A summary of the great harness racing at Pocono Downs last Saturday that the meadia experienced;
FIRST RACE – CINAMONY was away quickly, yielded and then made a quarter-move, controlled the pace, sprinting home in 27 to be drawing away late. KATIE SAID was first-over nearing the half, grinded up, held with great gameness through the lane to win a three-way decision for second. KRISPY APPLE charged out to command, yielded past the quarter to the winner for the pocket, had a clear shot in the Pocono Pike but could not reach. OOH BAD SHARK tucked third behind the two early boilers at the 1/8, went to the deep Pocono Pike, did pretty well. YAGONNASKISSMEORNOT tucked fourth just past the 1/8, thought about coming out first-over but stayed in nearing the half, then angled very wide early stretch and finished with speed. LUCY’S PEARL worked out a great second-over trip from eighth, but didn’t have enough at crunch time. THE OTHERS never gained contention.
SECOND RACE – INVEST IN ART was quarter-mover #2 and the fourth – and last – leader before the second turn, kicked the plugs past midturn, held sway to the wire although several others tried to wrest the win away. STRUT MY STUFF outgunned the field four-wide into the first turn, then saw three go by in the second quarter, came back out again raw and challenged, looked to be melting off as two lengths down midstretch, but battled back ultra-gamely to just miss in a picture and edge SOUTHWIND ROULETTE for second. The latter tucked early then was quarter-mover #1, relinquished to the winner for the pocket, tried very hard in the Pocono Pike and didn’t miss by much at all. LUCK BE A LINDY was second-over, hung in there fairly well. CRESCENT CITY couldn’t reach from third-over. WELL HELLO THERE was looped leaving and needed until the 5/16 to get control of the racetrack, then saw two rush by in quick succession, gapped out ¾. THE OTHERS couldn’t get into a forward flow.
THIRD RACE – MUSCLE DIAMOND raced second-over, three-wide headstretch, along very late in a five-across-the-wire finish. CRUZADO DELA NOCHE moved uncovered just before the half, went 27.2 into a slight breeze to pressure the leader, kept at it steadily. CRESCENT FASHION stayed in, gapped a little down the back, then tightened and went steadily in the deep Pocono Pike. SOUTHWIND MOZART made the lead at the 1/8 and took these a long way, under pressure much of the second half before tiring very late. BOOTS N CHAINS yielded for the pocket, not enough in the Pocono Pike. REAL DJ HANOVER and RALPH R gapped. DONATOMITE was three-wide to the 1/8, broke trying to take back into the 3-hole 3/16. NEWCASTLE lost gait shortly after the start.
FOURTH RACE – The wind has picked up and is now a stretch tailwind … ROLLIN RING AFIRE was carried up perfectly second-over – well, semi-perfectly, because he was left uncovered just past ¾ as the first-over tucked in the pocket, but continued on strongly to get the decision with horses coming from both sides. RUFO was first-over into the second turn, challenged, backed off a mite to go into the pocket just past the ¾, came back for more in the Pocono Pike and got the lead to midstretch but couldn’t quite sustain to the wire. PAPARAZZI HANOVER, last at the quarter, was in the fine flow third-over, narrowed in strongly. LYONS LEVI LEWIS was outleft, bypassed the pocket in favor of being outside past a 25.4 opener to get the top, kept going on the lead, saw the first-over take the pocket behind him to the ¾, held well. TRADING UP, wide early, backed off to take a 4-tuck, was shuffled as the pocketsitter gave way then was out in a blindswitch, finished with pace then edged LUCPARK for the last check. The latter was placed up-close, also shuffled behind a tiring pocketsitter, out then back in, evenly. TOMY TERROR followed WESTERN PONDER wide on the far turn, but neither could reach. DRAGON EDDY outburst everybody early and pushed a horse past a 25.4 opener before yielding, was tiring 5/8.
FIFTH RACE – E L TITAN improved position early, then was in a great spot second-over, three-wide late on the turn and powered by late. RESOLVE made the front just past the 1/8, pushed a foe to the 5/16 before yielding for the pocket, went to the Pocono Pike and went quickly to the lead just past midstretch, nipped on the end. DAYLON MIRACLE worked out a fine trip behind the winner, widest and flying late in a big race. JL CRUZE drifted then got in gear at the 1/8 and went to the front 5/16, did not get wild fractions for this kind, beaten midstretch but held very gamely. WIND OF THE NORTH let RESOLVE go at the 1/8, inside, also in the Pike, two steps behind the top ones. NATURAL HERBIE was first-over before the clubhouse turn, got to the leader’s wheel midturn before fading some. THE OTHERS were not prominent, with ETRUSCAN HANOVER making a break very early.
