SECOND RACE – SAPPHIRE CITY went to the lead at the 1/8, then went 27.4 with the wind and 28.1 against the wind, held off the late threat of THAT’S MY OPINION as the richest-ever PA Fair Sire Stakes champion raised his life bankroll to $1,311,447. THAT’S MY OPINION moved uncovered into the second turn then picked up cover into the backstretch, three-wide late turn, got going just a hair too late, good close. MR D’S DRAGON yielded for the pocket, a bit loose on the turn, seemed to get a renewed life when shown the Pocono Pike, then was tired in the last 100 feet. BELIEVEINTHESPIRIT tucked, then came raw off turn two, got to within a length of the leader, then gained no more but held his ground pretty well. EMPEROR MONTANA N took the inner route, looked to have room deep in the Pike but couldn’t make enough progress. PAPPY’S PAL offered little from third-over. ROCKIN THE HOUSE gapped badly from before the half. BIGTOWN HERO ran before the start.
THIRD RACE – Q ROCK was a length behind going into turn one but accelerated enough to keep SENOR GRANDE out in the air throughout, got a fresh uncovered challenger ¾ in WHOSURPAPA, held off that one and everybody else in a blanket finish as the pace slowed down. WHOSURPAPA was third-over on the second turn, moved three-deep early down the back to get to two-wide ¾, paced gamely but had to settle for place. CARIBBEAN BEACH kept the pocket throughout, Pocono Pike, not quite enough. AUTOTUNE HANOVER was buried inside, found room deep in the Pocono Pike midstretch and was moving fastest of all in the latter stages. HEADFORTHEBEACH stayed inside, evenly late. SENOR GRANDE left alertly but came up just shy of enough room to cross over going to the first curve, left out in the air, looped ¾ but continued on gamely. NO SHAME BLUE CHIP angled widest but couldn’t reach. GRANDPA DON was outside with cover the whole way, blindswitched down the back then didn’t have enough to follow the sweeper’s move.
FOURTH RACE – MUSTANG ART, longest shot on the board, was three-wide to the 1/8 then two-wide to the 26.1 quarter for command, came under pressure from the favorite early but was able to rebuff his move, opened some space into the stretch then had enough to withstand FORT KNOX. The latter left but then took back, stayed in then came up the Pocono Pike with good pace, though a touch belatedly. STARLITE KID made the lead at the 1/8 and yielded at the ¼ for the pocket, a step behind the top ones late. PREPARTY was third-over, blindswitched, ducked in late turn, fair late. EZ NOAH swung out to three-wide 11/16, got cover on the turn, couldn’t keep up late. I LIKE DREAMIN came with a brush 3/8 but was left out in the air, faded. SOMETHINGINTHEWIND was second-over on the second turn, three-wide at the ¾ but couldn’t make a dent.
FIFTH RACE – ROCKEN CAMNATION gapped badly early, still was last when moved outside 11/16, picked it up and went three-wide through the far turn, relentlessly made up ground in the lane and got the late decision. VISIBLE GOLD was outside with cover to the 1/8, then between horses to command 5/16, had pressure but not too fast a pace, didn’t miss by much. TOPCORNERTERROR started uncovered 3/8 and grinded away, stayed in the fight to the bitter end. CANE RIDGE yielded at the 1/8, was caught in, moved out then ducked inside the pacesetter between horses past midstretch and finished alertly. JONES BEACH gapped second-over. BETTOR ON TOP was two-wide early to 1/8 command, yielded 5/16 for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike but came up empty. KEYSTONE CAMARO spotted behind the early duelers, stayed in, was deep in the Pike, may have been in close quarters. NITTANY NATION was third-over, blindswitched by the winner, not prominent late. SAVVY SAVANNAH never got a call.
