FIRST RACE – Temperature dropped from 60 to the mid-50s through the card … Rain came before race 13 – what had been a “fast” track all day became a “good +1” track for the last two races … CONGRESSIONAL left, was a trifle rough into turn one then settled down, to the lead 3/16, rated the half, came home in 55.4 – 27.3 looking very good. CRUISE HANOVER took over early then yielded for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike and raced well. I WAS TRICKED, looking a bit hard to handle at points, stayed third-in, kept up right behind the top two late in the stretch. SIMPLY FAST was third-over past the 5/8, four-wide into the stretch and had some late speed. AXION HANOVER was second-over, tipped three-wide but could only go evenly in the sprint home. GATOR HANOVER commenced a big uncovered move off turn two but flattened out mid-far turn. METAL MAN was off a step or two behind the leavers, tucked fourth, moved to the outside before the half but was soon offstride.
SECOND RACE – LINCOLNJAMES was three-deep to turn one, in front before the ¼, rated the half then sped up to hold out the first-over from into the backstretch to into the frontstretch, drew clear. DISMISSAL SLIP was second-over, gapped a bit down the back, three-wide headstretch, along for second. I SOAR HIM FIRST went uncovered from before the clubhouse turn, battled the winner hard for almost 3/8 of a mile before backing off a bit, still a good outing. THEFREEDOMFIGHTERN was shuffled to last, circled a gapper then advanced along the rail through the last ¼. WESTERN TYRANT got the top into turn one, yielded for the two-hole, couldn’t keep up on the far turn. RIPPLESONTHEBEACH was outside before the 3/8, wound up third-over, bore out down the backstretch, couldn’t enter contention. SKYWAY BILLY offered little. SAMMY THE BULL N offered some speed, then started gapping by the 3/8.
THIRD RACE – Stretch headwind for a short while … CAVIART REAGAN was away quickly and forced a tuck, picked up the pace when the first-over challenged, proved to be the best. MR CENSI was double-looped and three-wide early, tucked third at the 1/8, uncovered into the backstretch, not enough but good enough to take second over CAVIART SAGE. The latter left well, accepted the two-hole 3/16, to the Pocono Pike, was second midstretch but couldn’t sustain that position. LOUKES PERRY had a fine second-over trip, gapped a little down the back, had aim headstretch but went only evenly. SPORTY DRAGON was far back, split horses in tight quarters to get the final payday. SUNKEN TREASURE was not a threat inside. THE LAST TWO were far back in the two-wide tier, couldn’t get into the picture.
FOURTH RACE – RUFFLES N LACE sat a loose third until the 5/8, then narrowed in, came out nearing headstretch, inherited the win as the leader broke. WILD KAT G, 106-1, was away well to sit the pocket behind the fast fractions, held well for second after a foe misbehaved. NETWORK EXTENDER moved uncovered from midpack 11/16 and made up some ground. THE BLACK ACE headed straight down the road and had the field strung out, clear when making a break late on the far turn, righted and came back on well; an inquiry into the break revealed no reason for placing. KNIGHTS GUARD tucked fourth, was inside in the lane but had no gain. CHEROKEE JOY, off the gate, moved outside off turn two but couldn’t get in the first half of the field. TOP TUXEDO offered little. MEGA PINT broke early.
FIFTH RACE – HIGH VOLTAGE DEO left well but let outside leavers go, moved raw from third early in the backstretch and paced a 27.2 third quarter to go by the leader, maintained a safe margin in a big mile. RUSTY BEACH was looped early, had cover to the 3/16 then went on to grab the top 5/16, couldn’t keep the winner out down the back, stayed close, tried to come back in the Pocono Pike but didn’t have quite enough. PARK STREET BLUES joined a pretty good flow off turn two, three-wide midturn, up for third at the wire over TRIFECTA HANOVER. The later was away well to 3/16 command, yielded, couldn’t go with the top two ¾ and just missed show. WATCH U R BACK offered little. KING KONG KALIBRE tucked fifth, gapped out inside. CAPTAIN WHO stated outside to turn two, caught cover, couldn’t stay with it but still paced a third quarter of 27.1, then flattened the last 3/16. CRÈME DE LOU CRÈME misstepped going into turn two.
