FIRST RACE – High to mid 60s … Stretch tailwind … ARNIE’S ANGEL started uncovered at the half, made her way gradually forward, challenged on the turn, drew away from midstretch. PRAIRIE WESTERNGAL made the top quickly and set the pace of her choosing until the ¾, couldn’t resist the winner but did hold on to the deuce. SHECANDANCE N was well-placed in the pocket, Pocono Pike, not enough kick. BRONZE OVER N was third-over, three-wide past midturn, some kick belatedly. ANNE BONNEY N couldn’t do much off a second-over journey. A CRAFTY LADY got in third 1/8, no factor thereafter. DELIGHTFUL SUMMER had the best view throughout.
SECOND RACE – HEART MATTERS followed great cover late backstretch, wide in the lane and just got the lead in the shadow of the wire. ELEGANT CHARM was forwardly-placed, moved out 11/16 and grinded up, took the lead just past midstretch, almost took it all. RED LIGHT LADY was looped early, worked to 5/16 command, not under pressure until midturn, gave way just a little. MATTER OF TRUST went right to the front, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, a bit loose down the back then tighter on the turn, Pocono Pike, outkicked. FIT FANATIC looked at leaving but took back, buried inside, gained steadily with a wall in front of her. MONEY MATTERS was four-high early and three-wide past the 1/8, got in fifth at the ¼, deep Pike, couldn’t go forward. SILENT NIGHT was last at every call though beaten only three lengths.
THIRD RACE – FAST MACHINE had a fine second-over journey, three-wide ¾ through the turn, drew off with a sharp last quarter. CAVIART CARMEL started grinding at the half, made methodical progress, had the lead for a couple of steps early stretch, went on well for second. EAGER TO PLEASE had the lead three-wide going into the first bend, but track geometry intervened and she took the early pocket, inside, Pocono Pike, fair. SOME KINDA ANGEL gapped some third-over, passed a few tired ones. CATIE FAYE HANOVER was fourth-over, had a good last 1/16. BROOKDALE JESSIE seated one foe early then yielded for the pocket, out into the two-wide lane headstretch, not too much late. COVENANT WOMAN was not heard from. BET I’M LUCKY wasn’t: wide to the 1/8, briefly behind cover then onward to the lead 5/16, got pressure, tired.
FOURTH RACE – I’LL HAVE A LINDY, the defending Stallion Series champion, was in front before the 1/8, set comfortable fractions, turned back the first-over then held off the Pocono Pike for her third straight 2022 StS win. ROSALINE kept the pocket tight, took her shot in the Pike, did well but second-best. FASHION PRINCESS didn’t show any high speed from second-over, just up for a distant third. GUMDROP HANOVER advanced uncovered vs. the wind in a moderate third split, went at it with the leader, but was turned away. PHANNYS MATTER worked into third 3/16, not prominent late. JAKARTA PARTYGIRL was not a major danger from third-over.
FIFTH RACE – CAPTAINRYANMICHAEL drifted outside to near the ¼ then was put in gear to the lead 3/8, himself went 28 – 28 – 28 and then kicked home in 27.2 to win by a very big margin. MOVE THE LINE tucked in the early pocket at the 1/8, stayed in, to the Pocono Pike and just second over THANOS. The latter left with determination from the rail, yielded to the winner, couldn’t keep up the last 3/16 and was just edged for place. ALWAYS BETTER tucked third to the 1/8, out raw past the 5/8 but never got close. ELLIOT MOOSE gapped at the back, had some late pace inside. ZEUS HANOVER was in a dull flow, not prominent. TSM BATMAN had very little to offer. FRANK DEFORD moved out second-over past the 5/8 but was soon in retreat.
SIXTH RACE – BAPTISM put WHAT SHOULD I GOO in and went 27.1, 55, 1:23.2 with that one the only one in the zip code, won handily in 1:52.1. The latter tucked second to the 3/16 and did remarkably well to stay close in the co-fastest trotting mile for anybody this year at Pocono. HODA HANOVER led the “second pack” throughout; SISTER SWELL came out on the turn to try to get third but could not. AVACAKES went past a struggling RAVIOLI.
SEVENTH RACE – DC BATGIRL made the lead at the 1/8 and just kept going fast, uncatchable. NUTTINBUTHEBEST yielded for the pocket, couldn’t stay with the winner late backstretch, held second. WHO’S SMOKIN N was third all the way and had that position to the wire over SWEET AND FEISTY. The latter stayed in and looked all-out to keep up, outside stretch and gained a little late. FANCY AND FAST started outside raw past the ¼, never reached the top few. CHIPPER DAISY was outside with little. TSM WESTERN SOUL gapped a good part of the way, then broke past the ¾.
EIGHTH RACE – CHAKE (SHAH-kay) had cover early then went on to take over at the fast quarter, rested to the half, drew away in the last ¼. WILLTOWIN HANOVER was in front just past the 1/8 and yielded at the ¼, stayed tight until the ¾, backed off but still far ahead of the rest. SOUTHERN AUTUMN yielded, sat third, started to gap 5/8, very distant third. LADY MONTAGUE retucked around a straggler then also passed a tired horse. MONIMOVESMOUNTAINS moved outside 5/8 as the third-in started to gap, but herself could not gain. XIOMARA started gapping off turn two. STRAIGHTNOCHASER galloped an 1/8 of a mile before the start.
