FIRST RACE – 72 degrees to start, dropping a few degrees in the last few races … Rain came before race 10; “fast +0” through race 11, “gd +1” race 12, “sy +1” the remainder of the way … Y S MATHIS BRO forced a rival in behind on the first turn, then made that one work when he came again for the lead 3/8, sat the pocket, outside before headstretch, just got his nose up. SHORE OF HIMSELF left, finally took the pocket 3/16, then came on the quarter-move, pushed to clear past the 3/8, just failed to hold on. SPRINGBRIDGE DUEL slotted third entering turn one, came out of third 11/16, got better the closer they got to the wire. I’LL TAKE THE BET went to the Pocono Pike, evenly. DILLINGER was second-over, gapped, then narrowed in some belatedly. THE OTHERS were well off the front ones down the back.
SECOND RACE – LUCKBEWITHALEX started uncovered at the half and was a grindmaster deluxe, made the lead early stretch and went on to the fastest local time of the year, 1:49.3. MAXIMUS MIKI was outleft, in gear at the 1/8 and went up to the top, set a very fast pace, held gamely although passed early stretch. TOPVILLE SOMROCKET was third-over, three-wide headstretch, moving strongly late. CAPTAIN COWBOY was three-wide early then two-wide to the top 3/16 in a fast quarter, yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, OK. AMERICAN CLASSIC moved second-over but immediately gapped and went back inside, not a factor late. KATES BET left between horses and got the early pocket, backed out of third before the 5/8 to follow the winner, struggled to keep close in the last ¼. THE OTHER TWO just had too much to overcome in the blistering mile.
THIRD RACE – TNT BLUE CHIP moved from third 3/16 right to the lead, kept on rolling, opened up midturn, and hung up the fastest trotting mile of the year at Pocono, 1:52.4. FRANK THE ELDER took the early pocket, was kept third-in until midturn, then moved up, edged COLLEGE TUITION for second. The latter made the front, put a foe in behind, yielded to the winner, kept close past the ¾, and then the speed took its toll. EL TORO LOCO and BULLY BOY HILL both stayed inside; ADORE ME followed DELGADO out 5/8, but neither made any headway.
FOURTH RACE – Stretch headwind picking up … BINGE ON YANKEE headed down the road, got a soft half, then came home in 54.3, won measuring against the late thrust of JOEMIKIYOURSOFINE. The latter tucked early, inherited the pocket 3/16, stayed fairly close until headstretch, lost a little ground early stretch moving out to challenge, then had a very big last 1/16. NOPEWASNTME came uncovered into turn two, got to retuck third towards the 11/16, not close to the top two but way ahead of the rest. FIREBALL FREDDY looked to be having trouble keeping up most of the way from the 3/8. FATEFUL DUEL went outside but went nowhere. CRUISE HANOVER tucked in the pocket, then broke 3/16 and went to the centerfield.
FIFTH RACE – PARK OFFICIAL was three-wide to the 1/8 and out just past the ¼ for the lead, got a soft half, sped up down the back stringing the field, had a good challenge on the turn but was equal to that one and all the others. BELLOWS BINGE got forward position, moved raw to the ¾ and got close to the winner, couldn’t stay with him late but did hold second. MUDVILLE moved outside on the turn, didn’t tip wide until almost midstretch, doing well late. OUR MAJORDAN A followed cover ¾, OK late. PLAY THE FIELD looped everybody early, yielded to the winner, didn’t have enough kick late. HOMESTRETCH WES sat in, gapped, went right over a pylon headstretch, but bounced back with some pace. ROLLINWITHAMBITION was never close. TRUFFLE DOG had already lost contact before the ¼ and was pulled up.
SIXTH RACE – GHOST SHARK was three-high to turn one then two-wide to 3/16 command, was challenged on the far turn but looked well in control. IDIOSYNCRATIC raced closely-placed, pulled out ¾ and menaced briefly, did well to be second. HIGH VOLTAGE DEO went straight to the lead, yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not enough late for second. HUNTER’S HERO was uncovered from far back 5/8, advanced and kept advancing when getting cover ¾, did very well. BULLVILLESPANDEMIC got the last check. STORM THE COURT moved outside but gapped. LUCKISONTHEWAY took back early, faded late.
SEVENTH RACE – KINDA LUCKY LINDY worked her way up to the front early, yielded to sit the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, and went right on by late. MISS MC KEE was extremely wide leaving and three-wide to the 1/8 en route to the lead 3/16, set the pace, had to settle for second. P L NOTSONICE, racing a bit off the pylons at points, went uncovered into the backstretch, gained until nearing headstretch, then flattened a little; good mile nonetheless. SAY YOU DO sat in and was blocked, found room between horses before midstretch and gained some nearing the wire. FIT BITT got a forward spot, stayed in, not too much left late. MEMO was second-over but gapped. ONE AFTER NINE never got a call. MARION GONDOLIER did not have good cover, three-wide far turn but never could gain contention.
EIGHTH RACE—I WAS TRICKED went to the top just past the 3/16, slowed the half, then came home in 55 – 27.1 as much the best today. BULLVILLE STEPHANO was out behind a parked horse into turn two, three-wide before the 5/8 to two-high after that spot uncovered, kept trying hard and got the distant second late. MAYWEATHER HANOVER pushed the winner to the 3/16 and yielded for the two-hole, could not quite save the place late. WE SHALL SEA spotted, backed out with cover ¾, evenly. NOLAUGHINGSTOCK was far back most of the way, then was doing a little better belatedly. RUSTY BEACH left a gap starting on the backstretch. TOMMY MANICOTTI dangled outside midpack the first half, then dropped back.