SIXTH RACE – GINGER TREE BRAD worked his way to the lead 5/16 after a fast ¼, had clear advantage from the 5/8 to the wire, good time for this class. AWSOME PAUL was away well, hung the winner well into the frontstretch then yielded, started to get a bit loose 5/8, still a clear second. KEYSTONE THUNDER took a tuck, inside, outtrotted KEYSTONE SERGEANT for third. The latter sat in, advanced on the rail, was blocked far turn, then to the Pocono Pike and his rally almost got him third. DART GUY was stymied by nonflowing cover around the far turn, got the last check. TEDDY BROSEVELT moved uncovered at the half but never got close. COMMON PARLANCE was second-over, three-wide 11/16 but just clogged that tier. GREEK LEGEND fell far behind early and kept falling further behind; came back with “b.e.”
SEVENTH RACE – TWIN B ALLURE made two speed moves then yielded to the favorite, moved out headstretch, found a higher gear midstretch and was along into the 27.4 kicker. DANCE NUMBER sat outside early, went up behind the winner and took over 3/8, got a moderate middle half, then just lacked the requisite sprint home. ALEXA’S SUNSHINE was three-wide to the initial bend and made the lead 3/16, saw two go by, sat third, not quite their caliber today but a clear third. MOLLY MCARDLE got early positioning, faded. IDEAL ALEXA gapped early then got closer, uncovered 5/8 and moved up to the point of almost being equal with the pocket horse past midturn, but then made a break, made a good recovery once regathered. BIRDIE THREE had good cover but gapped midturn. SWEET GADGETS was a slinky nearing the backstretch before the start. KALYPSO got a slow start then broke soon after the word was given.
EIGHTH RACE – NASEY was between horses to the ¼, didn’t want the pocket so went on to 3/8 command, set a fast pace, clear on the turn, had enough to withstand DIVINE SPIRIT. The latter looked at leaving but took back, moved out with cover, three-wide midturn, made up a lot of ground with good late trot. CAMPBELLINI used the rail to keep foes three-wide to the ¼, yielded for the pocket, fell back in the last ¼. BEYOND THE LENS moved around a gapper late backstretch, outside late turn, didn’t gain. BLOGMASTER was three-wide almost all the ¼ before backing off to tuck third, gapped, so-so inside late. SANTA MONICA AS, wide, and MUSCLE GENE, inside, was affected by the break of JUSTIFY at the ¾ while all three looked out of contention.
NINTH RACE – KING JAMES N was widest of five leavers, three-wide to the 1/8 then gained to get the lead 5/16, rated quarter two then had a challenger to his right down the back, whom he shook off, then had two foes gaining on him inside in the lane but held them off gamely. STONEBRIDGE DUEL grabbed the racetrack at the 1/8, made the winner work for the lead and sat the pocket, had his chance in the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite make it. KILOWATT KID N got a forward early spot, sat third-in, blocked on the turn, went right to the deep Pike, did well but couldn’t gain enough. DONT JUDGE A BOOK left well and yielded, started uncovered into turn two and made a big challenge, won fourth in a three-way picture. TERRY A HANOVER was third-over, had to circle wide at the ¾, finished OK. BIG BOSS HILL gapped early and was never prominent. KEY ADVISOR did not factor. GLOBALDOMINATION N moved outside 3/8 and soon picked up cover, but then was soon gapping that cover, reported “b.e.”
