FIRST RACE – Mid 60s to lower 70s … Stretch headwind … ONE AFTER NINE was four-wide in an early duel, three-wide 3/16 to finally reach the top past that point, easily late in a good time for this class. DEVIOUS PROMISES made the inside third at the 1/8 and stayed there until early stretch, then moved out and went past a tiring CHUCKY DE VIE. The latter was three-wide early then two-wide to the front 3/16, soon yielded for the pocket, stayed close until the last 1/8. TRUEMASS VOLO avoided trouble. MANWILLING was far back, wide stretch, so-so. JUSTIFY left some, moved uncovered just past the 5/8 but never gained; MUSCLES JARED was outside behind that one with little response. NO NAME YANKEE was already leaving a hole before the 3/8.
SECOND RACE – THREE WAYS N started well and controlled the pace, maintained a safe margin as a herd descended upon him late. ADRENALINE RUSH was wide early, then behind cover until tucking fifth, third-over to the half, three-wide 11/16 and let a horse out, widest in the stretch from last and won a five-way photo for second in the money – even better than the line may indicate. MICHAEL’S MONSTER started uncovered at the ½ and challenged, held well. PANTHEON HANOVER was second-over, blindswitched then found clearance and went three-wide, fair late. DJ’S BIG ELVIS moved out ¾ behind a packed outer tier, gapped in a blindswitch on the turn, gained some in the lane behind the winner as the pace slowed. TODDLER TANTRUM went up early, took the pocket 3/16, could go only evenly late. BRIGADOON never entered the picture.
THIRD RACE – SOME KINDA CRAZY sat third until the ¾, then challenged, took the lead, and won handily. SHARP CURVE was in the pocket before the 1/8, a little loose in quarter three, backed out behind the winner far turn, easily second-best. KNIGHTS GUARD went down the road, very little in the last 1/8. JOLLY RANCHER was wide early taking back and didn’t reach the pylons until past the ¼, the out again to get around stragglers, OK. FINEST MOMENT was well off the pace, Pocono Pike and a bit late. FOX HOLE was not particularly bothered by the backstretch breaker but never was able to close the hole on the breakway three. SCOTTY DEO was three-wide leaving, tucked fourth near the ¼, broke early backstretch and went to the centerfield. YO CARTER galloped soon after coming off the turn before the start.
FOURTH RACE – BABY TAKE A VOW was three-high before turn one, took the top at the ¼, set a very moderate pace, still could draw off through the stretch. NINA HANOVER went to the early lead, pushed the ¼ then yielded for the two-hole, not enough for the winner but held second comfortably. EVER HOPEFUL G sat inside and just got third on the money over QUEEN OF THORNTON. The latter came out of third 5/8, advanced a little then backed off. RAVIOLI had a touch of trot wide late. MERCURY LANE was outside down the back, gained on the far turn but then couldn’t sustain. MISS HALL was second-over, bore out late backstretch and broke.
FIFTH RACE – BETTOR’S WESTERN was three-wide early and raced into the pocket 3/16, waited until the top of the stretch, then moved outside and paced past CAVIART SAGE. The latter was quick to command, didn’t come under pressure, second-best. PLAY THE ACE had some speed, then gapped third-in, evenly stretch. INTRIGUED AGAIN moved uncovered just past the half but couldn’t even get past a gapper much less threaten the leader. IT’SGOODTOBEDAKING gapped inside. ASTON HILL DAVE got cover, didn’t tip wide, not too much. PACK YOUR BAGS was always far back. MISTER DAYTONA N was very hard to take back and settle inside, fell further back.
SIXTH RACE – HEZA SCOUNDREL went up to grab the front 3/16, set a moderate pace, proved much the best. PAUC HANOVER was right on top, yielded, held second over TOMMY BOY HANOVER. The latter came uncovered past the 5/8 and one-geared up, had trot on the end. F SCOTT’S MUSE avoided trouble. SEMINOLE MOON moved uncovered before the 5/8 then picked up cover, gapped it, ducked inside in the stretch, commenced a run midstretch then went past the wire, placed. FAWN DE SIGN stayed close for ¾ of a mile in third, then tired. STAR HOPPING was a bit off the gate, then broke 3/16.
SEVENTH RACE – HEISONTHEHUNT sat midpack well off the runaway then followed cover late backstretch, swung wide into the stretch and finished well to catch LOOTABLE. The latter was wide leaving pursuing the lead, got it and had an open-length margin through fast fractions, had others coming to him past the ¾, still held with courage to just miss. RUSTY BEACH yielded for the pocket, was loose in it most of the way, Pocono Pike, had a shot, came up just shy. BULLVILLE STEPHANO tucked third, moved outside 5/8 and advanced, flattened a little late. YANKEE CLOUT was far back, found room between horses ¾ and was along for the last payday. SOUTHWIND SAMBUCCA started the outer flow, but then couldn’t reach cover and drifted out. MIKI DE VIE showed little. APERITIF was rough-gaited, drifted outside until settling back, nothing to offer this afternoon.
