FIRST RACE – Upper 60s; stretch tailwind … TIPSY MONI stayed tight on cover second-over, three-wide midturn to two-wide approaching headstretch, got the best of a three-horse battle. PORTOFINO was four-wide early and three-wide to the 3/16, then onward to the top just past the 5/16, set the pace, dealt with the first-over, outtrotted late but stayed game to retain second. KEYSTONE SWEETPEA made a slightly-delayed burst between horses to take over before the ¼, yielded, slightly loose down the back, to the Pocono Pike, lost second in a close photo. SHEZABARHOPPINCHIC was inside, gapped down the back, gained on the turn then had to wait for the Pocono Pike, distant best of the rest. THE BLACK ACE left but then took back to tuck, moved third-over and wide behind the winner but couldn’t keep pace. GUCCI GIRL pushed the early proceedings, stayed in, no late factor. UFTON ABBY HANOVER made a good uncovered challenge in the third quarter before giving way. MATTER OF TRUST was at the rear.
SECOND RACE –BUILDING BOOST was third-over, went four-wide to the 11/16 to circle foes and got to two-wide covered on the turn, wide and wore down ERINWOOD YVES in the closing stages. The latter left well inside foes and wound up in the pocket, outside ¾ to take over turning for home, almost lasted to the wire. FULL SUPPORT was very wide to the first turn, out to the ¼ and went on at a good clip, not quite the equal of the top two but still good considering the total energy used. DONT GET SHOCKED was between horses early and tucked, to the pocket ¾, not quite enough late. ZEUS HANOVER was far back, wide to circle snarled traffic and got a check. MARVELOCITY offered little inside. PINK FLOYD HANOVER was second-over, three-wide 5/8 to get around a stalled foe but didn’t gain much. CROSS WATCHING was wide early, took back to tuck past the 1/8, outside again early on turn two but didn’t have much to give.
THIRD RACE – NASEY, with trotting hopples, was out three-high most of the ¼, took the front 5/16, went clear early backstretch and stayed clear until deep stretch. TRUMAN JR HANOVER was between horses most of the ¼ for the lead, yielded, a bit loose in the pocket much of the second half but came on a bit at the end. ARGENTO launched an uncovered bid from seventh 3/8, put in a very good one-geared effort. DART GUY was caught inside, so-so late. DAZZLNDASH HANOVER escaped the inside far turn, so-so. NICE STUFF pushed most of the ¼, had trouble keeping tight the last ½. SPREE had the dull cover of LUCKY MATTER, who tried to follow the show horse but gapped from past the 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – P CHICO quarter-moved in front of a parked horse, in firm control the last half. STRONG BREW gapped inside but at least avoided the far turn difficulties, outside stretch and a distant second. REDDY FOX made the lead early, yielded for the pocket, got progressively looser the last half. FAIR KOUNTRY avoided trouble. MERCURY LANE was three-wide early, got to the pocket mid first turn, came out ¾ but then was pushed wide when a foe broke. KT DOUBLE DEUCE gapped throughout, also pushed wide far turn. ROWDER jumped early. SEVEN BEADS was off the gate, sat outside and made progress, may’ve been beginning to tire when breaking midturn.
FIFTH RACE – TIDAL SHARK sat in, then backed out to third-over, gapped slightly, better with advancing cover on the turn, wide and just up very late. ADRENALINE RUSH started a long uncovered move before the 3/8, kept grinding up, took over and crossed over early far turn, held until very late in an unlucky loss. ARTACHE HANOVER was between horses to a tuck third, shuffled back, swung widest and was narrowing in in the 30 kicker. WOODMERE ANDRIOLI backed out to second-over on the second turn, left uncovered early far turn, not quite enough late. PANTHEON HANOVER was three-wide early and onwards to the lead at the 1/8, set the pace and got extended pressure, yielded just past the ¾ and tired. HOWTOTRAINURDRAGON worked out a pocket trip, shuffled far turn as the leader tired, Pocono Pike but had little pace in recovery. SAFENSOUND HANOVER made a break while far back past midturn.
SIXTH RACE – LEXUS RANGER left, yielded 3/16, gapped slightly third-in, got right to the Pocono Pike and was just up in a four-horse thriller. UNRESOLVED DEBT was second-over, three-wide around a struggler ¾ while still well off the pace, finished steadily and got second in the last step. ITS A HORSE was out between horses to 3/16 command, yielded for the pocket, outside towards headstretch, never ahead but fought on. LEVITATION was three-high 3/16 and onward to the lead after hard work 5/16, set the pace, held pretty well. STEEL SCHOONER was inside, blocked far turn, wide but didn’t gain. CRAZYCAT moved uncovered at the half but never threatened before fading. CUPID HANOVER never entered the picture.
SEVENTH RACE – P L PRINCESS C was on top before the 3/16, yielded to two foes in quarter two, backed out to second-over 11/16, then ducked in for the stretch and won in the Pocono Pike. HES EXPRESS moved out 5/16 and went up to take over mid-second turn, had pressure the rest of the way, staved off the outside foe but was overhauled up the inside. KALYPSO moved uncovered 5/8 and applied hard pressure, gamely to the line. SWEET GADGETS left a very big gap early and never made up ground. C DIDDY’S GAL left and yielded, made a “hidden” quarter-move and yielded again, tired from her early efforts. SUNSHINE CHIP couldn’t offer much.
