FIRST RACE – Warm twilight, with no wind to start … FLIP MY CHIP moved from third past the 3/16 to the lead 5/16, set an evenly-quick pace, drew away. FRAZZLEBERRY tucked past the 1/8, was third-in, came up the Pocono Pike and edged a few for second. DILLINGER went uncovered heading to the lower bend, grinded steadily, certainly in the hunt for major minor honors to the line. THANOS went right to the lead, yielded to sit the two-hole to the winner, couldn’t keep up from midturn. ALWAYS BETTER had good cover, three-wide on the turn but didn’t advance until too late. SPORTS SECTION took back early, gapped third-over 5/8. YER SO BAD was never a major factor
SECOND RACE – HOOD PARTY was looped early, moved up late first turn to take over on that bend, rated Q2, fought off SILENT CROSSING with good last half speed. The latter was first to the top, yielded off turn one for the pocket, stayed close, outside late turn, didn’t quite have enough in the fast last half. SHES A SASSY BEACH left and was forwardly-placed, maintained a no-factor third. SHEZAFREAKLIKEME followed the parked-out horse, three-wide late turn, was gaining some late. WHO’S SMOKIN N stayed in, so-so in the Pocono Pike. THUNDRA was third-over but didn’t get into the main mix. BYGONE HANOVER was not heard from. SWEET AND FEISTY broke going for a 5-tuck 3/16, recovered and advanced uncovered, showed good energy before tiring the last 3/16.
THIRD RACE – INNISFALLEN quickly made the lead and set the pace of his choosing, drew away easily. MUAY HANOVER came outside with cover late backstretch, outfooted MY BIG KADILLAC for place. The latter moved outside 5/8 as the pocketsitter unplugged, gradually advanced some, couldn’t hold on for second late. POSSESS THE STONE was far back, made up ground in the last 5/16. WORLDSSTONECOLD AS was looped and between horses when breaking past the 1/8, recovered and caught the field, blocked far turn, good recovery once clear. WARRIOR WAY maintained the early pocket although off the winner, fell out of it 11/16. SLEW FOOT did not surface. CHROME PACKAGE was looped and three-wide early, could not tuck in so pressed on, started fading early backstretch.
FOURTH RACE – Even fast babies can show greenness … LOUSAIN BOLT was away third, tried to get wide off the first turn but was kept in line, moved 11/16 and went right past the leader towards midturn in opening an insurmountable lead. KEN HANOVER was looped early, went on to take over past the quarter, got a slow second split, saw the winner sail right by past early far turn and briefly lost his bearings going into the pylons, regained some ground once straightened away late; an inquiry into the pylon incident yielded no reason for placing. MAMBA dashed right to the top, yielded for the pocket, backed out past midturn as two went by outside, drifted out four-wide off the far turn, caught SWIFT OPERATOR for third. The latter followed the winner and found himself uncovered to midturn, ducked inside in the stretch, couldn’t sustain. NO PARTNERS never factored. SIR HESTON got very steppy before the first turn and trailed.
FIFTH RACE — … but 15YOs don’t show greenness … TSM PHOTO BUGGER left strongly to control the throttle, kept the front part of the field strung out most of the way and won for fun. CHIEF JUSTICE moved second-over 5/8, wide late turn and finished well. TIDQUIST pushed out well but then gapped, closer and uncovered 5/8, challenged, couldn’t sustain his move. JOEY PRO stayed in, moved out in the stretch, evenly. CLARION HALL left between horses for the pocket, backed off through the last quarter. THE BIG MUSCLE was never close. RIVER OTTER was between horses early when making a little break but recovered quickly, moved uncovered into turn two but had little to offer.
SIXTH RACE – ANNAPOLIS HANOVER got away third, was slightly off the top two at points to the ¾, where he went to a higher gear, still looked to have a very hard task to catch BAMBOOZLER as late as just before midstretch, but powered home and was along in time. The latter left between horses to the top, seated a rival well before the 26.4 quarter, rolled right on and opened up a good lead into the stretch, raced well but was outeighthed by the winner. DEMPSEY HANOVER sat in, to the Pocono Pike and got third in a three-way photo. APERITIF was three-high to the first turn, took the pocket, faded some in the last 1/8. BARBOSSA HANOVER moved outside behind the winner but couldn’t quite keep up. SWEET CHILLI HEAT never entered the picture; nor did BE THE CAPTAIN.
SEVENTH RACE – WESTBEACH went straight to the top, yielded past the ¼ but was quick on the retake, drew clear 5/8 and extended her lead through the last quarter. SHECANDANCE N tucked early, stayed third-in, backed up when the pocket horse gave way on the turn, then to the Pocono Pike and up for the deuce. SLICK ARTIST was wide leaving, found no tuck so gunned up 3/16 to command past the ¼, quickly surrendered the lead for the pocket, struggled progressively more from the 5/8. MORROCKIN K sat in and was badly blocked, found room deep to the inside and had finishing pace. BULLVILLEKARLA moved three-wide ¾ around stalling cover but didn’t gain. JERICHO DIVA moved out raw to turn two, had a burst and gained to the 5/8, after which she advanced no further. NARINA HANOVER never got close. DELISHKA N gapped cover third-over.