EIGHTH RACE – UNICORN BLUE CHIP obtained the pocket, stayed in past midturn but then found room to move outside early stretch, finished strongly to catch I CANT REFUSE. The latter was on top at the 1/8, slowed quarter two then went faster, held well until deep in the lane. SANTA MONICA AS was connected in third, outside late turn but not nearly as much as the top two. GADOT HANOVER never featured. DIGNITY HANOVER looked at leaving but took back while rank, at least stayed errorless. FLIRTINWITHTHEHELP broke before the ¼, nearly caught the field. FRESHGROUNDPEPPER was looking to leave but broke right at the start.
NINTH RACE – IDEAL ALEXA moved from midpack 3/16 to take the top 5/16, when pushed a foe until releasing that one into turn two, became part of a two-hole breakaway ¾ when the first-over broke, outside stretch and went by easily. HES EXPRESS had the pocket early, moved after the winner cleared and was used to make the front into the clubhouse turn, couldn’t hold on to the advantage late. LURKINGINTHESHADOWS was pushed wide by a breaker at the ¼, moved out ¾ and came home very well. SWEET GADGETS gapped second-over. MY SWEET KATE was just off of the gate, made a break at the ¼, did recover for a check. IVY HANOVER was in front early, saw two go by in quarter two and struggled to keep close to them before fading for good ¾. MIKI B MOUSE got underway uncovered before the 5/8, gained some ground before miscuing ¾.
TENTH RACE – PURPLE LORD was second-over and wide into the lane, appeared to find a higher gear midstretch and caught the favorite at the end. BELLA MACCHIATO, wide early, went on top at the 1/8 and pushed a rival to a fast ¼ before yielding, retook 3/8, fought off the first-over and opened a clear lead upper stretch, but couldn’t sustain her steps to the finish. PORTOFINO used the rail to early advantage, yielded, came out 5/8 to challenge raw, couldn’t sustain the move in the stretch. GRIZZ WYLLIE was last to the ¾, was behind dull cover, ducked between horses early stretch and gained some ground. THE BLACK ACE was third-over but couldn’t quite stay with cover. SINATRA DE VIE was extremely wide in the early landrush and three-wide to the 1/8, then two-wide to get the lead after a fast quarter, yielded 3/8, began fading at the ¾. BUDWEISER GIRL was gapping when breaking far turn.
ELEVENTH RACE – MIKITEEN left, took third at the 1/8, then was on the move just before the 1/4 to get the lead before the 3/8, went a good third quarter stringing out most foes, had CAPTAIN UP come out of the pocket past midturn but just paced away from that one. The latter was on the point at the 1/8, let the winner go 3/8 and stayed close, moved out strongly past midturn but was left in the dust late, did hold on to second. CLEVELAND B MIKI gapped down the backstretch, was doing better late. HESTONATOR was away swiftly, yielded, a bit loose off the top two down the back, so-so late while far ahead of the rest. BARNEY HANOVER was out behind dull cover, ducked in on the turn, found room to move two-wide near headstretch, got the last check. GOFORBROKE YANKEE never factored. SOLAR BOLT gapped at the back. CRÈME DE LOU CRÈME moved uncovered into turn two but never made any progress.
TWELFTH RACE – CHOCO CHARLIE was three-wide early, tucked fourth, moved uncovered into the backstretch and just kept grinding away until subduing his foes. PADRE used the inside advantage and took the early lead, finally yielded just past the 3/8 for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike and took second. SAY YOU DO was four-wide to the first turn and three-wide to the 3/16, finally got to the lead under the wire the first time, got ever-nearing pressure late backstretch, held pretty well after hard early usage. STEEL SCHOONER was second-over, one-paced. TEDDY BROSEVELT maintained the early pocket, stayed in, not enough the last 3/16. KEYSTONE SERGEANT made a break midstretch while not in contention. UFTON ABBY HANOVER moved third-over 5/8 but never got in the main battle.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LORD OF MISRULE came out 3/8 to circle a gapper, briefly in then to second-over and steadily advanced, three-wide late turn, made the lead midstretch, held off LENWOODS REAL DEAL in an undistinguished last quarter. The latter followed the winner, four-wide in the stretch, found a better gear just a little too late. SPORTSMANSHIP closed a gap to the ¼, uncovered 9/16 and challenged a long way, never had the lead but kept to task well. BOLTMAN gapped throughout, moved wide midstretch to pass the two tiring front-end types. ROCKIN THE BLAZE yielded for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike but had no gain. HES REALLY KEEN hit the front in a fast ¼, set the pace with pressure from late backstretch, nothing left for the latter stages.
FOURTEENTH RACE – HELP PAGE came through at the start, was three-wide to the 1/8, proceeded up to methodically get the lead 3/8, kept on rolling, came home in only 30.1 but that was enough to complete the Buter/Butenschoen dominance of the day. QUITE FAST was on the point at the 1/8, pushed to the 3/8 then yielded for the two-hole, had a chance in the Pocono Pike but had to settle for second. RUFFLES N LACE had early speed and raced close-up, nowhere to go far turn, found room between horses late and was closing in. MISSILE launched a long uncovered bid from early backstretch, held decently. SAINT TRIXIE tucked in fifth, then backed out to second-over 5/8, OK. GUCCI GIRL was shuffled inside, couldn’t make up ground in the lane. SIR FRANK made a break at the ¼; WAVELIKEAQUEEN had to check behind him, then lost contact with the field.