FIRST RACE – Starting warm, then gradually dropping 12 degrees through the card, as Sunday cards do here … Mild stretch headwind early, which would dissipate … UPTOWN LADY N left between horses to the lead, yielded but was quick to move outside 3/16 before another front-end seeker pinned her in, made the lead at the ¼ and again yielded for the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and was a good winner. EMMY LOU HAYES was three-wide leaving and got to the front, saw two go by early in the mile, stayed in, to the deep Pike and rallied for second. BETTE TINA moved uncovered 5/8 and advanced well, held her ground OK late. SHIPNSTROL HANOVER was outleft, three-wide with cover early then left three-wide 3/16 to the ¼, then to two-wide to command, set the pace, came up shy. TRAFFIC JAM gapped third-over, had some belated pace on the far outside. BE BEST was not prominent. ICARUS FALLS N gapped second-over down the back then got closer, didn’t gain late.
SECOND RACE – NANCY BAR took over at the 1/8 and kept control of this race throughout. JESSIES OUTLAWED worked into a 3-tuck 3/16, moved outside at the ¾ and while no match for the winner did get up for second over MATTER OF TRUST. The latter rode in the pocket, went loose f the winner ¾, so-so late. BAR COINS couldn’t keep up late backstretch. CURRY HANOVER beat out stragglers for the last check. GREEK LEGEND couldn’t go enough; nor could MUSCLES D’ORO. STRIKING COUNT was trying to make up some ground from far back when breaking 11/16.
THIRD RACE – WISTERIA HANOVER yielded to sit the good two-hole trip, outside stretch and outsprinted FLARES ZIVA in the latter stages. The latter went on to the front 3/16, slowed the half, sprinted home with the winner but couldn’t quite hold her off. BARCELONA PRINCESS spotted third, was going to go wide nearing headstretch but instead ducked to the open Pocono Pike, not bad. ULURU found a 4-tuck at the 1/8, evenly. BINGO BRAIN did not have a great start, went uncovered 5/8, stopped gaining on the far turn. DIVINE ZETTE moved outside late backstretch but never featured. QUEEN OF THORNTON gapped. LIRA HANOVER broke at the 5/8.
FOURTH RACE – SPARROW HANOVER had cover early, lost it at the 1/8 and went on to take control off the first turn, went on gamely to the wire in a fast maiden victory. STAY GROUNDED left to 1/8 command, yielded past the ¼, pulled out midturn, didn’t look like the easiest horse to keep on course the last 1/8 but was pacing strongly. MOTLEY RAY tucked early, moved outside ¾, three-wide past midturn as the pocketsitter moved, flattened in the lane. THE NEXT TWO were never prominent. SILK ROAD left well, yielded, struggled most of the last half. THE OTHER PAIR were far back throughout.
FIFTH RACE – LLOYD WRIGHT moved uncovered 5/8, got cover before the ¾, came wide in the stretch and made up a lot of ground to be up late (the last quarter was 30). MOMONI DE VIE was three-wide just past the 1/8 then on to take the top in a very fast quarter for these, set the pace, held well. BIG BALLER BEANE was the innermost of three leavers, yielded just past the 1/8, could advance to the pocket ¾, Pocono Pike, not bad. WENTWORTH HANOVER stayed in, OK deep in the Pike. AUSTRAL HANOVER was between horses early, crossed over just past the 1/8 and yielded at the ¼, pulled the pocket before the ¾, empty in the lane. IM AN ANDOVER broke right at the start.
SIXTH RACE – EVERHART HANOVER went quickly to the top, had things her own way on the lead, won comfortably. BIRDIE THREE made the pocket quickly, didn’t gain in the lane but did hold on to second. HUNGRY FOR MONEY spotted midpack, came out 11/16, one-geared, gained some. MIKI B MOUSE followed cover late backstretch, wide headstretch, some late. MORE PLEASE got in third at the 3/16, had room inside but had no more to give. SELINA HANOVER stayed in, didn’t have a clear path late. HONEYMOON TRAIL lost contact late backstretch. SWEET GADGETS was away slowly and never improved.
SEVENTH RACE – Wind had gone to calm … TAILGATE BUZZ challenged for early supremacy and got it past the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole just past the 3/8, outside early stretch and went by nicely late. MANCLANE gapped the first quarter duel, then narrowed in, moved 5/16 to the front just past the 3/8, faced a good challenge down the back and through the turn, couldn’t hold the lead, just did save second over LIKE A WARRIOR. The latter sat in and was shuffled to last, had room in the Pocono Pike and responded pretty well late. LATAVIUS tightened in and quickly moved up first-over before the 5/8, battled hard with the leader, then tired. I’LL OWE YOU ONE gapped cover. OPEN BAR left had then yielded, backed out to second-over 11/16, swung wide but bore very wide late turn, never got back into the race.