EIGHTH RACE – BUDWEISER GIRL went on between horses to command past the 1/8, set the pace, put the first-over in behind her as she opened a clear lead on the turn, a clear margin she retained until very late. LADY LIRA was second-over, left uncovered midturn, found a much better gear late and was rapidly closing in, far ahead of the others. RUFFLES N LACE was three-wide to turn one, in third past the 1/8, moved uncovered 5/8, could tuck in the pocket far turn, but didn’t gain any further. DIGNITY HANOVER was the innermost of three quick starters, rode in the pocket, out of gas to the ¾. BT BABE stayed in, made no gain in the Pocono Pike. FRESHGROUNDPEPPER couldn’t keep with her cover. THE LAST TWO were never on the main radar.
NINTH RACE – FALANA HANOVER pushed outside foes early and yielded, uncovered 5/8 and challenged, gradually got the lead very late. MALTA MAGIC was stuck third-in until late on the turn, swung wide and finished with a rush. TOTALLY RIGGED had cover much of the first quarter then uncovered and finally claimed the lead before the 3/8, held that lead a long way in the stretch in a good race. ALEXA’S SUNSHINE was three-wide 3/16 then two-wide to quarter command, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, not enough late. JK AE ONE gapped inside on the turn, angled wide and had some pace at the end. HOW SWEET IS THAT lost contact down the back but then found some pace at the end. ADULT SWIM was also way back most of the way. ALL YOU CAN EAT started uncovered then got cover 5/8, couldn’t keep up ¾.
TENTH RACE – SIMON GOT LUCKY picked up cover at the half but was not helped by it at all, got in gear when the cover ducked inside far turn, still not close early stretch but finished strong and just up on the money. TOWN VICTOR was between horses to take over 3/16, had hard pressure down the back and on the turn but shook that one off, almost lasted in a big showing. LADY’S IMAGE left and yielded for the two-hole, backed out late backstretch then went back to the Pocono Pike, photoed out. STICK WITH ME KID was three-wide before the 1/8 then tucked third after that point, came again with a bold raw move 5/8 but could not clear, held his ground very well. CHING CHING LUCKY got a check. HS JUDY JETSON gapped inside. MUSHANA spotted then moved out but didn’t do much. CREEMORE broke right at the start; returned with “b.e.”
ELEVENTH RACE – DELESTON was three-wide before the 3/16, backed off to take the 3-hole at the ¼, made a brief break 5/16, got to the passing lane to steady and quickly caught back, stayed in third, got the Pocono Pike and finished with a rush; an inquiry into his break gave no reason for placing. ESTEEM raced up to the early pocket, pulled nearing turn two and took the lead 5/8 in a fast third quarter, couldn’t stall the winner late but raced well in his own right. WATCH U R BACK took early control from the pole, yielded to a challenge 5/8 and kept up in the pocket, outside stretch, evenly. GALLIE GETAWAY avoided the deteriorating two-wide tier. TRIFECTA HANOVER gapped near or at the back. GATOR HANOVER was second-over, couldn’t stay with cover ¾. GRETZKY THE GREAT was uncovered 3/8 but got cover before the half, lost it again 5/8, challenged, couldn’t sustain. KING KONG KALIBRE was three-wide with cover early, tucked fourth, backed out to third-over but never entered the main action.
TWELFTH RACE – LIKE A WARRIOR moved out from fourth 11/16 and got cover, went wide in the lane and just was along over FRANKIE HILL. The latter left and was forwardly-placed, moved out raw before the 11/16 to challenge, went by to midstretch, just got nipped at the wire. KNIGHTS GUARD went to the top, saw an early rival break, yielded to a challenger 3/8, came back out down the back and regained command 5/8, tired. DINKY WINKY was briefly third-over, ducked in on the turn, evenly late along the inside. YOUCOMEHEREOFTEN couldn’t make up the necessary ground. TOMBSTONE was looped early, went up after a horse broke to the 3/16, finally claimed the front to the 3/8, was challenged down the back and yielded past the 5/8, then tired further in the stretch. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT was four-wide early then looped up to two-wide and looked to be ready to go by when breaking to the 3/16. TEST MY WILL was wide early, took back to tuck, steadily fell back in the last ¼.
THIRTEENTH RACE – TODDLER TANTRUM headed right down the road, came home in 27.4 to hold off MICHAEL’S MONSTER as those two broke away from the rest. The latter went into the two-hole at the 1/8, was well-placed, took his shot in the lane, good but a bit shy. LINCOLNJAMES was never close, inside and a very distant third. SCRAPPIN GOLD moved out with cover down the back then back inside on the turn, little. KIMANI N was three-wide to the first turn then took back to tuck third, out again near the 5/8, gained a little bit then fell back a lot. ROARING SUCCESS was away slowly, violated the pylon rule at the ¼, lost contact, finished ahead of FORT APACHE SCOUT, who also lost contact, was placed behind that one.
FOURTEENTH RACE – HERODOTUS raced out to the lead before the 1/8, had only CRANTINI close most of the way, had a safe lead through the stretch in very fast time for this class. The latter kept close-up most of the way in the pocket, had a better gear a bit too late. USOSWEET BLUE CHIP circled gappers to tuck third far turn, third-best. MUSCLE HALL was better than the rest. SIR FRANK gapped in third most of the way, then fell back significantly. WEATHER VANES was far back outside on the far turn when making a break.