FIRST RACE – 83 degrees … Stretch tailwind … NO horse who was outside midbackstretch went on to win – staying inside, preferably on or near the lead, was a big key … PRIMARY COLORS was directly on top, set a fast pace while going comfortably, nice winner with the 27 kicker. CERTIFIABLE had the pocket before the first turn, kept up well, stayed game in the sprint home to retain second over ELLIOT MOOSE. The latter left some gap, gradually diminishing, behind the top two from the 1/8 to the 5/8, outside far turn, OK but couldn’t reach place. RIFLEMAN was in a very dull flow, didn’t do too badly after circling three-wide far turn. BEACH FORECAST had little inside. SETH HANOVER moved uncovered into the backstretch but could make little headway into a 55.2 back half. ILDERTON AM was second-over, blindswitched far turn, not too much.
SECOND RACE – MY BOY JACK made two speed moves, rated quarter two then opened up down the back, saw the pocketsitter WESTERN WALTZ coming back in the stretch and was hustled home. The latter left very alertly to be in front before the first turn, yielded to the winner, a bit loose down the backstretch then narrowed in, outside in the stretch, gained but couldn’t quite make it. BARRYWHITE HANOVER left a big gap behind the top two first turn but still prevented a foe from tucking third, inside, Pocono Pike, OK. JET ACE was badly outleft, tried to hustle to make a king-size three-hole 3/16 but was denied and had to take back to fourth, locked in, shook loose in the lane and finished with pace. COXCOMB started uncovered 3/8, briefly was second 5/8 but not long afterward began to fade. GET ALONG had dull cover, tried to sweep three-wide but could not. CAVIART SKIPPER moved second, was blindswitched and couldn’t offer much.
THIRD RACE – KINGSTONS BAD BOY defended the 3-hole and saw that decision pay off as he stayed in then went to the pocket midturn, to the Pocono Pike and got the nod. WINNING IS SWEET was outleft but made the two-hole to the first turn, moved out midturn, good second. MANNY outflew everybody early from post eight, set the pace without pressure until midturn, gave ground late, returned with “b.e.” WHAT’S GOIN ON moved uncovered from midpack midbackstretch but got nothin’ goin on until late, where he found some pace. PIRATES ALLEY parlayed an inside trip into the last check. THE LAST THREE never got into the dynamic of the race.
FOURTH RACE – MISTER BOINGA was three-wide to the 3/16 to two-wide to the lead off the first turn, set the pace without pressure until PRACTICAL CAT came up, held that one off. The latter moved raw 5/8 and gained steadily until the stretch, then held his ground well to take second from WORTHY OF HONOR. The latter left between horses to get a brief lead then yielded for the two-hole, stayed close, Pocono Pike, edged for second. DAGON HANOVER was second-over, so-so. BEYOND THE LENS left a small gap much of the way, a little better late. GERARD left well and pushed most of the first quarter, sat third, empty in the lane. CHING CHING LUCKY gapped at the back. THE IRISHMAN jumped just past the start.
FIFTH RACE – ROLLINWITHAMBITION left between horses and took a tuck, sat third-in, advanced inside when the pocketsitter moved out and got use of the Pocono Pike, got by STELLAR BB late. The latter was three-wide just past the 1/8, refused a yawning three-hole and went onward two-wide to the front 5/16, went a good second ¼ with the wind, held off all but the pocket rocket. MY WISH CAME TRUE stayed in, angled out the first half of the stretch then found better foot and closed for third. CURIOUS CORTEZ left hard, yielded 5/16 to sit in the two-hole, outside midturn but was devoid of gain. PREMIER ROCKSTAR stayed in and got the last check. WESTERN TYRANT was behind dull cover. MAJOR DESIRE was outside early, picked up cover off the second turn but didn’t enter the picture. SULLIVAN gapped most of the first half, moved out early backstretch but didn’t gain too much before fading.
SIXTH RACE – ROBBIE PEV went to the top quickly and sent his own pace, a little tired late but more than enough to withstand NO DRAMA PLEASE. The latter left for the two-hole and stayed close most of the way, narrowed in a bit late. SMART AS HILL sat third, semistruggled to stay close to the top two the last half. SWEET HEART AS moved second-over but went back in as the cover had no punch, fair late. GRAPPLE HANOVER never surfaced. SILVERMASS VOLO was wide early then taken back to last, never close. KEEGAN HO was gapping by the half. BLUEBIRD DEACON came out 5/8 but never gained.
SEVENTH RACE – PARK OFFICIAL was urged while three-wide early, to two-wide to the lead 3/16, came under attack from UNDERTAKER at the half and fought with that one the rest of the way, very game to go on to the line with the advantage. The latter slipped in past the 1/8, was flushed out by the parked horse before the 3/8, reached the winner by the half and battled that one in an exciting long duel, held with great courage far ahead of the rest. CONCUR sat in third, was shuffled far turn and had to wait for the Pocono Pike, just along for third. TRENTE DEO was last at the half, launched three-wide from there ¾, almost got up for the show. ARCHANGEL THREE made the early lead, yielded to the winner 3/16, got gradually more loose behind the duelers from the 5/8. RAPTORS FLIGHT N was outside the mile, got great cover before the 3/8, but gapped it from the 5/8. ALWAYS THE SUN could not make his presence felt. OWEN was four-wide early and three-wide to the 1/8, finally tucked at the ¼, started gapping 5/8.
