FIRST RACE – Stretch headwind on a warm day … URBAN RENEWAL came out 11/16 but gapped cover until midstretch when he was still fifth, then edged wider and had the most pace as the tempo slowed. THE DARK SHADOW was hung just past a 25.3 opener, yielded for the pocket, pulled same before the ¾, battled solidly home after hard involvement. ELWELL had cover until the ¼ then went on to take over 3/8, continued the torrid pace with pressure from the ¾, held the lead until the final steps. PLAY THE FIELD pushed the monstrous opener before yielding, inside, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. BENJI’S BEST was third-over, narrowed in from last. GONNAHAVEONEMORE gapped the early battle most of the way to the half, inside, deep Pike, not enough. … ELWELL was claimed for a track-record-equaling $40,000.
SECOND RACE – GENTLE GIANT was three-wide early then two-wide into the first turn to the lead 3/16, refused to let the parked horse go, shook off the bid of the sweeper, then went on solidly to defeat CAPTAIN ROMANCE. The latter left well, forced one tuck then yielded for the two-hole, Pocono Pike, had his shot but came up just short. STOP STARING was between horses early and took back, sat in until mid-far turn, wide, gained some but not enough. TOPVILLE SOMROCKET was out second-over before the half, three-wide to the 5/8 to two-wide uncovered late backstretch, challenged, gave ground little by little in the lane. JK STANDINGOVATION was last, didn’t enter the picture. GOOD DEAL gapped inside 5/8. MUDVILLE was outleft and had cover to the ¼ then was left out in the air, urged but could not clear the winner, faded after being looped.
THIRD RACE – BUSBOY HANOVER took back to third early, moved around the gapping pocket horse and got close to the leader, outside headstretch and went right on by. AMERICA’S GUEST followed the winner at a distance. AWESOMENESS retucked, outside late turn, some on the end. SOUTHPORT BEACH made two moves, had a big lead before midbackstretch as the pocket horses faded but then had the winner catch up, tiring late. ER VEGAS offered little. CHEYENNE REIJANE was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the 26.1 quarter, yielded for the pocket, all done at the half.
FOURTH RACE – AGGIORNAMENTO had great cover second-over, tipped wide early in the lane, up in the last couple steps. BULLY BOY HILL was uncovered not long into the backstretch, grinded away, got a very short lead deep stretch, just missed after a big mile. KINDA LUCKY LINDY moved at the ¼, briefly had cover then took the lead in front of the stands, under duress most of the last half, ahead until very late. GREAT MAGIC was by far the fastest away, saw two go by early, stayed in and was shuffled, found room before midstretch, evenly late. ONE AFTER NINE gapped cover third-over. MACMORRIS HANOVER moved from second 3/16 to the lead to the 5/16 then yielded for the pocket, started gapping 11/16.
FIFTH RACE — CAVIART LUCA was three-wide to the 1/8, was shut out of a hole and went up before the ¼ to challenge for the lead, couldn’t clear despite urging, fell back nearing the very fast ¾ but then regathered on the turn, drifted wide but continued gamely to catch the tiring ODDS ON DELRAY in a 30.1 last quarter. The latter was parked to a 26 quarter then gave the winner the cold shoulder, seemed to have dispensed him before the ¾ and went clear, but then tired after the speed show. A FEARSOME HANOVER was away slowly and far back in last, along for the distant third. COWBOY COOL also gapped, outside late turn, evenly. ROLLINWITHAMBITION pushed the quick quarter then yielded, got loose past the 5/8. ART SCENE shut a hole 3/16, then was not heard from again.
SIXTH RACE – GRAPPLE HANOVER left hard, refused to yield to one foe forcing him to take back into the pocket, then did yield to the next opponent before turn two, sat the two-hole, just up along the inside as the pace slowed. ARCHIBALD quarter-moved behind cover, briefly three-wide 5/16 and built up enough steam to go by before the second turn, was challenged down the back and through the turn, shook off that opponent then just missed as caught up the inside. SEVENTIER was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide, couldn’t go by the leader to the 3/8 but was able to tuck behind him, on the go again 5/8 and attacked raw, held well considering the tough trip. SKYWAY KON MAN was between horses early then tucked fourth, which turned out to be the pocket past the ¼, but gapped allowing a tuck, out second-over but didn’t have much. ALLINDOTIME wasn’t a factor inside; SORTIE wasn’t a factor outside. TRUEMASS VOLO broke coming off the first turn.
