FIRST RACE – Low to mid 80s … Wind sometimes calm, and shifting … NASEY was under control early, tucked fourth 3/16, came uncovered going to the half, had an advantage but couldn’t clear late backstretch, kept going and took over for good midstretch. DART GUY left between horses and wound up with a good pocket trip, angled outside early stretch, was making up some ground very late. LADY’S IMAGE was three-wide to the 1/8 and onward to the front 3/16, got pressure from the winner most of the last half, not quite enough and just nipped for second at the very end. NICE STUFF left and yielded, couldn’t keep up entering the far turn, to the Pocono Pike and OK late. THE NEXT TWO were never factors. BLOGMASTER went second-over but gapped good cover.
SECOND RACE – DUVAL STREET bided time early outside then went into higher gear just past the 1/8 to the lead 5/16, went a fast backstretch to keep a challenger at bay, continued on speedily for a sharp win. BAY CITY got command at the 1/8, yielded 5/16 and sat the pocket trip, Pocono Pike, good but settling for second. LOUSAIN BOLT started uncovered just past the 1/2, went 26.4 to challenge in the third quarter, held on pretty well. ZEUS HANOVER left some, stayed third-in, evenly along the inside late. FULL SUPPORT was a bit slow starting, went up second-over, didn’t tip wide, so-so. WILLIAM HANOVER gapped down the back. THORN TOAD was last, couldn’t keep up.
THIRD RACE – ON THE HOUSE protected forward position, pulled from third 11/16 and went up to challenge, won easily. KADDARI looped the field, yielded just past the ¼ but retook 3/8, won a photo for second over RUFFLES N LACE. The latter was third-over, three-wide past midturn and closed a long way. A GOOD CHARDONNAY was looped early and between horses, up to gain command just past the ¼, yielded into turn two, pocket, outside stretch but couldn’t gain. EVIL GUY was uncovered on turn two, finally got cover to the 11/16 but then couldn’t stay with it, ducked all the way down into the Pocono Pike early stretch, evenly. ALDEBARAN ACRUX was about four lengths off the gate and a gapping last much of the way, was doing quite a bit better at the wire. GINA’S ON FIRE left, took back and got in at the ¼, not heard from thereafter. SAINT TRIXIE was not a major danger.
FOURTH RACE – HOPPING FASHION pulled from third 3/8 to the lead early into the clubhouse turn, strung the field out down the back, was in control in the slowish mile. HOP TO IT went into the pocket after the breaker, pulled from third past midturn, along for second. KAT ATTACK was on top, yielded into turn two, a trifle loose in the pocket, evenly late. SWEET SECRET pulled to go around a gapper ¾, finished with some trot. WISH LIST sat in, gapped ¾. WUNDERKIND HANOVER looked to be leaving when running just past the start, caught the field but couldn’t get back into the race.
FIFTH RACE – Stretch headwind picked up … SPARROW HANOVER was three-wide to the first bend and in front 3/16, responded well to a giant move from the first-over late backstretch, drew back clear late. RUSTY BEACH went to the top near the 1/8, yielded or the two-hole, gapped as the pace picked up to the ¾ and around the turn, Pocono Pike, OK in second. GRETZKY THE GREAT roared out of fourth 5/8 and paced in 26.1 to throw heat on the winner, gave a little ground after the giant move. SHARED BY ME stayed attacked, evenly. THE BACK THREE gapped out most of the last half.
SIXTH RACE – LINDYS LANDING, wide leaving, too the pocket 3/16, and stayed connected to the stretch, then to the Pocono Pike and went by CS EXPLOSIVE CHIP. The latter left between horses to 1/8 command and forced a tuck, didn’t get much pressure as the outer tier was led by a parked-the-mile horse, couldn’t hold off the pocket rocket. HS REMINGTON was third-over, three-wide midturn and closed strongly. DANCEHALL KING sat in, didn’t clear until midstretch, then slinkied in traffic while gaining. SWEDISH HAT was first on top and relinquished, third-in, inside, not enough. IT’S SNOW WONDER was out behind the parked horse, took the blindswitch far turn, not too much. FAIR KOUNTRY was three-wide near the back early, decided to press on two-wide at the 1/8, was left out in the air, held position until early stretch. SIR PINOCCHIO made a break past the 5/8 while looking to join the outer tier.
