FIRST RACE – High 70s dropping through the 70s through the card … As the track took on more water, the track condition was downgraded: “fast +0” races 1-4, “good +1” race 5, and “sloppy +1” the rest of the way … TUIS SHADOW left and secured the two-hole to the first turn, loose early in the backstretch but narrowed in, had clearance in the stretch as the pacesetter bore out, just held off SORTIE. The latter stayed in, shuffled behind a gapper later on the turn, then angled sharply three-wide into the stretch, made up a lot of ground and almost got there. MUSCLES JARED headed down the road at a good clip, bore way out through the lane but didn’t miss by much. CREEMORE was uncovered towards the half, one-geared, did OK. FORREST tucked third before the ¼, sat in, gapped on the turn, came back some as the pace slowed a bit late. STEEL SCHOONER was third-over behind a gapper, three-wide from early on the turn, wasn’t prominent. KEYSTONE SERGEANT was never in the picture. FAMOUS DAN was second-over, gapped before the ¾.
SECOND RACE – RIOT reluctantly settled in the pocket for a bit, then was on the move off the first turn and went directly to the lead, had a fairly easy time of it. PANTHEON HANOVER was three-wide to the 1/8, settled in third, came outside nearing headstretch and went on steadily. ARTACHE HANOVER one-geared first-over, didn’t get close to the winner, bore out in the stretch but tried hard. RUNHAPPY TEN went evenly along the inside. BLAKEMORE left well to take control early, then yielded for the pocket, had very little left approaching the wire. BOLTMAN was second-over, blindswitched, no factor. WHAT’S GOIN ON was not a factor. SPORTS BOX moved three-wide from third-over 11/16 but broke far turn.
THIRD RACE – Drizzle … CELEBRITY SABRINA moved second-over down the back and three-wide far turn, trotted away from these. TEDDY BROSEVELT made two speed moves and set the pace, held off all but the winner. CRITICAL MASS sat in and was shuffled, followed the path of the winner in the stretch with some trot. FRAC was third-over, three-wide with cover late turn, fair late. UFTON ABBY HANOVER tucked early, moved uncovered off turn two but never quite got close to the winner, tired. CUPID HANOVER went to the front at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, struggled from past the 5/8. NO NAME YANKEE jumped early.
FOURTH RACE – Track rerated to “good +1” … ACTION SHOT went to the front past the 1/8, unchallenged until late, enough to resist TOMMY BOY HANOVER. The latter was wide early then settled in, started uncovered past the ½, gradually worked his way closer, kept on trying hard to come up just shy. LEAST WEASEL stayed in, evenly along the inside late. SOX backed out to follow cover 5/8, gained in a slowing pace. F SCOTT’S MUSE ran briefly early then reset, stayed with the pack in a good recovery. SWEDISH HAT yielded for the two-hole, wasn’t keeping the hole filled 5/8, broke midstretch. STRONG BREW was inside, broke going to the Pocono Pike early stretch. HS REMINGTON moved out on the second turn but never got close, broke far turn.
FIFTH RACE – Now “sloppy +1,” which it would stay the rest of the day … AWESOMENESS was third-over, able to go three-wide late turn and four-wide headstretch, passed everybody late. GLOBALDOMINATION N set the pace with two moves, kept up a good tempo, held on to beat all but the late charger. STELLAR BLUE CHIP was three-wide into turn one, settled in fourth, then had good cover second-over, eased three-wide headstretch, OK but outkicked from behind. SELECT FRIDAY was in front past the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike but not quite enough response late. SHARKY BEAR got a forward spot early, went uncovered off turn two, never a major danger but held on well. MISTER DAYTONA N sat in, had no clear path in the lane. LACHIE MAGUIRE N got out excess cover, three-wide 11/16 but didn’t make up ground. MARVELOCITY was not heard from.
SIXTH RACE – Almost “downpour” conditions according to Announcer Jim … ONE HUNDRED POOF started edging out near the ½, inexorably made his way forward to the leader, needed until towards deep stretch to get by but won confidently with a big last panel. SMOOTH LANDING was three-high towards turn one, two-wide to the lead just past the 3/16, would have beaten most fields of this type with his mile. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT was wide leaving, on top at the 1/8, yielded before the ¼ for the two-hole, outtrotted the rest for the distant third. SEMINOLE MOON left, yielded, in, evenly late. DINKY WINKY never showed much. KNIGHTS GUARD moved outside 5/8 but gapped. THE OTHER PAIR were always at the back of the field.
SEVENTH RACE – SOUTHWIND DESI was three-wide most of the 3/16, then to command off turn one, rated the half, dealt with the first-over, then had to be good to withstand GET THE PICTURE nearing the wire. The latter went out between horses and crossed over towards the 3/16, yielded for the two-hole, was a bit loose in the hole late backstretch and into the turn but then narrowed in, outside stretch and continued to narrow in late but just missed getting there. NINA HANOVER moved out with cover, ducked inside when cover faded on the turn, clear third. RAVIOLI broke at the start, recovered, third-over but gapped, recovered for a minor share. MISS HALL made a good move off turn two to challenge the winner, but fell back quickly in the last ¼. TAILWIND PAT gapped from midrace. KT DOUBLE DEUCE showed little. EVER HOPEFUL G broke coming off the turn before the start, caught the field but could progress no further before tiring.
