FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind … ON THE MONEY GB used two speed moves to control the pace, had late-clearing challengers nearing the wire but held them off. YOUNONOTHINJON backed out to follow cover ¾, stayed right on that cover until midstretch then tipped wide, didn’t miss by much. EXTREME Z TAM was a gapping last down the back, came all the way up the far inside with steady late pace. BENICIO stayed in, in very tight quarters through the stretch. CARIS went uncovered at the half, paced in 26.3 with the wind in the third quarter and kept advancing on the turn, didn’t fade badly at all. BLANK CHEEK went to the front before the 3/16 then yielded for the pocket, insufficient late response. ADULT SWIM backed out to follow cover but couldn’t stay with it.
SECOND RACE – CRAZYCAT streaked to the lead in a very fast opening quarter for this kind, rated the half then sprinted off down the back with a 27 third quarter with the wind, tons the best today. ARGENTO came uncovered early on turn two, one-geared it never getting close to the leader, took second in the last two steps; there was an inquiry as to whether the horse caused interference on turn two, but there was no placing made. LADY’S IMAGE left for the pocket, couldn’t keep up in the big third quarter, just failed to last for second. NICALO HANOVER was forwardly-placed early, struggled to keep up the last half (as did the others). MUSHANA needed until the ¼ to take back and settle in, outside again but didn’t get close. ITS A HORSE was wide to the first turn, got in fourth 3/16, left a big gap the last ½. WARRIOR WAY was well behind throughout. SHADOWFAX moved out into turn two, in close quarters when a horse pulled first-over and edged three-wide, broke before the half.
THIRD RACE – DECOY took over at the 1/8, set wind-appropriate fractions and drew away the last 3/8. TREVOR’S ACE moved uncovered 11/16, got cover midturn and stayed behind it until midstretch, then tipped wide and finished with pace. ALADDIN HANOVER yielded at the 1/8 for the pocket, a bit loose from the 5/8, fell further back. BIG BOSS HILL gapped towards the ¼, stayed in, backed out midturn, evenly. SUNKEN TREASURE wasn’t keeping up in the 55.2 back half. BRIGADOON gapped at the back. FULLBACK broke past the start.
FOURTH RACE – P CHICO left, needed until the 5/16 to reach the lead, but stayed in control once there. DONATELLO HANOVER stayed connected to the main bunch, outside headstretch and was trotting well late to snatch second from PRAIRIE NUGGET. The latter was on top at the 1/8, pushed to the 5/16 then yielded for the pocket, outside past midturn, almost got the deuce. FOX HOLE got an early forward spot, stayed in, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. PUB HOPPING and YO CARTER (slightly off the gate) were stuck behind a badly-gapping BATTLESHIP LANDING early and seemed to have used their energy catching the main group. BATTLESHIP LANDING gapped badly from early frontstretch, eventually broke. DECHAMBO sat outside midpack early then was on the move late first turn, going up to challenge for command but broke 5/16.
FIFTH RACE – STONEBRIDGE KARIS pushed most of a quick quarter, yielded but then swiftly outside in front of a parked horse to take over the lead, got too much of a jump over a pair of strong closers. ROLLWITHPAPAJOE was buried inside, angled sharply past midturn to four-wide to headstretch, finished very strongly. TREVOR ONE was also locked inside, took the deep Pocono Pike route and was along for third. SANTAFE’S COACH sat in third, got to the pocket late turn, outpaced. HORSE was used hard to get the lead, yielded in front of the stands, moved out before the ¾ before a sweeper got to the spot, but couldn’t do too much in the lane. MR CENSI pulled behind the parked horse, went three-wide 5/8 and got left in three-wide land when the pocketsitter pulled, flattened. SULLIVAN couldn’t keep up with the sweeper. NOTA REPLICA A had cover early, then got left out on the limb, looped later in the backstretch.
SIXTH RACE – POWHATAN (Pocahontas’s father for trivia fans) worked right towards the top and never left any doubt who was the best in here. PRAIRIE FAMOUS gapped in third before the half then got closer down the back, outside stretch and clearly second. TO MY CREDIT went right to the lead, yielded for the two-hole ride, gradually unplugged from the 11/16. MONKS HOOD S and FAIR KOUNTRY were never close, in the battle for minor minor honors. A GREAT CHAPTER already was not keeping up very well when breaking towards the ¼. NATIONAL SIMON was off the gate and fell further and further behind.
SEVENTH RACE – HUNGRY TO SUCCEED pulled behind the parked horse to the second turn, was left uncovered early backstretch, gradually found a better grinding gear, kept on coming and just nipped FUN MUNKY. The latter was in front 3/16, rated the half, came home all he could, just missed at the very end. UNSETTLED BUSINESS stayed in until moving out late turn, gained in the fast (into the wind) last quarter. BARNEY HANOVER was first to the top then relinquished to sit in the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. WHERES GREG did get the last check. LAZ TO FIRST moved with cover before the half but couldn’t keep up with it. GAYLE’S ARSENAL never featured. SWEET TIMBER came uncovered from seventh at the ¼ and came a long way to be in a challenging position by the half, but then bore wide off the second turn and backed off.
