FIRST RACE – Temperatures in the mid-70s … JK OBJECTION was three-wide early, went on to the lead 3/16, parked a challenger while rolling on the front end, drew clear the last 3/16. CAPTAIN T HANOVER stayed up close, could clear to the outside early stretch, appeared to want to lug in a little but then straightened away and up for second. GONNAHAVEONEMORE sat in and was blocked, to the Pocono Pike and made it close for the deuce. TERRITORY went right to the lead, yielded for the pocket, didn’t have enough in the latter stages. BUSBOY HANOVER broke right at the start, reset quickly with his error costing him four lengths, stayed in last, passed tired horses in the wide tiers. WON LAST FEELING was out at the half, briefly had three-wide cover then three-wide raw, got back to two-wide but gapped. ARTIFACT HANOVER moved out early in the backstraight and soon went three-wide to clear the parked horse, got to two-wide 11/16 but could offer little late. ROLLINWITHAMBITION was double-looped and was left raw on the outside from the 3/16, dropped back.
SECOND RACE – BENJI’S BEST spotted third early, quarter-moved but was kept out the length of the frontstretch before clearing in a fast half, had enough to handle his collection. CONTROL HEAVEN looped everybody leaving, made the winner work hard to get the top, held his ground well in the stretch. MARINER SEELSTER moved uncovered just past the 5/8, challenged, was rebuffed, just did hold third over TERRY A HANOVER. The latter was looped, four-wide early, worked into the pocket past the 1/8, just missed in the battle for third. BULLVILLE TERROR came out at the 5/8 just as the first-over did, briefly three-wide before settling behind cover, but gapped cover before the ¾. SHVAIKO moved outside but made little progress. KATIE’S BET broke 3/16, returned with “b.e.”
THIRD RACE – A wild and wooly one … I’M BENICIO A left, yielded, shuffled in quarter two and outside before the half to follow the parked horse, three-wide approaching late turn, proved the best in a cavalry charge that saw the field separated by two lengths at the wire. DONTLIKEITLEAVE moved out before the ¼ in front of an advancing parked horse, went three-wide as a horse pulled off the first turn, finally could get back to two-wide 3/8 and rushed up to the lead, was in a fierce battle with the parked-the-mile horse, held nicely. SHORE OF HIMSELF went to the lead towards turn one, yielded, had some funky steps coming out of turn one and went two-wide, straightened away and went up to the lead 3/8, yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike, not quite enough. OUTWIT OUTRUN didn’t leave but went up towards the 3/16, got cover then followed that cover wide past the ¼, back to two-wide and then towards the second turn back to two-wide raw, fought the leader hard, held gamely after a hard-luck trip. MODERN ROCK was last, three-wide 11/16, four-wide nearing late turn, went on well. TUGGIN ON MY HEART was three-wide leaving, in front 3/16, shuffled badly in quarter two, to the deep Pike, OK. ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP was third-over, blindswitched far turn, never had a clear path. … There was a very long inquiry after the race concerning the action off the first turn, but no placings were made.
FOURTH RACE – SOUTHWIND ARTURO left well to take over before turn one, yielded 3/16 for the pocket, outside headstretch, just up over the pacesetting ILBENEEDINSTITCHES. The latter was briefly wide early, went on to take over 3/16, kept going at a good clip, caught in the shadow of the wire. FRANK THE ELDER stayed third-in, to the Pocono Pike, not far off but not quite enough. SAID AND DONE AS moved with cover late backstretch, ducked in, well off the top trio. AGGIORNAMENTO was uncovered before the 5/8 but couldn’t make a challenge before fading. ANDOVERTHEWINNINGS was gapping by the half, broke far turn. HEART MATTERS was trying for early forward positioning when breaking before turn one.
FIFTH RACE – CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL was three-wide early then two-wide to the lead nearing the ¼, yielded then was quick on the retake, was clear 5/8 and extended his margin to the wire. COWBOY COOL made the top inside into turn one, saw two go by, badly blocked as the pocket horse gapped out, to the Pocono Pike and recovered for the distant second. BLOW A CLOUD N was uncovered from the half, couldn’t reach the winner and formed a “wedge” with the fading pocket horse then clogged those tiers, evenly. LADYFORD DOLLAR GB was second-over, blindswitched from near the 3/4 well into the stretch, had some pace when finding room inside. SOUTHPORT BEACH went three-wide from last ¾ but couldn’t enter the picture. KINGSTONS BAD BOY was never in the main action. DING DING DINGER was four-wide early and three-wide until before the 3/16, then onward two-wide to the lead past the ¼, yielded to the winner for the two-hole, went loose 5/8.