EIGHTH RACE – ASTON HILL DAVE moved out fourth-over in a very lively flow, swung four-wide in the stretch and came a long way to be just up on the money at $68.40. PERKINS started uncovered past the 3/8, gradually worked up and was on the lead late backstretch, still had a clear margin midstretch but just got nailed by the winner’s burst, good mile of his own at 16-1. GOTAFOOLISHDESIRE was behind the winner in the flow, uncovered before the ¾, ducked in the pocket midturn then eased out in the lane, not quite enough, won a photo for third over CAPTAIN MALICIOUS. The latter was also in the outside flow, briefly uncovered off the top two then three-wide entering the stretch, not quite enough. MIDNIGHT DAY was innermost of three leavers and ensured the pocket in the fast ¼, shuffled badly late backstretch, finally got out in a blindswitch but couldn’t get back in the race. BLACKLIGHT sat in and was shuffled to last, not prominent. HES REALLY KEEN left between horses, took back to the three-hole towards the ¼, also shuffled badly, never recovered. IT’SGOODTOBETHEKING paid a lot of gold (26.2) to be king of the pace here, no response when challenged towards the ¾ backing up the entire inner tier.
NINTH RACE – LADY LIRA was three-deep before turn one, went into the pocket to the 3/16 and stayed close, outside late turn and trotted right on by. SANTA MONICA AS established command quickly and strung out the field, held for second. FRESHGROUNDPEPPER got an early spot, up the inside to be third. SELENA DEO had some speed then gapped from the quarter onward. I CANT REFUSE moved uncovered 11/16 and made some progress before flattening. CHEROKEE JOY was last, got nonflowing cover 11/16, a bit of trot on the far outside late. ALDEBARAN BURST did not get a good start; she and GADOT HANOVER were never really in it.
TENTH RACE – SWANKY HANOVER was fourth-over, then suddenly second-over in a good flow as the first-over cleared and the second-over broke near the half, three-wide midturn, trotted away late. WEATHER VANES went from third-over to first-over and continuously moved up, briefly on the lead before early stretch, stayed on well even if outkicked. LOUS LANCELOT was two-wide in a four- then three-way early battle, tucked 3/16, shuffled late far turn then angled to the path behind the winner, finished well . SAINT TRIXIE pushed a foe hard well past a fast quarter before yielding, regained at the half, tired in the stretch. SIR FRANK was in a good flow but gapped. QUARANTINA was four-wide to the first turn and three-wide most of the quick quarter, finally to the lead 3/8, yielded just past the half, faded significantly in the last ¼. GETTING ALLFIREDUP was three-wide early, angled down to tuck fourth to the 1/8, gapped most of the last half. UNRESOLVED DEBT angled behind the early fighters for a tuck, moved uncovered 3/8, broke at the half.
ELEVENTH RACE – GRATIAN HANOVER tucked and defended the pocket, sat a good trip, to the Pocono Pike and along. REGAL ESCAPE was last at the half and far back midbackstretch, ducked in around a sluggish foe then showed very good steady forward progress from there. OHARE HANOVER went uncovered on the backstretch, grinded up to challenge, couldn’t quite sustain the move. LAST MATH was behind moribund cover, three-wide ¾, didn’t kick in until too late. GROOVY MAN wanted the lead and took it in a 26.2 opener, had a challenger come to him on the far turn, tired. MCNEILL Z TAM tucked third, not heard from late. LATEST ATTRACTION gapped. LUC ROCKS started the outer charge towards turn two but then started backing up off that bend.
TWELFTH RACE – TACTICAL MOUNDS bided time outside early then proceeded up gradually to take over 3/8, had a clear lead throughout the last half, Matt Kakaley’s seventh of the day. SILENT NIGHT took command at the 1/8, pushed some then yielded 3/8, couldn’t keep up with the winner from the half but continued to try hard and was game to hold second over INSIDE EXPRESS. The latter was second-over, three-wide far turn, then ducked inside for the stretch and almost caught the deuce. OLD MAGIC left and yielded, not badly-placed but with little to offer late. KEYSTONE SWEETPEA never entered the picture. I’M AMUSED moved out before the 5/8, didn’t have much. RUFFLES N LACE took back early, broke 3/16.
THIRTEENTH RACE – BULLY BOY HILL let the early action settle then moved from fourth 3/16 to the lead 5/16, shook off the first-over, more than enough to win the finale. NICE STUFF came all the way up the inside from midpack, finished well. CHUCKY DE VIE was wide early and onward to the lead 3/16, yielded 5/16, pocket, came out in the stretch but didn’t gain. MISS MUSCLE was second-over, three-wide past midturn, a little belatedly. SWIZZLE HANOVER moved to third-over ¾, four-wide late turn, not a threat. LOUS LIVIA and PADRE were near the back throughout. KEEGAN HO got a forward spot early, moved uncovered down the back to challenge, but couldn’t sustain the progress late.