NINTH RACE – JUXTA COWGIRL defended the pocket, a bit loose much of the last half, but went to the Pocono Pike and easily caught the leader. TSM ARTEMIS T flushed cover before the 3/8 and moved up behind it, left raw 11/16 and made a good move on the turn which she carried on to the wire. IN LOU OF MONEY was between horses early going to the lead 3/16, opened a clear lead 5/8 which she maintained to early stretch, then hit the wall (her first half = 56, her second half = 58.4). BYGONE HANOVER followed a lively flow and had some pace on the end. RIGGINSWIND was three-wide to almost the 1/8, took back, kept out of a hole until past the ¼, soon on the move again raw, gained down the back and retucked third 11/16, gapped on the turn but was a bit resurgent late. RELLA TIVITY shut a hole on turn one, was shuffled to last, couldn’t get into it. LOVELY LADY MAY gapped at several points before giving way for good 11/16.
TENTH RACE – MON CHEVAL came through at the start, moved 3/16 from third to the top 5/16, rated the half, then came home in 56.2 – 27.3, won safely. TIE ONE ON left and made the top, yielded, moved out from third-in late turn and wide headstretch, closed strongly into the fast last quarter. PALERMO HANOVER was first-over into the second turn, speed-grinded the second half and held well. LUISELLA was third-over, wide midturn and around the rest. HL REVINA gapped inside. A PERFECT HELEN was well-placed second-over but couldn’t keep up ¾. EBBIES LADY was three-wide leaving, in front past the 1/8, yielded to the winner and awaited the Pocono Pike, went there but went offstride. VOGUE was fourth-over, went wide but made a break in the lane.
ELEVENTH RACE – Timer malfunction; the fractions were announced as 27.2, 54.3, 1:23.1, 1:51.1 … SIR ELEANOR N, wide leaving, took the pocket past the 1/8, quarter-moved and paced a fast second quarter with the wind to make the top, got a breather against the wind in quarter three, then proved very game against charging rivals in a fast mile. A BETTER GAME took control early, yielded when the winner made her move, a bit loose on the turn but reengaged in the Pocono Pike and gave a good performance. GRACE HILL was well-placed second-over, just couldn’t get there. DRESDEN was first-up off the second turn and gained in the slowest quarter of the race, held her ground well late. BRILLIANT BEAUTY got a forward spot early, gapped much of the way, tighter midturn, had some pace in tight quarters through the stretch. CRAZY CUTE was away slowly, last, gained a little along the inside late. TRAFFIC JAM was third-over, couldn’t get into the main picture.
TWELFTH RACE – MANON was looped early waiting for traffic to clear, then on the move past the 1/8 to the top off the first bend, got a fairly moderate pace, sprinted home in 27.4 but had her mind kept to business midstretch with SAMOSA staying close. The latter looped the field early, yielded for the two-hole and stayed snug, to the Pocono Pike, did very well late. MORE THAN EVER got a forward spot, moved out ¾ but went back in by the bottom of the turn, third-best. ADORE ME moved out second-over ¾ but didn’t gain. VIRGIN MARY S, looking hard to drive throughout, was taken back to tuck, then was back out with cover, lost it to one breaker then retucked fifth after another misbehaver, evenly. DANZNQUEEN HANOVER was out behind cover at the back early, decided to press on but ran on turn two. SHESTHELUCKYONE was inside off the second turn when breaking, causing an “ix” to the slow-starting DREAMONHIGH; the original breaker was placed.
THIRTEENTH RACE – CASIE’S BELIEVER was wide early, tucked fourth 3/16, moved out second-over and slowly got tighter on cover while benefiting from the fractions, three-wide late turn, made the lead late then withstood JERICHO DIVA. The latter had to circle everybody from headstretch and almost got the job done. SURE R LOOKIN GOOD spotted, moved uncovered near the 5/8 with urging, challenged hard, OK. NARINA HANOVER sat in, gapped ¾, then was behind a wall between horses as the pace slowed. DELISHKA N made two speed moves in a fast half, got pressure nearing the far turn, couldn’t hold up late. PRAY THE ROSARY gapped third-over. LADY WARRIOR was on top at the 1/8, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, had nothing left late after the fast first half.
FOURTEENTH RACE – IN MY DREAMS made the front then pushed the ¼ before yielding to MEMO, sat behind that one, to the Pocono Pike and by easily. The latter was wide to turn one, onwards to the front at the quick quarter, rated with the wind in quarter two then had to step it up with mild urging against the wind as a outside foe threatened, shook that one off but could do nothing about the winner, did hold second over DYLAN THE GREAT. The latter raced third-in, got room to come out midstretch and had a good late surge. O JONNIE was away last, came up the inside to be next. SWEET HEART AS took a 4-tuck past the 1/8, on the move again raw 3/8, challenged hard in the third quarter, gave ground grudgingly. CHUCKY DE VIE was second-over, three-wide late turn but ineffective. KEYSTONE THUNDER never got into the mix.