FIRST RACE – Seasonal mild temperatures; stretch headwind … PARMESAN N took the early pocket at the insistence of BABES DIG ME and sat there, to the Pocono Pike and just worked by late. The latter was under strong encouragement early and did go on to take the lead, shook off the challenger to his right but couldn’t withstand the one to his left. DO WORK SON may have done better than the line may indicate: three-wide early but took back, was shut out of holes so tucked in his own hole, out uncovered into turn two, went 27 (with the wind) to challenge down the back, finally backed off in the last 1/8 but still was beaten only a length. MUSCLE MACH A had a good journey second-over, wasn’t tight on his cover much of the last half, kicked in a little too late. STARVIN MARVIN kept a hole closed early, inside, so-so. WELL DONE SON was no threat from third-over. GONNAHAVESOMEMORE was at the back most of the way. AMAZON also kept a hole closed past the 1/8, then was not heard from again.
SECOND RACE – GREAT MUSIC left three-wide then was two-wide to get the lead at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and went by easily for the opening of Team Whelan’s 2022 Pocono account. JUDGE KEN defended the pocket, quarter-moved, set the pace, no match for the winner and just held second over DICENTRA. The latter was out with cover to the ¾, found her best strides late. CASH FOR GOLD took back between horses to tuck third, came out ¾ but couldn’t gain and went back inside late turn, next. ALEXANDER HANOVER and FRAC were disconnected by the 9/16. PONDA’S MUSCLE MAN broke off the turn before the start.
THIRD RACE – STARZZNSTRIPES rushed uncovered at the half and cleared to the lead past the 5/8, had to work to maintain her advantage but did so gamely. MO’S BEST ERA EVA came out on the second turn, soon had good cover then lost it past the 5/8, thought about tucking in the pocket midturn but stayed outside, digging hard right to the finish. CAPTAIN’S STAR went out to the early lead, yielded to the early mover to sit the pocket, was able to back out with cover when the leader was passed late backstretch, three-wide past midturn, couldn’t quite reach. IRISH SONG came along to join the two-wide flow, then angled inside headstretch and continued on. LADY ELECTRA had too much ground to overcome. BETTOR STRAIT N UP took the early pocket, sat in, shuffled far turn as the pacesetter tired. BETTE TINA was not in the mix. I’M A TEEEZ quarter-moved, couldn’t resist the winner’s move past the 5/8 and faded back.
FOURTH RACE – TELENOVELA left well and got in front at the 1/8, rated the half, kept the first-over out, was in control through the stretch. HONORABLE LADY yielded to sit the good two-hole trip, definitely second-best. TURN THE TAB shut a hole on the first turn, backed out ¾ but went back inside, next. PRAIRIE TRINKET needed most of the ¼ to settle inside, gapped down the back. LUCKY LIMERICK started uncovered off turn two and made a nice brush to get into contention, but then tired badly in the stretch. ALDEBARAN ACRUX was away last, to the outside at the ¼ but broke 5/16, suffered “b.e.” and was pulled up.
FIFTH RACE – OPTRIX tucked, moved outside ¾ and gained, went to the lead past midstretch then held off the closers. SCOTTY DEO gapped some inside then was closer at the 5/8, got cover ¾, finished steadily. KOBE B was third-over at the ¾, wide and moving nicely late. UNIQUE STYLE made the lead 3/16, yielded a like distance later to sit the pocket, Pocono Pike, didn’t really seem to have much of an excuse. ACTION SHOT left and yielded, stuck in on the far turn, moved out into a blindswitch headstretch, evenly. MARCH FORTH was four-wide early and broke trying to advance into the first turn, caught the field by the 1/8 and moved out from seventh before the ¼ to move all the way to the top in a slow second panel, didn’t get pressure until the far turn, tired after his early adventures. BULLVILLE REGGIE offered little. IVEGOTTHETAB broke going to turn one.
SIXTH RACE – THNDRFRMTHETHRON N came through at the start to control the throttle, got the outer flow started early by really backing off the second split, then accelerated off turn two and was safely clear the rest of the way (last half 55.3). LUZIANA took the pocket 3/16, slightly loose the last half but held second over CAVIART STETSON. The latter sat in third, to the Pocono Pike, just missed the deuce. I’VE GOT HOOTSPA tucked fourth, uncovered 3/8 in the slowdown, never reached the leader, OK. CAVIART SAGE was five-wide after the gate sprung and quickly took back to tuck, second-over, three-wide ¾, fair. GETYOURLICENSELIAM was not close. BANK PLAYER was originally second-over but gapped and went inside. RIPPLESONTHEBEACH went to third-over in a nonproductive flow, three-wide to the 5/8 and four-wide ¾, flattened.
SEVENTH RACE – TIPSY MONEY was in charge throughout, slowing the half then not letting her rivals reach her. I’M AMUSED tucked third 3/16, moved uncovered at the half and was able to get into the two-hole before the 5/8, stayed fairly close the rest of the way but didn’t loom as a major danger. GINA’S ON FIRE got the pocket early, gave same to the 5/8 as the winner accelerated when the first-over came and then tucked, gapped slightly the rest of the way, evenly late. PEMBROKE MONI moved with cover then lost it to the 5/8, slowly advanced then tired in the last 1/8. MISCHIEVOUS G got the final check. ISLAND DIVA was wide early and then out most of the mile near the rear. CHEROKEE JOY was last when galloping early backstretch.