SIXTH RACE – SINGLE ME won because of the move she didn’t make – as IDEAL NUGGETS was deciding whether to let SEEKING NIRVANA go, driver Miller tipped the winner half-out implying a quarter-move, which caused the leader to hang her foe and give the winner a perfect pocket trip, outside headstretch to keep SERIOUS FILLY three-wide, strong late. SERIOUS FILLY was carried up a long way by the parked horse then had to move three-wide midturn as that one stopped suddenly, second-best. TRIPLE V HANOVER was behind SERIOUS FILLY and edged STORM POINT for third; the latter sat in, found stretch clearance, got slightly rough nearing the wire and missed out on third. IDEAL NUGGETS was pressed by SEEKING NIRVANA, who was urged early, nearing the ¼, then decided to hang that foe throughout, with the parked horse right in it until stopping badly on the far turn and the pacesetter fading in the lane. THE OTHERS were not factors.
SEVENTH RACE – CENTURION ATM went up wide at the 1/8 and raced into the pocket past the ¼, vacated the two-hole to challenge, powered by in the last 1/8 to win easily. ALDEBARAN EAGLE took a tuck, stayed connected, up to the pocket as the winner came out, up the Pocono Pike and got second a three-way photo. WHOM SHALL I FEAR was sent away and forced tucks during and just past a 27.3 quarter, backed off the half, met the heat of the winner past the 5/8, could not sustain in the lane. FASHION CREDITOR came out just past the half, got cover just past the 5/8, gapped on the turn but finished steadily. CUE HALL was no factor. WALTER WHITE made a break 3/16, repaired well. DIVISIONIST was outside early, broke on the second turn. HONOR AND SERVE got a slow start, third-over when he made a break on the far turn. SHOOT THE THRILL was not a contender when he broke on the backstretch.
EIGHTH RACE – BLOOD BROTHER was well-placed just off a cutthroat half, second-over behind a parked-the-mile horse, three-wide late turn and had the most late. K-ROCK followed the winner, four-wide in the lane and was along for second over a pack of foes. BADIOU HANOVER was outside midpack early, in gear 3/16 and three-wide 5/16 around a parked horse to get the lead past the 3/8, set the pace with pressure in fast middle splits, held well. PARKLANE EAGLE was last at the 3/4, advanced in a blindswitch in the turn and followed the path of the winner, closed well. ALLBEEF N NOBULL forced a very fast quarter, yielded then moved to the top before the next wave came, yielded to the wide brusher, pocket, Pocono Pike, so-so late. BADIX HANOVER left between horses in a furious opener, was taken back to try to tuck third but wouldn’t go in, was looped nearing the 3/8 and left out raw, two-wide the duration, hung in there very well. CARDIAC FASHION was widest in the lane and finished OK+. REMEMBER ME VK was three-wide 3/16 and parked past the 25.3 opener for command, yielded, not too much left late. MCARDLES LIGHTNING tucked fourth past the 1/8, no factor late.
NINTH RACE – ALWAYS AT MY PLACE kept the pocket shut 3/16, then was able to move out 5/16 in front of the parked horse to an immediate lead, hit the half in 53 and the drew clear to the 1:20 3/4s, saw some foes coming on the far turn so was put to encouragement through more than half the stretch, stayed clear and finished in 1:47.2 – a time beaten only here by Sweet Lou (1:47 here) in the history of 5/8-mile tracks (Pet Rock went that clocking at Scioto, and State Treasurer would tie it the next day at Tioga – that’s good company). CAPTIVE AUDIENCE worked his way into a 5-tuck at the quarter, then followed cover nearing the ¾, just edged BANDOLITO for second. The latter moved out before the ¾ as DAPPER DUDE started to give way, just caught for second in the closing strides. SCOTT ROCKS came all the way up the inside. GREAT VINTAGE moved out behind the parked horse on the second turn, went three-wide 5/8 around the parked horse but never gained much; nor did ALEXA’S JACKPOT on his back. FOOL ME ONCE gapped inside. DAPPER DUDE set sail from the rail, yielded to the winner, began losing contact before the ¾. DOMETHATAGAIN left in a bid for the lead, saw the pocket shut on him and then saw that pocket horse get in front of him and brush to the lead, left outside raw and faded past he half.
