FIRST RACE – Near freezing temperatures all day, and a “+1” allowance given even though the track was “fast” … Stretch headwind … MARINER SEELSTER was two-wide early, let a horse circle him 3/16, followed his cover then proceeded up to take over nearing turn two, under heavy backstretch pressure, but drew clear. TERRITORY left rapidly to hit the top into turn one, yielded, backed out 5/8 and was strong on cover, three-wide headstretch, won second in a three-way photo. TOPVILLE OLYMPIAN was in the outside flow, four-wide headstretch, came on well late. BAMSKI was three-wide to the 3/16 then two-wide just past the 5/16 to get the lead, yielded, pocket, gapped a little in the fast third quarter and on the turn, still second in deep stretch but didn’t have enough to retain second. BRUMBY was last, had some pace in the stretch with no clear path. WON LAST FEELING moved second-over but gapped early backstretch letting a horse out, went back in, not that much. ARTIFACT HANOVER was fifth at the “START” point but utilized the rail for good position early, first-over at the ½ and went 26.4 (albeit with the wind) to give the winner a stiff challenge, not much left late. PRAIRIE ROCKSTAR was never prominent.
SECOND RACE – VASARI N, flicked at throughout the mile, was second-over early on turn two, three-wide before the ¾, took the lead early stretch and went on nicely. LAST MACH gapped in last, underway three-wide with cover far turn then four-wide in the stretch, passed a lot of horses in the 30.3 kicker. DING DING DINGER got to the front at the 1/8, rolled on a fast pace, gave way some. SKYWAY BALLISTIC improved position early, first-over into turn two, couldn’t reach the leader but held OK. SIMPLE KINDA MAN was buried, zig-zagged without ever gaining full clearance while with pace. HASH-TAG SWAG sat in, went to the deep Pocono Pike but didn’t enter contention. COWBOY COOL had little to offer from third-over. VINOVIO left, got the lead, yielded, sat the pocket, came up empty late.
THIRD RACE – SORTIE came uncovered from third 5/8 and trotted right to command ¾, an easy victory. SWEET HEART AS stayed connected, outside late turn, took second away late from CHUCKY DE VIE. The latter inherited the pocket after a breaker, backed out behind the winner, couldn’t last for second nearing the wire. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT left, inherited the lead soon after yielding as a foe broke, set the pace, passed ¾, not that much late. CHOCO CHARLIE, a bit off the gate, got the last check. TRICKY DICK and TUIS SHADOW couldn’t keep up the last ½. ASKMELATER HANOVER left and was just in the process of clearing at the 1/8 when going offstride.
FOURTH RACE – PERKINS took command, yielded for the two-hole, went to the Pocono Pike and asserted himself over BLOW A CLOUD N in a two-horse main course. The latter was in front at the 1/8, cut even fractions, held well. HOOSIER SHARK spotted third, so-so in the latter stages. BEACH BLANKET BOOK closed an early gap, went uncovered 9/16 but never got closer than a nose ahead of the pocket horse ¾, tired and drifted out significantly. THISISHOWWEDOIT backed out late backstretch, four-wide headstretch, then inside the drifter for the last check. GLOBALDOMINATION N never entered the picture. KILLER MARTINI was asked for speed at the start but got no response, wound up second-over, three-wide late turn but empty.
FIFTH RACE – MISTER DAYTONA N left and grabbed the pocket, used the Pocono Pike to perfect advantage to catch a stubborn P L LEEROY. The latter was in front by the 1/8, rated the half then had to speed up to battle a hard challenger, finally caught to his left in a big effort. HIGH IMPRESSION was uncovered into turn two, went 26.4 down the back and got a small lead late backstretch, held tenaciously to the wire in a mile as good as the top two. DOCTOR BB had speed, backed out to follow cover, wide and narrowing as the tempo slowed. JONAH moved second-over, evenly the last quarter. THE OTHER TWO gapped at the back, then narrowed in in the decelerating late pace.
