FIRST RACE – High 70s today … Light stretch tailwind early when it was there; then reversing midcard to a stretch headwind … DECOY left between horses, was in front 3/16, rated the half then sharpened the speed, briefly even with SANTAFE’S COACH but came back to outfoot that one to the wire. The latter left, yielded 3/16 for the pocket, came out late turn before a sweeper dropped down, may have had a nose up early stretch but was outpaced to his inside. ROCKIN MARTY A sat in, OK late, possibly without a full clear lane. TREVOR ONE moved second-over, three-wide midturn when his cover stopped advancing, closed well. MAJOR SHOW was three-wide to the first bend, tucked third 3/16, out raw 5/8, backed off on the turn but then was resurgent late. THE LAST THREE didn’t figure in the main action of this race.
SECOND RACE – VALENTINE EXPRESS was forwardly-placed, came with a head of steam early backstretch and sailed by 11/16, got pressure around the far turn, but drew clear. SHADOWFAX was five-wide halfway to the first turn then backed off, tucked fifth 3/16, dawdled down the back then gradually got better the last 5/16. DART GUY made the front and yielded for the pocket, backed out late backstretch to avoid a shuffle, to the pocket mid-far turn, just missed second. ARGENTO got in the outer flow, initially wanted to come between horses in the lane but found that path blocked, so to the path behind the place horse and narrowed in. JUSTLIKEHIM had good cover, left raw 11/16 and challenged around the last bend, tired. SIMON GOT LUCKY never got close. ELEGANT DULUPIN FR was briefly four-wide, down to two-wide and then the lead 3/16 in a quick opener, set the pace, faded after being passed late backstretch.
THIRD RACE – MOTLEY RAY was looped and with cover, settled third past the 1/8, underway before the 5/8 and quickly paced to the lead, opened a big margin and was coasting late. FUN MUNKY was three-wide to the initial curve to the top, slowed quarter two, picked up the pace but still could do nothing with the winner, showed courage in cutting back into the margin late. CLEVELAND B MIKI yielded for the pocket, gapped late backstretch, just third over BULLVILLESPANDEMIC. The latter moved outside 11/16, in the photo for third. THE NEXT TWO retucked around a gapper but never contended. LAZ TO FIRST struggled from the half. WHERES GREG was always near the back.
FOURTH RACE – R MELINA was three-wide to the 1/8, outside 5/16 for the top, yielded the lead to the favorite early backstretch, but came back in the last 1/8 and trotting a nice last panel to draw away. DIAMANTE HANOVER moved uncovered before the 3/8, was outside the second turn then cleared to command, tired in the stretch and just held third. KEYSTONE SIERRA used the rail well to be forwardly-placed, gapped a bit inside on the far turn but then found a good finishing gear. RUTHIAN was out behind the favorite, left raw down the back, never got close, next. WUNDERKIND HANOVER was outside but couldn’t get in the fight. CHAPALONIA was between horses early and tucked third, gapped out to the ¾. THE OTHER DUO were near the rear throughout here.
FIFTH RACE – BINGE ON YANKEE had the speed to force a lineup, slowed the half, then came home in 54.4- 27.1 to hold off the uncovered foe and then the potential pocket rocket ERINWOOD YVES. The latter sat in the two-hole, used the Pocono Pike and closed well to just miss. FULL SUPPORT was second-over, three-wide late turn, just along for third over HURRIKANE JOHNYBOY. The latter was uncovered at the half, made the winner work a long hard way, held well though losing ground in the last 3/16. HURRIKANE CHUCKY sat in, OK in the quick back half. ZEUS HANOVER couldn’t reach contention. NOPEWASNTME had an excess of cover, four-wide in the lane, very tough spot.
SIXTH RACE – Stretch headwind starting, and would intensify … FOOLISH GAMES got in third at the 1/8, stayed fairly well connected, to the deep Pocono Pike and found a burst very late to carry her to victory. FLASHY SWAN yielded for the two-hole, to the Pocono Pike and easily went by the leader early stretch, couldn’t withstand the inside onslaught of the winner very late. GET THE PICTURE was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the lead 3/16, rated the half then sped up down the backstretch, little response in the last 1/16, MISS HALL came out 11/16 and made a good uncovered bid that carried her up, flattened a little. QUEEN CAMILLE gapped inside 5/8, was doing a little better as the pace slowed down. BINGO BRAIN was stuck inside, couldn’t get into the battle. MELODRAMA was outside but never close. BANGLES N BEADS never factored.
SEVENTH RACE – GET ANSWERS was three-high to turn one, refused a 3-tuck and pressed on to command, rolled on, shook off the far turn challenger then withstood the wide closers. SWEET HOME lagged early, then joined an advancing flow third-over, four-wide headstretch, very strong through the stretch. YOUNONOTHINJON was carried up by good cover, three-wide to headstretch, had pace but outclosed by the one on his back. CARIS took control early, yielded to the winner, couldn’t quite summon enough late. BLANK CHEEK took back early, stayed in, OK in tight quarters late. BENICIO made a big power move started at the 9/16, challenged all the way around the turn and into the stretch, then tired. JAGGED LITTLE PILL didn’t keep up.
