FIRST RACE – Warm, with a stretch headwind … PLAY THE ACE wound up third early, moved out into a blindswitch 11/16, finally cleared the blindswitch by ducking inside after the pocket horse backed off, had a big burst to easily catch Y S MATHIS BRO. The latter was outleft, bypassed a 3-tuck and continued on to the lead 3/8, was clear on the lead much of the last half but couldn’t sustain the advantage to the finish. BLUE LABEL started uncovered 5/8, step-and-a-half shy. BUCKEYE MEMORY moved out before the 5/8, went three-wide when another foe came out and remained three-deep the rest of the way, good. HEAVENS SECRET never entered the picture. MELANIE’S NICK was away quickly top the front, yielded for the pocket 3/8, gave way in the last 1/8. JAM THAT GUITAR gapped at the back.
SECOND RACE – CAN’T SAY NO was looped and tucked third past the 1/8, came out of third 11/16 and moved up, grinded past a tired leader and drew away through the last 1/8. DELTASUN A was second leaving, quarter-moved, kept up a quick pace for this class, had no answer for the winner, did hold second. MISS MUSCLE was very far back, circled some tired foes in finishing third. JUSTIFY was leaving a gap before the ¼. KEYSTONE SERGEANT tried to advance three-wide from last to the ¾, got a check. SHAKE IT OFF LINDY was in front at the 1/8, yielded to the favorite, kept fairly close in the pocket until the ¾. O JONNIE was never a factor. BRIGITTE BI gapped a gapper from the 3/8.
THIRD RACE – DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS was out behind cover early, got in gear 3/16 after his cover tucked and went on to take the lead 5/16, clear of these in the last half. LITE N SWEET came out to the ¾, started to go back inside midturn but then stayed two-wide as the horse in front of him bore out, finished well. SWEET TIMBER left, put a foe in behind, yielded to the winner to sit in the pocket, slightly off that one the rest of the way, evenly late. BULLVILLESPANDEMIC was outside early, took the pocket 3/16, stayed in, Pocono Pike, not that much late. MIKI DE VIE never was a threat. TICTOCMOE moved off the second turn, found better strides 5/8 and advanced, but then stopped advancing and bore out on the far turn. DELESTON gapped. ROCKWELL broke coming off the turn before the start, caught the field but had little more to give.
FOURTH RACE – PRECISE FASHION got the top before the 1/8, yielded to the early brusher to sit the pocket, Pocono Pike, found a higher gear nearing midstretch and trotted away. YOU’RE DEAD TO ME came through to protect the early pocket, then pulled out before the ¼ and went to the lead, rated the half, couldn’t stall the winner. RHEIA ROSE moved out from third ¾, not bad. PLUM WINE was second-over towards the ¾, three-wide into the stretch, gave ground. FAMOUS DAN moved out on the second turn but never got close. MOJAVE HANOVER gapped. CHELIOS broke early. MATS PALEMA broke before the start, recovered but broke again at the half.
FIFTH RACE – PEMBROKE SOUTHIE tucked second early, then quarter-moved, had a clear lead most of the back half. CHERRY VALLEY moved outside into the backstretch and retucked in a distant 3-hole past the 5/8, gained on the turn then went up the Pocono Pike, won a photo for second over RAVENOUS. The latter moved out from far back ¾ and gained uncovered, finished steadily (the pace was slowing). BLANK CHECK crossed over easily to command before the first bend, yielded to the winner for the pocket, was loose from the half though the only one still in contact the third split, gradually tired some. CLOCKSTRIKESTWELVE followed cover far turn, ducked in for the stretch, evenly. IVY HANOVER was loose in third past the half, then started getting passed. PRAISE HANOVER was already gapping by the ¼. HAILEY’S SISTER broke at the start.
SIXTH RACE – NICE STUFF made the front into bend one, rated the half, maintained control of this field. TRAIN left and stayed connected into the two-hole until past headstretch, still clearly second. TUIS SHADOW stayed third-in, also couldn’t muster too much late. ZSA ZSA DABOR was wide headstretch and got into the photo for third. CHOCOLATE MATTERS left a gap. DUDELOOKSLIKELINDY didn’t pass any horses. SPIRIT OF DEO came up on a delayed move and settled fifth early, uncovered on the second turn, gained but then lost gait before the 5/8. TAKE SHAPE was away third, broke coming off turn one.
SEVENTH RACE – JAGGED LITTLE PILL was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the lead to the 3/16 in by far the fastest quarter of the race, yielded to the favorite to sit the pocket, came out in the stretch, easily went to the front, then withstood RUMORED. The latter was between horses early then tucked third, followed the winner outside into the stretch then tipped wider, gained but not quite enough. INTO THE UNKNOWN pushed the relatively quick ¼, yielded but was immediately on the retake, had things her own way upfront, tired. SWEET GADGETS was a bit loose the last 3/8, Pocono Pike but no response. LIZZIANA moved out off the second turn, under urging but didn’t gain. WORKINGONATAN was gapping by the 3/8.