EIGHTH RACE – P L NOTSONICE let the leavers settle then quarter-moved, made the lead past the 3/8 in a fast half, held sway the rest of the way although the next two got fairly close. MARION GONDOLIER made the lead, yielded for the pocket, moved out headstretch, appeared to be passed for second late in the stretch but fought on hard. MISS MCKEE was three-wide to the first turn, took the early pocket at the 1/8, then third-in, got to the Pocono Pike, may’ve gotten to second briefly but flattened a little near the line. CHAPOLIER had yo come uncovered from a long way back, did very well. LEVITATION stayed attached to the top ones until the ¾. FOUR UNDER PAR was near the rear throughout. GREAT UNKNOWN was steered inside the breaker just past the half, never closed the resultant gap. SAY YOU DO was sitting midpack when making a miscue just before the half.
NINTH RACE – DRAGON STRIKES left strongly and defended the two-hole, sat and waited for the Pocono Pike, gradually worked his way to the top. PLAY THE FIELD was three-wide early and on the point past the 1/8, got a breather in Q2, gave way grudgingly in the lane. KILLER MARTINI was uncovered from well back early on turn two, grinded up closer, fell back a bit in the stretch. ROUGH ODDS was looped leaving, got into the 3-hole after a foe broke, stuck in, was thwarted trying to split horses early stretch so had to back up and go wide, solid pace late. BROTHER JAMES had to be grabbed into when an opponent made a break late on the first bend, never entered the main picture. PUZZLING went up second-over while just slightly off cover, faded in the latter stages. YOUMAKEMYHEARTSING was in the three-hole when breaking 3/16 and going to the centerfield.
TENTH RACE – THIS IS THE PLAN was underway from third past the 1/8, got to the lead 5/16 and posted a “not crazy” (Jim B.) half-mile clocking, then was met by JACK’S LEGEND N, but came home in 53.3 – 26.2 impressively in defeating his talented rival. The latter was uncovered from fifth before the half, went up in 26.2 to challenge, fell back slightly in the stretch but again paced a 26.2 quarter with great determination. SPEEDY DOMINIC A made the lead before the 1/8, pushed the winner a bit then yielded 5/16 for the pocket, stayed close until late on the turn, good mile. DA DELIGHTFUL left sharply then yielded, stayed in, gapped a bit ¾. MARK WITHA K was last, flushed the second-place horse on the second turn, slightly gapped cover, did OK. IM SIR BLAKE A sat in then backed out third-over, tough spot to overcome, especially on this day.
ELEVENTH RACE – FRANCO TOTEM N left well and was in control of the proceedings until the wire. THE MOONSHADOW N easily assumed the pocket, couldn’t make up late ground but did well for second. UNICO LEGEND N sat in, went to the Pocono Pike, fair. INDIGO ART was second-over and three-wide late turn, but this was not the day that closers prospered. YANKEE OSBORNE moved raw 3/8, speed-grinded up to challenge but ran out of steam in the stretch. CLASSIFIEDMATERIAL could not make his presence felt.
TWELFTH RACE – J M MANDAMIN had the top a couple of steps into the race, yielded 3/8 but was immediately on the retake, started to leave these far behind with a 27.1 third quarter against the wind and drew well clear. MR DS ROCK was four-wide early, three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide before hitting the front 3/8, yielded at the half after fast early numbers, gradually unplugged from the winner but did hold gamely for second. CHATELROLL stayed in, came up along the Pocono Pike for third. IM A GIGOLO N was outside before turn two, got eased three-wide before the half and remained in that wide tier the duration, did well on a day not kind to horses off the pegs. CAPTAIN FANCY followed the first-over into the second turn, blindswitched then backed out to three-wide with cover far turn, a little speed at the end. CAPTAIN ROMANCE was always far back. SHNITZLEDOSOMETHIN defended early position, came out behind the winner on turn two and was soon left raw, not much the last half. ROGERTHAT BLUECHIP gapped at the back.
THIRTEENTH RACE – WESTERN JOE tucked fourth after the early breaker, gapped badly during the second quarter war and into the backstretch, found a better gear late backstretch, outside midturn and got past the two insiders who were involved in the fast pace. GET LIT took control from the pole and went 26.3 / 53.2 not giving up the lead, couldn’t withstand the winner but was very good showing a lot of energy. DANCE IT OUT defended the pocket during the cutthroat fractions, to the Pocono Pike but could not quite get by for second. STRAIGHT UP COOL was outside behind the parked horse at the half, three-wide to the 3/4, a big race against the bias of the day. PRAIRIE PANTHER sat in, was in tight quarters finishing. SEVENTH SECRET was out trying to take the lead when misstepping at the 1/8. VANILLA MALTED gapped near the back. GUINNESS PANIC briefly got a 3-tuck after the breaker then went on to challenge for the top and got seared in brutal fractions, had no more at the 3/4.
FOURTEENTH RACE – GRAND CAYMAN went right to the lead, yielded to his looped rival at the ¼ and was content to sit in the two-hole, outside headstretch and went by nicely. JK MUSICMAN was looped and drove on to the lead nearing the frontstretch, set a reasonable pace, couldn’t stall the winner but clear of the others. CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN was away in good order, sat in third, to the Pocono Pike, held third while not threatening. PARMESAN N sat in and was shuffled to last, mildly along the inside late. THE WALL gradually caught up to good cover, three-wide when that cover faltered, did salvage a check. BULLVILLE TERROR went uncovered from next to last into turn two, paced up in 27.1 to pose a mild challenge, then was soon thereafter backing off. BUTTER UP stayed in then backed out third-over ¾ but didn’t contend.