EIGHTH RACE – NIGHT STAR was three-wide early and in front 3/16, slowed the second quarter, proved adequate to those coming on late. SWAN JOVI stayed in third, found clearance midstretch and one-geared home steadily. PRAIRIE FAMOUS yielded past mid-first turn for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. DANCEHALL KING sat in, angled wide early stretch and had a burst at the end. MONKS HOOD S was uncovered at the 3/8 and had to keep going uncovered, held well until late turn. HS REMINGTON sat in, gained some ground as the pace slowed late. ALTITUDE gapped second-over. HILLASVIVA broke soon after the start.
NINTH RACE – LET’S MISBEHAVE was three-wide leaving, got to the top at the ¼, continued on very strongly to the wire. UTOPIA BLUE CHIP pushed hard early then relinquished for the pocket, lost ground in the stretch. ALWAYS B CITY was uncovered 5/8 and advanced a long way, held OK; an inquiry into this one possibly causing early interference yielded no placing. ALL YOU CAN EAT sat in, next. EVERHART HANOVER gapped at several points. PEMBROKE SOUTHIE backed out to follow cover 11/16 but had little. THE LAST PAIR were well back throughout.
TENTH RACE – BELIEVE U ME sat third-in, moved out a notch early stretch then found clearance as the pocket horse went to the Pocono Pike and the pacesetter drifted out a little, knifed through sharply very late and won. HOLY BEING made two speed moves, slowed the half, then set the rest of the pace, not enough to withstand the winner. STRONGERWITHLINDY started uncovered into turn two and gradually worked up, held well late. DEVIOUS PROMISES made the lead at the ¼ then yielded to a retaker to sit the pocket, to the Pike but not enough. BUDWEISER GIRL posted midpack, then was second-over, three-wide late turn, finished OK. U BAKE THE CAKE was inside, started to edge out nearing headstretch but then went back in, not all that much. ULI BLUE CHIP broke taking back towards turn one. ALDEBARAN ACRUX made a break before the 3/8.
ELEVENTH RACE – SPARROW HANOVER left, couldn’t get by an insistent one late first turn so tucked briefly in the 26.1 opener, then went up again and took over 3/8, continued on strongly and won all alone in a very fast time for “nw2.” RUSTY BEACH gapped during the first quarter fight, then tighter third-in, got clear of the breaker far turn, Pocono Pike and up for second. PARK STREET BLUES was last of the main pack mid-far turn, four-wide in the lane and closed well though far behind. SHARED BY ME went uncovered soon into the backstretch and challenged, got to tuck in the pocket midturn after a breaker, tired. FOUT spotted fourth, backed out behind cover, left uncovered midturn, not too much. HESTONATOR was outside, three-wide late far turn, not enough. COBRA KAI JOHNNY never got close. CAPTAIN UP refused to yield in the 26.1 first quarter, did yield 3/8 for the pocket, still close when making a break midturn.
TWELFTH RACE – UPSTAGED spotted third, moved early backstretch and went by past the ¾, drew away. THE GOOD BOOK came from far back to reach cover to the ¾, three-wide midturn, clearly second-best. GRAND SLAM HERO backed out behind the place horse and was along for third. PARTY AT SEVEN was outside past the 1/8 for the top, set the pace, had no answer for the winner, broke while tiring in the stretch, went inside the pylons and galloped home, placed. BAR KEEP DE VIE couldn’t stay with the winner’s cover, left raw ¾, faded. MONI’S HEAVEN CENT yielded for the pocket, had little to offer the last 5/16. SEMINOLE MOON lost contact the last half.
THIRTEENTH RACE – STOP STARING went to the lead 3/16, had to step up the tempo down the back to ward off the first-over, then had that one joined up the rail in the lane but dug in to withstand both. STENDAHL HANOVER was looped by the winner, took back to fourth 3/16, was uncovered off the second bend and went up in 26.4 to apply pressure to the winner from just past the 5/8 onward, held remarkably gamely. MCNEIL Z TAM was quickly to the top then yielded for a two-hole ride and stayed close, Pocono Pike, not far off. BOLTMAN got improved position early, far-back best of the rest. ALADDIN HANOVER showed little. SUNKEN TREASURE gapped early, then gapped second-over. THE REMAINING PAIR was disconnected the second half.
FOURTEENTH RACE – MISS MUSCLE took the pocket early, had the winner get away down the back then narrowed in by the ¾, to the Pocono Pike, quickly to the lead but never drew away from the pacesetter. ARCHIBALD headed down the road, rated the half then sprinted down the back to open up, reeled in but stayed game. STONE MASON was not away well, three-wide at the ¾ the rest of the way and passed a lot of horses. SNOWMAN HANOVER, rough at points, tucked third, gapped the last half. JESSIES OUTLAWED didn’t offer much. GIVEM THE GOO shopped for a tuck early but didn’t find one, had to press on uncovered, never really challenged for the lead, faded. MISS PRINCIPLE gapped cover. LOOK IN MY EYES was never a consideration.