FIRST RACE – Temperature around 60 most of the card … Track rated “good,” although the “+1” variant was removed after two races because of quick clockings … LOUKES PERRY was second-over, strongly three-wide 11/16 to challenge two-wide ¾, took the lead late turn, held off the late bid of SHORE OF HIMSELF. The latter left on top, yielded to a looped foe to sit the pocket, crucially stuck behind that one late far turn then backed out behind the winner, almost caught him in a good mile. STONEBRIDGE DUEL was looped to the first turn, pressed on to the lead just past the ¼, couldn’t withstand the winner late far turn, held OK. A FEARSOME HANOVER gapped a little at a couple of points, inside, some rally. MUDVILLE was second-over, couldn’t go with the winner three-wide far turn, fair late. JK OBJECTION was never a factor. Y S MATHIS BRO left some, came uncovered at the half, looped to the ¾ and fell back sharply.
SECOND RACE – CASUAL COOL, under a hold behind the gate, was outleft but retained the pocket, quarter-moved, set a fast pace, had an insistent foe in CAVIART LUCA but just withstood him. The latter moved uncovered early in the backstretch, one-gear speed-grinded, gave game chase to the wire. AFLAME HANOVER was second-over, started three-wide late turn but then dipped down into the Pocono Pike, raced well. CIGAR SMOKING TONY was third-over, blindswitched 11/16 through the turn, best of the rest. SHVAIKO was stuck inside far turn but couldn’t regather when clear in the stretch. ONTO EL DORADO N was fourth-over, three-wide 11/16 but never went forward much. HOMESTRETCH WES never got into it. IM A POWERPLAY A left sharply, yielded for the pocket, began to go loose from the 5/8.
THIRD RACE – HEART MATTERS stayed connected in third, roared out ¾ full of trot, drew away. CHAPHEART was three-wide to the 5/8 to try to clear the parked horse, was kept three-wide when the winner pulled then dropped down behind her midturn, gamely to be second. COLLEGE TUITION forced an action-packed quarter, yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. VELVET STYLE was last much of the way, angled wide and finished well. CANTSTOP YANKEE was three-wide to the ¼ then went on to take command 5/16, not enough late. RACER DAN stayed in, didn’t appear to be clear late. ANGELONIA looked at leaving but took back, no factor late. AP HALL OF TRIX was between horses to the ¼, looped and was stuck on the outside midpack, started to fall back 5/8, broke late turn.
FOURTH RACE – MODERN ROCK was parked just off cover while advancing much of the way to the 3/8, then up to take the front nearing turn two, had pressure, impressive winner. COWBOY COOL showed speed, sat in and was brutally shuffled, avoided the clogged outer tiers, found room between horses midstretch and rallied strongly. ODDS ON DELRAY went out between horses to 3/16 command, yielded, made a “hidden” quarter-move then yielded, Pocono Pike, came up a bit shy. DILLINGER was out on a long uncovered grind from the 3/8, wasn’t a threat in the stretch but held his ground well. TERRITORY backed out to third-over, four-wide in the lane and steadily. HIGH IMPRESSION mad the lead nearing the ¼, in, was caught inside while gapping a little ¾, deep Pike, not too much late. MARINER SEELSTER looked at leaving but took way back, then second-over, three-wide midturn, not enough late. CAVIART VAL gapped at the back.
FIFTH RACE – DA DELIGHTFUL left quickly right to the top, yielded to the brusher and sat the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and went right by. KASHED UP A moved from second before the ¼ to the lead, got a slow half, didn’t seem to have much excuse except the winenr was better. THE WALL stayed in, able to angle wide early stretch and finished with a rush. SAN DOMINO A started on the grind to the second turn, never really was close but an improved mile overall. PRINCE OF TIDES spotted early, stayed in third, so-so along the inside late, returned with “b.e.” CHATELROLL was looped early and backed off, was shuffled to last, had some late speed in very tight quarters. RIFLEMAN gapped second-over. TERRY A HANOVER got in the two-wide flow but didn’t advance.
SIXTH RACE – RELENTLESS JULIE didn’t move until following cover 11/16 behind the very fast pace, wide in the stretch and by nicely. HUNGRY FOR KISSES came raw 11/16 and advanced, never ahead but was along for second. GINGER TREE COCO was moved at the ¼, paced her own middle half in 54.1 while establishing a sizable lead, but was tired in the last 1/16. BLANK CHEEK made the top, yielded, shuffled, then free and far the best of the rest, ALWAYS A DANCER got to the top just past the 1/8, yielded, was loose in the pocket the last 3/8. LULU ROCKS couldn’t go enough.
SEVENTH RACE – Drizzling … ARCHERY SEELSTER moved raw at the 5/8 and went up to challenge, had the lead late turn but couldn’t clear, just fended off the inside move of SHARE THE WEALTH. The latter had the early pocket, was quarter-mover #1, to the lead then yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, almost enough. BRIGHT SIDE UP went up sharply off the second turn to be second-over, gapped a little the latter part of the turn, steadily. FRANK THE ELDER was quarter-mover #2, briefly three-wide then onward to 3/8 command, not enough this evening. AGGIORNAMENTO went wide in the lane and had finishing kick. BULLY BOY HILL was fastest away, saw two brush by, inside, not too much late. ANDOVERTHEWINNINGS was last when breaking late on the far turn.
