FIRST RACE—Temperatures start at 74 and drop ten degrees during the card, as they will on these Sunday night cards … Stretch headwind … BETTOR’S WESTERN was looped early and pressed on, got into the pocket 5/16, stayed close as the outer tier didn’t threaten, outside late on the turn and went off to an easy victory at 18-1. ATLANTIS stayed in, found room before midstretch and had enough late kick for the distant second. IT’SGOODTOBEDAKING also avoided the clogged outside tiers, evenly inside late. BLACKLIGHT was last, found room between horses midstretch and wasn’t bad late. ER VEGAS had terrible cover, three-wide 11/16, not enough rally. JD’S NOAH showed good speed for 1/8 command, did get the winner in behind him 5/16, rolled on at a good clip, defenseless the last 1/8. MISTER DAYTONA N was close early then gave the pocket 5/16, went out raw at the half, didn’t get close to the leader then faded. STELLAR BB moved second-over but immediately came up empty.
SECOND RACE – CATIE FAYE HANOVER was three-wide to turn one, worked up to the lead past the 26.3 opener then rated the half, got a very stiff challenge from BLAZING RAMONA from the 5/8 the rest of the way, but clung to the lead grittily – improved horse. BLAZING RAMONA was uncovered into turn two and had reached the leader by the 5/8, went ahead before the ¾ and had ¾ of a length far turn but couldn’t cross over, kept trying hard to the very end. JAGGED LITTLE PILL made the top easily, forced the winner past a fast opener and yielded for the two-hole, had her chance in the Pocono Pike, just shy. ST LADS BIJOU backed out to second-over 5/8, gapped at the ¾, wide stretch, just a bit shy. NEVERTELLMETHEODDS stayed in and was last, went to the deep Pike and gained late in what might have been tight quarters. SHES A BULLVILLE moved outside from far back midturn, had some pace while never with a clear path. TEEN DREAM couldn’t circle the unlively cover of SOUTHWIND RYE to gain contention.
THIRD RACE – ALL CASHED OUT moved uncovered near turn two, grinded effectively and drew away from these in the stretch. TUIS SHADOW was between horses early to the pocket at the 3/16, to the Pocono Pike and just edged TEDDY BROSEVELT for the distant deuce. The latter used the rail to advantage, got a slow second quarter, still didn’t have much in the lane. KEYSTONE SERGEANT moved with cover and gapped, three-wide past the 5/8 to circle a sluggish horse and back to two-wide on the turn, evenly. CRITICAL MASS sat in, evenly. UFTON ABBY HANOVER was never close. EVERYONE’S TALKIN was three-wide to the 1/8 then settled in third, backed out in front of a gapper 5/8 but went backwards. TW LAUXMONT offered very little.
FOURTH RACE – MAKE SOME WAVES was second-over, three-wide ¾ and gained through the turn, had the lead early stretch, just held off BRAVO TEX N. The latter was looped and three-deep early, tucked third at the ¼, blocked badly far turn into the stretch, found a sliver outside the winner midstretch and was flying, unlucky mile. BLAKEMORE utilized the pole well to maintain the pocket, Pocono Pike, not too far off. DAVIDS COMING HOME moved out 3/8, gapped and went back in, moved out again down the back, then again gapped most of the last half, three-wide with cover far turn, better very late. DRAGON ROARS AGAIN roared right out to the lead and kept up the speed show, faltered some late. SAMSON BLUE CHIP retucked early around two sluggards, was at the back, four-wide headstretch, OK. VIRGIN STORM started the outer tier 3/8, gradually advanced until mid-far turn. BLACK CHEVRON N had a problem before the half and was pulled up.
FIFTH RACE – TRIFECTA HANOVER made the lead early, rated the half then sped up down the back, had enough to withstand DEL MAR DOUG late. The latter defended the pocket, came out early stretch, kicked in midstretch but not quite in enough time to catch the winner. SOLAR BOLT came uncovered at the 3/8, grinded up, was just off the leader when he bolted wide midturn, recovered to take third. VORACIOUS spotted fourth into turn one, stayed in, came on between horses late. BARNEY HANOVER got in third at the 3/16, gapped ¾, so-so late. RAYRAY couldn’t keep up. COOL LUC was three-wide early as hard to take back, fell further behind. CRÈME DE LA CRÈME was second-over, gapped past the 5/8 and broke late far turn.
SIXTH RACE – BESTFRIEND VOLO settled in third to the first turn, started uncovered to the 5/8, grinded, demonstrated his superiority. G LOAD dashed out to the lead, got a slowed half, then had pressure from the winner from the 5/8 on, couldn’t beat that one but was a clear second-best. CLYDEWEISER had the early pocket, came out in the stretch to vie for second but drifted out and couldn’t get there. SNOWMAN HANOVER gapped at a couple of points. WENTWORTH HANOVER was too far back, closed OK. SHARP CURVE gapped from the backstretch. THE OTHER DUO were never close.
SEVENTH RACE – There was an accident coming off the first turn, with five of the seven horses involved and a couple of horses then loose behind the other two; after an inquiry, the judges ruled the race NO CONTEST.