EIGHTH RACE – PURE WOW moved quickly to the 5/8 and went by in a slow third quarter, drew away. MOJAVE HANOVER followed the winner but couldn’t quite go with her, got into the pocket far turn, went on well late. COOL MISS WENDY was third-over in a lively flow, evenly stretch. CHELIOS made three separate breaks – past the start, near the 5/16, and in the stretch – but complied with the rules and after an inquiry was not placed; in between missteps she showed a good bit of ability. One who was placed was ZAPPA, who went to the lead, yielded to a parked foe 3/8, then was shuffled badly on the far turn, moved out early stretch but took a bad step, broke, went inside, and ran home; placed eighth for violation of the breaking rules. BIG BEN HANOVER left well, yielded, another who was badly shuffled far turn then had to steer around the headstretch breaker. AULTER EGO was not prominent. CRAFT BREW LINDY left, pressed on 3/16 to the lead 3/8, got a slow middle half but still had no answers when challenged to the ¾.
NINTH RACE – ONE OF THE GUYS sat a great pocket trip, outside stretch and marched to the lead. FRAZZLEBERRY tucked third, could have taken the inside route as the winner pulled but backed out behind that one and closed to get second ahead of FLIGHT ONEFORTYSIX. The latter was bothered 5/16, retucked around a balky one, made up ground and came uncovered 11/16, good late. BOBS REDEMPTION set his own pace, came up short in the stretch. THE NEXT TWO got around trouble 5/16, were outside but couldn’t enter contention. UP THE CREEK started to gap at the ¼, put in funky steps 5/16 and jammed up those behind him, fell back to last, couldn’t get into the main contest, placed for causing interference. RENO DINERO never got close.
TENTH RACE – SORTIE moved quickly at the 3/8 to sweep by the leader past the half and went on to trot his third quarter in 27 to draw clear, much the best. VIC’S WINNER yielded 3/16 then pulled the pocket to brush to the top, again yielded early backstretch and was the only one to stay remotely close to the winner. KEEGAN HO was badly shuffled behind a tired one from past the 5/8, free in the Pocono Pike and a distant third. NICE STUFF followed cover but was left raw early backstretch, couldn’t advance enough to get into a yawning 3-hole from the 5/8. HOT SUMMER KNIGHT was far back, a little between horses late. LIFE WELL LIVED pressed on to the lead 3/16, yielded, started gapping out at the 5/8. CREWS HILLTOPPER was shuffled back. BROADWAY MASTER had dull cover but couldn’t go around it when tipped wide far turn.
ELEVENTH RACE – MR MCDREAMY made the lead, yielded, came off the first turn but was hung out the entire length of the frontstretch before clearing, set the pace and was equal to this task. DL’S BIG ELVIS left between horses and took a 3-tuck, stayed connected, to the Pocono Pike and good for second. MY FRISKIE BOY, three-wide early, was on top at the 1/8, fought the winner before letting him get the lead, sat tight, outside headstretch, but had no gain. CHANCELLORCULLEN N stayed in, not too much late. JAMAICAN COWBOY went uncovered coming off turn two, advanced no further than midpack with one gear. SKYWAY FIREBALL did not make his presence felt. SOUTHERN FLIGHT gapped cover. MICHAEL’S MONSTER was away slowly and sat last throughout.
TWELFTH RACE – MUSKINGUM went right to the lead, set temperate fractions, then sprinted home in 28.2 to win safely. WILLIE B WORTHY looked at leaving but backed off quickly to third, came out of the hole past the 5/8, held his ground well but didn’t threaten. SHAKE IT OFF LINDY protected the pocket, Pocono Pike but didn’t gain. CRAZYCAT was outside early backstretch, got cover 5/8, OK late. MATT’S MUSCLES sat in then backed out to third-over but gapped. I HAVE A DREAM gapped much of the way. CRITICAL MASS was last all the way and fell far behind the last ½.
THIRTEENTH RACE – DARK HORSE left well and went to the front 3/16, had a horse on his outside but still moderated the fractions, held off the two who were in behind him. NEWBIE was third-in, pinned in around the far turn, shook clear early stretch and gained enough to reach second ahead of ARI ALLSTAR. The latter yielded 3/16 and defended the pocket, went loose past midturn and couldn’t quite retain second although far ahead of the others. CALL HIM ROCKY was looped, cover to the 3/16 then left out in the air, rode outside, held until past midturn, not too bad a mile considering energy used. REYS N A RUCKUS came out off the second turn but saw little prospect in that tier and went back inside, gapped. ARTACUS moved behind the parked horse before the half but gapped. CODE MEISTER faded badly.
FOURTEENTH RACE – J-S JASPER was clear before turn one, went on enough to put a foe in behind 3/16, drew clear the last 3/8. GLIDE IN THE WIND was far back until the far turn, swung wide in the lane and passed many horses. DUDELOOKSLIKELINDY was looped, made the pocket 3/16, unplugged 5/8, evenly late. ARCH CREDIT was a bit slow early, finished with trot. TIDQUIST sat third-in, faded the last ¼. PRAIRIE VIRTUE was uncovered off the second turn, with ANDOVERS TOUCH behind him, but neither entered the main picture. PHANTOM RUSTY was a bit off the gate and trailed most of the way.