FIRST RACE – In the low 80s … Winds varied from negligible to a mild stretch headwind, then fluctuated again near the end of the card … XMARXTHESPOT was away well, yielded, quarter-moved, put the first-over in behind him late turn, then drew away. TRUTHBTOLDBLUECHIP moved out raw off turn two, got cover 5/8, gapped it on the turn then lost it, continued on steadily to hold the distant second over PLAY THE ACE. The latter tucked third after leaving between horses, locked in on the far turn until nearing headstretch, then went wide and had a very big last 1/16. MELANIE’S NICK came first-up near the 5/8 and went after the winner, went back to the pocket far turn, tired. PROSPECTORS GOLD took back to tuck early, backed out third-over 11/16, got the last check. CAPTAIN COOK was urged leaving, three-wide to the 1/8, in front late first turn, yielded to the winner, unplugging the last ¼. JAM THAT GUITAR did not get a fast start, way back. CHARIOT DRIVE had no response at all in the last quarter.
SECOND RACE – UPFRONT STONE defended the pocket in the early scramble, moved out before the ¾ to challenge, made the lead early stretch, held off ZSA ZSA DABOR. The latter hugged the inside and advanced all the way up to the pocket, outside before midstretch and gained well but couldn’t catch the winner. ALL RISE barreled towards the first turn four-wide, three-wide to the lead past the 1/8 in a fast opener, was challenged on the far turn, tiring late but well ahead of the rest. CAN’T SAY NO, wide briefly, was looped between horses, retreated to the 3-hole just past the ¼, back out again at the half but couldn’t make an impression. PHANTOM RUSTY never materialized. JULA PRO HANOVER had excess cover. JUSTIFY was second-over, went three-wide 11/16 but only clogged that lane until breaking upper far turn. BRIGITTE BI broke past the half.
THIRD RACE – Stretch headwind picked up … DOLE WHIP sat patiently, moved with cover late backstretch, three-wide late turn and drew away in fast time. PEMBROKE SOUTHIE was looped early and tucked third, out 5/8 and grinded up to the leader, put that one away late turn, clearly second-best. BLANK CHEEK had the lead, saw a breaker recover and go on to the lead 3/8, retook at the half, couldn’t hold off the front pair but was better than the others. PRAISE HANOVER gapped. SOUTHWIND COCKTAIL was making the pocket past the 1/8 when breaking, recovered and went to the lead 3/8, yielded at the half, faded badly the last 5/16. STANDING ENVTATION fell far back.
FOURTH RACE – TAKE SHAPE left strongly and set a very fast quarter and half, was on fumes coming home (31.3 last quarter) but hit the wire first just in front of SCIROCCO BIG JOHN. The latter was off the gate a bit and was last early, circled laggards and gained inside on the turn, then swung wide, still sixth midstretch but gaining very rapidly late on the extreme outside. PREACHER MAN gapped early, moved uncovered ¾, steadily as the pace slowed dramatically. BILLY RAY HANOVER gapped before the half, stayed in as many got closer to the leader, outside stretch, outtrotted. NANCY BAR was three-wide leaving to the pocket at the 1/8, poised and to the Pocono Pike but had little to offer. SCIROCCO PATRICK advanced from far back but could not maintain his gain. TRENTS A LOCK was looped and took back to tuck, started gapping out at the half.
FIFTH RACE – Again, the wind has calmed … FEEL MY WRATH was three-wide early to third at the 1/8, uncovered 9/16 and grinded, kept going strongly to the wire. SWEET TIMBER was away second then quarter-moved and set the pace, under pressure from the winner, was holding OK until deep stretch. SWIFT OPERATOR gapped some second-over down the back, no apparent excuse. TICTOCMOE took the early lead then yielded for the pocket, fell back in the lane. ROCKWELL gapped inside. CODIGO LEE gapped badly at the back. RUSTY BEACH was outside but never got near the front bunch.
SIXTH RACE – FASHION ON A STAR went right to the front, was challenged on the second turn and yielded to sit the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike and came back for the lead past midstretch, just held off LUISELLA. The latter had good cover second-over but lost it at the half, had to go raw from there and relentlessly did her job, just nipped. CREATARMA moved in front of the stands to clear at the half, just failed to hold. DON’T I WISH had the early pocket, struggled to keep up the last ½. BLESSINGSANDFAVOR moved up to third after an early breaker, came out before the 5/8 but gapped. ARGENTO was outside on the second turn but failed to get close. EDEN ONTHEHILL was in the early pocket when breaking 3/16. MATTER OF TRUST wasn’t close when making a break in close quarters early on the far turn.