EIGHTH RACE – MARION GONDOLIER remained outside early, cleared outside traffic 5/16 and on to command before turn two, drew away from these in a nice mile. IN A TINY WAY was between horses early and tucked, pulled out 3/16 before the winner, made the lead 5/16 then yielded, held on to the distant second. GRAPPLE HANOVER was three-wide to the 1/8 en route to command, saw two go by in quarter two, shuffled some, Pocono Pike and had some rally. STAR TRACK HANOVER was second-over, blindswitched far turn, cleared midstretch and had a bit of late trot. MAGICAL JOURNEY was the first on top, shuffled way back, outside ¾ and soon three-wide, flattened out. GIVEM THE GOO started uncovered into turn two, gained until the 11/16 then stopped gaining. MISS PRINCIPLE was off the gate a bit, far back throughout. HAMMER CREEK sat outside near the back, broke on the second turn.
NINTH RACE – NOPEWASNTME moved out before the 5/8, picked up new cover far turn, wide in the stretch and closed very strongly to decision ALL CLASS. The latter was outside 5/16 and uncovered past the 3/8, challenged and got the lead to the ¾, drifted a little wide in the lane, just failed to hold on in a good race. FULL SUPPORT moved past the ¼ and went in front just past the 3/8, had hard pressure from the place horse and saw him go by to the ¾, stayed connected and went to the Pocono Pike, just a bit short late. BINGE ON YANKEE was behind a gapper in last, got to the deep Pocono Pike and finished furiously. LITE N SWEET was in front, made a “hidden” quarter-move, yielded again, came out ¾ after the lead changed hands, held OK after very hard usage. ERINWOOD YVES was three-deep past the 1/8, in front 3/16, shuffled back a bit, not too much inside late. DONT GET SHOCKED took back to tuck 3/16, not heard from again.
TENTH RACE – NASEY challenged for the lead but needed until the 3/8 to cross over, yielded to the half and sat in the pocket, had a good rally in the Pocono Pike to take the decision. JUSTLIKEHIM was quickly on top, kept the winner out a long way before yielding, then came right back to get the lead before the half, not able to last to the line. VALENTINE EXPRESS was close-up throughout, uncovered 5/8 and challenged, held his ground well. ELEGANT DULUPIN FR trailed, swung wide in the stretch and finished strongly. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT trotted evenly. EXCHEQUER came out midbackstretch but didn’t enter the main picture. BLENHEIM left and was out with cover early, broke 3/16, recovered, gained the first half of the backstretch then stalled and broke again.
ELEVENTH RACE – THORN TOAD moved behind the parked horse into turn two, three-wide shortly into the backstretch and three-deep until into the far turn, where he finally cleared the dueling pair inside him, drew away. FOUT made two speed moves to the 3/8 then wouldn’t give up the lead to a challenger, finally gave way midturn but stayed on for second. HESTONATOR was third-over, stayed two-wide in a blindswitch position down the back, three-wide midturn, just along for the distant third. CABOT BEACH sat in, wasn’t helped having to circle a breaker on the turn, had some finishing pace on the inside. FEEL MY WRATH pulled at the ¼ and was left raw 3/8, challenged very hard for the lead during a fast third quarter, tired late turn. PARK STREET BLUES and ESTEEM were well back when having to avoid the breaker. CAPTAIN UP was on top at the 1/8, pushed the retaker to the 3/8 before yielding for the pocket, made a break midturn and went to the infield.
TWELFTH RACE – MAC’S DELIGHT quarter-moved and took command, under a hold while going a big third quarter, saw the others catch up nearing the ¾ but gamely maintained the advantage. HURRIKANE JOHNYBOY was on top to the first turn, yielded, in third until moving raw ¾, challenged hard throughout the last ¼. CERULEAN HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn, got the lead 3/16, yielded to the winner, tightened back in on that one late backstretch, Pocono Pike, a step shy. ZEUS HANOVER started outside before the ¾ then got cover, was moving well late. GALLIE GETAWAY stayed in, didn’t become a major factor. LOUIE THE LOOPER was far back most of the way, didn’t have a clear path late. BEACH VIBES offered little. SIMPLY FAST was rough leaving, had lost contact by the ¼.
THIRTEENTH RACE – ALDEBARAN ACRUX was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide up to the lead 5/16, got a breather to the half, didn’t have pressure and proved the best. DEVIOUS PROMISES took back for the early pocket, sat third-in, cleared to the inside and narrowed in. BUDWEISER GIRL was buried inside far turn, found room to the far inside and gained some late. BY A HOFF HANOVER left and forced a tuck, yielded for the pocket, moved out headstretch but drifted out and did not gain. U BAKE THE CAKE moved out 11/16, didn’t get close, inside of the drifting pocket horse in the lane, evenly. GINA’S ON FIRE was never prominent. MISSILE spotted, moved second-over but had little to offer. ULI BLUE CHIP had no forward gear at any point.