FIRST RACE – Low to mid-60s … Mild stretch headwind to start … HOWTOTRAINURDRAGON was out 3/16 before making the lead, yielded for the pocket, came out of same 11/16 and had gotten the lead by headstretch, game to hold off three others. ADRENALINE RUSH was first on top, yielded, moved from third-in to the 11/16 and got cover, good but couldn’t quite get to the winner. SPINOUT joined the outer flow and finished steadily after the hot fractions. LOTTERY WINNER sat in, gained along the inside as many moved outside far turn, Pocono Pike, a step shy. PANTHEON HANOVER pulled 3/16 to pace to the top 5/16, kept up a quick pace, fought with the winner from late backstretch, didn’t have enough in the last 1/8. CAVIART STETSON never reached contention. DISMISSAL SLIP was away slowly and gapped a bit at the back throughout.
SECOND RACE – SWEET HOME left outside a quick foe and took the early pocket, stayed third-in, got clearance to her right early stretch and responded with a powerhouse last 1/16 that took her right by impressively. HUNGRY FOR KISSES was underway before the ¼ to gain control just past the 5/16, set the pace, good but outfinished. BLANK CHEEK left well for command, yielded to the early brusher, went to the Pocono Pike but could not gain. SQUARE DEAL came out of fourth off the second curve and gained until late on the turn, then backed off. EAZY HUNTING moved out second-over 5/8, gapped and ducked back in. THE LAST THREE lost contact down the back.
THIRD RACE – HUDSEN A was forwardly-placed early, moved at the ¼ and worked to the top just past the 3/8, drew clear in the last quarter though the last quarter was only 29.3. CAVIART SKIPPER was three-wide to the first turn, then two-wide to take over at the ¼, yielded just past the 3/8 for the pocket, a bit loose the last 3/16, just held second over PHILOSOPHIZER. The latter was on top into the first turn, yielded and sat third-in, went to the far inside in the lane and was just edged for the deuce. KILLER MARTINI was second-over, three-wide before the ¾, not far off second considering the extra ground covered. BRIGHTER DAYS was uncovered into turn two, was never a threatening presence. PAR INTENDED raced inside, not too much late.
FOURTH RACE – APPLE VALLEY ART left, briefly tucked third then went on before the ¼ to the lead 3/8 and rated the half, got hard pressure from the first-over then later from the wide-swinging second-over, but proved equal to the challenges. SAULSBROOK RAPTOR moved second-over from last and had excellent cover until past mid-far turn, swung wide and finished steadily in an improved mile. BASS PLAYER swung out and wide through the far turn, closed well. SPORTS TELLER was third-in, out in a blindswitch nearing headstretch, switched inside to midstretch, fair. PAPIAMENTO was raw early on turn two, went in 27.2 down the back to challenge, but couldn’t sustain the move. SPORTSMANSHIP cleared at the 1/8, yielded for two-hole 3/8, had little in the lane.
FIFTH RACE – SHARP CURVE was looped leaving, took over at the ¼ then yielded for the pocket, outside headstretch, just enough to whisker out WENTWORTH HANOVER. The latter went away quickly, wide into turn one then two-deep to be on top 3/16, yielded to two foes, gapped a little on the far turn but showed renewed vigor in the Pocono Pike late and was an unlucky loser. LEAST WEASEL was outleft and found no hole, had cover to the ¼ then pressed on to finally get the top 3/8, got soft middle fractions, but the early work caught up to him. TOMBSTONE was inside and blocked far turn, rallied some then flattened slightly nearing the wire. TOMMY BOY HANOVER made the early lead then saw three go by, uncovered 5/8, fair. FAWN DE SIGN had cover but couldn’t do much off it. IMPERIAL ZETTE was far back throughout. BATTLESHIP LANDING was far back outside when breaking ¾.
SIXTH RACE – Breeze would become calmer … CARIS went to early command, yielded to sit the two-hole, up the Pocono Pike and by in the final couple strides. DANCE NUMBER settled in third early, on the go again just past the 3/16 to the lead 5/16, shook off the first-over, lasted until the shadow of the wire. ILUVLOUCY left and tucked midpack, uncovered 9/16 and grinded, backed off a little the last 1/8 but still performed well. LAZ-A-FAIRE trailed most of the way, swung wide and finished solidly. COBBLER got a forward spot, couldn’t gain late. HUNGRY FOR MONEY gapped a little down the back, behind a wall headstretch, evenly late. BEAUTIFUL AMERICA was second-over but gapped late backstretch.
SEVENTH RACE – RIOT was last, gapped cover second-over, not in high gear until early stretch, then had a solid burst to be just up on the far outside. VINOVIO took the lead past the 1/8, yielded to sit in the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike, brief lead deep stretch, just caught to his far outside. SHARP RAZOR started a long uncovered grind on the second turn, one-geared strongly (own last half 55.3 raw). TODDLER TANTRUM made two speed moves, came up a bit short at crunch time. KIMANI N tucked early, blocked far turn, handled cautiously in the stretch as not appearing to have clearance. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN never surfaced. SAFENSOUND HANOVER fell far back in the last stanza.
