Connors’ Comments for Sunday, August 21, 2022

2022-08-27

FIRST RACE – Drizzling at the start of the card, but “fast +0” throughout the evening … No wind early … TALK SHOW CHICA was quickly to the top, commanded the pace with the parked horse not threatening, withstood BRING ME DIAMONDS. The latter maintained the pocket, took her shot in the Pocono Pike, came up a bit shy. RABLE tucked at the 1/8, stayed in, came on some late. SHEZAFREAKLIKEME was outside from last before the half, reached the parked horse then swung three-wide 11/16, down to two-wide on the turn, raced evenly but could progress no further. FLOSSIE N went evenly. SUNRISE HANOVER struggled inside. GABBY’S GIRL was behind cover early then lost it, advanced a bit raw until the ¾, then faded back.

 

SECOND RACEJIM BLUE took control from the pole and slowed the half, came home in 54.2 – 26.4 without a problem. SOUTHWIND SANDOR went 27.1 uncovered down the back to reach contention, paced gamely to the wire to wrest second from GOOD DEAL. The latter got in the pocket at the 1/8, stayed close, couldn’t sprint enough late to keep the deuce. MAJOR SHOW left a slight gap much of the first half, then more of one the last 3/16. BOARDWALK BET was second-over but gapped; LOUIE THE LOOPER was behind that one’s non-progressing cover.

 

THIRD RACELINDYS IRISHCREAM raced second-over, had enough late trot to just reach in time. BROADWAY SENSATION was first-over into the backstretch and grinded up, took the lead midstretch while bearing out slightly, just missed on the money. WIND N WATER made the lead to the first turn, yielded after a fast ¼ and sat the pocket, Pocono Pike, a step shy. PLANTER’S PUNCH got forward positioning, third-in, looked for inside room early stretch but found none, then found a slight gap between horses late and gained. RHIANNON HANOVER was outside in a fast ¼ before making the front, slowed quarter two then had to pick it up, couldn’t hold on. LOCKDOWN LADY struggled at the back. GINGER TREE CARLY broke past the ¼.

 

FOURTH RACEJAMESON N LIME was three-wide to the first turn, made the front 3/16 then yielded to the favored retaker to sit right behind, outside headstretch, steadily wore down that one. OLD MAGIC made the lead at the 1/8, yielded 3/16 but came back past the ¼ to take over again, slowed the half, didn’t have much backstretch pressure, tried hard in the lane but was caught by the pocket rocket. WISTERIA HANOVER moved uncovered just before the half, got to the wheel of the leader but no closer, a clear if distant third. JULIETTE went evenly. COCKTAILS TO GO couldn’t regain ground after the 11/16 breaker. SISTER SOLANGE was uncovered 3/8, got cover, but gapped it soon into the backstretch. ANDOVER JESS was the first to show, let the outside leavers go, was in decent position third-in 11/16 but broke and went to the infield.

 

FIFTH RACE – Slight stretch headiwnd picking up … PREMIER ROCKSTAR left well, was three-wide to the first bend then onward to the lead, slowed the half to a crawl, then sprinted home in 54.3 – 27, which was much too much for these. IDEAL WHEEL got early forward position, third-in, outside stretch and could get past IT’SGOODTOBEDAKING for second. The latter was away between horses for the pocket, had insufficient response in the sprint home. ROCK KING DEO struggled at the back of the inner tier – which was better than being in the outer tiers. CONCUR was second-over, three-wide towards midturn as his cover faltered, but himself never gained. HOPETOBEFIRST had little hope following moribund cover. UNDERTAKER took the first-over duty at the half, never really got close enough to threaten then started to back up early n the turn.

 

SIXTH RACE – Intermittent drizzle / light rain … LIE IN WAIT inherited the pocket at the 3/16 and just lived up to her name until headstretch, came outside, won confidently. FORTUNE FORECAST went right down the road, held on to the lead a long way in a very commendable second. KT DOUBLE DEUCE wound up third, struggled a little in the third quarter and then more in the fourth panel but held third over CHEROKEE JOY. The latter was at the back of the main group, had some trot on the end. STICK WITH ME came out ¾ but could offer little. MISSISSIPPI GALE left and made the pocket 3/16, but soon thereafter went on the run. LILLEHAMMER HALL broke an 1/8 before the start.

 

SEVENTH RACEHEAVEN HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn then two-wide well past a 27.3 opener to get the lead ¾, but was able to get a 1:00 middle half, bore out a little in the stretch but still much the best here. ULURU advanced up the inside down the backstretch, Pocono Pike and good late speed for second. QUARANTINA was innermost of the leavers, pushed the winner to nearing the 3/8 then yielded for the two-hole, couldn’t keep close late. PERFECT PASSION gapped almost the entire first half, then got in gear and trotted up uncovered making a big gain, to the wheel of the winner but no closer before fading in the last 1/8. RISK ON moved up, temporarily three-deep when a two-wide horse gapped, got the last check. MISCHIEVOUS G left and took third, backed out 11/16 but had no more forward gear. PASSPORT MONI left a big gap in last early then broke before the ¼.

