Connors’ Comments for Saturday, March 18, 2023

2023-03-21

BENJI’S BEST was uncovered to the half, rushed by the leader ¾ and was off by himself late. MUDVILLE was third-over, blindswitched 11/16 but advanced in the blindswitch on the turn, clear early stretch and just up for the distant second. MINDTRIP had the winner’s cover, couldn’t stay with it to the ¾ and two-wide raw on the turn, to the inside headstretch, just failed to preserve second. SNOWBALL’S ROMEO stayed in and was shuffled to last, four-wide past midturn, OK. MODERN ROCK was in front at the 1/8, yielded at the ¼, very badly shuffled on the far turn, but didn’t gain once clearing. DRAGON STRIKES came three-wide from last past the 5/8 but only served to clog that tier. NOCH TEN was very wide leaving and four-high to just before the 1/8, tucked third at the ¼, badly shuffled, but no late response. SAMSON BLUE CHIP was three-wide to the 1/8, then went up to take over at the ¼, kept up a quick tempo, all done when challenged before the ¾.

 

SECOND RACEIMAGINARY LINE went to the point at the 1/8, yielded past the ¼ for the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and along. CAPTAIN ROMANCE was used to clear past the ¼, had to speed up again when a big first-over challenger emerged, shook off that one, couldn’t quit withstand the winner. HIS BEATS HANOVER stayed in and was shuffled, found room deep in the Pike and closed very well. HEARTBEAT HILL had some early speed, inside, gapped in the fast third split, evenly late. SHVAIKO came three-wide past the 5/8, one-geared in the slowing last quarter. KILOWATT KID N was on the move at the half and soon went three-wide to two-wide 5/8 while pacing his (wind-aided) third quarter in 26.3, held on pretty well after the big energy use down the back. MR PROFETA was away last and never in it. TERRY A HANOVER was three- then two-wide with cover to the ¼, then left raw, looped 5/8 and fell back.

 

THIRD RACESOMBODYITREASURE left well and got the pocket at the 1/8, sat in third until going two-wide with cover midturn, wide in the lane and closed well after the scalding pace. ALWAYS BETTER came uncovered at the 5/8, grinded, never ahead but steadily for the deuce. FRONTIER ROLLO left well, forced a tuck, then yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, may’ve been bottomed a bit behind the fast pace. CAVIART MAX quarter-moved and put up very hot fractions, paid the price in the lane. THE OTHER THREE were never in the main picture.

 

FOURTH RACECODE CRACKER was fourth-in, was able to come through in the deep Pocono Pike and was able to outfoot this crew late. GROOVY MAN had cover leaving, spotted fourth at the 1/8, inside, to the Pocono Pike, got a tiny brief lead deep stretch, just missed. YS DO IT RIGHT was looped out of the gate, pressed on to 3/16 command, got a second quarter breather and wasn’t pressured on the lead, came up just shy. BLUESVILLE left sharply to circle the field early, yielded for the pocket, outside headstretch, not quite enough late. MAJOR SHOW was second-over, three-wide past midturn, found his best strides too late. C-BET HANOVER showed speed, pulled uncovered at the half, evenly while never posing a large threat. THE OTHER TWO were in the back throughout.

 

FIFTH RACEPARK OFFICIAL was outleft, tucked third then quarter-moved, proved far superior to his opposition here. PLAY THE FIELD was three-deep to turn one to 1/8 command, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t do much about the winner but was a clear second. BRAVO TEX N was uncovered off the second turn, never got close and dropped in third late turn, a distant third. A FEARSOME HANOVER was last, circled quite a few horses wide in the stretch. PUZZLING gapped cover 5/8. STELLAR BB was in the outer flow but had little to offer. LATEST ERA gapped inside. DECOY left, yielded at the 1/8, third-in, backed up in the last ¼.