TENTH RACE – BETTOR BE STEPPIN was steppin’ early and made the top at the 1/8, rated the half, then sprinted first in 27 to ward off the backstretch challenger, then 27.1 to keep away Pikeshooting MOMAS GOT A GUN for the victory. The latter left hard and secured the pocket, took her shot in the Pocono Pike, good but had to settle for second. SASSA HANOVER took the 4-spot early, came first-up into the second turn, rolled in 26.3 down the back to put pressure on the leader, but flattened some late (understandably). TOTALLY RUSTY maintained early position, stayed in, deep in the Pocono Pike and OK. THE SHOW RETURNS was second-over and loomed when moving three-wide midturn, but couldn’t get it into a high enough gear. SAFE FROM TERROR sat in, had pace in very tight quarters between horses, may not have been clear. WICKED LITTLE MINX and IMAGINE DRAGON never factored.
ELEVENTH RACE – CRAZY WOW maximized his chances here, taking advantage of the break of the heavy favorite, then trotted up to keep the pocket filled in the 26.3 opener, had the garden trip in the two-hole, then to the Pocono Pike and steadily to go by the leader midstretch and draw clear, giving Tetrick four (for four different trainers) and Burke three (for three different drivers). THE BANK tucked early, was taken to the deep Pocono Pike, at first didn’t respond sharply (tight quarters?), but then responded just past midstretch to be along for second. UNCLE LASSE went down the road under pressure, laboring a little bit in the last 1/16. WICKER HANOVER sat in, gained but was shut off. FRENCH LAUNDRY was wide off cover and got the last check. CANEPA HANOVER never went inside, went a 56.1 middle half raw to press the leader, held well. SUIT AND TIE was second-over, wide but couldn’t gain enough. JACKSON’S MINION made a forward bid, found no hole and broke while outside past the ¼. PINKMAN was not on the gate and then made a break some 50 feet before the start.
TWELFTH RACE – WIGGLE IT JIGGLEIT was unhurried early, uncovered 3/8, rode outside the third quarter then was tapped going to the 11/16 and soon gave a burst that carried him right to the lead (oh, they were going 26.2), was under a hold late but equaled the 3PG world record of 1:48. WAKIZASHI HANOVER left very hard between horses and took the pocket behind ARTSPEAK in the 25.4 opener, shuffled a little as the winner got away, had a good Pocono Pike response for second but wasn’t threatening the dominating horse. DUDE’S THE MAN had a second-over trip, couldn’t keep up at the ¾ but held gamely for third. ARTSPEAK was wide into the first turn, paid a 25.4 price for command, rated the half, then increased the speed down the back but still was left behind past the ¾, good. THE OTHERS never really entered serious contention here – though the entire field broke 1:50.
THIRTEENTH RACE – LYONS AGAIN went down the road, left these behind (save ELWELL) in a 26.2 third quarter, then handled that one’s late gain for Burke’s fourth (Gingras his only “repeater”). ELWELL was uncovered from the 3/8, tucked in the pocket ¾, out again in the lane but had to settle for second. HALL OF TERROR and MODERN YANKEE kept to the inside and were next in line (a lot of minor checks have been won by horses who were less than two-wide most their last halves). REGGIANO gapped cover. AMORA BEACH had the pocket leaving, tired from chasing the 26.2 third quarter, gave the pocket and faded. DREAMS BEACH BOY never factored from third-over. THE OTHER PAIR were never close.
FOURTEENTH RACE – BODACIOUS made the top past the 1/8, had pressure from the 5/8, but saw the $355,000 yearling purchase price kick in and she handled challengers to both sides to win the finale, Tetrick’s fifth (five different trainers). HILLARY’S STYLE joined the fray second-over, wide in the lane and motoring late. SHAKAI HANOVER went first-up into turn two and scooted in 26.4 to be nose-to-nose with the winner most of the rest of the way, stayed in the thick of it. ALEXA SAID yielded for the pocket, Pocono Pike, a step shy. KAY’S DRAGON LADY angled wide but couldn’t gain. DELI BEACH didn’t seem to be going forward, then checked when SHOWTIME TERROR broke in front of her past the 5/8.
Jerry Connors