TENTH RACE – BETTOR’S WESTERN was three-wide early, briefly tucked third 3/16 but then came again with a quarter-move, opened some clear space late backstretch, made a brief break to the 3/4 but immediately righted, retained enough to win the GOC Championship; an inquiry into the break gave no cause for placing. PANTHEON HANOVER grinded up from the 3/8 until reaching a vacant pocket ¾, tried very hard to the line while far ahead of the others. CAVIART SKIPPER was second-over, uncovered on the far turn, beat out several rivals in a picture for third. BELIEVEINTHESPIRIT utilized the rail early, third-in, blocked behind a tired horse far turn, backed out late turn and then swung wide, only evenly late. REDHOT ROMEO was far back, a bit of pace on the end. PHILOSOPHIZER sat in, didn’t gain prominence. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N was shuffled, never entered the main picture. BRIGADOON was hard-used to clear the pole horse, yielded to the winner, started gapping out in the pocket 5/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – CHOCO CHARLIE tucked at the 1/8, then was second-over before the 5/8, three-wide late turn, just caught WHAT THAT IS on the end of it. The latter took control from the pole and rolled right on, saw off the first-over, just caught in the final steps. SMART AS HILL gained along the inside down the back, locked in on the turn, angled clear midstretch and finished nicely. ARCH CREDIT protected the two-hole, not enough late. R HERBIE BLUE CHIP came uncovered from third off the second turn, reached the leader’s wheel just before the ¾, then started to fade. TUIS SHADOW never featured. SCIROCCO PATRICK pulled third-over but went backwards.
TWELFTH RACE – RIFLEMAN was looped and outside, looked to tuck then thought he might try going on when a foe moved early, but finally did tuck when that one received resistance bidding for the top, out again 5/8 to grind, just got by in a gritty effort. AFLAME HANOVER defended the pocket early then came out of the hole 3/16 in front of the winner, was used to clear to the lead 3/8, had only the one major challenger and almost defeated that one. MOVE THE LINE was second-over, couldn’t keep up mid-far turn, distant third. PICTONIAN THUNDER didn’t have enough. CAPTAIN CASH swooped the field before turn one, was very reluctant to yield when challenged before the 3/8 but did so, backed up in the pocket the last ¼. PHANTOM SHADOW was caught behind the fading pocketsitter but had no recovery once clear.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Rain before the race; the track was rerated to “good +1” … SECRET OR NOT got out to third-over 3/8, followed cover, went three-wide just past midturn, had the most trot late. GINGERTREE STAKIAS trailed, moved out to the four-path late turn, solidly late. ELEGANT DULUPIN FR emerged with the distant pocket behind the runaway early horse, then almost came up over the back of the driver of that one as he caught up, squeezed out to second-over before the second turn, left uncovered 11/16, got the lead early stretch and held it to past midstretch. CAN’T SAY NO was parked with cover until past the 3/8, went on to grind uncovered, got in the pocket 11/16, to the Pocono Pike, a very good showing. CHIEF JUSTICE was shuffled to last, finally got going midturn and had to angle out to five-wide early stretch for a clear path, finished in overdrive. HAMMER CREEK gained along the inside, then was shuffled far turn, out in a blindswitch, couldn’t recover enough ground. TRUMAN JR HANOVER couldn’t reach the gaping hole behind the early runaway and was parked, urged to clear past the 3/8, tired in the stretch. ASKMELATER HANOVER bolted out and opened a big lead mid-first turn, had the field catch up 3/8, folded badly. … There was a general inquiry as to the conduct of the race near the 3/8 pole, but no action was taken.
FOURTEENTH RACE – FOLLOW YOUR HEART mustered enough early for the pocket, the only one keeping up behind the quick pace, pulled ¾ and went right on by, tons the best today. A STUD NAMED SAM got a forward spot, gapped from the 1/4 to the 5/8, moved outside to the ¾, briefly had cover then lost it, enough for second. SPORTS BOX was the first outside 11/16, got cover, three-wide midturn, edged out SEND IT IN JEROME for third in the quick mile. The latter moved out on the far turn, outkicked for third late. BUTTER UP spotted early then was not heard from. HIGHRTHANANEAGLE A made the lead 3/16 and was flying on the lead with only the winner staying connected, had that one shoot right by midturn, faded. THE LAST TWO were gapping by the half.