SEVENTH RACE – SMOOTH LANDING went inside a breaker early and got the lead coming off the first turn, looked to have shaken off CAPTAIN CHESLEY into the stretch but saw that one come back on, held for the triumph. The latter made a brief break early but quickly righted, moved uncovered into the second turn and gained down the back, lost a little ground straightening away but carried out doggedly while bearing out a little; an inquiry into his possibly violating the breaking rule gave no reason for placing. TOMMY BOY HANOVER left, yielded off turn one for the pocket, Pocono Pike, not enough. PARTY AT SEVEN backed out to second-over past the 5/8, OK late. ULURU sat in third, may have been in tight quarters deep in the Pocono Pike. NIGHT STAR offered little. MONKS HOOD S gapped cover. HESPOOKSHESCORES was bidding for the early lead when breaking at the 1/8, was taken wide.
EIGHTH RACE – Wind calm for races six and seven, now changing to a stretch tailwind … BENICIO came out of sixth early backstretch and vs. the wind plowed right on uncovered, in a big struggle with LODESTAR and gamely catching that rival on the money. The latter headed down the road, came home in 27.2 but still got caught. GET ANSWERS went to the pocket at the 1/8 and stayed close, Pocono Pike, did well but didn’t get all the right answers. AMBUSHED was a trifle loose in third most of the way around, faded. YOUNONOTHINJON would have had prime cover if he could have stayed with it. ADULT SWIM was looped early and tucked; she and WINDSUN TARA were not major late factors. BLANK CHEEK was last at every call.
NINTH RACE – FLASHY SWAN grabbed control at the ¼, rated quarter two then opened a big lead with a big third quarter, saw foes narrowing in the last ¼ but never really threatening. EVER HOPEFUL G made the front, yielded at the ¼ for the two-hole, a bit loose down the back and into the turn, then closer, Pocono Pike, held well. TAILWIND PAT spotted third, moved outside late turn, couldn’t gain. BANGLES N BEADS went evenly inside. KT DOUBLE DEUCE moved outside far turn but couldn’t get closer. LIRA HANOVER started gapping 5/8. SOPHIE HANOVER dropped far back. MERCURY LANE misbehaved at the start.
TENTH RACE – NICALO HANOVER got early positioning, could wait to move uncovered until the 11/16 behind the fast pace, then grinded up and drew away. JUSTLIKEHIM was on top towards turn one, yielded 3/16 for the pocket, a bit loose much of the backstretch, Pocono Pike, along for second. ARGENTO was behind a gapper until the 5/8, moved out and wound up third-over, widest in the lane and closed OK. DA BOOGIE MAN moved second-over 11/16, not a major presence. MUSHANA sat in, went to the far inside, may have been in tight quarters. LEVITATION made the front 3/16 and rolled along, nothing left for the stretch. SIMON GOT LUCKY gapped midrace, then had no clear path late.
ELEVENTH RACE – GUYS IN THE BAND had the lead a few steps in and a big advantage to the ¼, went on at a giant clip for these, ran off and hid. MCNEILL Z TAM moved early in the backstretch from behind a gapper, got cover 5/8, three-wide for the lane and had finishing pace. BEACH VIBES tailed the place horse, never went wide from off his back until nearing the wire. LET’S GET ROCKED left a gap midrace, out in a blindswitch headstretch, edged wider and had some pace with some room late. LYONS KING tucked third, left a big gap most of the way, Pocono Pike, never a contender. I’M SPONGE WORTHY was the only horse staying close to the winner most of the way, then might’ve bottomed out chasing the fast pace. NOLAUGHINGSTOCK was behind a gapper then moved raw 5/8, advanced on a challenge, then advanced no further the last 1/8.
TWELFTH RACE – TODDLER TANTRUM was out to the ¼ for the top, rated quarter two then sped up, shook off the first-over and went clear of this collection. RYCROFT N left, yielded for the pocket, not enough to stay with the winner but held second over oncoming horses. ARTACHE HANOVER moved out to the half and quickly got cover, went up, three-wide midturn, did OK late. BOLTMAN sat in, shuffled to last, weaved for clearance in the stretch and wasn’t bad. ROPE THE MOON wound up third-over, three-wide with cover far turn, too far behind. WHAT’S GOIN ON stayed in, was not prominent. ALWAYS A LOOK tucked third at the 1/8, outside early backstretch and advanced, flattened out midturn.
THIRTEENTH RACE – HELP PAGE was three-deep to turn one to the lead 3/16, was in control throughout. DEVIOUS PROMISES was swiftest away, yielded, stayed close to midstretch, then flattened but still far clear of the rest. QUITE FAST took a tuck, went loose late backstretch, next in line. OLD MAGIC stayed out of trouble. KEYSTONE SWEETPEA gapped most of the way starting early. MISSILE was looped and outside early, broke 3/16, caught the field and moved outside down the back, then fell way back. TUXEDO ATTIRE started uncovered near the half but soon was on the run.