EIGHTH RACE – PROUD MARY was three-wide early to the lead, yielded and had a great trip in the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and with steady speed just got her nose up first. HELLO YES HI was briefly four-wide, went up and got command 3/16, held up off the right-hand challenger, just missed against the one to her left. ODDS ON HAIL MARY had speed, uncovered to the 5/8 and challenged the leader very hard, very good but just shy at photo time. SWEET PHENOMENA was second-over, couldn’t quite stay with the top three but best of the rest. NEVERTELLMETHEODDS was never in the main picture. ABSOLUTE POWER was third-over, gapped a gapper. HURRIKANE LADY LOU didn’t keep pace in the last stanza.
NINTH RACE – DING DING DINGER was between horses most of a 26.3 opener to get the top, rated quarter two, got pressure only from the pocketsitting CAPTAIN MALICIOUS in the stretch and held together over that one. The latter was innermost of the early battle of three, maintained the pocket, stayed there until headstretch, made up ground but not quite enough. PLAY THE FIELD was three-wide almost to the 3/16 before having to settle third, stayed connected, OK late after the hard initial stanza. KINGSTONS BAD BOY avoided the outer tier, gapped down the back then did somewhat better. MIDNIGHT DAY was uncovered before the ½ but never got close to the lead. THE OTHER TWO didn’t benefit from nonadvancing cover.
TENTH RACE – C IS FOR COOKIE defended the pocket then quarter-moved, set the pace of her choosing, again responded when asked early stretch, safely. DIAMONDSNPEARLS made the front, yielded and stayed close in the two-hole, out headstretch, narrowed in but too late. EXTREME Z TAM was second-over, angled inside past midturn and paced well along the inside late well in advance of the others. DUCHENNE never factored. RACIN HUNGRY was uncovered at the half and went up in 27 but could get no closer than a nose ahead of the pocket horse early far turn before fading. ROMANTIC EVENING never surfaced. ULTIMATE LOULOU couldn’t get around the winner early and accepted third 3/16, gapped early backstretch, got closer, then fell back again.
ELEVENTH RACE – SOUTH BEACH STAR was parked early, bypassed the 3-hole and drove on to the lead, hard-used to get it before the second turn in a 53.3 half, continued very quickly to the ¾, dug in to withstand BAD TOTHE BONE N in the fastest mile of the Pocono season, 1:48.2. The latter tried to put everybody in behind early but had the winner come up to press, yielded past the 3/8, stayed close, outside early stretch and was chewing up the ground late in a big mile of his own. BETTORS DONTTELL tucked early, sat in, next in line. SPORT SECRET went around early backstretch gappers, back inside, some late. MAXIMUS MIKI never featured. KEYSTONE STEAM left a huge gap at the half, never got close, made a short break early far turn. SERIOUSLY HANOVER came out at the ¼, followed cover, was left raw past the 3/8, took the second turn badly, went up to challenge, but then tired significantly.
TWELFTH RACE – ALWAYS B NAUGHTY was between horses early, on top 3/16, shook off the first-over and had things pretty easy. HUNGRY FOR LOVE left to protect the pocket, did as well as she could but clearly second-best. DUCHESS HILL kept a hole closed late first turn, sat in, third. HALLELUJAH HANOVER stayed inside, shuffled to last, no factor. DOLE WHIP was three-wide to the first turn, then backed off and tucked fourth, came again 5/8 and advanced but saw her move stall to mid-far turn. MY HUNGRY GIRL moved out behind backstretch cover but couldn’t get in the mix.
THIRTEENTH RACE – PARK OFFICIAL made the lead just before the 3/16, showed his usual handiness and tenaciousness with no horse getting past his wheel, in control for nine straight wins. BUSBOY HANOVER buzzed away to the top then yielded for the golden journey, to the Pocono Pike, game but outpaced by a toughie. MAKE SOME WAVES was three-wide to the 1/8 circling taking-back foes, tucked fourth, went uncovered on turn two, “inched” (announcer Jim’s word) up, held his ground very gamely after a hard trip. THE DARK SHADOW was third-over, three-wide from midturn, closed well. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL was second-over, accepted the blindswitch on the turn as not tight on cover, then in tight quarters late while moving along evenly. URBAN RENEWAL had some speed, sat in, not prominent. INDIGO ART was in a very hard spot. REGAL ESCAPE was fourth-in, had some traffic to maneuver through in the stretch.
FOURTEENTH RACE – LUCKBEWITHALEX made his own luck, coming first-over on turn two, speed-grinding in 26.3 to take on the pacesetter LOU’S BEACH, then outfooted that one late. The latter gradually got in gear early and made the lead off turn one, rolled along at a fast clip under pressure, held quite well. BOSTON was first on top, yielded to the winner to sit the two-hole trip, to the Pocono Pike, just came up a bit shy. SAMHARA N gapped down the back, stayed inside then angled wide early stretch and finished well. JK GOING WEST stayed connected, evenly late. DRAGON CITY was second-over, not tight on cover far turn, evenly. GROOVY MAN gapped his cover from third-over.