FIRST RACE – Seasonably nice in the mid-60s; stretch headwind … MAJOR BEAN pointed right to the front and got there past the 1/8 in a fast opener, rated the half, then sprinted off again down the backstretch, enough to hold off the pesky COXCOMB. The latter got a good trip second-over, three-wide late turn, just not enough kick today. INCREDIBLE BADGER gapped the speed early but tightener in by the 3/8, again gapped far turn and went inside several pylons, found renewed pace to come on for third, but for going inside 3+ consecutive pylons, per the rules, he was placed last. LATEST ERA was third-over, urged 5/8, evenly. STATE SENATOR had some belated pace from far back. TEAM MAC tucked into turn one, came out uncovered into turn two, did go 26.4 down the back but couldn’t reach the leader, fell back. BET EIGHTTHIRTYONE left and sat a pocket trip, got loose later in the backstretch. MIDNIGHT DAY gapped at the back.
SECOND RACE – MEMO was looped leaving, went to command just past the 3/16, slowed quarter two into the wind, then appeared safe to the wire with a couple of taps. DAGON HANOVER outleft everybody to seize the lead early, yielded for the pocket, did well to stay as close as he did, far ahead of the rest. SUNDANCEDIAMOND passed the remaining horses. NICE STUFF rode midpack, shuffled a bit midturn before checking when the one in front of him made a break, never reentered even minor contention. SILVERMASS VOLO was rewarded with a check for staying flat. PRACTICAL CAT broke coming off the curve before the start. ANCHORS AWAY remained fairly close in third until the far turn, where he tired and then broke.
THIRD RACE – JIMS PERFECT TEN was uncovered before the half, fought the pacesetter from past midbackstretch past a very fast 3/4s, continued at each other with nobody else making up much ground though the pace slowed, just up on the money. PURPLE POET left and was with cover 5/16, then three-wide to progress and make sure he cleared before turn two, did so, with the fractions reaming hot as the winner came to challenge, held gamely until the very end while taking the lead in the contest for Unluckiest Horse of the Meet. SNOWBALL’S ROMEO was third-over, gapped when left second-over, evenly for third. SHORE OF HIMSELF left hard and pushed foes well past the 26 opener before yielding, backed out with cover down the back and back in the pocket on the far turn, evenly late after very hard usage. PLAY THE FIELD needed just past the 5/16 during a brisk tempo in order to make the lead, yielded, was getting loose in the pocket 5/8. BETTER THAN SOME never surfaced. RICKYBOBBYNTHEHAUS showed nothing today. DONE WELL was away slowly and fell very far behind.
FOURTH RACE — MISS MCKEE was wide early then settled behind cover to the 3/16, then went up to take over the racetrack 3/8, had challengers on both sides late but held sturdily. CREEMORE pushed the early pace and sat well-positioned, got to the pocket late turn and then the Pocono Pike, had a chance, good but outtrotted. ROCK OF CASHEL worked to the lead 3/16 and yielded a like distance later for the pocket, outside late turn, held well while far ahead of the others. DICENTRA gapped inside at several points. MY LINDY WINNER was uncovered 11/16 but couldn’t reach. VIC’S WINNER never featured. MISSION VOYAGE broke just past the start.
FIFTH RACE –SOUTHPORT BEACH was parked 3/16 for the top, yielded off the first bend but was quick to retake, had these at his mercy. UNDERTAKER joined a good flow on turn two, left uncovered nearing the ¾, steadily for the distant second. KINGSTONS BAD BOY was also in the robust outer flow, gapped a bit down the back, but kept coming steadily. NEWBIE was first-over to the clubhouse turn, got into the pocket 11/16 but soon began to back up. AIN’T IT FUN and MANNY (who pushed the early pace) were shuffled significantly late on the backstretch through the turn. LITTLEBITASWAGGER never entered the picture. REYS N A RUCKUS was three-wide 3/16, onward to the front past the ¼, yielded for the pocket, fell back sharply from midbackstretch.
SIXTH RACE – RICH AND MISERABLE was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide to the top 5/16, had a clear advantage throughout the last half. TACHYON left, got an opponent to tuck, then yielded 5/16, couldn’t keep tight on that one, lasted for second. KINDA LUCKY LINDY went uncovered 5/8, didn’t get to the winner but was in the fight for major minor honors. GRAPPLE HANOVER left between horses, sat in third, Pocono Pike, OK. MARION GONDOLIER was far back, made up some ground as the pace slowed, shut off at the wire. BANK BOX TREASURE couldn’t keep up second-over. BLOGMASTER broke right at the start. CHAPOLIER was badly on a line on the second turn before making a break, was pulled up.
SEVENTH RACE – INDIGO ART angled a tuck fourth 3/16 behind the main combatants, uncovered on the second turn, rushed up with a 26.1 third quarter to clear to the lead, left these far behind in another romp. HUNDIE N was innermost of three leavers and used his position well, yielded but retook in front of the stands, couldn’t handle the raw speed of the winner but kept going gamely for second. ROLLINWITHAMBITION followed the winner out, couldn’t stay with him, uncovered ¾, battled well to the end. GONNAHAVEONEMORE left between horses, tucked, was shuffled badly on the far turn, found a seam early stretch and had finishing pace. BRAVO TEX N had to circle his gapping cover, OK. IDEAL STAR N was three-wide to nearing the quick ¼, then onward to the top 5/16, yielded, gapped out of the pocket ¾. LYONS NIGHT HAWK was outside with little. GOOD ROCKIN broke at the start.