SIXTH RACE – THE GYPSY QUEEN IR made two speed moves in the first half, let the first-over go ¾ and stayed close, back out in the stretch and won handily. INTO THE UNKNOWN was third-over, three-wide around a gapper midturn, closed well to take second late. ST LADS BIJOU yielded, moved uncovered 9/16 and went on by ¾, couldn’t resist the late chargers. FOX VALLEY CACHET was three-wide early, briefly with cover then uncovered to get the front 5/16, yielded, inside, fair late. BLAZING RAMONA couldn’t keep up down the back. JAGGED LITTLE PILL was no factor from fourth-over. SHES A BULLVILLE never made her presence felt. FEAR HER TOUCH was second-over, fell apart in the last quarter.
SEVENTH RACE – BUSBOY HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn, then two-wide, got in gear nearing the ¼ and rushed to the top 5/16, dashed clear late in the backstretch and stayed clear until midstretch, then withstood the inside move of AIN’T IT FUN. The latter left, put a foe in behind, yielded 5/16 for the two-hole, was loose from the 11/16 until into the stretch, then came back some along the inside. MAJESTIC KIWI N was second-over, three-wide ¾, another doing been in deep stretch than in upper stretch. ARTACHE HANOVER got the early two-hole, then sat in third, fair while in close quarters through the stretch. MY WISH CAME TRUE was raw going into the second bend, never really got close to the leader but wasn’t that far off. HUDSEN A was rough early, gapped inside. PLAY THE ACE gapped at the back throughout. STELLAR BLUE CHIP was third-over, three- wide with cover far turn and four-wide near headstretch but didn’t gain.
EIGHTH RACE – BRIGHT SIDE UP took over past the 1/8, got a breather in quarter two while still stringing out the field, then said goodbye to these at the 5/8. SAULSGOOD moved outside at the 5/8, grinded well off the winner, along for second. FASHION CANTAB stayed in, came out in a blindswitch headstretch, went between horses and dead-heated BY A HOFF HANOVER for third. The latter was second-over, gapped cover late backstretch, fair in the lane. PHANNYS MATTER was hard to take back in the first quarter, wide stretch and gained some. WAVELIKEAQUEEN was inside, behind a tired one on the turn, but didn’t gain once clear. BAR COINS was no factor. MISS PRINCIPLE made the front, yielded for the pocket, steadily lost ground the last 3/8.
NINTH RACE – MAKE SOME WAVES was underway just past the 3/8 and was all business crossing over past the 5/8, never in danger. CRUISE PATROL joined the outside flow off turn two, left uncovered mid-far turn, paced very well to be the distant second. BLACKLIGHT backed out after a shuffle when the inner tier collapsed, wide in the stretch and along for third. SEAL O’NEILL left to get the early lead, yielded at the ¼, inside, shuffled badly then out in a blindswitch, did well to recover for fourth. IC A FREE SPIRIT was under urging early but could only get away third, then shuffled all the way to last, wide, not a late factor. SPORTSMANSHIP followed the winner then was left uncovered, tucked in the “pocket” midturn but all done at that point. RYCROFT N pressed on to get the early lead, set the pace, had no answer when challenged down the back.
TENTH RACE – IDIOSYNCRATIC tucked third at the 1/8, moved just before the ¼ in front of a parked horse and went up to take over, handled the first-over then drew off upper stretch, in control. ERINWOOD YVES was outleft, got in fourth off the first turn as the winner commenced a brush, stayed in, had sharp pace up the Pocono Pike to edge COMET CRUSADER N. The latter got away well and got into the early pocket, stayed in third until going two-wide late turn, wide in the stretch and moving very well late. ALADDIN HANOVER had first-over duty, went 27.2 down the back but couldn’t get close than the winner’s wheel, best of the rest. BAY CITY was away well, forced a tuck, yielded to the winner, had no response in the lane. VEL BITTER CHIP had traffic difficulties. SLICK RICHARD gapped. BUILDING BOOST gapped second-over, was fading when breaking nearing headstretch.
