Penn National

SAPPHIRE PRINCE broke a step slow, loomed three wide in the turn to enter the stretch battling FOR SOME REASON, began to edge clear in the final sixteenth, just held under strong urging. STRAWBERRY TREAT pressed the pace from the inside in the early stages, backed off to chase through the turn, shifted out to the three path in the upper stretch, responded well in the final sixteenth but it was too late. FOR SOME REASON was quick to take early command, met a bid from SAPPHIRE PRINCE rounding the turn, dueled that foe until giving way in the final sixteenth. KBCYA LATER was reluctant to load the gate, tracked the pace four wide, lacked a bid. IRA THE ICON stalked the early pace in the three path, backed off to trail after the quarter.

XMAS IN CAIRO applied pressure to the early pace setter, contested the lead in the upper stretch, dug in with strong encouragement for a narrow victory. OMIKAMI trailed for most, made a bold move rounding the far turn to gain along the inside before shifting out four wide, fought hard down the lane but just missed. MY LADY JBELLA opted to chase the early pace setter, launched an inside bid in the upper stretch, led briefly at the sixteenth before getting nailed at the wire. G'S FIREBALL dictated the terms of the race until finding herself between bids at the top of the stretch and ultimately gave way. IXCHEL tracked the pace from the four path, finished evenly. WHATTA WORLD raced off the pace, lacked a bid. SPARKLING RUBY stalked pace three wide until retreating through the far turn.

CLASSIC NOFTY settled off the pace, ranged up in the far turn but got in tight around the quarter, managed to split foes three wide at the top of the lane and drove clear. CHILLHOUSE chased the pace from the inside, tipped out a lane in the stretch to pass the initial pace setter while being overtaken by the eventual winner in the final furlong. THIRTY WEST quickly set the pace under pressure from BOLD HOPPERTUNITY, shook clear of that one through the far turn, grudgingly gave way to outer foes in the final furlong. RESPIGHI broke a bit outward, recovered well to stalk the pace three wide, lacked the response needed. BOLD HOPPERTUNITY pressed the early pace from the two path, began retreating at the three eighths. HOT ROD KITTY was outran.

RIP MY HEART was away sharply, dictated the terms of the race, drew clear under minimal urging, much the best. THE PIRANHA settled back to be the early trailer, finished well along the outside of the stretch to earn the place award. CRAIGH NA DUN shadowed the early pace setter three wide, was unable to keep up with the leader, weakened in the stretch. PONCHITO ROJO raced off the pace, never threatened. STAND BY STEVE chased the pace from the inside, retreated through the turn.