FIRST RACE – Temperatures just under freezing the entire day … Stretch headwind at the start … BUSBOY HANOVER left well, yielded, rethought a quarter move, stayed close to the leader through quick fractions, outside stretch and got a small advantage midstretch, but then got resistance from ODDS ON DELRAY and just prevailed. The latter went to command before the 3/16 and kept up a good pace, fought bravely through the stretch. P L LEEROY stayed in, outside for the drive and closed well to nip DRAGON STRIKES for third. The latter came uncovered to the 5/8, gained some, then held well. REYS N A RUCKUS was three-wide early, slotted third 3/16, gapped from the ¾. ARTACHE HANOVER backed out to second-over but couldn’t keep up. THE OTHER TWO were always far behind.
SECOND RACE – DO WORK SON went right to the lead, yielded to the early brusher to sit the pocket, outside ¾, gradually grinded to the top then held off the inside threat. GLOBALDOMINATION N took back at the start, stayed in, gapped a little on the turn while looking a little on a line, steadily in the Pocono Pike. CURBSIDE PICKUP defended the pocket early then came outside 3/16 to take over 5/16, set the pace, not enough to last to the wire. SIMPLE KINDA MAN sat in and was locked in far turn, cleared headstretch, found a good late gear. PARK OFFICIAL started uncovered from last into turn two, never got near the front. CAPTAIN COOK backed out to second-over but also never factored.
THIRD RACE – CAVIART MAX was between horses early and made the top just past a fast opener, continued quickly in keeping a foe parked, kept on going on the lead, a little tired nearing the wire but still safe. JK OBJECTION used the rail to great advantage and worked out the pocket trip, couldn’t go with the winner but defeated the rest. SAMSON BLUE CHIP was among a host of prospective early leavers, tucked midpack 3/16, stayed in, room in the stretch, fair. IDEAL STAR N was outside early, wound up third-over, followed cover three-wide then had to go four-wide late turn, closed very well after a hard trip. URBAN RENEWAL was three-wide much of the ¼ before going behind the cover of the winenr, soon lost that and was let out on the rim, held his ground pretty well considering the rough trip. SHORE OF HIMSELF came outside at the half, three-wide 11/16, but couldn’t gain. LITTLE POWER stayed in, was blocked far turn, but then cleared inside and couldn’t muster much. CAPOZZO never got close.
FOURTH RACE – AMERICAN CLASSIC left, took a 3-tuck 3/16, uncovered 9/16, grinded, showed grittiness to outpace a bunch of foes. SOMETHING BETTOR A used the rail well to maintain the pocket, Pocono Pike, may have gotten to even terms midstretch, proved best in a tight group contending second. DANCING JOE moved second-over in a good flow, three-wide approaching late turn, OK. COWBOY COOL was third-over, four-wide in the lane, finished well. LATEST ERA was last and behind a dull one far turn, moved out a lane headstretch, had solid pace while quite possibly never being fully clear. BLUESVILLE was four-wide to the 1/8 to clear just beyond that point, backed off the second quarter, then under pressure, not enough late. PHANTOM SHADOW gapped inside. HELTER SKELTER fell far back in the stretch.
FIFTH RACE – ELWELL tucked early then quarter-moved, had a pair of 28 back quarters in him and needed all of that to prevail in a three-way late duel. BELLOWS BINGE left sharply to 1/8 command, yielded to the winner, came outside late turn and wide in the stretch, steadily gained on the top two. INDIGO ART took an early spot, launched uncovered 5/8 and went ding-dong with the winner throughout the last quarter, holding nicely. ASTON HILL DAVE was urged hard leaving and did have the early pocket, stayed in, not enough at crunch time. PLAY THE FIELD did not surface. DARK ENERGY N moved outside but immediately gapped; MINDTRIP moved out behind that gapper, tried to circle up three-wide but could not.
