FIRST RACE – High 50s to low 60s as the card progressed … Stretch headwind … HURRIKANE HUNTER was between horses early then tucked, went uncovered 9/16 and gained steadily, went by before midturn and opened up an unassailable margin. CONGRESSIONAL spotted, moved at the ¼, a bit steppy in clearing past the 3/8, couldn’t keep the winner out past the ¾ but held well for second. CAPTAIN ALBERT G was three-wide early and got to the top, yielded past the ¼, came out with cover past the 5/8 and lost that cover on the turn, did OK. FIREBALL FREDDY gapped backstretch cover, evenly late. AXION HANOVER never got into the main action; nor did WARRAWEE XTREME. NOPEWASNTME was three-wide near the back into the first turn then decided to gun up to the top past the ¼, yielded at the end of the frontstretch, tired before the ¾.
SECOND RACE – GLOBALDOMINATION N was wide early, went up at the 1/8 and cleared to the lead off the first turn, set fast fractions with pressure from the 5/8, on a line pretty badly turning for home, but dug in and paced clear late. VINOVIO was in front at the 1/8, yielded and stayed close in the pocket as it turned into basically a three-horse race the last 3/8, inside stretch, couldn’t gain. ADRENALINE RUSH got early position, moved uncovered off turn two and battled hard with the leader in fast fractions from the 5/8 to headstretch, held his ground well. CAVIART SKIPPER gapped cover and went back inside, no factor. KIMANI N rode outside near the back past the half, went inside, didn’t totally fade. PAR INTENDED could not keep up. CAVIART STETSON was four lengths off the pack by the 1/8, fell way back.
THIRD RACE – DIVINE SPIRIT was three-wide to the 1/8 then tucked third, could wait until nearing the ¾ to go up uncovered, took the lead towards midstretch and proceeded on to the wire. MUSCLE GENE moved outside ¾, ducked back in after a breaker, thought about the Pocono Pike then angled out behind the winner before midstretch and finished steadily. VELVET STYLE went down the road, rated the half, didn’t have much pressure until the ¾, couldn’t sustain in the lane. ARCH CREDIT and JUSTIFY weren’t factors but got the final checks. TUIS SHADOW was between horses then tucked at the 1/8, started to fade on the turn then made a break. CELEBRITY SERENA could not go with these. BRECKENRIDGE made a nasty break as the field approached the backstretch before the start.
FOURTH RACE – KOOTENAY SANTANNA was in front just past the 1/8, yielded past the ¼ and sat a fine journey, responded quickly when shown the Pocono Pike and won easily. Tight three-way battle for second: AFLAME HANOVER moved uncovered into turn two, fought very hard with the leader from the 5/8 on, held for a DH2 with TERRY A HANOVER; the former’s former stablemate got the front early then yielded, stayed third-in, deep Pike, evenly for the tie for second. TJ’S INDY PACER was third-over behind a dull one, swung wide and closed well to just miss place. I’M BENICIO A was outside early, got in gear before the 3/16 and motored up to command 5/16, had to deal with a persistent first-over foe, not quite enough. AS ALWAYS gapped early, gained long after the main issues had been decided. YUPPER struggled inside. NO QUARTER was second-over but gapped out 11/16.
FIFTH RACE – FASHION KEN pushed away then yielded, moved from third into the backstretch and grinded up, didn’t reach the leader until into the stretch but then quickly trotted to the top. KNIGHTS GUARD, wide early, got a spot, moved past the 5/16 to the lead past the 3/8, maintained a clear lead into the stretch, but couldn’t sustain his advantage. YO CARTER dodged breakers and went along steadily. NETWORK EXTENDER came through at the start and took the top, yielded past the 3/8, gapped in the two-hole down the back, tired further late. TOP DOWN made a break midturn. DONATELLO HANOVER moved second-over but gapped, then miscued far turn. THE BLACK ACE was three-wide early and couldn’t clear, broke, recovered and settled fourth, broke again early frontstretch, recovered and moved out raw but broke a third time at the half. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT jumped it off 3/16.
SIXTH RACE – APPLE VALLEY ART left and would not yield, clear the last 3/8. PHILOSOPHIZER had some speed, stayed connected, split horses in the lane and along for second. KILLER MARTINI came out towards the second turn, soon three-high off that bend to clear a fading parked horse, then two-wide raw, never reached the winner, just edged for second. TODDLER TANTRUM was three-wide early, kept going between horses until taking the pocket at the ¼, started going loose from beyond the 5/8. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN got the final payday. BELIEVEINTHESPIRIT couldn’t keep with the early backstretch sweeper. LOTTERY WINNER was no factor before breaking; came back with “b.e.” SCRAPPIN GOLD was four-wide early and three-wide most of the ¼ before being left out two-wide raw, was looped early backstretch and faded.
SEVENTH RACE – QUARANTINA raced forwardly-placed, could move out behind the first-over 5/8, snapped into a higher gear past the ¾ when her cover made a break, won handily. DIGNITY HANOVER took the pocket at the 1/8, gapped on the far turn but fought on to take second. WILD KAT G headed down the road, under pressure from the 9/16, saw the first-over break, couldn’t hold off the winner, just missed second late. CHEROKEE JOY made up good ground down the back but could not sustain the gain. JULIETTE went evenly inside. CREA STAR rode outside the first half, then moved inside and faded. SANTA MONICA AS was uncovered into turn two and made a long challenge at the leader, still fighting when offstride ¾. BROADWAY SENSATION miscued just past the start; returned with “b.e.”
