKAGE moved out at the half but never made a dent. TAKE SHAPE left well, yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, came up empty to the ¾.
THIRD RACE – BARBOSSA HANOVER took control from the pole, never threatened and won in fast time for a baby debutant. RUSTY BEACH maintained the pocket, a bit loose until unplugging from the leader midturn, held second. ARROYO HANOVER tucked third, tried the Pocono Pike, went evenly. BULLVILLEPANDEMIC went evenly. GAYLE’S ARSENAL didn’t get a good start, disconnecting from the 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – Stretch tailwind picking up … PRECISE FASHION sat the pocket until going to the Pocono Pike, had a sharp response to win nicely with a big last quarter for these. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT was sent to the lead, not enough to withstand the winner but enough to retain second late. ROJO MAN sat third, outside midturn, trotted on well late. KOLB HANOVER slid a tuck past the 1/8, stayed connected until the stretch then backed off a little. U BAKE THE CAKE was bothered 5/16 and lost a good bit of ground coming between horses, beat out the breakers. SUNBERRY HANOVER was tucking fourth when going offstride 3/16. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP suffered an “ix” 5/16. LITTLE JOHN left but was a little hard to handle and backed off, got in, gapped then broke 5/16.
FIFTH RACE – FRONDEUR took over past the 1/8, got “walkin’ horse fractions” the middle half, then hit high gear to midturn to open a sizable lead, had enough in the 27.2 kicker to withstand AMBUSHED. The latter defended the pocket, could not immediately turn on the speed when the winner did, but was gaining late in the Pocono Pike. GINGER TREE LENA moved out from third ¾, couldn’t get to the top two but was better than the others. HUNTING SEASON passed a couple of gappers. BLANK CHEEK moved with cover on the turn but gapped. IVY HANOVER started gapping near the half.
SIXTH RACE – CARAMEL MACCHIATO took the early lead and parked foes well past a fast quarter, yielded before the 3/8, waited in the pocket then moved to the Pocono Pike, just got by late as the pace softened. REBEL ROSE moved out at the half and was quickly three-wide to get to first-over, kept grinding, short lead midstretch, almost held. ROMANTIC TILE S was between horses well past the ¼ for the lead, got pressure, didn’t miss by much. PLUM WINE followed the move of the place horse to resettle second-over, fair late. GHIBLI advanced inside in the last ¼ to get the last check. WILD KAT G defended the pocket in the early fighting, sat in, outside stretch but didn’t have quite enough. DIGNITY HANOVER was five-wide early, circled up to three-wide past the ¼, then two-wide before the ¾ and left outside, faded past the 5/8. GOO GOO LU LU was near the back when breaking before the ¾.
SEVENTH RACE – BUILDING BOOST was looped and three-wide early, got in third 3/16, moved uncovered 5/8 and was right up to challenge, got a short advantage past midturn, drew clear late. C-BET HANOVER buzzed away nicely to easily clear, kept up a good pace, was joined by the winner near the ¾, stayed with that one until midstretch, clearly second. SEASIDE MEDITATION moved out at the half, got cover 5/8 but gapped it, along for a clear third. BOOGIEWOOGIEBEAVIS sat in a loose pocket, fell back in the last 3/16. BACK IN MY DAY stayed connected, evenly late. THE OTHER TWO were off the gate and were disconnected from the main bunch before the half.
EIGHTH RACE – BANZAI AS got out in the flow and tightened in to second-over, left uncovered late turn, just got by CHOCO CHARLIE late. The latter moved with cover at the half but soon lost it, grinded up into a fast ¾ and took the lead midturn, soon crossing over, held until the last couple of steps in a good mile. LIVING PROOF I AM was in the good outer flow, three-wide midturn, next-best. TUIS SHADOW was between horses early and finally got into the pocket nearing the ¼, moved outside in a blindswitch midturn to avoid a shuffle, OK late. ZSA ZSA DABOR was last headstretch, made up some ground as the pace slowed. GOES DOWN SMOOTH was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked third 3/16, had just moved uncovered at the half when going into a break, recovered but couldn’t repair the error. SUM FOR ALL gapped. JUSTIFY was determined to have the lead and paid a steep fractional price for it, was finished before the ¾.
