FIRST RACE – Temperature in mid-50s … After rain before the card, track rated “good +1” through five races, then switched to “fast +0” for the balance of the card … Swirling winds – could be one way one race, then calm, then the other way in another race … Horses racing on the lead generally did not do well; some that did win were giving ground in the stretch … TUGGIN ON MY HEART left well to 1/8 command, set the pace, was challenged from the 5/8 by CAVIART LUCA, held that one off. The latter kept good early position, moved out into the backstretch and was battling with the winner from midbackstretch, very gritty effort. MIGHTY SANTANA N was wide early, took back to fourth, then was second-over, closed well. CIGAR SMOKING TONY made the front early then yielded to sit in the two-hole, had a clear stretch path but not enough response. BULLVILLE FRANK was buried inside well off the breakaway four, clear stretch and did pretty well in recovery. MR CENSI was behind the gapping cover of GENERAL MONTANA N. MACH WEST stayed in, gapped out at the 5/8.
SECOND RACE – BLENHEIM was on top right away, forced a tuck, and raced on an open lead from the 5/16 throughout, stayed uncatchable although tiring a little. P L NOTSONICE took back into the pocket 3/16 and was loose of the leader most of the way, went on steadily for second. DEE’S RED DELICOUS gapped past the quarter, moved from third 11/16, fair late. MARION GONDOLIER came out 5/8, got cover 11/16 but gapped, a little toward the line. CHOCO CHARLIE did not stay tight at some points. ONE AFTER NINE never got in the picture after moving outside; neither did THE OTHER TWO, who stayed inside.
THIRD RACE – WON LAST FEELING worked his way into a tuck, then quarter-moved, needing the length of the frontstretch to clear before a fast half, opened a clear lead at the ¾, but like many others on the lead tired and was kept to mild rousing to stay safe. DILLINGER was in tight quarters near the 3/8 under a hold, stayed in then backed out midturn, finished steadily. HIGH IMPRESSION had the early pocket, pulled raw from third 11/16 but couldn’t get close to the winner. LATEST ERA moved out down the backstretch but didn’t gain and ducked back in, moved out and wide headstretch and gained some. THE NEXT THREE never could join the main action. ROCKIN THE BLAZE went in front 3/16 in a fast quarter, pushed the winner then yielded, nothing left to the ¾ after his early exertions.
FOURTH RACE – BRILLIANT BEAUTY left between horses and made the top at the fast ¼, yielded past the 3/8 to sit in the two-hole, Pocono Pike and proved the best of a cavalry charge home. NEWSY N worked her way behind cover early, left raw before the second turn, kept digging in with remarkable courage considering the trip and just missed. DANCE CLUB was three-wide to the 3/16, briefly behind cover then uncovered and got to the top near the 3/8, came under pressure, held well. LETS RYDE GIRL had the front right away, pushed the action to the ¼, yielded, third-in, spent the first half of the stretch angling from the rail to four-wide, finished well (although the pace was slowing). THINK OF GALAXIES was underway from last early and got to second-over, was carried up, three-wide 3/4, OK but not enough. GEORGIE MARTIN N backed out to third-over, evenly late. BLAZING RAMONA didn’t keep up. BULLVILLEKARLA was shuffled to an impossible position.
FIFTH RACE – RICH AND MISERABLE was outleft, decided to bypass a tuck and made the lead before the 5/16, strung the field out midrace, then had a challenger on either side and was extended to prevail. MISS MCKEE looped everybody early, yielded for the two-hole, outside headstretch, narrowed in in a good mile. KINDA LUCKY LINDY accepted the early pocket, stayed third-in, to the Pocono Pike as the pocketsitter moved out, gained midstretch then flattened slightly nearing the line. MACMORRIS HANOVER stayed in, didn’t threaten. ROBBIE PEV moved outside towards the ¾ but did not gain. SORTIE was outside late backstretch, got unhelpful cover, didn’t factor.
SIXTH RACE – Track now rerated to “fast” … AMERICAN CLASSIC left between horses and settled third to the 1/8, went up raw at the half and battled the leader from just past the 5/8, showed courage in wearing that one down deep stretch. LAYTON HANOVER was three-deep most of the 1/8, in front just past the 3/16, set the tempo, outbattled in the latter stages. LUCKBEWITHALEX moved uncovered into turn two and had fine cover, three-wide late turn, photoed for the deuce. DRAGON CITY was buried inside, had some rally in the Pocono Pike. LOU’S BEACH also was stuck inside, outside far turn, evenly late. RIP WHEELER pushed away hard from the rail, relinquished to sit the pocket, fell back on the far turn then went evenly thereafter. BUCHANNON HANOVER gapped at the back. CODE CRACKER was third-over, didn’t show much.
SEVENTH RACE – HUNTERS HERO was on top 3/16, yielded a like distance later for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, proved to have the most in a four-horse battle. SIMPLY FAST had good cover second-over, tipped wide, steadily to be just a bit shy. MAYWEATHER HANOVER was three-wide to the 1/8, tucked, out again raw 5/8, challenged hard, a little bit weary in the last 1/16. POSEIDON DEO was wide early, fell behind cover, lost cover 3/16 and went to the top 3/8, had pressure, couldn’t hold the lead to the line. BULLVILLE STEPHANO got around stragglers in a good effort to get the last check. THE NEXT PAIR gapped inside. HURRIKANE HUNTER was outside towards turn two but showed no forward gear and finally ducked back inside.
