FIRST RACE – Mid 70s; stretch tailwind in the first race that had shifted to a mild stretch headwind by the third … MUSHANA was last of the nonbreakers to the 5/8 then went uncovered, grinded up, made the lead before midstretch and proved the best. ITS A HORSE went into the pocket 3/16, stayed close, to the Pocono Pike, couldn’t quite summon enough. ELEGANT DULUPIN FR left from the rail, set the pace, got pressure 11/16 and was immediately put to urging, tired. TOWN VICTOR broke off the turn before the start, caught the field, moved out down the back, gapped slightly while a bit rough, good recovery. HS JUDY JETSON offered little. STEEL SCHOONER broke soon after the start. NASEY let but soon was offstride.
SECOND RACE – MIKITEEN went to the pocket and was a half-acre off the runaway leader, caught up from just past the 11/16, outside late turn and to the lead, held off LOOTABLE. The latter was moving behind cover 5/8 just as that one broke while pulling so had to check, recommenced gaining raw, cover from the winner late turn then wide, kept coming but couldn’t make it. BET ON BUTER was inside, squeezed out late turn to avoid the stopper, made a break before midstretch but quickly got back on, was gaining well inside late. YANKEE CLOUT was in the outside flow, widest in the stretch but not quite enough. GRETZKY THE GREAT cleared nearing the 1/8 and was off on a speed mission with a huge lead in sizzling numbers, started to tire near the ¾. ESTEEM came out of third from behind the gapping winner 5/8 but almost immediately made a break.
THIRD RACE – Wind now a stretch headwind … LEXUS RANGER was the innermost leaver and forced tucks, rated the half then sped up down the back, had enough to keep any competition safe. JUSTLIKEHIM went to the pocket early, a bit loose down the back, outside stretch, couldn’t gain. LADY’S IMAGE was three-wide early, tucked third, stayed in, Pocono Pike, evenly. DART GUY backed out to second-over at the half, went back in as cover stalled on the turn, next. CREEMORE was initially second-over but gapped and wound up third-over, no factor in the last ¼. CHING CHING LUCKY went uncovered past the 3/8, didn’t gain in the quick third quarter then retreated. THE LAST TWO gapped at the back.
FOURTH RACE – SWEET CHEYENNE had a fine trip second-over, wide stretch and just up in the latter stages. LURKINGNTHESHADOWS was uncovered from early down the back, grinded up, forged to the lead midstretch, just caught. BIRDIE THREE left enough to put an early foe in behind, rated the half then picked it up, held until midstretch. MIKI B MOUSE stayed connected until the far turn then suddenly dropped off a couple of lengths, rebounded some to the far inside late. LADY’S CHOICE K left, took the two-hole and stayed close, not much response late. THE OTHER TWO disconnected down the back.
FIFTH RACE and SIXTH RACE – Unfortunately, the replays for these two races, from a pair of sources, malfunctioned and were not preserved.
SEVENTH RACE – PORTOFINO had the early pocket, saw two horses go by to the 3/8, came uncovered into turn two and rushed to the lead with a 27.1 third quarter, held steadily to the wire. SOME KINDA CRAZY was looped early, gradually went forward, uncovered 5/16 to the lead 3/8, yielded just past the 5/8, came back for more in the Pocono Pike but came up a bit shy. HOLY BEING had the winner’s cover, couldn’t stay with it down the back, was left uncovered and advanced to attack far turn, gave a little ground late. QUITE FAST was looped, pressed on to the front 5/16, yielded, gapped inside from the 5/8. SAINT TRIXIE was in the cover flow but gapped it late backstretch. KINGPIN HANOVER never entered the main picture. THE BLACK ACE outrushed everybody early, yielded 5/16, gradually fell back. RUFFLES N LACE broke before the start.
EIGHTH RACE – NEVERTELLMETHEODDS forced an early tuck and pointed right down the road, won easily with a 27.4 last quarter. FOX VALLEY CACHET gapped two early battlers then tightened in, stayed in, came up the Pocono Pike and just got the distant second over JAGGED LITTLE PILL. The latter left hard but was forced to settle for the pocket, went loose late backstretch, couldn’t hold the deuce. LATE FOR DINNER sat in, shuffled far turn, blocked through the stretch, reported back with “b.e.” BLAZING RAMONA started uncovered 3/8 but didn’t reach the leader; YOUNONOTHINJON followed the tone’s cover to little avail. BLANK CHEEK trailed at every call.