SEVENTH RACE – SOUTHWIND OZZI worked to the lead 3/16, rated the half then really had to speed up under a big challenge from PEACE OUT POSSE from just past the 5/8 all the way to the wire. The latter came out of third coming out of the second turn, found full stride and went 26.1 to argue with the winner down the back, very good but second-best now. HEZA KINGSLAYER N, slightly off the gate, started uncovered into turn two and got cover coming out of that bend, gapped in the big third panel but got closer on the turn, ducked to the Pocono Pike, raced well but didn’t have the steps of the top two. KASHED UP A was last, wide and gained late. THE WALL couldn’t keep up along the inside. ACTON HANOVER yielded 3/16 for the two-hole, couldn’t keep up against the warring front two from the 11/16. PARK OFFICIAL moved outside but couldn’t get into it.
EIGHTH RACE – IMAGINARY LINE headed right down the road, had enough speed to keep BUILDING BOOST outside, then could draw away from that one late. The latter moved uncovered not far into the backstretch and speed-grinded in 26.2 the third quarter to challenge, gave a little bit of ground gradually. FRISKIE ALL NITE was three-wide to the first turn, in third at the 1/8, gapped when the pace picked up, a distant third. MODERN ROCK was out behind nonadvancing cover that he had to steer around that one when he broke, so-so late. SANTAFE’S COACH left and went into the two-hole at the 1/8, started to let loose 11/16 and fell back. BULLVILLE STEPHANO was second-over but gapped his cover, then broke far turn.
NINTH RACE – KENZIESKY HANOVER tucked third and gapped a little late first turn, then quarter-moved, didn’t have anybody reach her and won nicely. DONATO PATRIOT K was uncovered early in the backstretch and one-geared up, fought on steadily but never reached the winner. SHADOWFAX gapped second-over, then had better trot towards the end of the mile. DIEHARD SEELSTER was seventh at the “START” point but used track geometry and a burst of speed to be on top nearing the 1/8, yielded to the winner to sit the pocket, went a bit loose nearing the ¾. COLLEGE TUITION left well, took the pocket at the 1/8, sat in, not clear far turn but not tight on the horse directly in front, Pocono Pike, not much response. MARION GONDOLIER was looped before the first turn and took back, did not factor. THE LAST TWO were always at the back.
TENTH RACE – JOESSTAR OF MIA A was in front before the 25.4 opener, got some breather in quarter two then turned on the jets again, came home in 55 to hold off ILIKEMEBETTOR A. The latter was away swiftly and kept up in the pocket, outside to headstretch, gained a little. CODE CRACKER gapped in quarter two then tighter, Pocono Pike, did well. AFLAME HANOVER sat in, was doing OK late then shut off nearing the wire. SONNY WEAVER N moved uncovered but got only to the pocket horse’s wheel, kept at it well. MIRRAGON A was out before the half and got cover which didn’t advance too well, three-wide headstretch, OK from an impossible spot.
ELEVENTH RACE – CAPTAIN FANCY moved 3/16 to the lead 5/16, saw most of these left well behind trailing a gapper and went 26.3 down the back with only SPRINGSTEEN staying close, drew away from that one late. The latter was away quickly, yielded, stayed connected but in doing so was robbed of any rally. BINGE ON YANKEE was locked in in last, used the deep Pocono Pike for the very far back third slot. BETTOR ROLL ON A sat in and was stuck behind a gapper, to the Pike, couldn’t quite take third. BULLVILLE FRANK had sluggish cover, wide, got the last check. WESTERN PERCH gapped a bit the first half and then more and more in the second half. DONT JUDGE A BOOK tried to make up ground uncovered but did not.
TWELFTH RACE – STENDAHL HANOVER left inside three of his six rivals and put them all in behind, sped up with the wind down the back and opened a huge lead, appeared to be coasting late as SHVAIKO got closer. The latter defended the pocket, left a big gap through much of the last half, did narrow the margin a bit late and far ahead of the rest. LAST MACH had nonadvancing cover second-over, wide and the distant third. REGAL ESCAPE was uncovered at the half but never reached the same zip code as the winner. PARMESAN N was three-wide until before the 3/16 then tucked, not a forward factor thereafter. SOMBODYITREASURE was four-wide early, tucked fourth, far back. SPORTY DRAGON lost contact with the others down the back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – DANCE PARTNER left and got the pocket, waited for the Pocono Pike, then outfooted JK OBJECTION from midstretch home. The latter cleared 3/16 in the 26.1 opener, got a breather, then came under pressure down the back, held decently but settled for second. QUICK SNAP was uncovered early backstretch, urged but didn’t get closer than the leader’s wheel until past midturn, finished steadily. YS DO IT RIGHT moved three-wide from second-over midturn, didn’t quite reach. JACKIE MOON took back early, followed cover two- and three-wide, wider in the lane and did well late. STONEBRIDGE DUEL sat in, evenly without a clear stretch path. TRUTHBTOLDBLUECHIP didn’t get into the main mix. OUTWIT OUTRUN was four-high to the first turn, soon thereafter two-wide and advancing frontward when breaking before the ¼.