EIGHTH RACE — GRIZZ WYLLIE was wide into turn one, got in fourth near the 1/8, then moved second-over, tipped off cover early stretch and had a better gear very late to just get up over BATTIN ATHOUSAND. The latter moved raw 5/8 and was head-to-head with the leader 11/16, got a short lead deep stretch, missed in the last step. SNOWMAN HANOVER ranged up to take over at the ¼, rated the half, accelerated with a challenger came up late backstretch, not quite enough in the battle home. YOUCOMEHEREOFTEN was first to the lead, yielded at the ¼ and stayed tight in the pocket, but couldn’t gain in the Pocono Pike. BUDDY EARL gapped outside. BAR KEEP DE VIE couldn’t offer much. SHARP CURVE moved outside, gapped, broke far turn.
NINTH RACE – AMADOR assumed control past the 1/8 and appeared to have no trouble while comin home in 56.1 – 28. DEE’S RED DELICIOUS yielded for the pocket and got a good trip, could not threaten late. ARCHIBALD sat in until late on the far turn, wide and got third in the last couple steps. CHOCO CHARLIE came out of third ¾, evenly late. TRUEMASS VOLO never featured. STONE MASON pulled out from last into the bottom turn, gained until getting cover to the ¾, then started to back off. SWEET HEART AS backed out to follow cover 11/16 but didn’t have much.
TENTH RACE – ONCE IN A LIFETIME was cleverly driven by Tetrick: he spotted behind the three dueling early leavers and tightened in, then saw the middle challenger break and the outside challenger take back to tuck behind him, so enjoyed the pocket trip, to the Pocono Pike and quickly made the lead midstretch, held off a good late kick from FRENCH WINE. The latter was well-placed second-over, wide, raced well but was beaten by a trip horse. SAINT LOUIE wanted early control and got it, slowed the half then picked up the pace, couldn’t hold on. COMMANDER FRANK was uncovered on the second turn and trotted a big third quarter challenging the leader, fell back a little late. HERODOTUS was three-wide well past the 1/8, took back to third after the middle horse in the duel broke, inside, fair. SINATRA DE VIE sat in and was shuffled to the back of the main group, outside far turn, evenly late. CRANTINI was looking to tuck in the pocket when he broke 3/16. FATHER STOSH broke at the ¼.
ELEVENTH RACE – EXPRESS MAN took the express track home after an early rival broke, rated the half then sprinted to be much the best. I GOT THE TAB gained two- and three-wide on the turn, was doing well late to be up for second. FIRE N LIGHTNING took a midpack tuck early, moved early on the backstretch and gained, got to tuck in the pocket nearing headstretch, couldn’t hold the deuce late. KOBE B went in third at the 1/8 then became second as a rival broke, couldn’t keep up in the pocket from nearing the 5/8. SWAN JOVI gapped. ENZO AGUELLO gapped down the back, came outside to the ¾ to avoid a shuffle, broke upper stretch. BIG BOY ERNEST left, looked to be backing off to tuck in the pocket 3/16 but went offstride.
TWELFTH RACE – KHAOSAN ROAD got third early, started up again and grinded raw, went to the lead just past midstretch and was the best. KENOBI was three-wide early and looped, did not go into a big pocket near the ¼ and pressed on past that 26.4 station to make the lead before the 3/8, trotted home strongly. SPITFIRE OVERSEES was third-over, chose to duck into the deep Pocono Pike headstretch and kicked the plugs, made up good ground. CHAMBA was four-wide leaving and three-wide to the 1/8 en route to the lead in the fast opener, yielded to the 3/8 for the pocket, couldn’t gain late inside. SQUARED AWAY was second-over behind good cover but didn’t have too much late. THE NEXT TWO couldn’t keep up. INTER MISCHIEF was looking to leave but broke early.
THIRTEENTH RACE – AFLAME HANOVER was three-wide to turn one, got the top 3/16, sprinted home in 54.2 to maintain control in the finale. SOMBODYITREASURE used the rail to big advantage and rode in the pocket, eased out early stretch and gained a little but never enough. KB MAC was between horses early and tucked third, not keeping with the top two late backstretch, clearly third. GOOD DEAL avoided the outer tier. CALYPSO ROCK N was third-over behind stale cover, inside mid-far turn and took the last check. A STUD NAMED SAM was uncovered nearing turn two, advanced some in the fast third quarter then backed off. SPORTY DRAGON was second-over, gapped 5/8. ROCK THREE TIMES was always last.