FIRST RACE – Again hot, with a stretch headwind changing midcard … MARION GONDOLIER left well, yielded at the ¼ and sat in the two-hole behind quick fractions, outside late turn and soon got the lead, drew away. TRICKY DICK got early position, didn’t stay with the top two far turn, but then steadily late and along for second. FRAC stayed in, decent to get third. SYLVESTERAMERICAIT was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-deep to the ¼ to take the lead, set a pretty quick tempo without pressure, weakened the last 1/8. MUSKINGUM was second-over behind nongaining cover, three-wide, just got the last check. FOREVERHILLREIGN had an excess of cover, widest and a bit at the end. KEYSTONE THUNDER looked at leaving but the filled a hole, uncovered 11/16, not a major danger. FINAL DREAM was not prominent.
SECOND RACE – DIXIE CHICK came out from fifth just past the quarter and made the lead before the second turn in a not-swift quarter, remained in firm control. BETTER BID HANOVER was three-wide leaving in getting the front at the 1/8, yielded for the pocket, extended to hold into the distant second. TEMPTATION EYES was four-wide towards turn one, momentarily got rough and took back to tuck third 3/16, outside again ¾, evenly. SANTAFE’S MJ was three-wide far turn and gained some. JENN’S GIRL was two-wide to the 1/8 and had the early pocket, stayed in, gapped out in the last ¼. KATHY’S CHAMP was gapping down the backstretch. PINEBUSH SWEETLIFE never made her presence felt. SIGNIFICANT OTHER lost contact past the 5/8.
THIRD RACE – BY A HOFF HANOVER was three-wide between horses going into turn one, then two-wide in securing the top at the ¼, sped up down the back, had to be urged home (30.2 last quarter) to stay safe of the closest challengers. TUFF TO BE LINDY took advantage of the rail, yielded at the ¼ for a pocket trip, was gaining some ground back in the Pocono Pike. ENDYMION moved uncovered 11/16 and made a steady progression to the wire. WINGMAN HANOVER took back early, started to gap in third 5/8. MY SON TY HANOVER and GAVINATOR both gapped a good part of this mile. JET STRIDE was four-wide leaving into turn one, then made a break.
FOURTH RACE – MIGHTY SURF gradually worked up to command 5/16, rolled on and drew off late in a very fast time for this bottom trotting level. LIBERO HANOVER made the lead and pushed the winner past the ¼, yielded for the pocket, was third when the first-over challenged, but stayed on steadily to be the distant deuce. EVANNA made a big 27.4 uncovered move down the back, but she was tired in the last 1/8. I’LLALWAYSBEBACK got the early pocket at the 1/8, struggled to keep pace in the three-hole 5/8. SCIROCCO JAKOB and GRAN PARAISO were never part of the main story. WELL CONNECTED KID moved out behind cover down the back but immediately couldn’t keep up.
FIFTH RACE – ROLLIN IN NEW YORK went three-wide into the first curve, onward to 3/16 command, slowed quarter two then sped up down the back, had a safe lead. SHIP WRECK BEACH K moved uncovered into the second turn, retucked in the pocket 5/8, went on well to the wire in a fast mile for this type. SNUF ENUF HANOVER followed the place horse’s cover, couldn’t stay with it, got to tuck in early on the far turn, clear third. HOLY MOMENT had some speed, was stuck behind a tiring pocketsitter 5/8 and had to wait to back outside, but didn’t make up ground once clear. YOUR HONOR went to the lead then yielded to the winner, couldn’t keep up from not much off turn two. ROAD READY WES lost contact.
SIXTH RACE – Wind diminishing … P L OLIVIA moved from second 3/16 to quickly grab control of the racetrack, rated the half and was in control. PRAIRIE TRINKET tucked third towards turn one, gapped a bit midbackstretch, then came out in the stretch and just caught PAINT BY NUMBERS for second. The latter was quick to get the early lead, yielded for the pocket, kept up pretty well most of the way but then tired and lost second late. EXTRA FANCY went around stragglers. BARNUM and AMBERS CHAMPION were not major players. SECRET EDGE jumped an 1/8 before the start. ONE TRIX PONY galloped going into the first bend. KRISTIELEIGH broke w-a-y before the start.