ELEVENTH RACE – KEPT UNDER WRAPS A, finally getting some good local luck, went to the top then yielded early for the pocket, had a great trip before going to the Pocono Pike, and won easily. DERECHO moved from the pocket at the 1/8 to 3/16 command, had pressure from the first-over, caught by a fresh horse up the inside, had pretty well to retain second over I GET THAT. The latter was uncovered at the half, challenged through fairly mild fractions, almost got the deuce. CAPOZZO stayed in, couldn’t get into the late battle. WF EEYORE was never a presence. COCOSFELLA A was second-over but gapped; SAULSBROOK RAPTOR was behind that dull cover, three-wide late turn but did not rally.
TWELFTH RACE – DROPTHERAKEFREDDY led for 5280 feet, set a decent pace, gave a little ground to CRACK A SMILE late but still seemed safe. The latter went into the pocket past the 1/8, a bit loose from late backstretch around much of the turn, did a little bit in the stretch. MADDOX HANOVER stayed in and was badly blocked behind the stragglers far turn, to the Pocono Pike and along for third. LORD OF MISRULE left some but got a bit steppy into the first turn, third, started to gap past the 5/8. SONG CYCLE SENESE never got close. IT’SGOODTOBEDAKING was second-over behind nonflowing cover, wide for the stretch but didn’t gain. ISITFRIDAYYET closed an early gap, came out at the half but never made much progress before faltering.
THIRTEENTH RACE – INTRIGUED AGAIN was last most of the way, got rolling behind cover three-wide ¾ and went four-wide late turn, just up as the pace slowed into the wind. DL’S BIG ELVIS was looped early, methodically went up to get command 3/8, came under pressure, shook that one off, just missed in the last couple steps. AMERICA’S GUEST was second-over, three-wide midturn, best of the others. JET ACE left for the pocket, under a hold in the hole at the ¼ and popped back out 3/8, challenged long and hard, held well. SPORTS BETTOR was two-wide, blindswitched on the far turn, had to back out and widest, OK late. TISADREAM N never was in the picture. WESTERN WALTZ was three-wide early to clear at the 1/8, pushed a foe to the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket, tired at the ¾.
FOURTEENTH RACE – CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL pushed away well and kept the pocket, pulled from that spot to the ¾ and challenged, a safe winner today. GLOBAL CRUSH made a good third quarter move although not reaching the leaders until getting cover from the pocketpuller to the ¾, second-best. ROYHILL reached the top just past the 1/8 and rolled along, couldn’t carry his speed to the wire. LOUD SPLASH was last, gapped cover, then had better pace late. HEARTLANDBANYSBRO was not a major danger. ER VEGAS never entered the picture. SAFENSOUND HANOVER started well, took the tuck behind the two inside leavers, started to gap by the 3/8.
FIFTEENTH RACE – WILD BLUE YONDER was like everyone else far back in the middle half, followed cover gaining, ducked inside headstretch then to the Pocono Pike, just got there in the shadow of the wire. RELENTLESS JULIE quarter-moved, went her middle half in 55.4 while opening a huge lead, stayed game but couldn’t last to the line. DANCE NUMBER was uncovered 5/8 and ate into the leader’s margin to headstretch, flattened slightly after working hard 5/8 to 7/8. SPEAKTOYOURMANAGER made the lead at the 1/8, yielded to the brusher and was gapping badly before the 3/8, distant best of the rest. LADY’S CHOICE K was in the pocket, far back, couldn’t make a comeback. THE LAST THREE were disconnected by the half: C DIDDY’S GAL came back with “b.e.”, and ADULT SWIM was off the gate.
SIXTEENTH RACE – GATOR HANOVER got forward position, moved out from behind a gapper 3/8 and was able to tuck in the pocket at the ½, to the Pocono Pike and did the best late. TRIFECTA HANOVER went inside the drifting horse 5/8 and advanced raw, held well to win a photo for second. BARNEY HANOVER let a foe go then came again 3/16 to make the lead past the ¼, got a moderate middle half but still didn’t show enough. PARK STREET BLUES was wide in the drive and finished well. CAPTAIN WHO joined the backstretch flow, OK late. WATCH U R BACK got jammed up past the 5/8 when the inner tier accordioned, never featured after that. DARIO HANOVER gapped at the back. BULLVILLESPANDEMIC was wide early and got to the top, left a gap 3/8 that was filled by the winner, drifted out and wide midbackstretch and dropped way out of it.