SIXTH RACE – SHARE THE WEALTH moved from third at the ¼, needed the length of the frontstretch to clear to the lead, but had no problem thereafter. TORRONE left smartly to make the lead in a quick quarter, pushed the winner some before yielding for the pocket, held on to that position. BULLY BOY HILL came out 5/8 and made up a lot of ground quickly, held his position well nearing the line. CRESCENT BEAUTY sat in, outside around a gapper past midturn, finished steadily. CHAMPAGNE HANOVER was three-wide to the 1/8 to the pocket just beyond that point, inside, gapped some on the turn, then found a bit of renewed vigor inside late. AP HALL OF TRIX and DIEHARD SEELSTER never made their presence felt. MASSIVE MATTER backed out to second-over 5/8 and gained behind cover, but broke ¾.
SEVENTH RACE – CRUNCH HANOVER was looped leaving, tucked fourth 3/16, outside down the back and gained, three-wide late turn, just along late in the slowing last quarter after the hot pace. REDBANK BLAZE A was urged leaving, settled into the pocket, followed cover past the 5/8, left uncovered to the far turn, may have had the lead for a step or two deep stretch, just caught. SUNDOWN KID outleft everybody from post eight, was hard to take back enough to let the brusher go at the ½, right back out to the 5/8 and by at the very quick ¾, held to late in the mile in a big display of energy. PATERNITY SUIT A sat in, got clear in the deep Pocono Pike past early stretch, OK. I DRAINTHESWAMP A moved at the quarter but was driven and hard-pressed to clear by the fast half, yielded into the far turn, tried to rally back in the Pike but couldn’t. SKIP TO MY LOU never entered the main picture. CAPTAIN T HANOVER was in the outer tier, four-wide approaching headstretch, couldn’t reach. TELL THEM LOU lost contact just past the half.
EIGHTH RACE – STELLAR BB charged through at the start right to the lead, had no problems at all. DON’T JUDGE A BOOK defended the pocket from the rail, came outside headstretch but did not make up ground. DRAGONOLOGY moved second-over, three-wide around tiring cover, best of the others. A STUD NAMED SAM sat in, gapped a little, some late pace in the Pocono Pike. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL vacated third at the 5/8, moved up some but could not sustain that bid midturn. THE NEXT TWO never entered the picture. COCOSFELLA came out off turn two but went backwards.
NINTH RACE – KEYSTONE STEAM was three-wide 3/16 then parked the rest of the way without cover, grinded in fast fractions, went by the leader headstretch and drew off in a fast mile like it was nothing. DILLINGER sat in then moved out at the half, had dull cover, three-wide then four-wide headstretch, finished very well. DASH OF DANGER was buried inside, out in a blindswitch late turn, then angled inside for clearance early stretch, did get to second past midstretch but was outpaced late for the deuce. DRAGON ROARS AGAIN went away rapidly (25.4 to the ¼), rated the half then was pressured by the parked winner, had no answer for him in the stretch. MEADOWBROOK FLASH moved 3/8 to be second-over, three-wide late on the turn but little response. THANOS was looped leaving and was rough, made the pocket 3/16 and stayed close, came out behind the winner late turn, little left in the last 1/8. I’LL TAKE THE BET gapped at the back. DERECHO was inside, started to gap out 5/8.
TENTH RACE – CASUAL COOL went to the lead, saw two go by then moved out at the ¼, reclaimed the lead before the 3/8, opened some space early stretch then was hustled to keep the advantage – welcome back, Eric Goodell. HEMSWORTH N was last, third-over, four-wide headstretch, still sixth nearing midstretch, went a gigantic last 1/16 to jut miss. CARLISIMO was second-over, three-wide late turn, took third in a photo. DELIGHTFUL DUDE N started raw at the half, never reached the leader, held OK. WHITECOOKIE was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide to the ¼, yielded for the pocket, came up a bit shy in the lane. SHVAIKO was looped and between horses until crossing over 3/16, yielded, third-in, so-so in the Pocono Pike. DANCE IT OUT was not a factor.
