Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: July 7

Yaupon won the Lite the Fuse Stakes at Pimlico on Sunday. Photo: Jim McCue/MJC

Plenty of racing action took place throughout the Mid-Atlantic this past week.

Here’s a look at the “three stars” of each track:

PIMLICO

• FIRST STAR: YAUPON. Last year, Yaupon dazzled racing fans with a string of impressive races, including a victory in the Chick Lang Stakes here last October. He won his first race of the year on Sunday, as he won the Lite the Fuse Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths. In the early stages, New York invader Chateau set the pace by himself, while 2-5 Yaupon rated in third. Turning for home, Ricardo Santana Jr began to urge Yaupon on, while Chateau held on to the lead. In the last eighth, Yaupon pulled clear, and drew away in the stretch, He covered six furlongs in 1:09.42, just a few ticks slower than the 1:09.10 mark he ran last fall. He’s owned by William and Corrine Helligbrodt, and trained by Steve Asmussen.
• SECOND STAR: MRS. ORB. The co-feature on Sunday’s big card, the Caesar’s Wish Stakes, went to Mrs. Orb by half a length. She was the slight 2.10-1 favorite in the seven-horse field, and rated in fourth early on. As early leader Artful Splatter began to back up, Mrs. Orb made her move, but was soon overwhelmed by Trolley Ride, who came from last to open up. In the last sixteenth, however, Trolley Ride began to wilt, and under vigorous urging from Horacio Karamanos, Mrs. Orb surged to victory. This was her third stakes win; her previous two came at Aqueduct. She’s co-owned by Michael Miceli, in association with Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, and Script R Farm. 
•  THIRD STAR: JORGE RUIZ. Ruiz won three races in Sunday’s card, including the Concern Stakes in a 9-1 upset. He won race 2 on No Foolin Dude for trainer Marilyn McMullen, then took race 6 aboard Behind the Couch, trained by John Salzman Sr. In the Concern Stakes, he drew off with Alwaysinahurry, who moved wide and ran away from heavy favorite Mighty Mischief, who finished second. Ruiz is in fourth place in the standings, with 19 wins from 101 mounts.

CHARLES TOWN RACES

  MONMOUTH PARK

• FIRST STAR: GOLDEN BROWN. This Jersey-bred veteran won the John J. Reilly Handicap on Sunday by 2 3/4 lengths. In doing so, he won a race at Monmouth for the fourth consecutive year. He sat right off early leaders Prendimi and Optic Way as they dueled, enjoying a great trip in third. As they turned for home, he moved to engage the leaders, and drew away from them in the stretch to win going away, stopping the clock in a sharp 1:09. He’s now won nine times from 29 career starts, with earnings of more than $674,000. He’s owned by ABL Stable, Bossone, Donnelly, and Schnoor, trained by Pat McBurney, and ridden by Paco Lopez. 
• SECOND STAR: HONEY I’M GOOD. Off a third-place finish in the Bed o’Roses Stakes, Bayerness was the heavy favorite in Saturday’s Regret Stakes. However, despite a frantic late rally, she could not get by Honey I’m Good, who went gate-to-wire and held on for a neck win. That’s the first win of the year for the Steve Asmussen-trained filly, and a nice bounce-back effort following a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Politely Stakes. She’s owned by Almost Heaven Stables and ridden by Gerardo Corrales. 
• THIRD STAR: JOSE FERRER. Ferrer continued a fantastic season on Sunday, winning three races. He took race 4 on Nora Radd, for trainer Jose Delgado, race 8 on Jeff Englehart-trained Arithmetic, and the 11th race aboard Beach Traffic, trained by Tim Hills. Ferrer has a slight lead in the jockey standings, leading Paco Lopez 25-24. 

DELAWARE PARK

• FIRST STAR: CRAZY BEAUTIFUL. Heading into Saturday’s Delaware Oaks, Crazy Beautiful had high expectations. Off a pair of graded stakes wins this year, she was made the 1-5 favorite in the nine-horse field. She delivered on her promise, drawing off to an emphatic six-length win. After enjoying a great trip right off the leaders near a slow pace, she moved to the front around the final turn and kicked away easily under Mike Smith. This striking gray filly is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III and trained by Ken McPeek.
• SECOND STARS: BRITTANY AND SHELDON RUSSELL. The Russells came up to Delaware and found themselves in the winner’s circle twice. The wife/husband trainer/jockey team won a pair of stakes, taking the Christiana Stakes with Out of Sorts, who rallied from last on the SOFT grass course, and Whereshetoldmetogo, who bounced back off a dull last race with a smashing four-length win in the Alapocas Run Stakes. Out of Sorts, who won her first stakes race on Saturday, is owned by Respect the Valleys LLC. Whereshetoldmetogo is owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber, and BTR Racing Inc.
• THIRD STAR: YES THIS TIME. This Kelly Breen trainee made it five wins in a row in Saturday’s Kent Stakes. Sent off as the 1.10-1 favorite, he rated off Jeff Ruby winner Like the King, who looked like he was going to take them gate-to-wire. However, under urging from Joe Bravo, Yes This Time came rolling up the inside late and got up for the one-length win over Like the King. This was Yes This Time’s second stakes win, and first graded stakes victory. He’s owned by Edge Racing.

PARX RACING

• FIRST STAR:  TRINGALE. Last Monday, Tringale won his second in a row, prevailing in a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race by 3 1/2 lengths. Breaking from post four, the Jamie Ness trainee engaged in an early speed duel with longshot La Waun, battling through an opening quarter in a sharp 21.72 seconds and a first half-mile in 44.28 seconds. In the stretch, Tringale kicked away, and drew off easily, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16. He’s owned by Troy Johnson, Charles Lo, and Jagger Inc, and was ridden by Ruben Silvera.
• SECOND STAR: ANGEL CASTILLO. Castillo won three races on last Monday’s card. He won back-to-back races in the 2nd and 3rd, winning on Howard Brown-trained Charles Safari, and Inspired Options for Guadalupe Guerrero, one of two training wins for Guadalupe on the program. Castillo completed the hat trick in race 6, on Le Petit Papillon, for trainer Patricia Farro. Heading into this Wednesday’s card, Castillo’s 53 wins on the meet were good for third place in the standings. 
• THIRD STAR: SEVIER. Later on Monday’s card, Sevier won his fourth start of the year, winning a starter allowance race by 3 1/2 lengths. Much like stablemate Tringale, he battled on the lead, then drew off in the stretch and cruised home in 1:15.80 for 6 1/2 furlongs. He’s owned by Morris Kernan Jr, Yo Berbs, and Jagger Inc, and ridden by Frankie Pennington. 

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