FIRST RACE – Around 70 degrees today, with a stretch headwind … ROSALINE went right to the lead, forced an early mover to change that decision, stayed in control even as GRIZZ WYLLIE narrowed in late. The latter was double-looped early and settled third at the 1/8, moved outside nearing headstretch, found his best strides midstretch, closed well but couldn’t get there. U BAKE THE CAKE took the inner path, then went wide and edged a pair for third. BAR COINS went evenly inside. BY A HOFF HANOVER left well for the pocket, wanted to move past the ¼ but was forced to take back by the insistent leader, couldn’t do much in the last ¼. PHANNYS MATTER made a skip right at the start, righted herself but never reentered contention. MISS PRINCIPLE moved outside down the backstretch but didn’t gain. MALONE also went to the outside from far back and also never was a factor.
SECOND RACE – I’M BENICIO A was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked fourth, got jammed up behind the early trouble, straightened, uncovered 5/8 and grinded by WESTERN BEACHBOY late. The latter was away third, quarter-moved and thus missed the trouble, set a quick pace, almost lasted. SAULSBROOK HERO, jammed up early, got to second-over before the 11/16, couldn’t go with the top two but edged the others for third. SEND IT IN JEROME stayed in, gained between horses, not fully clear until nearing the wire. CAPTAIN CASH yielded for the early pocket, got jammed as the pacesetter slowed, rerighted, inside, Pocono Pike, so-so late. THE COOKIE MONSTER never entered contention; nor did ROCK THREE TIMES. CAVIART SAGE left well to get the front early, slowed off the first turn and caused confusion, sat the pocket, struggled the last ¼, was placed for the trouble off turn one.
THIRD RACE – A GOOD CHARDONNAY was three-wide leaving to the top at the 1/8, kept off her only rival, EEE Z WOW. The latter was three-wide with cover early, worked up to the pocket past the 1/8, stayed close with the fast winner. GADOT HANOVER avoided a breaker and sat fourth, errorless and a far-distant third. CHEROKEE JOY left between horses, made a break at the 1/8 and was taken to the infield, had caught the field by the half, decent recovery. NETWORK EXTENDER wasn’t close throughout, pushed a bit wide by the stretch breaker. BT BABE left, sat third, gapped far turn, then broke in the lane. GYPSY DONNA went offstride 3/16.
FOURTH RACE – NASEY yielded for the pocket, moved 5/16 to get to the front, went 27.3 down the back to open a huge lead which got only bigger late. R HERBIE BLUE CHIP moved with cover on the turn then left uncovered when his cover broke, a clear second. DAZZLNDASH HANOVER left well, yielded for the pocket, had no more forward gear the last 3/8. MOLLY’S JAIL was gapping before the half, stayed flat. HALL IT OFF sat third, outside past the 5/8, was bidding for second far turn when jumping. BEYOND THE LENS lost gait just before the start.
FIFTH RACE – OVERBOARD was three-wide to two-wide covered to tuck third at the 1/8, moved out 11/16 and progressed, powered away from these late. I CANT REFUSE maintained the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and up for second. KEYSTONE SWEETPEA took over before the first bend, slowed the second quarter then stepped up the third, not enough late. MARI gapped the last half. NINA HANOVER made a break going inside the breaking EVER HOPEFUL G just past the ¾ as both were out of it.
SIXTH RACE – DIEHARD SEELSTER got an excellent second-over trip, three-wide late turn, trotted away from these through the stretch. LADY’S IMAGE left, pushed a foe early then yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike and was up for the distant second. ELEGANT DULUPIN FR was outside 3/16 in the fast opener before clearing, set the pace, not quite enough. SPREE was uncovered at the half and put in a spirited third quarter challenge, but could not sustain the gain. FAIR GLIDER stayed in, looked all-out to keep close most of the last 3/8, OK late. THE OTHER TWO were not part of the main proceedings.
SEVENTH RACE – QUITE FAST vacated fourth 5/8 and marched up to challenge, wore down LADY LIRA. The latter was four-wide early and three-wide 3/16, then dropped down to two-wide with cover until losing cover and going to the lead 3/8, rolled on the lead, held very well. ALLFORSOUTHWIND pushed the early action, inside then out late turn, won a photo for third. DEFACEMENT gapped most of the way, out in a blindswitch, had some gain between horses. JULIETTE was outside from far back, tried to split rivals late, gained some in very tight quarters if clear at all. I’M AMUSED was three-wide leaving then two-wide between horses, got the lead just past the ¼, yielded 3/8 for the pocket, empty ¾. BROADWAY SENSATION was not in the main picture.
EIGHTH RACE – SPEAKTOYOURMANAGER moved from the pocket near the ¼ to set the pace, rated quarter two, proved better than this opposition. IDEAL ALEXA moved uncovered ¾, gained but then briefly lost stride, regathered and came on well for second; an inquiry into the far turn break showed no cause for placing. LADY’S CHOICE K left and was on top at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, not equal to the late challenge. ADULT SWIM was way behind into the backstretch behind gappers, did a good job to get as close as she did. MILLDOOKER MOLLY left between horses and took third at the 1/8, didn’t keep up from late backstretch. THE OTHER THREE were disconnected well before midbackstretch.
