FIRST RACE – Drop throughout the evening from 72o to 58o … Stretch tailwind at the start which subsides fairly early on … TURN ON THE CHARM went to the lead then let the favorite go and drafted in the two-hole, came out in the stretch and went right by late. PROUD MARY sat outside early then in gear at the 1/8 to the lead 3/16, kept right on rolling on the engine, finished well but was caught by the pocket rocket. RELENTLESS JULIE was a bit loose at a couple of points in the first half, launched an uncovered backstretch bid into the wind, backed off the last ¼. MY HUNGRY GIRL was second-over, three-wide towards headstretch, didn’t gain. HUNTING SEASON left some, started to fade in the last quarter. CARIS got around an early breaker, third-over but never in the hunt. SWEET HOME broke 5/16.
SECOND RACE – IM A POWERPLAY A right to the lead, saw two go by, pulled from third 9/16 and went 27.2 raw against the wind down the back to clear 11/16, in control thereafter. FRISKIE ALL NITE bided time outside early then went on to command past the 5/16, slowed the half, did not fight the brushing winner but stayed close, head cocked to the right coming out the far turn, stayed game. POSH ON THE BEACH A showed speed, out behind the winner down the back but couldn’t go that much and was left raw, did well through the lane to just miss second. LAST MACH passed tired foes. CAVIART SAGE was in the outer flow but was not a factor. GOOD DEAL was looped leaving, to the lead 3/16, yielded, gapped out at the ¾.
THIRD RACE – AMERICAN CRISPIN spotted, was given her head towards turn two and cleared early down the back, went 27.2 against the win to build a big lead, was tiring late but safe. HUNGRY FOR MONEY was inside, had room in the Pocono Pike and narrowed in well (in a 30 quarter with a tailwind). HALLELUJAH HANOVER was quickly in front, gave up the lead to the winner early backstretch and saw that one get away, but held better than one might have guessed around the far turn. EAZY HUNTING took the early pocket, outside early turn but never did get past the “new” pocket horse. EVERHART HANOVER offered little. HES EXPRESS moved outside but didn’t gain. SWEET GADGETS gapped in quarter two then broke coming off the turn two. JOSEY’S LAW broke early, recovered but broke again at the ¼.
FOURTH RACE – Wind to calm … CANNIBAL, wide early, gradually worked to a 3-tuck before the ¼, came uncovered 5/8 and fought the pacesetter, drew away from that one and held off his only challenger nicely coming home in 26.3. MORE THAN YA KNOW went uncovered off turn two but soon got cover, tailed it, ducked inside it in the stretch and raced well for second. MAYWEATHER HANOVER went into the two-hole 3/16, shuffled late turn into the lane, found room after the top two were gone, fair. DEMPSEY HANOVER took control from the pole and set the pace, was pressured, had no sprint in him the last 1/8. MARRIED MAN had a bit late from far back to get the last check. RUSTY BEACH gapped inside at the ¾. FENDI HANOVER joined the outer flow but couldn’t stay with it. GILLIGANS HOOLIGAN didn’t stay with the pack the last half.
FIFTH RACE – HESTONATOR enjoyed his trip in the pocket, tightened in on the turn and had enough sprint to catch the pacesetting CAPTAIN WHO. The latter took over right away, set a slow half, dashed home in 55.4 and still was worn down late. CLEVELAND B MIKI gapped much of the last half then had a better gear late. ONE TO REMEMBER moved uncovered early backstretch but had too much ground to make up. CRÈME DE LOU CRÈME went evenly. FERRAGAMO HANOVER lost contact by the 5/8.
SIXTH RACE – AMMO left, pushed then yielded, out at the ¼ and soon uncovered to the front just past the 3/8, went clear down the back then got company, still maintained control. FLITE CRAFT was three-wide 3/16 to the front 5/16, yielded past the 3/8 for the pocket, tightened in near the ¾, held second gamely. JUST BET IT ALL left between horses to the lead 3/16, saw two go by in quarter two, back outside 11/16, didn’t really threaten but won the three-way picture for third. SEVEN COLORS was far back, didn’t really figure it out until into the stretch, was moving very quickly late. STORMALONG gapped down the back, evenly. NAZARE gapped second-over. CAPTAIN MIKEY was not prominent.
SEVENTH RACE – IM HUNGRY was in front at the 1/8, yielded and sat the two-hole ride, to the Pocono Pike, to the lead midstretch, had the most to the wire. FLASH MOVE spotted, then was second-over and tighter on cover ¾, three-wide nearing headstretch, closed well for the DH2 with IDIOSYNCRATIC. The latter changed gears early, was three-wide to the first bend, then two-wide until finally claiming the front to the 3/8, had backstretch pressure, held well although not able to take it all. MUSKATEER HANOVER came up in 26.4 raw to challenge late backstretch, held on bravely the rest of the way. EXCURSION came off the rail midturn, moved out to four-wide and had solid late kick. LOUS THE ATTITUDE was forwardly-placed, not clear in the lane but not tight-up on the pack either. LEROY GIBBS lost contact after the half. CAPTAIN TAYLOR broke at the half.
