FIRST RACE – SLY ELEANOR N was not ahead most of the quarter but had the rail and thus track geometry, and forced a rival to tuck off the first turn, slowed the half, had a tough challenger, driven in upper stretch to finally get a sustainable margin. BETTOR WATCH IT went up and tucked fourth at the 1/8, uncovered before turn two and speed-grinded, held very gamely to the line. BRILLIANT BEAUTY was second-over, gapped ¾, did a little better in the stretch to edge ALWAYS B FIRST for third. The latter maintained third, shuffled on the far turn, out for clearance headstretch then ducked back in and was pacing well in recovery late. LIGHTNING LEIA was third-over, evenly. STELLENBOSCH stayed in, came between horses late with some pace. JUXTA COWGIRL couldn’t go by the pole horse and finally had to accept the pocket off turn one, tired ¾. EVAS SPORTS CZECH was last all the way and faded badly late.
SECOND RACE – ALTUS HANOVER was on the move from third before the ¼ to the lead before the 3/8, went along briskly for this type and powered off the last 3/16. GREAT MAGIC made the lead at the 1/8, yielded before the 3/8 for the pocket, gradually lost ground to the winner the last 3/16, did hold on to second. CHOCO CHARLIE followed the cover of SCIROCCO BIG JOHN (who gapped early) past the 5/8, fair to edge that uncovered one for third. TUIS SHADOW left, yielded, sat third, gapped out before the ¾. THE OTHER PAIR did not make their presence felt.
THIRD RACE – TALL POPPY N was wide early to the top just past the 1/8, yielded before the ¼ for the pocket, a bit loose in same late backstretch and early turn, then moved outside headstretch and wore down RIGGINSWIND late. The latter was four-wide to the first turn, went on at the 1/8 and made the top nearing the ¼, set the pace with pressure from midbackstretch through much of the far turn, couldn’t hold the lead to the line. SUNRISE HANOVER gained position to turn one, backed out to second-over 5/8, gapped cover and ducked in on the turn, finished OK. GREENHILL HANOVER gapped midrace inside, evenly late. RHYME N ROLL got the last check with some stretch thrust. DANDY IDEA had some speed, came uncovered at the half and pressured the leader from the 5/8 until fading late on the turn, drifted out a little in the lane. ANOTHER BEACH DAY never gained prominence. ASHLEE’S DELIGHT was always last and fell far back in the last ¼.
FOURTH RACE — Stretch headwind starting … CHUCKY DE VIE left well but was three-wide and tucked third at the 1/8, moved 5/16 to the lead before turn two, opened a good lead in a fast 3/4s, tiring late but enough to hold on. PADRE put two foes in behind early, yielded past the 3/8 for the pocket, was loose in the quickening third quarter, went on steadily along the inside, far ahead of the others. TEDDY BROSEVELT went into the early pocket at the 1/8, stayed connected until the last 1/8, clearly third. HIP HOP GRACIE was inside, gapped before the 5/8. TRICKY DICK didn’t factor. FASHION WINNER moved out at the half but never made the first half of the field. THE OTHER TWO never entered the picture.
FIFTH RACE – BINGE ON YANKEE made the lead then yielded past the 1/8 for the pocket, outside stretch and sprinted by STORM THE COURT. The latter left and got to the top before the 3/16, rated the half and was under no pressure, but couldn’t sprint enough late. CAPTAIN SOLO got a forward post early, sat third, gapped on the turn, just held show over WE SHALL SEA. The latter was second-over behind non-advancing cover, three-wide late turn then ducked inside midstretch and gained well to just miss third. RED HOT REMI offered little. JONES Z TAM moved outside 5/8, made some progress on the far turn but then tired. GAYLE’S ARSENAL lost contact the last half.
SIXTH RACE – JOHNNY TRIX made the front to turn one, yielded 3/16, gapped third-in down the back, outside headstretch then wider, just up as the pace was declining but was rough; there was an inquiry, but that resulted in no placing. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP was a long way uncovered (in a 1:00.3 last half), made the lead deep stretch only to be overhauled. KOLB HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn then two-high to 3/16 command, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, had a brief short lead midstretch but couldn’t close the deal. WINE BAR left some, then was shuffled far back, found room headstretch and made up ground in the slowing tempo. NO MO FASHION was wide early, then with cover then briefly three-wide 3/16 as his cover tucked, went up to get the lead 5/16 and set the pace, nothing left for the stretch. PAUC HANOVER tucked fourth 3/16, couldn’t keep up in the last ¼. KNUT PALEMA made a break well before the start, caught the field, moved outside but gapped cover ¾. IT IS WELL was well off the gate, never prominent.
SEVENTH RACE – KATIES BET was between horses until taking the pocket 3/16, sat in the two-hole until popping out ¾, grinded at the leader and got past that one late. ONE OF THE GUYS used the rail to full advantage, got a slow second ¼, then was outsprinted late while holding well. DILLINGER stayed inside and took third. CRACK A SMILE swung wide but couldn’t improve enough in the quick back half and quarter. LIFETIMEEXPERIENCE tucked at the 1/8, followed the winner out past the ¾ but couldn’t narrow in. THE NEXT TWO were always far back. PICK A GENRE was three-wide to the 3/16 challenging then made a break.