NINTH RACE – CAN’T SAY NO was four-wide early in a six-horse field, took back, outside (briefly with cover) before going up to press the issue, showed rare determination in defeating this group after the hard trip. CHING CHING LUCKY backed out to second-over 5/8, three-wide midturn and loomed, not quite enough late. JIVE NINETY FIVE was last, out behind cover and wider in the stretch, just third. WORTHY OF HONOR had the early lead, yielded but retook, was under pressure from the winner, couldn’t make the lead stand. FOREVERHILLREIGN was three-wide early, on top 3/16, yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, outtrotted. REAL MCCOY sat in, to the deep Pike, did not gain late.
TENTH RACE – MANOFMANYMUSCLES tucked third, quarter-moved, threw a 27.4 third quarter and then left the rest of these well behind. AWSOME PAUL gunned away from the rail for the lead, yielded for the pocket, kept up to the ¾ then steadily fell back from there, did hold on to second. GINGERTREE STAKIAS came off the rail far turn and just got third in the last step. LOUIS was uncovered to the ¾, not quite enough for major minor honors. CAMPBELLINI left, took the pocket, did not have much left the last 3/16. WAVELIKEAQUEEN was way back throughout. HL MAMMOTH broke at the ¼.
ELEVENTH RACE – BELLA MACCHIATO slid into third 3/16 but didn’t stay there along, moved off the first turn to the lead 3/8 in a slow second quarter, handled the bid of BABY OIL confidently in a 28 last quarter. The letter wound up sitting third, moved out ¾ and made a good challenge through the last stanza but was outsped. QUARANTINA came through at the start to the lead, yielded to the winner, not as much as the top two through the stretch but far ahead of the others. RHIANNON HANOVER stayed connected to the ¾ then gapped out. BINGO BRAIN was trying to rally when making a break far turn. GUCCI GIRL went offstride 5/8.
TWELFTH RACE – TOWN VICTOR was three-deep leaving to the front at the 1/8, strung the field out from just before the half and was much the best. NICE STUFF yielded for the pocket, had enough to last for the deuce. MUSCLE STAR showed some early speed, sat third, outside ¾, went on OK. DART GUY moved outside on the last bend, finished with some trot. SMART AS HILL raced along the inside and stayed with the second division. STEEL SCHOONER drifted outside near the back until the others had passed him. ARGENTO ran approaching the 3/8.
THIRTEENTH RACE – SIMON GOT LUCKY pulled behind the parked horse 3/8 then went three-wide on the second turn, to two-wide and onward to the lead past the 5/8 while going his third quarter in 27.1, opened up an insurmountable margin. TRUMAN JR HANOVER took the early lead and used inside positioning to advantage, yielded past the ¼, caught in when the pacesetter was passed but looked like he was going all he could, to the Pocono Pike and along for second late. WARRIOR WAY was between horses to the ¼ and soon after took the top, had no answer for the winner’s brush, battled on for second but couldn’t quite retain it. CREEMORE was inside, backed out ¾, had a bit of trot at the end. CRAZYCAT came out 5/8 well off the clearing brusher, grinded up, flattened a little bit. K J DIAMOND was never close. SCIROCCO PATRICK lost contact. REPLICA HANOVER left, was three-wide almost to the ¼ then was midpack in the two-path until entering the backstretch, where he fell out of it.
FOURTEENTH RACE – REGAL ESCAPE started an uncovered march 3/8, went 27.1 with the wind and cleared to the lead at the ¾, got pressure on the turn and more pressure late, but held in there gamely. URBAN RENEWAL was between horses to 3/16 command, yielded, able to back outside with cover midturn, wide and moving very well late. ALADDIN HANOVER was carried up by good cover, lost it ¾ and continued on to fight with the new leader, persevered very well to the line. TERRY A HANOVER was innermost of a three-way battle early, yielded, stayed in, Pocono Pike, so-so. AFLAME HANOVER was three-wide 3/16 (in a 26.2 opener) then two-wide to get the front 5/16, couldn’t keep the winner out ¾, didn’t fade too badly after hard early usage. MINDTRIP was outside, gapped and was blindswitched, cleared, evenly late. KEY ADVISOR sat in, didn’t offer too much. MOVE THE LINE was shuffled then fourth-over, three-wide 11/16 but never gained.
FIFTEENTH RACE – BEACH VIBES left strongly to take over early, looked comfortable on the lead and didn’t seem threatened even though DEMONS BOY was narrowing in late. The latter was between horses to the pocket at the 1/8, sat there, outside headstretch, didn’t immediately gain then found better strides nearing the wire. VICTOR CRUISE was close-up until the stretch, faded but well ahead of the rest. GALLIE GETAWAY moved a good uncovered move from far back down the back, couldn’t sustain. CAMLACHIE CHROME gapped. FAST CHAT backed out to follow cover but couldn’t go enough the last 3/16.