 

SIXTH RACEHARRY KNOWS IR was three-wide leaving and got around the breaker 3/16, patiently to the top 3/8 and immediately started stringing out the field, coasted home. JULA MAGICIAN came outside past the ¾ and grabbed the distant second. MYSTICAL WYNN moved outside late turn and got up for third. GRAPPLE HANOVER left well for the lead, yielded 3/8, then struggled to stay close to the winner, fair late. MUSHANA couldn’t keep up the last half. CHIPLOSIVE was off the gate, had a touch of belated trot. MARION GONDOLIER was never a factor. SAY YOU DO was between horses moving up towards the front when breaking 3/16.

 

SEVENTH RACECAVIART VAL made the lead just before the 1/8, slowed the half, then was resistant to a big bid from the first-over, drew clear early stretch and was mildly kept to task to be safe. DIVISION BELL was uncovered into turn two, paced 27.1 raw down the back to seriously challenge the winner, shaken off early stretch but tried with good courage to the line. URBAN RENEWAL went to the lead then yielded for the two-hole, not quite enough in the last ¼ although not bad. ODDS ON DELRAY sat in, found clearance past midturn, four-wide in the lane and was moving well late. IDEAL STAR N had good cover second-over, three-wide headstretch but faded. LITTLE POWER and ROCKET RUSSELL were never factors.

 

EIGHTH RACEWHAT SHOULD I GOO looked to consider a tuck early but found the hole shut and went on to the lead, yielded before the 3/8, outside midturn, directly to the lead, won easily. CHAPHEART was a long way back when starting uncovered, made up a lot of ground in a good showing of his own. BULLY BOY HILL was on the lead at the 1/8, yielded, third-in, moved out in the stretch but couldn’t save second. THE NEXT THREE stayed in and went along evenly. ILBENEEDINSTITCHES left, had cover, left uncovered and went on to the lead just before the 3/8, set the pace, folded. FOREVERHILLREIGN gapped.

 

NINTH RACEBELLOWS BINGE was three-wide early then two-wide 3/16 for command, yielded for the pocket, moved to the Pocono Pike and had the necessary kick from the good spot to defeat these. TUXEDO BAY launched uncovered nearing the 3/8 and had reached the pacesetter by the 9/16, went 26.4 with the wind down the back battling that one, never took a backwards step. VIRGIN STORM gapped cover second-over in the fast third quarter, then swung four-wide in the stretch and gained as things slowed a bit. DAVIDS COMING HOME was buried inside, could get to the inside of the winner deep in the Pike, not quite enough steps. I’LL TAKE THE BET stayed in early and was shuffled to last, swung five-wide in the drive and narrowed in. BIG BOSS HILL was actually the first to show off the gate but took back as surrounded by speedy foes, stayed in, blocked through the stretch. MEADOWBROOK FLASH showed speed and yielded, backed out at the half but gapped in the fast Q3, three-wide late turn, not enough. SHORE OF HIMSELF was four-wide early then fell in behind cover, uncovered 3/16 on to the lead 5/16, rated quarter two then was under the gun, not enough left late.

 

TENTH RACESTOP STARING went out between horses for the lead then yielded for the pocket, angled out sharply near headstretch, opened a clear lead midstretch, coaxed through the line to stay safe. KEYSTONE STEAM was second-over, three-wide 11/16 through the turn, lost ground straightening away but re-dug in and finished well. MIGHTY SANTANA N followed the place horse then swung wide, good late. MULLINAX showed speed and yielded, sat in, Pocono Pike, not that much. JUSTA LITTLE BIT A was last inside, had justa little bit of pace deep in the Pike. WHITECOOKIE was three-wide to the first turn then two-wide to the 3/16 for the lead in a very fast opener, rated the second split, had the early work catch up to him in the last 1/8. DANCIN DRAGON eased into a midpack tuck, then was first-over to the second turn, didn’t really threaten.