SIXTH RACE – DELICIOUSSTONE DK left, had the lead when a rival broke to the 3/16, set the pace, maintained a secure advantage to the line under confident handling. LEXUS RANGER came through with the early pocket, moved out past midturn to take his shot, held well in finishing second. BRIGHT SIDE UP was forwardly-placed, inside stretch, not bad. ZETTE FLAME moved uncovered at the half but never really challenged. AP HALL OF TRIX was outside with cover early, took back to fourth when cover broke, not heard from again. ARCHERY SEELSTER had nonadvancing cover, not a factor. COLLEGE TUITION gapped. CANTSTOP YANKEE left and was ahead although still outside when he jumped 3/16.
SEVENTH RACE – URBAN RENEWAL was uncovered 5/8 but never got close enough so that the pocketsitter couldn’t move out late, then went wide of that one and had the most pace late. THE DARK SHADOW was between horses early, had the pocket 3/16, outside late turn, got the lead midstretch but was outkicked. ODDS ON DELRAY was second-over, four-wide late turn with the pocketsitter having room to pull, finished steadily. HOT DEUCE was forwardly-placed after a good start, went to the Pocono Pike, not all that much late. ELWELL was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the 3/16, set a quick tempo while under no pressure, then was engulfed nearing midstretch. PARK OFFICIAL broke early, caught the field but could not otherwise recover much. SHANE ADAM gapped inside.
EIGHTH RACE –Stretch headwind starting up – would grow stronger near the end of the card … YANKS DUGOUT was three-wide to the first turn then had cover to the ¼, then uncovered to the lead near the 3/8, opened up a good margin while going very fast, held off P L NOTSONICE in 1:51.2, equal-fastest trot mile of the year here. The latter one-geared uncovered from the 5/8, kept going closer and closer, big effort. MISS MCKEE pushed a fast quarter and yielded, sat in, blocked far turn, to the Pocono Pike and a distant third. SHARE THE WEALTH was second-over but couldn’t stay with his cover. ROBBIE PEV was parked to a 26.4 opener, yielded near the 3/8 for the pocket, went loose 5/8. SAY YOU DO gapped throughout. FOCUS POCUS wasn’t close when making a break far turn.
NINTH RACE – DEALT A WINNER was uncovered towards turn two, grinded up to challenge and went clear late backstretch, opened up an insurmountable lead. PLAY THE FIELD left well, was shuffled all the way back to last, stacked widest early stretch and came on with a furious charge. MAKE SOME WAVES followed cover, left uncovered to the ¾, held OK. LOUKES PERRY was behind nonadvancing cover, stayed two-wide on the turn then ducked into the Pocono Pike and had late gain. INDIGO ART was in the outer flow, went wide far turn, not enough. STONEBRIDGE DUEL left, took until the 3/8 to clear in a fast pace, couldn’t resist the winner late on the backstretch. SIMPLE KINDA MAN was in front towards turn one, pushed a foe hard before yielding, tired significantly.
TENTH RACE – RIP WHEELER took over before the 3/16, “slowed” the second quarter to 28 then ripped home in 54 – 26.4 drawing clear in the last quarter in the quickest mile of the year at Pocono, 1:48.1. CASUAL COOL left well then let the winner go, kept up close to the ¾, held second in a three-way picture. BETTORS DONTTELL spotted third, was a bit loose much of the way around, Pocono Pike, OK. PAT MCGARRY A had fading cover on the turn and was back to last, wide in the lane and closed well. LUCKBEWITHALEX was uncovered before the 5/8, gained a little going his own third split in 26.4 but then gave way. JOESSTAR OF MIA A was not prominent today.
ELEVENTH RACE – SONNY WEAVER N was wide early, pressed on to the front 3/16, rated the half then picked up the pace, got a late scare from FRISKIE ALL NITE but held that one off. The latter left and yielded to sit in the golden chair, found good stretch pace up the inside and did very well at 34-1. CAPTAIN ROMANCE left some, sat third, slightly loose down the back then did not keep up in the stretch. DIRT ON MY BOOTS was third-over, wide in the lane and closed well. COMET CRUSADER N looked at leaving but took back, went uncovered before the ½, paced in 26.2 down the back to get close, then backed off. SHNEONUCRZYDIAMND A never contended. TASTE OF HONEY was second-over, three-wide ¾, made some rough steps then broke past midturn.
TWELFTH RACE – DONATO PATRIOT K started uncovered on the second turn, blazed up in 26.3 challenging the favorite from the 9/16 onward head-to-head, then just pulled away from that one in a superior mile. KENZIESKY HANOVER quarter-moved from second, backed off the half, then was under all-out attack from the winner from early backstretch, gave way in the stretch, lasted for second. BRECKENRIDGE gapped third-over, then did better in the last ¼ to be along for third. JOEY was on top at the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, stayed near to the big third quarter battle, couldn’t quite keep going late. SEVENTIER spotted third, stayed in, had stretch room inside but couldn’t gain. DAGON HANOVER gapped second-over, faded further near the end. KINDA LUCKY LINDY did not factor in this contest.