EIGHTH RACE – FRANK THE ELDER was outleft and tucked fourth, uncovered before the half and went 27.4 down the back to clear ¾, one of the few leaders to extend his margin to the wire. BRIGHT SIDE UP had the winner’s cover, couldn’t keep up just past the ¾, to the pocket past midturn, clear second. BULLY BOY HILL was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the 27.2 quarter to grab the lead, yielded to the retaker, backed out 11/16 as the two-wide tier was the lively one, good mile. AP HALL OF TRIX had speed, stayed in, gapped much of the last half, then fair in the Pocono Pike late. HEART MATTERS was outside but gapped, didn’t reach. SAID N DONE AS had an excess of cover, widest stretch, little chance. ANGELONIA made two speed moves, backed off the half, but still had no answer for the winner ¾. BY A HOFF HANOVER lost contact down the back.
NINTH RACE – PARK OFFICIAL was among a wall of leavers and took back, got out into the two-wide flow and was second-over, ducked inside to the pocket mid-far turn, Pocono Pike, powered off from his rivals for his eighth straight win. ELWELL was double-looped and tucked fourth, moved quickly 3/8 to the lead just before the ½, clear much of the backstretch then had horses coming to him, won a three-way photo for the deuce. THE DARK SHADOW was three-wide leaving to the lead 3/16 in a fast ¼, yielded, backed out as the pocketsitter gave way past the 5/8, in the flow then wide, finished well. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL was left uncovered at the ½, fought with the leader, looked turned away late turn but battled on. URBAN RENEWAL left, was forwardly-placed, gapped down the back, did get the final payday. THE NEXT TWO were always well out of it. SOMBODYITREASURE was four-wide leaving and three-wide to the 1/8, went on to the lead in 26.3, yielded at the half, started to go loose near the 5/8.
TENTH RACE – I WAS TRICKED made the top past the 3/16 in a snappy opener, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, came out headstretch and proved the best of these in a fast time. NOPEWASNTME was second-over, three-wide when cover stopped, ducked behind the pulling winner headstretch, went to his inside in the stretch and gained steadily. JOEMIKIYOURSOFINE took the inner path, did well in the Pocono Pike. ALL CLASS was briefly wide then went behind cover, lost it past the 3/16 and went up to the lead 3/8, put up very fast fractions on a day not favoring speed, paid the price late. GHOST SHARK left well and pushed most of the fast ¼, yielded, inside, not too much late. CONGRESSIONAL was always far back. IDIOSYNCRATIC was third-over, three-wide with cover but not much late punch. PANETTONE HANOVER was first-over at the half, went 27.2 down the back to challenge, but hit the wall on the far turn.
ELEVENTH RACE – KILOWATT KID N was locked in from the 3/8 until almost headstretch, quickly angled four-wide in the lane and picked up the opposition. TJ’S INDY PACER was between horses early, tucked, came first-up towards the second turn, grinded to the lead towards mid-far turn, held very well. CAPTAIN ROMANCE was three-wide to the 3/16 in a 26.2 opener then made the front off the first turn, yielded to the retaker, backed outside ¾, left uncovered midturn, fought on to the line. TERRY A HANOVER also was caught in, moved outside midturn then three-wide, OK but outkicked. DASH OF DANGER was not a factor. HARD ROCK HULK got a slow start, couldn’t make up enough ground three-wide. SHVAIKO could find no early hole and dangled outside midpack, faded 5/8. HORSE set the pace with two moves, yielded past the ¾ and fell back.
TWELFTH RACE – SERIOUSLY HANOVER seriously wanted the lead and was willing to be parked past a 26.4 opener to get it, never had pressure until SPORT SECRET came at him to midstretch but was confidently handled. The latter pushed very hard past the ¼ then finally yielded for the pocket, outside early stretch and did very well but was second. BETTORS DONTTELL moved uncovered before the 5/8, one-geared not fast enough to get near the top two but enough to beat the others. REBELLIOUS sat inside, never featured. BILL HALEY N left behind cover, tucked third before the 3/16, no factor thereafter. PHOENIX OF FLUZZY never made any moves. THE LAST TWO were ineffective outside.
THIRTEENTH RACE – HUNTANOVER protected early position, stayed in, went up into the pocket to the ¾, got access to the Pocono Pike and went by easily. COMET CRUSADER N left and yielded, retook the lead, slowed quarter two then stepped it up as pressure came calling, second-best. YS DO IT RIGHT was outside most of the ¼ to make the top, yielded to the retaker, moved out with cover nearing the ¾, wide, not enough. GROOVY MAN was jammed up inside at the half and made a break affecting rivals, recovered a good deal of ground, but was placed eighth for causing interference. SAMHARA N moved out on the second turn just missing the trouble, three-wide early in the backstretch to get to first-over 5/8, battled but couldn’t go by, tired. C-BET HANOVER and TWIN B JAMMER (who tucked late on the first turn) were both pushed wide to avoid the trouble at the half. Y S MATHIS BRO was outside with cover early, briefly three-wide near the ¼ as a rival took back to tuck, then left outside midpack, looped before the 5/8 and faded.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BAD TO THE BONE N fled the gate quickly and took over in a 26 opener, got a breather then picked the pace up, came his last half in 55 in a dominating performance. KASHED UP A took the lead into turn one, relinquished for the pocket and stayed tight, clearly second-best. DA DELIGHTFUL was far back, caught in far turn, up the Pocono Pike with some vigor to be third. RIFLEMAN couldn’t get into the main contest. INDIGO ART gapped at a couple of points. CHATELROLL got a good early spot, came out at the half and went 26.4 down the back to challenge, but couldn’t sustain the move in the lane. SAN DOMINO A pulled out before the half, gapped and drifted wide.