EIGHTH RACE – MASSIVE OPULENCE was on a line on turn two, moved raw past the 5/8 and trotted right by the leader midturn, drew away. P L OLIVIA was between horses leaving, cleared the pole horse and hung a foe to the ¼, yielded for the pocket, backed out behind the winner midturn, clearly second. IT’S SO FLUFFY moved wide for the drive and made the distant third. ANDOVERS TOUCH was near the back of the pack, went inside in the stretch, got to third but couldn’t hold that position. NO NAME YANKEE got a check closing widest. BLESSINGSANDFAVOR was innermost of three leavers, stayed in, outside in the stretch but with little. SCIROCCO PATRICK didn’t factor. SORTIE was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the ¼ for the lead, set the pace, folded when challenged on the turn.
NINTH RACE – LETS RYDE GIRL left well, yielded at the ¼, wanted to retake but was kept inside, finally again outside 5/8 and challenged, lead turn but couldn’t clear, kept grinding and did well to get the decision. ROMANTIC EVENING edged outside late backstretch, gained late, couldn’t beat the winner but got second in a photo. ROCKNROLL NELLA tucked 1/8, gapped a bit midrace then closer on the turn, Pocono Pike, got to second very late, just missed for that spot. HIT ME UP was three-wide to the first turn, made the lead off the first bend, under pressure from the winner, didn’t let that one by on the turn and held on well to the wire. DOC’S FAITH gapped down the back, got the last check. THE OTHER DUO were too far back to get really involved late.
TENTH RACE – KAT used the rail intelligently to park her main challenger and then yield for the pocket, stayed connected, went to the Pocono Pike and gradually gained the lead and the win. DRESDEN was the only outside leaver, was hung out in 26.2 before making the top, got a breather then sped up again, not quite as good as the winner late. BETTOR CHEVRON N looked to be all out in third when the pace picked up down the back, came outside late far turn, steadily late. AMERICAN DELIGHT N and FAST MACHINE also finished steadily inside for the last checks. MAJOR BATTLE moved outside at the half but didn’t make up ground in the fast third quarter, not all that much late. TALK SHOW CHICA was outside in a nonflow. CRAZY CUTE gapped in last most of the last half.
ELEVENTH RACE – TILLIO’S ACTION, wide early, made the lead 3/16, really backed off the half, then increased the speed again and had a cakewalk. BEER CHEESE started uncovered before the 5/8 and made a very good showing to be second. NINETEEN CRIMES made the lead at the 1/8 and yielded before the ¼ to sit the two-hole, stayed fairly well-connected until past the 11/16, next in line. PHANNYS MATTER left and yielded, gapped at a couple of points while inside, not prominent late. NORTHERN BLIZZARD had some step away from the gate, stayed in until coming out late far turn but couldn’t get into the major action. FLANAGAN DESTINY started uncovered into turn two but never made much of a dent. THE LAST PAIR made no moves.
TWELFTH RACE – BOTTLE ROCKET was behind a gapper way out of it down the back, hugged the inside and gained late backstretch and around the turn, went around a straggler to early stretch then went back in for clearance and finished best of all to pay the biggest price of the season, $146.00. BULLVILLE FRANK struggled to keep up behind the fast pace, outside on the turn and wide headstretch, gained as the pace slowed to just miss. LOUKES PERRY was three-wide to the first turn then two-wide to the 1/8 for the top, yielded to the looped foe just past the 5/16 but was right back on the retake and had the lead before the 1/2, went a big third quarter under pressure, held quite well. RESTAURANT BULLY briefly had cover then was first-up at the half, challenged hard, held well though looking a bit rough in the last steps. GROOVY MAN got a slow start and gapped much of the way, widest in the stretch and gained in the decelerating tempo. CURBSIDE PICKUP went to second-over late backstretch and three-wide later on the turn but flattened a bit. THRESHOLD was looped early, needed until just past the fast 5/16 to clear, yielded at the half, faded on the turn. BET A BUNDLE was moving out to follow cover when breaking before the half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – “O captains, my captains” … CAPTAIN SLEAZE secured the coveted pocket trip in a lineup, outside to headstretch and outcaptained CAPTAIN ROMANCE. The latter set a straight course from the rail and sailed along at a good clip, not enough to withstand the winner. MISTER DAYTONA N was a bit loose midrace but did better in the last quarter. BUTTER UP gapped. THE OTHERS, whether inside or outside, never had the speed to gain contention.
FOURTEENTH RACE – Finishing up a day when no horse attacking from two-wide in the last half got the job done … PHELGON went on between horses to take over 3/16, got to rate the second quarter even with the parked challenger, was in charge the rest of the way although kept alive late to hold the advantage. A CRAFTY LADY used the rail well to secure the pocket trip, a bit loose in the middle of the back half, then did a little better in the Pocono Pike. KAITLYN N closed a hole 3/16 and sat in, outside before midstretch, OK. SHEZAFREAKLIKEME unwound with good late pace on the far outside. VEL DONNA never was in the main picture. BROOKDALE JESSIE tucked midpack, had the cover of the parked horse until circling it 11/16, didn’t threaten. PLEASURE SEEKER was actually the first to show when the gate sprang but didn’t have the speed to overcome track geometry, had to spend life on the rim, faded. MILLENIUMS GIRL gapped early, then got in gear to follow cover on turn two, tried to follow the sweeper but didn’t have much.