 

ELEVENTH RACEGUINNESS PANIC moved uncovered at the half and roared to the lead 11/16, opened a big margin, then held together in a slowing last ¼. HOMESTRETCH WES was double-looped, proceeded onward to the lead off the first turn, yielded approaching curve two, got back out before the 11/16 and was able to retuck in the pocket, kept at his task gamely. DRAGON ROARS AGAIN left, took the lead at the 1/8, saw two horses go by in the second stanza, also was able to back out down the back, briefly retucked on the turn then out again for the stretch, fair. OUR MAJORDAN A left and had the pocket early, stayed in, wide in the stretch, OK and far ahead of the rest. A BETTOR BEACH had dull cover and took off three-wide 5/8, had gained until breaking mid-far turn, recovered for the last check. LATE MAIL N didn’t deliver today. BOBBY K HILL would have been in a good flow had he been able to keep up with it. CAPTAIN T HANOVER pulled from fourth at the ¼, left uncovered 5/16 and needed most of the frontstretch to clear, no answer when the winner challenged beyond the 5/8.

 

TWELFTH RACEDANDY, in play from the start, was three-wide just past the 1/8, pressed on but was hung out well past the 3/8 to get the lead, but proved to be very tough in staying clear. EUROBOND gapped midrace, found a better gear 11/16 and outside, didn’t really threaten. DOUBLE ACCOUNT made the top, forced a tuck, kept the winner out until nearing the second turn then yielded for the pocket, didn’t have all that much punch in the stretch. ROBBIE PEV stayed in and gapped, evenly. MACMORRIS HANOVER avoided trouble and had some trot at the end of it. TOP ME OFF couldn’t go this much. BLENHEIM was outside at a distance down the back, broke far turn. P L NOTSONICE left, took the pocket, didn’t appear comfortable in the hole and ran 5/16, went to the infield.

 

THIRTEENTH RACEBLACK CHEVRON N, well-handled, was third-over from last, stayed in the lively flow then ducked inside midturn, could rally up a clear Pocono Pike and got the win here though they weren’t going fast late. DILLINGER was second-over, gapped a little down the back then better, uncovered ¾, inside midturn, out again late turn, steadily. ASTON HILL DAVE backed outside and got in a good flow, not far off at the wire. AMP IT UP N sat in and was shuffled to last far turn, widest and good late. AMERICAN REBEL left between horses, tucked at the 1/8, also a shuffle victim far turn, out in a blindswitch late turn, fair in traffic late. SECRECY tucked fourth at the1/8, went first-up on the clubhouse turn, paced past ¾, but couldn’t sustain the progress. JK OBJECTION took the top 3/16, yielded for the pocket, hopelessly shuffled as the leader stopped ¾, but made no recovery. CENTURY FURY made two speed moves, no response when challenged ¾.

 

FOURTEENTH RACE DONTPASSMEHANOVER had to overcome the raw journey, went in 26.4 to press his case down the back, then drew clear in a very impressive display. BIG FRITZ was three-wide to the first turn, then two-wide to 3/16 command, rolled on at a good clip, second-best. STONEBRIDGE REEF took over at the 1/8 then yielded for the pocket, a bit loose the last ¼. DRAGON CITY sat in and was shuffled to last, out in a blindswitch headstretch, kept feathering his way wider through the lane, with a good surge widest late. P L LOU was first to show, yielded, sat third-in, gapped down the back. LUCKBEWITHALEX was second-over, moved up in quarter three but couldn’t sustain the gain. AMERICAN CLASSIC never factored. SOMETHING BETTOR A gapped third-over.

 

FIFTEENTH RACEDASH OF DANGER went out for the pocket trip and stayed mostly connected, to the Pocono Pike and along in a slowing last quarter. BULLVILLE TERROR was three-wide leaving, in third past the 1/8, back out raw off turn two, one-geared from there, OK. DO WORK SON was buried inside, weaved through traffic with late pace. TJ’S INDY PACER took control from the pole, went a fast third quarter without pressure, ran out of gas. CRUNCH HANOVER was first to move, wound up third-over, not a factor. DOUBLEORNOTHING N never surfaced. DRAGON SAID was very wide early, got in fourth 3/16, then came second-over, faded.

 

 

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