NINTH RACE – KAY SAGE headed to the front, cut the pace as she pleased, drew away. JAGGED LITTLE PILL defended the pocket early, stayed close most of the way, couldn’t match strides with the winner late but did hold on for second. SWEET GADGETS sat in, gained some in the Pocono Pike. CHANCES ARE IDEAL had cover early then spotted third at the 1/8, raw to the 5/8, got briefly to the leader’s wheel ¾, held evenly in the last ¼. BEST DIVA had an excess of non-great cover and wheeled three-wide 11/16 for the duration, OK. GINGER TREE LESLIE spotted, then backed out to second-over late backstretch, blindswitched, not prominent. TEEN DREAM got underway early but didn’t go forward, blindswitched, didn’t rally. LIZZIANA gapped much of the way.
TENTH RACE – CAPTAIN KEEN was three-wide to the first turn and two-wide past the 1/8 for the top, set fast fractions and was still strong at the end. MAJOR SHOW left between horses, got the top then yielded, stayed tight on the winner almost all of the way, to the Pocono Pike, good in the fast clocking but second. DIVINE RIGHT moved out of third nearing the ¾ and got closer on the turn, fell back late but still clear in third. ALL CHEDDAR had no moves. LOUS SASSIN moved outside but never advanced.
ELEVENTH RACE – BLACK HAWK DOWN was innermost of the quick starters, set the pace and stayed ahead of all the trouble, enough to withstand the late threats. FASHION ON A STAR sat in, looked to struggle to keep up from the 5/8 past the ¾, then was caught behind the breaker far turn and dodged that one at some cost, regathered and came well in the Pocono Pike. BY A HOFF HANOVER slid an early tuck, uncovered 5/8, challenged, went inside in the stretch, OK. IDENTITY POLICE was outside 11/16 but gapped cover, wide around the far turn trouble, next. MUSCLE DYNASTY broke early, caught the field by the ¼, made progress down the back and into the turn, moved two-wide to avoid trouble but went to a run headstretch and galloped home, placed for multiple violations of the breaking rule. BEYOND THE LENS was three-wide to the 1/8, broke soon thereafter, passed a gapper and another breaker. PADRE left between horses to get the pocket at the 1/8, stayed close, then went offstride past midturn and went to the infield. AMBERS CHAMPION was gapping by the half.
TWELFTH RACE – REGENTS HANOVER was up tight on a foe coming out of turn two and soon after started raw, grinded against the wind, made the lead midstretch and just did withstand BULLVILLE FRANK. The latter came out 5/8 and advanced to be tight on cover, saw that cover get away upper stretch, then moving well late to just miss. PRAIRIE HANDSOME gapped in the fast first half fractions, moved wide in the stretch and was doing well late. MIKI MINAJ came out of the pocket at the ¼, was hard-used to clear before the fast half, came under pressure, tired some. IVY STUD was outside but gapped. WAR OF WILL made the front 3/16, pushed a second quarter brusher until relinquishing for the pocket, started gapping before the 11/16.
THIRTEENTH RACE – BLUEBIRD DEACON tucked, came uncovered at the 5/8 and against the wind trotted right to the lead ¾, well clear for Marcus Miller’s sixth win, five of them for trainer/dad Erv. WINGS UP was well-spotted until the far turn when he got shuffled behind the tired pacesetter, to the Pocono Pike and had a good recovery to be far ahead of the others. TEDDY BROSEVELT was away well for the pocket, backed out as the winner went by to the ¾ and was left raw, won a five-horse photo for third well behind the top two. KEYSTONE SERGEANT moved into the second turn, gapped the winner on the backstretch, wide headstretch, so-so. SPIT AND VINEGAR never was a presence. CAN’T SAY NO was wide early, took back for a midpack tuck 3/16, gapped, wide, couldn’t make up sufficient ground. NIGHT FLYER K broke before turn one.
FOURTEENTH RACE – PADUKA N went three-wide to get the early lead, yielded to a brusher past the 3/8 and stayed tight, pulled out 11/16 and went past the leader midturn, enough to win today. BULLVILLE TERROR sat in and was buried inside, found some room before midstretch and was weaving for an open lane while flying. ROCK THREE TIMES was close-up, wound up in the pocket late backstretch then behind a tiring pacesetter far turn, had some gain in the Pocono Pike but caught for second. FRISKIE ALL NITE was looped, looked at tucking but finally decided to move 5/16 to the lead past the 3/8, was passed midturn, came back out for more in the lane but didn’t have a whole lot left late. REDBANK BLAZE A protected position early, moved with cover 11/16 then lost it midturn, OK. JK MUSICMAN was outside in the second half of the field all the way. THE LAST TWO were never major considerations.