FIRST RACE – Mid 60s to mid 50s throughout the evening … Stretch tailwind … CAPTAIN BATBOY went straight to the front, in control of this field all the way. CAPTAIN ALBERT G had to check when a foe made a break early backstretch, inside until the ¾ then challenged for second as the winner had gotten far away, up for place late. DONT GET SHOCKED sat in the two-hole, stayed close until the 3/4, then couldn’t retain second late. BUILDING BOOST got away third, broke 9/16 moving wide, recovered and was three-wide far turn, had recovery pace; an inquiry to his break sowed no reason for placing. THE OTHERS were not major players here.
SECOND RACE – BENICIO made a nice 27.2 brush against the wind in the backstretch to challenge and then go by midturn, held on for a good victory. TURN ON THE CHARM initially stayed in then backed out third-over 11/16, gapped cover until finding a higher gear late turn, came on nicely late. BLANK CHEEK made the lead then saw a challenger break 3/16, set the pace, briefly clear 5/8 but then joined by the winner, saw that one go by, stayed fighting to the finish. YOUNONOTHINJON was carried up second-over, left uncovered on the far turn, couldn’t sustain the gain. FOX VALLEY CACHET stayed in, shuffled, wide stretch, OK late. NEVERTELLMETHEODDS wound up in the pocket, insufficient pace the last ¼. LEGAL JEOPARDY was moving quickly towards the lead towards the 3/16 when making a break.
THIRD RACE – CRAZYBEAUTYAMAZEME came uncovered from last off the second turn, grinded into contention, then dug in late to amaze the crowd at 30-1. HALLELUJAH HANOVER let the outside leavers go then quarter-moved, didn’t receive much pressure, tried hard but just failed. MORE PLEASE made the lead at the 1/8, forced a tuck, then yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, got to even terms nearing deep stretch, just came up a trifle shy. HUNGRY FOR MONEY backed out to second-over ¾, finished steadily. BIRDIE THREE had to back out wide from last, didn’t reach. LADY’S CHOICE K was three-wide to the 1/8, took the early pocket just past the 3/16, stayed third-in, couldn’t offer much late.
FOURTH RACE – YUPPER was quarter-mover #2 and set the pace from the 3/8, game to withstand GOOD DEAL. The latter made two moves (including QM#1) early then yielded for the pocket, found a bit more midstretch and almost got there inside. SOUTHWIND MOROCCAN was raw off turn two, got to the winner’s wheel but not closer, but held on very well. LATE MAIL N was wide to turn one, took over past the 1/8 then send two go by in short order, moved out a lane in the stretch but couldn’t gain. ROCK THREE TIMES was third-over behind a gapper, blindswitched far turn, fair at the end. IM ROCKIN RANDY tried a three-wide move ¾ from fourth-over, also OK late. LUZIANA didn’t show much. SPORTY DRAGON was second-over but couldn’t stay with cover.
FIFTH RACE – CERULEAN HANOVER showed speed, yielded, gapped much of the third quarter then got closer, could use the Pocono Pike and had the sharpest late kick. PARK STREET BLUES was in front at the 1/8, yielded off the first bend for the two-hole, outside stretch, never appeared to be in front, was steady for second. THORN TOAD was wide early then two-wide until obtaining command off the first bend, didn’t get pressure, but couldn’t quite last. BATTLEFIELD did not have helpful cover, next. PAULS BANDIT and DEL MAR DOUG gapped letting the top three get away. I’M A BIG SHOT moved uncovered into the lower turn but made very little progress before backing up.
SIXTH RACE – IDIOSYNCRATIC moved out just past the half, three-wide from the 5/8 grinding, finally got to two-wide past midturn, gradually worked by MAMBA. The latter outrushed the field early, kept a challenger parked through hard fractions, held very durably against the winner. STAY GROUNDED was looped and between horses early, took back to tuck 3/16, nowhere to go third-in from the 5/8 until the Pocono Pike, couldn’t build any quick momentum. CAPTAIN MIKEY used the rail to shut the pocket before the ¼, not too much late. GIRLDAD was looped and three-wide past the 1/8, then left out in the air and battled through hard fractions, did well to get a check. FEEL MY WRATH followed the winner but couldn’t go with him three-deep the last quarter. THE OTHER TWO were never in the main picture.