SEVENTH RACE – CHEESEHEAD raced up into the early pocket, gapped the runaway leader until late backstretch, out ¾ and went right by, far enough clear to withstand the rush of FLIGHT ONEFORTYSIX. The latter was three-wide early and tucked midpack at the 1/8, outside on the turn, finished the last 1/8 very strongly. EDITORIAL was double-looped and settled third at the 1/8, gapped the gapping winner a ways, tighter, outside on the turn, just made third over JAM THAT GUITAR. The latter had trouble, as many did, keeping tight in the fast pace, stuck behind the tired pacesetter late turn, then to the Pocono Pike and almost got third. MOM’S LITTLE WORLD got around stragglers for the last check. SIR LOVEALOT BC was off to the races setting a fast pace for maidens on a clear lead until past the 5/8, then got tired. THE OTHER TRIO were always way behind (TOTALLY ABEL got a slow start and was disconnected early).
EIGHTH RACE – CIMERONKEN was three-wide to the 1/8 then backed into the 3-hole, moved out with cover on the turn and wide headstretch, worked his way to the lead. DON was two-wide until getting the pocket 3/16, outside ¾ to the lead late on the turn, overhauled, kept second ahead of MAGIC VACATION. The latter swung wide into the stretch and finished strongly. CAMPBELLINI decided to use the advantage of the rail and went through to force tucks and set the pace, rated quarter two, yielded late turn, fair late. POND JUMPER was wide with distant cover early, then two-wide with cover until swinging three-deep early in the backstretch, got to two-wide with cover again ¾, OK. WINDSUN HUGO did not enter the picture. MARLEY’S GUY actually showed first away from the gate but was four-wide and, seeing he would not clear easily, took back, found no hole and was on the outside raw, looped late backstretch and tired. ALLY WAY CAST moved outside but had little to offer.
NINTH RACE – It rained during the race … KIANNA was first to the point, yielded past the ¼, moved outside 3/8 and reclaimed control just before the half, was subjected to first-over pressure which she turned back, stayed safe in the lane. ALLEY HANOVER went into the early pocket, third-in, went to the Pocono Pike and had late kick. CAVIART LUCIA was three-wide to the 1/8 and pressed on to the front past the ¼, yielded at the half, stayed close but didn’t quite have enough. DARK MIRAGE was second-over, found her best gear a little too late. KATES WAY was between horses leaving, looped and in 3/16, came first-up 9/16 and pressed the lead, tired some in the lane. THE LAST THREE were well behind (CHANEL BEACH was off the gate).
TENTH RACE – The diminished wind appears to be reversing to a stretch tailwind … THISISSHE was on top at the 1/8, relinquished, retook to the 3/8, had a lot of horses in contention headstretch but maintained her advantage to the wire gamely. ARCHIBALD was second-over, three-wide past the ¾, one-geared it steadily. STOP RESISTIN was third-over, three-wide with cover on the turn then four-wide headstretch, finished nicely. JUST MAYBE THE ONE started uncovered just past the 3/8 and attacked the winner, tired a little bit. CLARION HALL got the top 3/16, yielded for the two-hole, had the Pocono Pike awaiting but could muster little rally. THE NEXT THREE never achieved contention. MISS VET HANOVER had some speed, had started to gap before the half and broke soon after that point.
ELEVENTH RACE – ROCK IDOL had some gate jet, pulled uncovered at the half and attacked the leader on a long challenge from the 5/8, finally pulled away from that one past midstretch. BEGINNER’S LUCK was wide leaving to get command in a quick quarter, rated quarter two with the wind then picked it up as the winner made his presence felt, fought that one off as long as he could, second while well-clear of the rest. BRANDON HANOVER was away to secure the pocket, was loose in same from the 5/8, distant third. BLUEBERRY HEAVEN gapped gapping cover then got tighter, three-wide midturn, picked up the rest. WILDCAT HILTON left but took back, not heard from thereafter. ASTON HILL DAVE was not prominent. MOXLEY moved uncovered nearing the second turn, then got cover at the other end of that bend but couldn’t go with it, falling way back late.