 

EIGHTH RACEWHAT THE LUCK  was back off the cutthroat half, moved third-over then three-wide past the 11/16 to circle to two-wide past midturn, held off other closers and pay $50.40, for Tim Tetrick of all people paying that price. JIMS PERFECT TEN got a great cover trip from last, left three-wide midturn, finished steadily to just miss. REGAL SON was uncovered to the half, didn’t go up, then gapped cover and was double-blindswitched, ducked between horses and again found good late speed a trifle too late. BROTHER JAMES wound up in the pocket 5/8, Pocono Pike, not quite enough steps. CURIOUS CORTEZ defended the pocket, then moved at the ¼ to control the pace, got a challenger down the back in the fast 3/4s, gave way but far ahead of the rest. STATEMENT MADE A left but was taken back to get in a hole, not heard from thereafter. PLAY THE FIELD was three-wide to the 1/8 then was left two-wide, took back and got in 3/8, not a late factor. I’M BURLINGTON N was sent out early and hit the ¼ in 25.4, yielded to a frontstretch challenger for the pocket, came back for more 5/8 and challenged to the hot ¾, then had no more to give.

 

NINTH RACEVANESSA J secured the pocket then was loose in it to the 5/8, to the Pocono Pike and dug up gamely late for the win. FLARES DIVA moved out with cover midturn and wide early stretch, finished solidly. LADY LIRA vacated fourth to go up uncovered 11/16, raced well. GINA’S ON FIRE was in front of the 1/8 in a quick quarter, was on an open lead to the 5/8, got a bit tired late. ANGELPEDIA broke an 1/8 before the start, made up a lot of ground to get the last payday over WILD JIGGY S, who miscued at the start.

 

TENTH RACEBOND secured the pocket leaving, then quarter-moved and slowed the midfractions, had a serious challenger in FASHION ANNIE but sped away late with a 27.4 last ¼ for Svanstedt – Sarah Svanstedt. FASHION ANNIE tucked third, tightened in by the 3/8, uncovered before the 5/8 and put in a big challenge, did well but could not summon enough to win late. PORTULACA gapped a bit the first half, then moved second-over, went inside on the turn after a breaker, steadily late. TIPSY MOM gapped inside, seemed to avoid the breaker in good order, next. SHOW ME DA MONI never entered prime contention. CAN DO VOLO went in front towards turn one, yielded for the pocket, well-placed ¾ when making a break and going inside. UNO MAS BLUE CHIP broke going to the first turn then suffered ‘b.e.”

 

ELEVENTH RACELOUIE THE HORSE N was out 3/16 to take over in a fast opener, yielded to the chalk to sit a good two-hole trip, then to the Pocono Pike and along smartly late. WES DELIGHT was first on top, yielded then quarter-moved, rolled on, raced well but was outsprinted by the pocket rocket. TAM MAJOR A gapped inside much of the way, then had pace along the inside to take third over ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP. The latter was well-placed but couldn’t summon enough late. REDBANK BLAZE A was first-up at the half, paced in 27 down the back to move up, but flattened in the last ¼. AFLAME HANOVER was second-over, wide late turn but never reached. TONY TOO TALL had an excess of non-helpful cover. INDICTABLE HANOVER gapped in last, broke early stretch.

 

TWELFTH RACESWEET ON HER avoided trouble and cut the pace, got a slow second quarter, which enabled her to repel all challengers. ATOVERA sat in, up the inside to the pocket to the 3/4 while loose, outside to midstretch and narrowed in but couldn’t get there. TOTALLY RELENTLESS broke 3/16 trying to narrow into a tighter pocket and two outside leavers had trouble, to the infield and recovered, went out with cover, tipped wide headstretch then ducked way inside through the latter part of the stretch and gained. A SLICE OF GRACE avoided trouble but gapped. KEYSTONE SWEETPEA was going up past the 1/8 to try to get into the pocket but broke, bothering a foe, recovered and did work into the pocket, pulled out 11/16 but couldn’t gain, then placed for the early interference. FOOLISH MONI was looped and looking to take a tuck when running up on the breaking KEYSTONE SWEETPEA and suffering an “ix.” UNDER THE ROBE broke an 1/8 before the start; GUCCI GIRL broke just after the start.

 

THIRTEENTH RACESTELLAR YANKEE was looped early, three-wide a short time then in gear two-wide to the lead 3/8, no anxious moments in a stellar performance. CAVIART SAGE outrushed everybody away, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, couldn’t go with the winner but did hold second. SHANE ADAM was third-in down the back, Pocono Pike, so-so. ACTOR HANOVER was third-over, wide in the stretch and gained late. FATHER NUNO was last, angled widest headstretch and had some pace on the end. ROCK THREE TIMES never emerged as a factor. BELL FAMILY was between horses early, took back past the 1/8, out first-over before the 5/8, nothing left for the stretch. HIGH ST CORRIDOR didn’t have much from second-over.

 

FOURTEENTH RACEBALENCIAGA pushed as the innermost of three leavers, emerged with the pocket then quarter-moved, came home in 27.4 in firm control. LUISELLA was three-wide almost to the 3/16 then got command, yielded for the two-hole, stayed in the hunt all the way to the wire in a big mile. CREATARMA was uncovered into turn two, did get inside third on the far turn, just held third over UPFRONT STONE. The latter followed the former’s cover then was uncovered on the turn, evenly. DELGADO made a break going to bend one, recovered enough to get a check. BEABOB’S BOSS was never in the main picture. BEYOND THE LENS left between horses and took third in a quick quarter, tired badly.

 

 

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