EIGHTH RACE – B ON THE HUNT gapped inside much of the way, had the light bulb go on in the Pocono Pike midstretch and surged to defeat a well-matched group. EA AUDIT left, yielded to the favorite for the pocket, outside for the drive, at equal-front terms past midstretch, just missed. NAKED TRUTH got inside 3/16, moved two- and then three-wide late turn from third, right in the fight to the finish. KALYPSO was last and stuck in, waited for the deep Pike and had a good late kick. PEMBROKE SOUTHIE was uncovered before the 5/8 but never got close, but then was another who found some renewed life late. BIRDIE THREE was outside but never contended.
NINTH RACE – FRIDAY NIGHT BLUES insisted on the lead and strung the field out, came home in 55.4 and needed all of it to win the three-way photo. SOUTHWIND DREDGE was forwardly-placed third-in, kicked in in the Pocono Pike midstretch and just came up shy. GLOBALDOMINATION N left, went into the pocket at the 1/8 and trailed close-up, outside stretch, did very well. LORD OF MISRULE was raw off turn two, speed-grinded in 27.1 down the back but couldn’t sustain. THE OTHER PAIR were not prominent after racing in the back.
TENTH RACE – C IS FOR COOKIE moved in front of the stands, briefly had cover then went on to take over at the half and had no problem with “cameo” driver Zeron as still as a statue late. AMERICAN CRISPIN moved 5/16 to the lead just past the 3/8, yielded to the winner at the half, did well to stay as close as she did. TOTALLY RIGGED made the lead, yielded 3/8 as she saw three horses make the top between the 3/8 and the half, came again raw 5/8 and persevered in a fine showing, well ahead of the rest. PARTY LOUNGE had cover but gapped it. EXTREME Z TAM couldn’t enter the picture; nor did ALWAYS BE BEACHIN. LADYZAR was three-wide to the first turn, then moved up but needed until near the 3/8 to clear, quickly saw two go by, started gapping early backstretch.
ELEVENTH RACE – BARRIER dangled outside then got in gear at the 1/8 to make the lead at the ¼, slowed the half then handled these with 56 – 27.3. VORACIOUS stayed third-in, not bad up the inside late. KING KONG KALIBRE took the lead early, yielded at the ¼ for the two-hole, came outside ¾, got a little tired very late. FUN MUNKY came a long way uncovered before backing off a bit. BATTLEFIELD sat in, didn’t gain in the last ¼. BARNEY HANOVER took back early, never could make up enough ground. ROCKWELL gapped at a couple of points. COOL LUC lost contact at the back.
TWELFTH RACE – RELENTLESS JULIE moved into the backstretch and soon got cover but couldn’t stay tight on it all the way to headstretch, wider and found the needed steps to be just up on the wire. TEAM COLORS left well, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, got to the lead and held it until late. BAMA BREEZE was uncovered off of the second turn, grinded up, did well. HURRIKANE LADY LOU was three-high to the 1/8 then two-wide to the front 5/16, set the pace, not quite enough late. SUNNY PASADENA left between horses and tucked third at the 1/8, stayed in, still pacing OK at the end without full clearance. ALL YOU CAN EAT edged out headstretch, didn’t quite have the necessary late kick. STAY SPECIAL was last throughout.
THIRTEENTH RACE – J B MAUNEY N left hard, pushed a 26.3 opener then yielded for the pocket, stayed close, came out nearing headstretch, got the better of HORSE. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide past the fast opener for the lead, rated the half, did well but had to settle for second. CALYPSO ROCK N was behind horses until tucking third at the 1/8, fair in the stretch. DANCING JOE went out behind wide cover far turn, wider yet in the lane and finished well. MAJOR SHOW went three-wide from third-over 11/16 as the outer tier wasn’t advancing, but himself never made much of a gain. COUNTER OFFER was inside, gapped down the backstretch. SOUTHWIND MOROCCAN tucked, went first-up on turn two but didn’t get close to the lead. PERFECT BET couldn’t stay with cover.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BRECKENRIDGE landed the pocket leaving then quarter-moved, went down the back in 27.4 to open up a clear lead that he never surrendered. JUSTIFY moved out of third midturn and was along for the distant second. FRAC stayed in and won a photo for third over WILLIE B WORTHY. The latter struck the front heading to turn one, yielded, couldn’t keep up in the pocket before the 5/8. TECH TITAN moved outside far turn but didn’t enter the picture. KEYSTONE SERGEANT was behind the gapping GREEK LEGEND; neither were prominent.