EIGHTH RACE – Breeze is down … CAPTAIN CHESLEY was underway early in the backstretch and trotted strongly to go by midturn, all alone late. PAUC HANOVER left well, in front then yielded for the pocket, caught behind the tiring pacesetter late turn, to the Pocono Pike and won a photo over LEAST WEASEL for the distant second. The latter had cover but couldn’t stay with it down the back, uncovered midturn, just edged for place. HILLASVIVA slotted fourth, came out in a blindswitch headstretch, had some on the end. UNCLE NINO cleared at the 1/8, yielded, inherited the top when the pacesetter ran off the second turn, couldn’t deal with the winner past the ¾, then tired throughout the stretch. KOLB HANOVER was outside but didn’t offer much. A GREAT CHAPTER was well behind when breaking midstretch, ran home, placed. TOMBSTONE quarter-moved and backed off the half, only to go offstride entering the backstretch.
NINTH RACE – SOMBODYITREASURE left between horses, got in front in the 1/8 and forced a tuck, came home in 55.2 – 27.2 in a powerful race. KEYSTONE STEAM was three-wide leaving, two-wide until making the pocket at the 1/8, appeared to be gathering for a stretch bid when making a brief break headstretch forcing BUSBOY HANOVER wide , recovered with solid late pace, placed third for causing interference. The latter saw third, was kept in until late on the far turn, had just started going wide for his bid when forced wider when the pocket horses broke, another recovering with good pace. TERRITORY avoided the outer tier. CAVIART VAL was third-over in a nonflow, ducked in late turn, got the last check. MASTER MIKI had dull cover, went three-wide but couldn’t gain in the fast back half. PUZZLING was uncovered early on turn two, stopped gaining nearing the 11/16.
TENTH RACE – MONI BOOK bypassed an early tuck and went up to the 3/16, had a foe pull off the first turn, had that one’s cover briefly then raw again to the lead towards the second turn, held up very well late despite the hard early usage. BATTIN A THOUSAND went to the top early, saw two go by in quarter two, came uncovered to the ¾ and went on doggedly to the line. I GOT THE TAB came out in front of the winner off the first turn, went to the lead, yielded the top nearing turn two, stayed close until very late then tired a little. GAME BUSTER was fairly well connected until the last ¼. CASHIER gapped early, no factor. ACTION SHOT was off the gate and gapped throughout. YO CARTER broke nearing turn two and galloped in the infield.
ELEVENTH RACE – BUILDING BOOST, 23-1, came uncovered from next-to-last off the second turn, just grinded and grinded and showed rare determination to catch ERINWOOD YVES late. The latter was three-wide to the 1/8, then had cover to the ¼, then went on to command before the 3/8, opened a clear margin before the ¾ which he kept to midstretch, then weakened a little bit and failed to stall the winner. DON’T GET SHOCKED was parked until the ¼ to get command, then yielded for the pocket, couldn’t stay tight in the last quarter. PINK FLOYD HANOVER went right out to the top, yielded at the ¼, raced third-in, angled out late turn, closed well if a little too late. COALFORD BET ALINE dropped in fourth 3/16, inside, not all that much late. MASK ON MASK OFF had cover from the winner but gapped it. THE OTHER PAIR got away in the back and never surfaced.
TWELFTH RACE – BLENHEIM went up, took his time to make the lead 3/8, then trotted the last half with a clear lead, dominated. GRAPPLE HANOVER went right to the lead, pushed the winner to the 3/8 before yielding, then gapped more and more from early backstretch, still managed to take second tonight. FAMOUS DAN gapped a good part of the first half, then underway raw 5/8, OK. LEVITATION had bad cover third-over, three-wide most of the far turn, made up ground. CHOCO CHARLIE was buried inside, to the far inside and with some at the end. PADRE was last, swung widest, fair late. SECRET OR NOT was second-over but left a gap. CHUCKY DE VIE had nothing to offer in the latter stages.
THIRTEENTH RACE – Now – a stretch tailwind … BOORAA N went up three-wide early, then one-geared two-wide to 3/8 command, had too much for this field. SHADOW ONE was second-over, left uncovered past midturn and ducked down to the Pocono Pike, raced well well ahead of the others. TRAFFIC JAM had to swing out widest from last, held off HP XANADU for third. The latter was caught inside, out in a blindswitch which she cleared early stretch, then paced very strongly once in gear. SIRI BLUE CHIP had speed, went uncovered at the half, didn’t sustain her bid in the last ¼. VICIOUS CIRCLE was in front at the 1/8, pushed the leader to the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket, started to go loose before the ¾. BELFAST N moved third-over but gapped out.
FOURTEENTH RACE – THE WALL was looped leaving, went to on to challenge but was kept out, able to get into the pocket to the 3/8, waited for the Pocono Pike, just nosed out RIFLEMAN. The latter came out past the ¼ but then retreated to his own hole as the winner retreated to the pocket, went uncovered 5/8 and grinded steadily to come up just shy. PARMESAN N was second-over, wide and next in line. HARD ROCK HULK was blocked on the far turn in last, to the deep Pike and rallied some. CRUNCH HANOVER was fourth-over, went stretch and gaining late. KILOWATT KID N sat in, OK in tight quarters between horses. DASH OF DANGER was third-over, could make no impact. MIGHTY SANTANA N flew away to a big early lead, forced everybody in behind, set the pace, but was empty in the stretch.