SIXTH RACE – MY TEMUDJIN N was looped early, lost cover at the 1/8 then went up to the point at the ¼, got a soft second quarter with the wind, then had the first-over come at him 5/8 and dueled with him most of the race of the way, getting a decided margin only late. JUST GOT PAID was first-up 3/8 and reached the leader at the 5/8, went neck-and-neck with him until past midstretch, whereupon he tired a little but still was gritty for second. ART’S DRAGON was three-wide leaving and looped the winner to the lead at the 1/8, let him go at the ¼, was a little loose in the two-hole when the pace increased down the back, evenly late. VILLAGE BEAT slipped out to third-over 11/16, four-wide headstretch and outfinished THE ROYAL GARDEN N for fourth. The latter had good cover second-over, three-wide late turn, fair. BACK BEYOND gapped third-over. ORLANDO’S EXPRESS gapped inside. CANT KNOCK ME never featured.
SEVENTH RACE – BRICKMAN tucked fourth, looked at quarter-moving but went back in while another made that move, came out before the 3/8 and rushed to the top at the half, drew far clear in the last quarter. TOMY TERROR came out shortly past the ¼ and raced in the outside flow, gapped significantly down the backstretch, but then found a better gear and went three-wide on the far turn, far clear of the rest for second. BAGGAGE CLAIM left between horses, tucked third 3/16, quarter-moved, then yielded to the winner at the half, gapped more and more the rest of the way, just did hold third. WINTER BLAST followed cover going to the 5/16, lost it at the half, was the closest to the leader most of the third quarter and through the far turn, then tired a little. CONNECTING FLIGHT got the last check. ONE TO DRAW TO decided to take charge from the rail, yielded and shuffled back some, then came up empty ¾. JIMMY C R was three-wide to the 3/16, got in the pocket at the ¼, struggled the latter part of the race. HOLLYROCK HEYDEN couldn’t keep up.
EIGHTH RACE – INSPIRATION VIEW was parked until the 5/16 until getting to the top, held off the first-over challenger to his right and the attempted pocket rocket to his left gamely. CAPITAL ACCOUNT pushed out strongly, yielded at the 5/16 and stayed tight, had his chance in the
Pocono Pike, didn’t miss by much. ROCK THREE TIMES cane raw from sixth and paced in 27.4 against the wind down the backstretch to gain contention, battled very hard right to the finish. B WELL gapped the contentious early pace, inside, deep Pocono Pike, a step behind the top ones. THEREISAPACEFORUS also stayed in, had no stretch clearance while looking to have good pace. ROAD UNTRAVELED kept the pocket closed early, then backed out to second-over 11/16, three-wide midturn, OK late. GYMOKEE JERRY did not make his presence felt. ONEISALONELYNUMBER was originally second-over but gapped that good cover. ROARING REI lost composure soon after the start.
NINTH RACE – DATELINE HANOVER came out at the ¼, waited on a foe to clear then brushed to the lead, rolled on with solid fractions and opened a big lead from the 5/8 to headstretch, then was urged through the lane as giving way and knowing that others were coming, enough to hold on. DR DRAKE RAMORAY was second-over behind non-reaching cover, rolled three-wide late turn and made up ground on the winner with every stretch step. MIDNIGHT SHARK came out in a blindswitch, followed the place horse late turn then swung wide of him, had late pace. CLASSY HILL was four-wide leaving and three-wide to the first turn then made the top, yielded, shuffled badly late backstretch and on the far turn, clear in the Pocono Pike and fought back well. SB IDEAL IN ART was in the cover flow but couldn’t keep up in the last 1/8. THE ROCKINATOR slid in midpack 5/16, not heard from again. ADONIS BAY left and was looped, got took until the 5/16 to make the top, yielded, couldn’t keep up from the 5/8. GOLDEN GESTURE was first-over but couldn’t even get even with a badly-gapping pocket horse. SHE’S HEAVENLY was last at every call.
TENTH RACE – MAJOR UPTREND was on the move just before the 5/16, pushed by the lead and the wind to get to the half in 53.2, but despite that hard usage maintained control to the wire. ORILLIA JOE was looped early and tucked third 3/16, came uncovered before the 5/8 and grinded up, got close to the leader late on the turn, drifted out gradually through the lane to about 5-wide but held second. BOOK BINGE made the lead going to turn one, pushed a foe just past a hard quarter, yielded, coming up the Pocono Pike with some urging and looked like he was going to be a clear third when he made a break nearing the wire, placed for a LOB. SCOTT ROCKS was third-over behind a gapper and went three-wide midturn, finished steadily well inside the place horse. LIMELIGHT BEACH worked very hard to get the lead just past the 26 opener, then made the winner race a ways before yielded just before the lightning half, didn’t have much left in the last 3/16. BARIMAH A was fourth-over, three-wide with cover then four-wide headstretch, finished well from an impossible spot. PRETTY BOY HILL was no factor. NEXT SUCCESS didn’t get into the main chase. CITY HALL started uncovered at the half, then was well-placed second-over before the 5/8 but was empty.