EIGHTH RACE – SHIP SHIP HOORAY went to the top around a breaker and a rough-gaited horse, yielded 3/8 and was content in the pocket, came out two-wide midturn as the first-over continued in the three-wide path, had enough sprint to make the lead then hold off that rival. NOLAUGHINGSTOCK took some very bad steps entering the first turn and was away last of the main pack, uncovered towards turn two but was three-wide from just before the half onward, kept speed-grinding despite being wide and tried gamely to the line. GIRLDAD had the early pocket, moved after the slow quarter and went to the lead 3/8, got a huge breather to the half, picked up the pace, could not last late. PANETTONE HANOVER started doing a little better on the turn, considered following the winner then went to the Pocono Pike and was gaining. CLEARCHOICE DE VIE never was a major danger. DARK AS NIGHT made a break an 1/8 before the start, was good in recovery. CRUISE HANOVER moved out into the backstretch but couldn’t improve her positioning.
NINTH RACE – SUNRISE HANOVER was sixth, stayed in, gapped down the back but gradually drew closer and was able to pace all the way up to the pocket, then to the Pocono Pike and caught the favored pacesetter. JUXTA COWGIRL went a fast quarter to be the leader, rated the half, clear down the back, but then was caught by the pocket rocket. A CRAFTY LADY was third-over, three-wide ¾ through the turn, kicked in a bit late, moving well at the wire. LA ALWAYS AMARTINI was out much of the fast opener before reluctantly taking the two-hole, waited, pounced outside under urging after the first-over faded midturn, but did not gain. TRAFFIC JAM moved second-over before the half, blindswitched at the ¾, not much late. ANOTHER BEACH DAY was uncovered going to the second turn, never reached the leader, fell back far turn. ANNE BONNEY N never was a major danger.
TENTH RACE – BUGABOO LOU quickly was in front, got a breather in quarter two, then stormed home in 54 – 26.3, and no 2YO in July was going to make up ground in that sprint home. ERVIN HANOVER stayed connected in the pocket but as noted did not have the sprint to gain. FULTON tucked third at the 1/8, outside ¾, held his ground well. LOUS THE ATTITUDE sat in, moved out midturn, paced steadily. FEEL MY WRATH gapped at the back, came up the Pocono Pike for the last check. CAPTAIN UP could not go enough. MAKE ME AN OFFER moved at the ¼ and gained in the slowish Q2 to the point he had a head up on the pocket horse just past the half, but he then faded significantly 5/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – BEACH CRAZY, forwardly-placed behind the fast pace, moved uncovered past the 5/8 and quickly went up to challenge, got the lead for good midstretch and then held off DRESDEN. The latter tucked fourth under a hold, waited for cover to come out then followed it, couldn’t quite go enough in the stretch but raced well. DANCE CLUB left strongly and went on to cut a hot pace, pressure from the ¾, held the lead to midstretch and held well overall. A BETTER GAME actually left best of all but track geometry forced a pocket tuck, started to get loose past midturn. THE STUNNING NUN N was inside, blocked far turn, gained once clear in the Pocono Pike for the last check. THE OTHER THREE were never in the hunt.
TWELFTH RACE – NO WIN NO FEED A was wide early to command at the 1/8, yielded 3/8 for the two-hole, taken to the Pocono Pike and zipped right to the lead. DARBY HANOVER moved 5/16 to get the top past the 3/8 and strung the field most of the backstretch, didn’t have quite enough sprint to withstand the winner but held off the next two. SLY ELEANOR N yielded, stayed third on the rail until nearing the ¾, paced home strongly. MILIEU HANOVER sat in before the ¾, spent the first half of the stretch angled to widest, then finished strongly a mite too belatedly. TEMPURA HANOVER was second-over to the ¾ but gapped in the last ¼. TALK SHOW CHICA trailed.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SWEET KISSES left between horses for the pocket then moved early to take over, kept the field stretched out in the middle half, had two 27.4s on the end to be safe. FAST MACHINE had some speed, sat third, stayed inside and gained some in the lane. SHIPNSTROL HANOVER was three-wide to the 1/8 in going to the lead 3/16, yielded for the two-hole, came out headstretch, bore out significantly but still fought on gamely in the battle for second. BROOKDALE JESSIE went evenly. CATIE FAYE HANOVER found better strides late and was doing well at the wire. THE OTHERS made no impact here.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BYE BYE MICHELLE was quickly on top, briefly relinquished the lead off the first turn only to quickly reclaim it, went a fast third quarter, then held off DELIGHTFUL SUMMER while tiring a bit. The latter stayed close in third, got to the two-hole when the pocketsitter vacated midturn, had her chance in the Pocono Pike but couldn’t quite get there. FIGHTING EVIL was uncovered 5/8 but didn’t immediately advance much, got cover midturn, came on steadily late. IN LOU OF MONEY was three-wide before the first turn, pressed on to command past the ¼ then yielded for the pocket, was under rocking ¾ and came out midturn but did not gain. MILADY DENVER A, far back most of the way, finished nicely while widest. FREE FLYIN TICKET moved outside late backstretch but didn’t do much. THE LAST PAIR were never on the principal radar.