EIGHTH RACE – FULTON floated out and briefly settled third, then made a quarter-move, went a quick half, under pressure from LYONS SURFING to his inside in the stretch but preserved the victory. The latter was on top at the 1/8 then yielded to the winner and stayed tight, gave him a good battle in the Pocono Pike. ANNAPOLIS HANOVER came out of fourth just past the 5/8 and went 27.1 to advance, didn’t gain from past midturn but held fairly well. SOUTH POINT was first on top, yielded, stayed third-in, couldn’t keep up in the latter stages. STAY GROUNDED gapped in last. LOUBET moved outside but didn’t have too much to offer.
NINTH RACE – HUNTERS HERO was second-over but not tight on it during the sizzling third quarter, continued on uncovered, made the lead midstretch and just held off COMMAND. The latter showed speed, yielded, moved 5/16 to the lead before the clubhouse turn in a slow Q2, didn’t keep PANETTONE HANOVER out during the quick backstretch, moved outside headstretch then wide, narrowing well late after an eventful mile. PANETTONE HANOVER took an early tuck, moved early on turn two and roared up in 26 uncovered to get the top 11/16, just a bit shy late. CAPTAIN AWESOME left sharply while three-wide early, tucked in 3/16, shuffled some late turn, had some response when clear after the others were gone. ALL ALONE went on between horses for the early lead, forced a tuck, then yielded past the 3/8, didn’t keep up on the far turn. CONGRESSIONAL never featured. FEEL MY WRATH moved outside but gapped. LOUSAIN BOLT was never a presence.
TENTH RACE – IT’S MY SHOW was very fast leaving, didn’t want the two-hole and went on to the lead in a blistering 3/8, found himself in the two-hole past the half after BAMBOOZLER made a speedy move en route to the lead early in the backstretch, waited in the pocket until headstretch, then came out and went right on by. The latter finally did get in third 3/16 but pulled as soon as the winner cleared in front of the stands, took the lead early backstretch and continued breakneck fractions, settled for second after showing much energy. CAPTAIN BATBOY tried to put everybody in behind with a 26.2 quarter, did yield 3/8, stayed connected, moved inside when the winner came out headstretch, did very well. BUGABOO LOU retucked around a gapper down the back, steadily in the last ¼. SHEER TERROR was not well-served by the cover of TIP TOP CAT. SLIPMEAMIKI was gapping behind the torrid early action of the top three, fell back further.
ELEVENTH RACE – LYONS SPIRIT was off the early proceedings, the moved off the first turn and took most of the frontstretch to clear, got mild (for these) fractions, drew off under a hold the last 3/16. CAPTAIN ALBERT G worked to the lead 3/16, yielded towards turn two, couldn’t stay with the winner on the turn, held off the late burst of BINGE ON YANKEE for second. The latter left between horses to the lead to the first turn, yielded, locked in when the pocket horse went a little loose late turn, found room before midstretch and then found a late gear which almost got him second. LIFE N SWEET had to go four-wide headstretch as the outer tiers collapsed, had late speed. ITHACA HANOVER had early speed, sat in and was shuffled, but not that much once clear in the lane. I’M TALKIN HUNGRY gapped 3/8, went to third-over, blindswitched late turn, not a factor. BE THE CAPTAIN sailed out first-over towards turn two, gained down the back then flattened midturn. CAPTAIN PLANET was second-over, three-wide late turn but didn’t gain.
TWELFTH RACE – KEN HANOVER spotted, moved uncovered down the back and went right by while going his third split in 26.4, opened a big lead on the turn, tapped a couple of times late to maintain the safe margin. LARCENY followed the cover of the winner, left uncovered late backstretch, tucked in the two-hole midturn, showed a steady late move. ALL CLASS made the lead at the 1/8 in a 26 quarter, yielded for the pocket, then was shuffled far turn after the passed leader faded, outside past midturn, made a good comeback to take third. ERVIN HANOVER spotted, was out in the good cover flow, left raw midturn, so-so finishing. THE NEXT TWO were always far back. MAMBA was second early then moved and got the lead 3/8 in a fast pace, could not battle the leader 11/16 and then steadily faded.
THIRTEENTH RACE – JOEMIKIYOURSOFINE blasted off to a clear early lead, got pressure from the 5/8 but shook that rival off and drew clear again. FULL SUPPORT tightened in in the pocket late first turn, pulled out 5/8 to challenge, but lost ground in the lane, still a clear second. POSEIDON DEO tucked, followed cover, three-wide late turn, was along for third. GIRLDAD was extremely wide early, angled down into a 4-spot 3/16, uncovered at the half but then got cover 5/8, gapped the two up-front battlers, stayed on OK. HUNGRY MAN took back early, got the last check. MOTLEY RAY was inside, could have advanced to the pocket down the back but didn’t have the needed steps. THE LAST TWO were never major dangers.
FOURTEENTH RACE – MR PROFETA was second-over, three-wide headstretch, got the best of a stretch donnybrook on the money. STONEBRIDGE KARIS pointed right down the road, was pressured, held to the shadow of the wire. STOP STARING defended the pocket early, had his chance in the Pocono Pike but couldn’t quite get it all. MIGHTY SANTANA N left between horses, tucked third, uncovered 5/8 and dueled with the leader, gave small pieces of ground through the lane. BULLVILLE FRANK sat in, evenly. ST LADS BEAT IT was far back early backstretch but narrowed in the last 3/8. CAPTAIN CASH offered little.