NINTH RACE – Stretch headwind picking up some … KOBE B had cover early then went out to take over 5/16, won this one as he pleased. PRAIRIE NUGGET was in front near the 1/8, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, stayed tight on the winenr until headstretch, then fell back some. MONKS HOOD S left, sat third most of the way, inside stretch, not quite enough for second. DEVITO HANOVER broke early, recovered, moved out down the back, OK in recovery. THE NEXT PAIR did not offer much. CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP broke w-a-y before the start.
TENTH RACE – DIEHARD SEELSTER was on the lead into the first bend, yielded past the ¼ for the pocket, inherited the lead when the pacesetter broke and went wide late turn, drew off. NICE STUFF was forwardly-placed, just took second over ARGENTO. The latter was uncovered going to the half, grinded up but never got even with the leader, but just close enough that he was bothered when that one broke and went wide, came back well and almost took second. THE NEXT TWO stayed inside and got the last two paydays. DON’T I WISH didn’t have good cover, then had to go inside the breaker early stretch. CAN’T SAY NO took command past the ¼, set the pace, lost his gait late on the far turn and ran home. NICALO HANOVER gapped second-over.
ELEVENTH RACE – DIVINE SPIRIT was third-over, swung four-wide into the lane and just caught the heavy favorite. DEE’S RED DELICIOUS was second-over, three-wide late turn, just didn’t have enough to hold off the winner. FORREST sat in, got room on the far inside and had a brief short lead past midstretch before being overhauled by the closers. TUIS SHADOW left between horses for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, outkicked. FREDDIE MAC was three-wide much of the 1/8 to the lead, slowed quarter two, came up short. SWIZZLE HANOVER was stuck inside, weaving through the stretch looking for a path. KASEVILLE was at the back throughout. PADRE left, yielded at the 1/8, moved uncovered off turn two, made a mild bid then backed off.
TWELFTH RACE – TRUEMASS VOLO moved at the ¼ and soon made the lead while also backing off quarter two, was under little threat thereafter. PRAIRIE VIRTUE would not yield to an early challenger, did yield to the frontstretch brusher, couldn’t offer that much from the pocket. MUSCLES JARED backed off to accept the early two-hole 3/16, came between horses in the stretch and had some finishing power. MANWILLING went uncovered from the back of the short main field, gained a little down the back but couldn’t sustain the progress. FRAC didn’t keep up far turn. GREEK LEGEND broke going to turn one.
THIRTEENTH RACE – RIOT was uncovered on turn two, got cover 5/8, went three-high late turn, bore out in the stretch but continued to gain and just got the decision. SPORTSMANSHIP left, yielded, retook control, just failed to last on the money. ADRENALINE RUSH moved uncovered 5/8, grinded, never as close to the lead as at the wire. IT’SGOODTOBEDAKING was out 3/16 before taking over, yielded for the pocket, not quite enough. HOWTOTRAINURDRAGON trailed, was gaining as the pace slowed late. SOMIKI stayed in, went to the deep Pocono Pike but may not have been fully clear. LUZIANA had cover but couldn’t get into the race.
FOURTEENTH RACE – USOSWEET BLUE CHIP drifted out then was in gear at the 1/8 and took over at the ¼, really slowed the half then had to pick it up quickly as MISSILE made a head-to-head challenge during a 27.1 third quarter, gradually edged away from that one. The latter was uncovered on turn two and moved boldly off that turn, going 26.3 down the back to bitterly challenge the winner, couldn’t get by but finished extremely well. MATTER OF TRUST had the top early, yielded for the pocket, couldn’t keep up when the pace increased dramatically down the back, did retain the distant third over OLD MAGIC. The latter sat in then backed out at the 5/8 but made no real headway. U BAKE THE CAKE sat in, offered little. SIR FRANK gapped at the back.