ELEVENTH RACE – STONEBRIDGE REEF worked to the lead to the 1/8, slowed the half, then came home in 54.4 in the cold to withstand an opponent to both sides. PHOENIX OF FLUZZY yielded into turn one to sit the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, gamely but couldn’t quite work by. DRAGON CITY tucked third early, moved outside headstretch, was doing very well late. BOUNTY HUNTER stayed in, distant best of the rest. IDEAL BEACH moved uncovered into turn two but didn’t make up ground in the very swift back half. THE NEXT DUO never factored. GROOVY MAN was second-over, tried to circle non-advancing cover 11/16 but could not.
TWELFTH RACE – LIVINTHEBEACHLIFE made two speed moves to 3/8 command, rated the half, drew off through the stretch. MIGHTY SANTANA N was three-wide to the 1/8, cleared with taps at the ¼, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t go with the winner in speedy time through the stretch, won a three-horse photo for second. RIFLEMAN went around a gapper down the back, two- and three-wide nearing headstretch, found his best steps a trifle too late. ROCKIN MARTY A stayed in, to the Pocono Pike, looked to be third and maybe second but flattened slightly late. LETS ROLL started 9/16 and made a good charge in a fast third split, but couldn’t sustain the move. THE NEXT TWO were not on the main radar. RICKYBOBBYNTHEHAUS lost contact early backstretch.
THIRTEENTH RACE – EUROBOND, on his own early off the top ones, sat in towards turn two and was badly shuffled, could back out only at headstretch, swung four-wide in the drive but was still seventh nearing midstretch, relied on back class and a 30.1 last quarter to just be up on the money. SKYWAY KON MAN moved second-over, gapped cover, left uncovered midturn, went steadily, unfortunate to lose in the last step. SWEET HEART AS joined the outer flow 11/16, gained in the slowing tempo. ANDOVER CONTESSA stayed in and was shuffled back, swung out far turn and wide in the lane, not quite enough. CAN’T SAY NO got early forward position, launched raw 5/16 and grinded away, made the lead midturn, had the trip catch up with him very late. LUCKY WEEKEND left between horses for the pocket, shuffled very badly when the pacesetter stopped, couldn’t move out until headstretch, then ducked inside the stretch leader and finished steadily. R HERBIE BLUE CHIP was not prominent. SAYLOR sailed three-wide to the lead early, under pressure a long way, passed midturn and faded.
FOURTEENTH RACE – HEARTBEAT HILL got a great trip second-over, but didn’t look like a $71.20 shot swinging wide and drawing away. BOBBY K HILL tailed the winner, second in the last steps to complete a $859.80 “Hill” exacta. LORD OF MISRULE had early speed, stayed in, blocked, angled out midstretch, responded well once clear. BRAVO TEX N left between horses to get the pocket past the 1/8, Pocono Pike, didn’t have any rally. BROTHER JAMES was buried inside, tried the deep Pike but may have been in tight quarters. ONTO EL DORADO N got in gear past the 3/8 and grinded up a long way uncovered, head-to-head on the far turn, overwhelmed by the late speed. SPORTY DRAGON did not feature. CAPTAIN CASH was three-deep just past the 1/8 to clear in a quick opener, rated the half, had opposition come creeping up on him, tired in the last 1/8.
FIFTEENTH RACE – CAVIART LUCA was away between horses to secure the pocket past the 1/8, to the Pocono Pike, didn’t have a sharp late response but had enough to defeat this field. SOMEBODYITREASURE was three-wide past the 1/8 and onward to the lead, rated the half, had hounding pressure, second-best. TERRY A HANOVER made the two to his right work to clear early, third-in, deep Pocono Pike, not quite enough. BIG BOSS HILL moved third-over at the half, stayed on cover until tipping wide nearing midstretch, OK late. DOUBLEORNOTHING N had a great trip second-over, three-wide late turn, outkicked. REGAL ESCAPE sat in, blocked through the stretch but was gaining. WARDAN EXPRESS A slid in fourth early, came first-up on the second turn, made progress until just past midturn. CALYPSO ROCK N trailed at every call.