EIGHTH RACE – BALDAQUIN moved early and wound up second-over behind very lively cover, wide stretch and along in the closing stages. CAN’T SAY NO was parked with cover early, lost it to a 3/16 break, never went inside but went on to challenge the rest of the way, showed great gameness (though in a not-fast-for-these mile). ONE AFTER NINE got the lead between horses, saw an early foe break, then was hounded most of the rest of the way by the parked horse, right there on the money. SAY YOU DO was able to maintain the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and may have put a nose up just past midstretch, but didn’t quite have enough. SWEET HEART AS sat in, no clearance at any point of the stretch. THE LAST CHAPTER never factored. THE LIONKING AS was three-wide early, then two-wide and looked to be making the lead when he broke 3/16, never recovered. TOP ME OFF was in a lively flow but couldn’t go with it.
NINTH RACE – SILENT SPLENDOR left, yielded, in, inherited the pocket as its former occupant vacated it, outside early stretch, made the lead then kept off HOT DEUCE. The latter was between horses early, tucked fourth 3/16, surrounded by horses most of the last half, then followed the winner’s path and came on nicely late. TONY TOO TALL was three-wide 3/16 in the 26.1 quarter then two-wide and didn’t finally clear to the top until after the 3/8, had almost immediate pressure, stood up well. MONTY MONO was third-over, blindswitched 11/16 then backed out to follow cover, widest, some. DAAMERICANSKY, not looking easy to handle, made the lead in the fast opener, pushed a foe almost into the second turn, then yielded but was right back out for more, challenged, tired. MY WISH CAME TRUE went three-wide from fourth-over past the 5/8 but flattened out. IDEAL WHEEL came out behind the first-over, blindswitched 11/16, gapped out while in the blindswitch. THE MOONSHADOW N was far back inside when breaking in the stretch.
TENTH RACE – SHNITZLEDOSOMETHIN left between horses, yielded for the pocket but retook on the frontstretch, sped a 26.3 third quarter, withstood CASUAL COOL with mild urging. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8 then went on two-wide to get the front in a quick opener, yielded to the winner, followed that one, had a good trip but couldn’t quite make it. CHATELROLL left along the inside and pushed the early action, stayed third-in to the far turn, but then couldn’t gain. VETTEL N was uncovered towards turn two, never reached the leaders but held OK. MARK WITHA K was third-over, three-wide 11/16, too tough to catch up vs. this kind. CALIBER never got a call. PRAIRIE PANTHER gapped second-over. BILL HALEY N was no factor.
ELEVENTH RACE – CRUNCH HANOVER was able sit in third behind the fast fractions until the ¾, then moved out and had enough pace to make the lead. RIFLEMAN left and worked into the pocket at the 3/16, to the Pocono Pike, outpaced but did get second over A BETTOR BEACH. The latter stayed in, wedged between horses nearing midstretch and gained. THE WALL was uncovered late on the backstretch, got cover ¾ but couldn’t stay with it. CAPTAIN ROMANCE hustled right to the top, set a fast pace stringing out the field, but the bill came due in the stretch. THE OTHERS couldn’t work their way into the main action of this mile.
TWELFTH RACE – DALBY HANOVER had command in an instant, drew off down the back with a 26.2 third split and certainly made a fine local introduction. HECANDANCENCRUISE was three-wide most of the 1/8 and kept going to tuck third 3/16, outside near headstretch and went by for the distant second. JIM BLUE had the pocket but didn’t keep up the last half. BOARDWALK BET retucked around two sluggish horses. GOOD DEAL had little to offer. FORREST BLU couldn’t get any closer. PRAIRIE HANDSOME was gapping before the ¼.
THIRTEENTH RACE – ULTIMAROCA pushed a very fast 1/8 then yielded, retook in front of the stands, widened his lead throughout the last ½ in a crushing performance. BULLVILLE TERROR began an outside progression at the half which got him never close to the winner but a good second nonetheless. INDICTABLE HANOVER worked hard to stay near his cover, third in the last step over SPEEDY DOMINIC A. The latter showed high speed to clear past the 1/8 in a 26 starter, yielded to the retaker, got more and more loose from the 5/8, quite tired very late. OLLIES ZTAM was out to the ¼ before tucking, not a factor thereafter. ACTOR HANOVER had no say in this. HORSE was three-wide to the 1/8 then tucked third, started gapping out near the 3/8.
FOURTEENTH RACE – ONTO EL DORADO N was out to the ¼ to take over, yielded past the 3/8, underway again to retake into the backstretch, held gamely to defeat BAY MEADOWS. The latter was perfectly-placed second-over, came up just shy. J B MAUNEY N was third-over, three-wide ¾, right there in the photo. REDBANK BLAZE A had the inside open up in the third quarter, then swung out wide and gained. CERTIFIABLE yielded and stayed close early, had cover from the winner then lost it, ducked into the pocket on the turn, not enough. GUMPTION and MISTER DAYTONA N were never close. TRACEUR HANOVER was three-wide most of the ¼, briefly with cover then uncovered, pressed on to take over 3/8, under pressure from entering the backstretch and gave way before the ¾.