NINTH RACE – MARINER SEELSTER outblasted them all from post eight early, rated the half, then again could not be overhauled. AMERICAN BOY N went out and defended the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, made up some ground all-out. ASTON HILL DAVE shut a hole late on the first turn, stayed in, found room between horses midstretch and gained OK. LAST MACH was out behind the parked horse before the 3/8, three-wide 11/16 the duration, not bad. HIGH IMPRESSION was looped, was stuck on the outside, moved up to challenge down the back and on the turn, held creditably after a rough journey. COWBOY COOL came out in a blindswitch but wasn’t tight on his cover in the box. ODDS ON DELRAY spotted midpack, not heard from again. CAVIART MAX was third-over, tried to follow the sweeper but gapped far turn.
TENTH RACE – Rain started before this race (see earlier description of the day’s weather to see conditions in the last six races) … PANETTONE HANOVER was four-wide to curve one, three-wide to the 1/8, then two-wide to secure the engine at the ¼, faced a stretch threat from HURRIKANE HUNTER but seemed confident in winning his fourth photo in six recent starts. The latter left between horses and went on to the front at the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole ride, outside stretch, raced very strongly. CONGRESSIONAL maintained a forward spot, third-best today. SIMPLY FAST backed out to second-over 11/16, three-wide late on the turn, paced well. MARRIED MAN and SHADOWS SHADOW were already disconnected to the 3/8. HURRIKANE FERRIGNO had a big gain uncovered down the back, then faded the last 1/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – Wind calmed as the rain came through … PHOENIX OF FLUZZY was urged to get early command, yielded to the brusher for the pocket, used the Pocono Pike and had good late pace to get the decision. HIS BEATS HANOVER started uncovered on the second turn and was a grinder deluxe, may never had had the lead but stayed digging to the very end. CAVEMAN A came through at the start, pulled the pocket and took over early, almost lasted to the line. DONTPASSME HANOVER was third-over, wide in the lane and good late. WALKINSHAW N sat in, found his best strides late then appeared shut off just before the wire. CAPTAIN ROMANCE got to second-over, didn’t tip wide for the stretch, couldn’t quite keep up late. MR DS ROCK sat in last, gained some between horses early stretch then was in tight quarters just past midstretch.
TWELFTH RACE – POSEIDON DEO came with speed early backstretch and paced 26.1 to clear to the lead before the ¾, all alone. SIR HESTON was first to command, yielded for the two-hole, gapped in the fast third split, then used the Pocono Pike to be along for the distant second. WOODROW F CALL left, quarter-moved, didn’t have the steps to keep out the winner late backstretch, held decently. YANKEE CLOUT gapped down the back, made up some ground deep in the Pike but went inside a pylon late and was placed. SOMEWHERE ROCKIN immediately gapped the winner’s cover, didn’t show too much here. TACK ROOM CHATTER couldn’t rally from far back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – INDIGO ART was midpack, initially seemed to stay in then burst out before the 5/8 and went in 27 to go by at the ¾, then had another 27 to draw well clear. BETTOR MEMORIES stayed connected with the main pack, to the Pocono Pike and just there for the distant second. CASUAL COOL left well then quarter-moved, got a breather to the half, couldn’t handle the big move of the winner and then could not hold second late. PRINCE OF TIDES made the top at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, backed out after the winner went by, in the fight for the deuce. BULLVILLE TERROR would have had great cover if he could have stayed with it. THE OTHER PAIR were near the rear throughout.
FOURTEENTH RACE – DRAGON CITY left, yielded but was quick to reclaim, drew clear ¾ and had no anxious moments thereafter. BULLVILLE FRANK gapped inside down the back, kept coming up the inside and was making progress late. YS DO IT RIGHT went to the front then yielded, stayed connected until just before the ¾, couldn’t save second late. HECANDANCENCRUISE moved uncovered off turn two, went 26.4 on the backstretch while gaining, but then tired. LOU’S BEACH was outside behind a struggler, was blindswitched then backed out three-wide after the top ones were long gone, a bit of pace on the end. SAMHARA N was mired behind dull cover, went three-wide ¾ but made no meaningful progress. C-BET HANOVER never surfaced. GROOVY MAN was uncovered into turn two, got cover not long off that bend but could not keep up at all.
FIFTEENTH RACE – ANDOVERTHEWINNINGS went uncovered into the backstretch, grinded, had the lead but not the inside on the turn, then opened some daylight early stretch, daylight that was almost entirely eaten up by the closing CHAPHEART. The latter moved behind the winner but gapped him, gradually began going faster, just missed with his late surge. RACER DAN was in the outer flow, got third ahead of AP HALL OF TRIX. The latter tucked third, was shuffled back, to the Pocono Pike and did OK. RED REDEMPTION had the early pocket then quarter-moved (that tactic had a low win ratio late in the card), under hard pressure from beyond the 5/8, couldn’t go on. BEER CHEESE pressed on to take over 3/16 then yielded for the pocket, went loose 3/4.