EIGHTH RACE – JAGGED LITTLE PILL went right to the top, yielded for the pocket and had a great view behind the protracted front-end duel, to the Pocono Pike and along as the tempo slowed. HUNGRY FOR KISSES moved from the pocket at the ¼ and took over, under pressure from towards the half and went big middle fractions, couldn’t hold off the pocket rocket but did well for second. EA AUDIT gapped down the back, gained some on the far turn and came on steadily as the pace slowed. ALL YOU CAN EAT also made up some late ground. WILD BLUE YONDER tucked third before the 1/8, moved sharply into the second turn, soon right at and occasionally ahead of the leader but was left outside, battled on after the tough trip and still was third deep stretch. ROLL WITH SHORTY gapped down the back. TRULY was last throughout.
NINTH RACE – TEST MY WILL tucked third, quarter-moved and was able to get the potential QM#2 into the pocket behind him 3/8, saw that one coming again late but held on. SHARP CURVE followed the winner out at the ¼, left raw and able to get in the two-hole 3/8, followed along to early stretch, then tipped wide, couldn’t find his best strides until too late. WENTWORTH HANOVER grinded a long way for a distant third in a good mile of his own. UNCLE NINO went to the lead, yielded early frontstretch then gave the pocket 3/8, struggled to stay close the last 3/8. F SCOTT’S MUSE checked outside the breaker far turn while not in contention. TOMMY BOY HANOVER left for the pocket, wound up fourth-in, was behind a tiring horse when breaking at the ¾ causing interference, placed. WINE BAR was not a factor. CASHIER suffered an “ix” past the ¾ while far back.
TENTH RACE – HUDSEN A left for the two-hole, stayed close in the third quarter fight, to the Pocono Pike and along in time. SPINOUT was uncovered into turn two, went 27.1 with the wind to challenge the leader from past the 5/8, may momentarily have had the lead midstretch, caught to the inside but good. PAPIAMENTO cleared at the 1/8, rated the half, had pressure from past the 5/8, not enough late. SAULSBROOK MENTOR tucked third, gapped down the back, angled out in the stretch, went on gamely while rough almost to the point of a near-break late. WILSONS VINNER avoided trouble and got the last check. LUZIANA backed out to follow cover 5/8 but gapped. BASS PLAYER never made a sound here. OUTDAMAGNOLIAMUD moved 3/8 but immediately gapped, then broke.
ELEVENTH RACE – TIDQUIST was second-over, gapped, was blindswitched late turn, but swung wide early stretch and was handled with confidence to the line. GLIDE IN THE WIND gained up the inside the last 3/8 and was along for second. KEYSTONE THUNDER went out raw to challenge 5/8, evenly as the tempo slowed late. BLOGMASTER took control from the pole, didn’t have enough to last to the line. WILLIE B WORTHY was third-over, three-wide late turn, couldn’t overhaul these. LINDYS GOIN CRAZY was last, between horses without room at the wire. BROOKROAD MASTER left for the pocket in the lineup, not enough response late.
TWELFTH RACE – MOVE THE LINE secured the pocket, moved out midturn, won easily. PICTONIAN THUNDER moved outside 11/16, had cover on the turn, along for second. BUTTER UP sat in, then moved wide and gained late. CAVIART SAGE left well to get control early, slowed the half, couldn’t carry his speed to the line. SPORTS TELLER sat in third, gapped down the back, to the pocket midturn, had a good trip but didn’t show much. THE OTHER TWO disconnected early in the backstretch.
THIRTEENTH RACE – HAVEHORSWILTRVEL N got in third at the ¼, moved early backstretch and could get into the pocket to the 11/16 while still not close to the leader, did draw closer on the turn, methodically grinded that one down late. WHAT THAT IS had the pocket then the lead when the fast starter ran, got a slowed half then sprinted off down the back, held gamely but had to settle for second. SMART AS HILL went past the others on the far outside for the distant third. KASEVILLE wound up in the pocket, couldn’t keep up the last 3/8. EXCHEQUER moved outside 11/16 but didn’t gain. MUSCLES JARED had little to offer. ASKMELATER HANOVER outsprinted everybody while four-wide early, had a clear lead when breaking 3/16.
FOURTEENTH RACE – PARMESAN N was second-over, gapped a little during the fast third split, three-wide late turn, not strong late (last quarter 30) but won on back class. KEY ADVISOR yielded for a two-hole trip, outside headstretch, didn’t miss by much. FRISKIE ALL NITE came off the rail past the ¾, swung four-wide into the lane, picked up ground. WON LAST FEELING stayed in and came up all the way to the pocket, clear in the lane but didn’t have the needed kick. HORSE was three-wide leaving en route to 1/8 command, slowed the half then really picked it up to keep a charging attacker at bay, paid the price for the fast quarters late. SEND IT IN JEROME never surfaced. FOLLOW YOUR HEART came with a big rush at the half, went his own third quarter in 26.3 raw to battle the frontstepper, tired midturn. ROCK THREE TIMES gapped throughout.