ELEVENTH RACE – CRAZSHANA tucked, moved uncovered at the half, stepped lively against the wind down the back to clear before the ¾ and open a margin that never was seriously threatened. ABC MUSCLES BOY went right to the lead, got a cheap half, but couldn’t match the quickstep of the winner before the ¾, did keep to task to the wire as a good second. GET TO DOIN IT gave the gate respect on the turn before the start, then made a brief break after the gate sprang, caught the field then moved second-over at the ½, left uncovered before the ¾ and photoed out MAN OF MUSCLE for third. The latter sat in the pocket, couldn’t cope with the late speed. AUSPICIOUS HANOVER wasn’t in contention when he checked after FLEET BUMBLEBEE broke headstretch. The latter moved outside and was looking to go wider headstretch but miscued.
TWELFTH RACE – TECHTOR HANOVER raced up into the pocket towards the 1/8, quickstepped to the 3/8 to the lead past same, drew clear of these. MAXI BON left like a shot to quickly get the top, rank past the quarter and then yielded to the winner for the pocket, held second despite drifting wide in the stretch. LEAN ON YOU came all the way up the inside and used the Pocono Pike to win a photo for third over DR C’S Z TAM. The latter moved out 5/8, three-wide late turn, evenly. MATRIX OF LUCK started uncovered going to the second turn, stopped gaining ¾. MACHS BEACH BOY gapped inside. BELIEVE THIS BOB was stuck outside early and didn’t settle in until the ¼, then again outside on turn two, swung inside to avoid the 9/16 breaker, then moved out again, but couldn’t gain contention. KING OF THE CROP came out at the half and was in good position second-over but broke not far into the backstretch.
THIRTEENTH RACE – CAULFIELD pushed a foe to a quick quarter, yielded, able to get back out second-over 9/16, three-wide midturn, had a long stretch fight with CLASSICAL ANNIE before claiming the lead for good late. The latter was looped and behind cover until the ¼, then rushed up past that station to get the lead just past the half, trotted on very gamely through the stretch. NOBLE ANTHONY was third-over, looked to be going about all he could to maintain third at the finish. CELEBRITY EVENTSY tucked third at the 3/16, was shuffled back to last, outside midstretch and finished solidly. MODERN MERCURY moved outside 3/8 and was left first-over past the half, dropped into the pocket late on the turn but had no further forward gear. CRAZY ABOUT PAT showed the most early speed to grab the top after a 27.1 quarter, yielded, started to struggle before the ¾.
FOURTEENTH RACE – TG’S DIVINE SCENE started first-up at the 3/8, went up in 27.2 against the wind to challenge the leader, got an advantage ¾ but couldn’t clear, but managed to make the lead stand up to the wire as many were narrowing in. ADMIRAL was fourth-over, able to ease out three-wide late turn as the occupant of that path drifted wide, got in gear headstretch and ate up a lot of late ground. IDEAL ROCKY was second-over but gapped, came back in the stretch. SPORTSKEEPER was five-wide leaving, four-wide to the first turn, then raced up to tuck fourth at the 3/16, sat in and was shuffled badly on the turn, was able to angle out behind the place horse and also passed a lot of horses late. SOLAR SURPRISE yielded on the first turn but was soon back on the move to regain the throttle just past the ¼, was briefly clear off the second turn then was under hard pressure from the winner past the 5/8, gave way. MATT MAJOR tucked third, also shuffled on the far turn, pace at the end with no clear path. MIRAMONTMAN left four-wide with speed to command before the 1/8, yielded for the two-hole, labored most of the last half. MR CENSI had cover, three-deep on the far turn but drifted wide past midturn opening up the three-wide path. WHITE MOUNTAIN TOP was never close.