SEVENTH RACE – MANCLANE got in third, waited until past the ¾ then moved out and trotted right to the lead, big finish. ACTION SHOT came through at the start and took the pocket before the 1/8, to the Pocono Pike and just along for second. CADILLAC MOON took the lead from his inner draw, rated quarter two and still strung the field out, not enough trot late. CUTIECUMBER sat midpack slightly off the top three, finished in a better gear. BINGO BRAIN came out and tried to make up ground but could not. SOUTHWIND DESI offered little; NAJAH offered little and then broke.
EIGHTH RACE – COMMAND went up on a slightly-delayed basis, three-wide to the 1/8, then two-wide to command at the ¼, set the pace, was besieged on both sides in the lane but held together pacing his last half in 55.1. HUNTERS HERO got good second-over cover and gained behind it, three-wide headstretch, bore out further in the lane but kept gaining to just miss. PANETTONE HANOVER took control early, yielded to the winner and sat close in the two-hole, Pocono Pike, right there. LYONS SPIRIT came 26.4 on a long grind to press the issue, held very well to the wire. JOEMIKIYOURSOFINE spotted, then backed out third-over 11/16, came between horses late and gained, might have been shut off at the wire. ADMIRAL HILL left and took the early pocket at the 1/8, not heard from again. DEMPSEY HANOVER sat in, got to the Pocono Pike but couldn’t threaten. LOUSAIN BOLT had the best view at every call.
NINTH RACE – I LOVE ONGAIT made two speed moves and went right along, opened a clear lead early stretch then had to dig in while coming home in 27.2 to withstand NATASHA. The latter was three-deep to turn one on to the lead before the ¼, yielded for the two hole, came out early stretch, slow to find her highest gear but then narrowing in well once finding it. FRANTASY HANOVER stayed connected third-in late far turn, best of the rest. CLEAR THE WAY went uncovered off turn two, gained but didn’t reach the leaders, evenly late. CATIE FAYE HANOVER sat in, had room up the inside but was no factor. BLAZING RAMONA gapped cover. LATE FOR DINNER was never in it.
TENTH RACE – KEN HANOVER moved uncovered on turn two, grinded up and using bullyboy tactics just paced right past the leader and drew away. LYONS SURFING was second-over, couldn’t quite stay with the winner but did get second over IM HUNGRY. The latter left and tucked in the pocket at the 1/8, was caught in as the winner went past and had to wait for the Pocono Pike, gathered together and made some comeback but not quite enough for second. BINGE ON YANKEE established early command, rated quarter two then sped up, not quite enough sprint for these. LITE N SWEET ran just before the start, caught the field, in a blindswitch late far turn, stayed in the two-path stretch and recovered for a check. SHIP SHIP HOORAY was third-over, gapped, wide far turn, not too much. MUSKATEER HANOVER was away third, fell back in the last ¼. CAPTAIN PLANET lost contact before the ¾.
ELEVENTH RACE – ROSEY TIME showed speed, moved uncovered 5/8 and reached the leader before the ¾, wore that one down and took the lead, then had enough to withstand GOT THE GOLD. The latter made the front to curve one, yielded and sat in the two-hole, came out behind the winner late turn, couldn’t quite work past her late. FOR CHIPS SAKE sat in, found room between horses early stretch, finished well. BULLVILLEKARLA never featured. HEAVENISSOFARAWAY made the lead 3/16, got a challenger before the ¾, nothing left in the lane. BYE BYE MICHELLE trailed.
TWELFTH RACE – MR PROFETA was three-wide early then surged to take over off the first turn, couldn’t keep the backstretch brusher from clearing but stayed at his job, rallied in the Pocono Pike for the decision. IM A POWERPLAY A was first on top, yielded, moved from third off turn two and went 26.4 to clear to the front past the 5/8 and open a sizable advantage, but couldn’t hold the lead to the wire. POSH ONTHE BEACH A went on to take over 3/16, yielded, in during the backstretch speedshow, moved out headstretch and did well late. CALYPSO ROCK N sat in midpack, gained some in the lane without clearance. FRISKIE ALL NITE found his best strides a little belatedly. DAVIDS COMING HOME was behind the nonadvancing cover of LETSMAKEAWISH.