EIGHTH RACE – PRIMO VOMO tucked third 3/16, went uncovered into the second turn, grinded, needed only a 59.4 last half on the clock to get the job done here. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP was second-over, three-wide ¾ then got wide cover late turn, ducked between horses and finished with trot. ROJO MAN tucked fifth 3/16, was second-over, moved three-wide late turn, caught to the inside for second. STANDTHEPAIN AS had the pocket, moved out behind the winner headstretch, didn’t have enough late response. KOLB HANOVER went a relatively quick quarter to control the pace, slowed the half, got a challenge, fell far back late. IVEGOTTHETAB stayed in, was gapping before the half and gradually lost contact. SUNBERRY HANOVER was third-over, was blindswitched then broke midturn.
NINTH RACE – ARMED BANDIT was three-deep into turn one, tucked third and stayed in, was moving out headstretch when the pocketsitter pulled so ducked in to the Pocono Pike, strong finish. FLIGHT ONEFORTYSIX moved second-over but gapped in a fast third quarter, found a higher gear in the last 1/8 and narrowed in but couldn’t quite take it all. MIKI MINAJ went into the two-hole before turn one, stayed there, outside stretch, not quite enough. DANCE PARTNER was another using the pole to control the throttle in a fast 1/4, rated the half then sped up down the back with a challenger looming, came up shy in the drive to the wire. STEWARDOFTHELAND avoided trouble. HURRYMIKI HANOVER was uncovered into the second turn, advanced in the quick third quarter but was soon all done beyond that point. WARRAWEE EXTREME suffered an “ix” following WYOMING COWBOY, who broke behind a gapper early in the backstretch.
TENTH RACE – CREATARMA was out at the half and quickly was a tight second-over, only wide headstretch, closed and was along just in time. ARGENTO took back to tuck past the 1/8, came uncovered 9/16 and grinded into the wind, steadily and although never ahead tried hard to the wire. MATTER OF TRUST was yielding when an outside foe broke past the 1/8 so became the pacesetter, set wind-appropriate fractions, held OK. CHARMING BANK wound up in the pocket, Pocono Pike, fair. DON’T I WISH stayed in, to the deep Pike, evenly. BLACK HAWK DOWN was clearing to the lead just past the 1/8 when breaking, caught the field and moved outside but could do no more. GLASS NICKEL couldn’t keep up. PHANNYS MATTER broke at the start.
ELEVENTH RACE – ARTIFACT HANOVER rocketed out to the lead in a fast opener, strung out the field past the half, stayed well in control of these throughout. BAY MEADOWS left enough to defend the pocket, clearly second although no threat. DECLAN SEELSTER moved uncovered off the second turn, never got near the winner, ducked inside the pulling pocketsitter in the stretch, just held third over I’VE GOT HOOTSPA. The latter gapped early, moved out 5/8 but gapped that cover then got better, three-wide midturn but didn’t have enough. NERVE OF STEEL N was well-positioned but came up empty in the drive. THE LAST THREE were the last three throughout.
TWELFTH RACE – COUNTER OFFER moved uncovered 5/8 and went right up to challenge the leader, grinded home and got the decision over the closers to his left. HUNTSVILLE PLACE was three-wide to the initial curve to the top past the 1/8, yielded off the first turn for the two-hole, Pocono Pike and had his chance, just a little bit shy. PRAIRIE HANDSOME was in the early mix and wound up third, to the deep Pike and made stretch progress. TRUTHBTOLDBLUECHIP moved out from next-to-last 9/16 under urging, initially gapped cover then went tighter on it, did OK. DRAGON CITY was four-wide early, went behind cover until losing it past the 1/8, pressed onward to the lead off the first turn, strung the field for a while, was challenged, gave in. WAR OF WILL left some, stayed in, spent most of upper stretch angling very wide, had some finishing strides. IVY STUD did not factor. AMERICAN ZESTAR was having trouble keeping up by the 3/8.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SADIQ HANOVER commanded the race, slowed the half, then sprinted home in 54.1 to draw clear easily. JAGGER ROCKS wanted the early lead but settled into the pocket just past the 3/16, couldn’t keep up late although clearly ahead of the others. BLACKLIGHT, who was fourth, passed FIXED IDEAL, who was third. AMERICA’S GUEST got very bad cover and had to circle three-deep to go around it, just along for the last payday. MUSCLE Z TAM was inside, blocked far turn, little to offer once clear. LUZIANA moved out into turn two but had very little to offer. SUMMER SIDE was never on the main radar.
FOURTEENTH RACE – MISTER DAYTONA N made two speed moves, slowed the half, then went clear much of the rest of the mile. BIG BOSS HILL was second-over on the second turn, three-wide midturn, ducked back inside stretch and made up solid ground. OHIO VINTAGE angled wide from last and came on nicely. BENSON BOYS N went uncovered into turn two, got to the winner’s wheel but no closer before fading. CLASSY HILL was stuck inside, little once clear. TOLLY-HO never factored from third-over. LEGAL POWER rushed through at the start, was out most of the ¼ to get in front, yielded for the pocket, gradually unplugged from the 5/8.