Here’s what’s on tap for the Midlantic racing weekend:

Top Midlantic-breds in Action: Valid wins again

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  • Virginia-bred Valid was sent off as the favorite in Saturday’s Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and he lived up to his billing.  The Medaglia d’Oro gelding, bred by the late Edward P. Evans, took over from leader Mr. Jordan at the eighth pole and then had plenty to hold off late-running Madefromlucky by three-quarters of a length to win the $100,000, 1 1/16 mile test.  Running time was 1:42.27.  Valid is trained by Marcus Vitali for Crossed Sabres Farm and was ridden to victory — his fourth of 2015 and 11th overall — by Javier Castellano.  Valid is ranked fourth in the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll.
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Midlantic-breds in Graded Stakes: Stiffed rallies into third

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  • New Jersey-bred Stiffed was never really a threat to win Saturday’s Grade 3 Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream Park but rallied smartly to be third, the second graded placing of her career.  Ridden by Orlando Bocachica for trainer John Mazza and owner-breeder Holly Crest Farm, Stiffed loitered far behind the rest of the field in the one-mile test, trailing her nearest competitor by nine lengths after a half-mile.  The daughter of Stephen Got Even swung out six wide entering the lane to run into the triple, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner Cali Star.  Her 2015 ledger shows three wins and more than $177,000 in earnings.
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Stakes in the Region: Aye a Song triumphs

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  • Saturday’s Eleanor Casey Memorial Stakes at Charles Town figured to be a three-horse affair, with freshman distaff contenders Aye a Song, Charitableprincess, and Stoweshoe all worthy of bettors’ attention.  In the end, that proved incorrect; the Casey was all about John McKee’s Aye a Song, who continued her reign of terror over the West Virginia-bred two-year-old filly division with a no-doubt-about-it seven-length score in the $50,000 event.  McKee, who bred, owns, and trains the daughter of Fiber Sonde, put regular rider Christian Hiraldo in the irons, and that duo romped home, grabbing a 2 1/2 length lead by the first call and widening from there.  Running time was 1:27.22 for seven furlongs, with Charitableprincess chasing vainly for second.  Tribal Heat was third.  Aye a Song, whose only defeat came to males when second in the Tri-State Futurity, has won five of six and earned $165,105.
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