SEVENTH RACE – AFLAME HANOVER was away second then improved that position by one past the quarter, in no danger with back fractions of 55.2 – 27.3. ARTIFACT HANOVER stepped lively to get the top early, yielded for the two-hole, not in the league of the winner but far ahead of the others. FRISKIE ALL NITE tucked fourth before the 1/8, locked in as the outer tiers were clogged, free in the stretch and gained some ground back. MISTER DAYTONA was far back and blocked, inside, next in line. MCNEILL Z TAM sat third but started backing up far turn, effectively leaving the 1-2-3 tiers midpack clogged. REDBANK BLAZE A was uncovered off the second turn but had very little. GONNAHAVESOMEMORE never entered the main picture. BAY MEADOWS was underway at the half, three-wide 5/8 to try to clear dull cover but couldn’t.
EIGHTH RACE – HERODOTUS sat in third, got to the pocket to the ¾, waited for the Pocono Pike and trotted right on by. DANCEHALL KING moved second-over down the back but soon found himself in a blindswitch as the pocket horse eased out in front of the “first-over,” ducked to the rail on the far turn, moved out a lane early stretch but was blocked so ducked all the way inside and gained late for second. MUCHO MACHO set the pace and got a soft middle half, then came under pressure, not quite enough late. CAN’T STOP WILL went into the pocket 3/16, eased out of it before the ¾, didn’t have enough. DINKY WINKY took back to tuck fourth past the 3/16, came raw 5/8 then was three-wide when the pocket horse came out, flattened. LOOKINTOGETLUCKY gapped at the back.
NINTH RACE – One infield flag indicated a slight stretch tailwind the next two races; the other did not … OUTWIT OUTRUN wanted the lead but was forced to take the pocket 3/16, stayed there into the stretch, then easily went by in the Pocono Pike. HUNTSVILLE PLACE refused to yield in a 26.4 opener, slowed things some then picked it up when a challenger came on nearing the far turn, handled that one but could do nothing about the winner, did hold second over MCDREAMER. The latter gapped to past the ¼ behind the early battle, third-in, was behind the winner but not tight on him in the lane, almost got the deuce. MY BOY JACK was uncovered past the 5/8 and fought hard with the leader, backed off some in the lane. MIKI MINAJ was near the back throughout. STONEBRIDGE KARIS gapped much of the way. HANDSOFFMYTITOS couldn’t stay close 11/16.
TENTH RACE – CRANTINI was wide leaving, made the two-hole and stayed close, outside midturn, got even with the leader headstretch, saw that one reclaim a small margin early stretch, drifted out a little but still had enough to ultimately power by. PARAMOUNT LEGEND N headed right on down the road, set a comfortable pace, but didn’t have the needed sprint to stall the winner. FATHER STOSH got a forward spot then gapped early, got closer, not with the top two but ahead of the others. KOBE B came out past the 5/8, passed some horses but couldn’t reach the front end action. KENOBI ran an 1/8 before the start, recovered, raced with cover, came back to get a check. ALONSO was never a factor; nor was DWIGHT HANOVER.
ELEVENTH RACE – MACH WEST wanted to cut the pace and went 26.4 to put a challenger in behind him, rated quarter two then sailed along without much pressure, had enough to withstand THNDRFRMTHETHRON N. The latter backed off into the two-hole 3/16, was loose at a couple of points, outside and gave what he could in the lane narrowing in slightly. AWESOMENESS got forward position, stayed in, up the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite grab second. DO WORK SON was underway 3/8 from last, second-over, three-wide late turn, did very well from a tough spot. ROCK THREE TIMES did not enter contention. JAGGER ROCKS was far back throughout. ROCKIN THE SHADES was uncovered going to turn two, made a good move to enter contention down the backstretch, faded through the stretch. DIVISION BELL gapped early, inside and shuffled to last, couldn’t get into the main action.
TWELFTH RACE – NOTE: BROOKROAD MASTER galloped just before the start and was on the dead run in the infield throughout; his position had to be charted, so that should be understood in looking at the positioning (and lengths behind) of the others indicated at the calls … NIGHT FLYER K went to the lead just past the 1/4, yielded to the brusher to sit the pocket, clipped a couple of pylons headstretch, then to the Pocono Pike and went by easily; an inquiry into the pylon situation headstretch gave no reason for placing. CUPID HANOVER moved second-over and advanced nicely, wide headstretch and made up a lot of ground (into a 30 last quarter). MISS MUSCLE was uncovered from fifth at the half, made steady progress and held well late. GIVEM THE GOO yielded at the ¼ but was quick on the retake, set pretty good fractions for these, tired. THE OTHER TWO never got into the main action.