MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: AUGUST 15

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

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

Laurel Park

Eastern Bay
Eastern Bay won an allowance race at Laurel Park. Photo by Jim McCue.

FIRST STAR: EASTERN BAY. This hard-knocking gelding looked for his fifth win of 2022 from seven starts on Saturday, in a third-level allowance optional claiming race at six furlongs on dirt. Even though he had won at this level twice in his last three starts, he was dismissed at 5-1, the second-biggest longshot in the six-horse field. He proved the doubters wrong with a 1 1/4-length win, coming from off the pace with a four-wide move and kicking clear in the stretch. The win pushed his career earnings to $723,358. He’s owned by Built Wright Stables LLC, trained by Norman Cash, and ridden by Will Humphrey, in his first day back from riding since spending a few weeks on the sidelines.

SECOND STAR: NATHAN DETROIT. Humphrey also guided Nathan Detroit to victory in a third-level allowance optional claiming race earlier in the card. He unseated Humphrey in the early stages of the Colonial Cup last out at Colonial Downs, sending the rider to the sidelines. The two reunited on Saturday as the 7-1 fifth choice in the field of six going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. He surged down the stretch and got up to win by three-quarters of a length. He races for the same connections as Eastern Bay, Built Wright Stables LLC and Norman Cash.

THIRD STAR: MO MONEY MO HONEY. Off an impressive maiden win on debut last out, Mo Money Mo Honey went off as the 2-1 second favorite in a first-level allowance race on Sunday. He prompted Friar Tuck on the lead in the early stages, then moved to the front on the turn and kicked away for an impressive seven-length score. He ran six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.54 to improve to 2-for-2 lifetime. He’s owned by Robin Doser and Metropolitan Thoroughbreds LLC, trained by Ben Feliciano Jr, and ridden by Horacio Karamanos. Feliciano and Karamanos also teamed up to win race 8 with Zola B, completing a sweep of the late double.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: SIR ALFRED JAMES. After several off-the-board finishes in stakes company, a drop in class served Sir Alfred James well on Wednesday. He chased down early leader About Today and pulled clear to win a conditioned allowance optional claiming dash by 5 1/4 lengths, running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.33. It’s his third win from thirteen starts on the season, having won the Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway Park to start his year, followed up by an allowance win at Parx in March. Built Wright Stables LLC and Norman Cash teamed up on this winner as well, while J.D. Acosta had the winning mount.

SECOND STAR: PHILADELPHIA BELLE. A competitive field of allowance optional claiming fillies and mares met in a six-furlong dash to wrap up the Saturday card. Parx shipper Philadelphia Belle withstood pressure from last-out stakes winner Malibu Beauty and held on to win by three-quarters of a length. She’s won three times on the year from six races. This Pennsylvania-bred 5-year-old is owned by Madison Avenue Racing Stable Inc and Jagger Inc, trained by Jamie Ness, and ridden by Jaime Rodriguez.

THIRD STAR: SEVIER. This 8-year-old gelding won for the 23rd time in his career, and third time on the year, on Saturday. As the 1-5 favorite in a starter allowance sprint, he set the pace by himself in the early stages, then encountered pressure from Swing West in the stretch. However, Sevier dismissed the challenge and pulled away late to cross the line 2 1/4 lengths in front. He ran six furlongs in 1:12.44, as Ness and Rodriguez teamed up on him as well. He’s owned by Morris Kernan Jr, Yo Berbs Racing, and Jagger Inc.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: JEFFERSON NATIVE. This rising West Virginia-bred star made it three wins in a row on Saturday in dramatic fashion. He was the slight 2-1 favorite in a 4 1/2-furlong allowance race, and battled with Math Man Marco in the two-path. They battled throughout the race, but Jefferson Native had just a little more to give. He dug in and won by a head over Math Man Marco, crossing the wire in 51.94 seconds. Andre Ramgeet had the winning mount for owner T.W. Stables LLC and trainer Linda Dollinger-Stehr.

SECOND STAR: NEWS FLASH. Friday’s feature, a first-level allowance sprint at 4 1/2 furlongs, went to this Ontario-bred gelding in his first victory of the year. He was hustled to the lead from the inside post under Reshawn Latchman and drew off late to win by two lengths. He covered the distance in 51.20 seconds, running a career-best Equibase figure of 92. Christopher Keller is the winning owner and trainer.

THIRD STAR: GOODNESS GRACIOUS. In her first start since March 17, this West Virginia-bred 3-year-old filly won an allowance race on Friday night by seven lengths. Thunder Punch, off four wins in her last six starts, was the 1-5 favorite, but it was 5-2 Goodness Gracious who dominated the race, as she opened up a long lead early and drew away. She’s won twice from four starts with earnings of $41,004. She ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.64 seconds, for owner and breeder O’Sullivan Farms LLC, trainer Javier Contreras, and jockey Allison Nunez.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: KURAMATA. Owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown are well-known for their fleet of top grass fillies and mares, but they also excel with male grass horses. Kuramata picked up his first stakes win in Sunday’s Oceanport Stakes. Under Hector Diaz Jr, he enjoyed a great trip rating just off the pace on the outside and made his move on the final turn. None of his five rivals could offer much resistance once he got into gear, and he won by 2 3/4 lengths, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.74.

SECOND STAR: NOTHING BETTER. Later on the Sunday card, male grass sprinters met up in the Rainbow Heir Stakes. Nothing Better and Breakthrough battled for the lead in the early stages, and while the latter faded in the last eighth, Nothing Better pulled clear at that point and won by two lengths, holding on over a late-closing Belgrano. This 5-year-old gelding picked up his first stakes win in that race, and his fifth win lifetime from 15 starts. He’s owned by Colts Neck Stables LLC, trained by Jorge Duarte Jr, and ridden by Jairo Rendon.

THIRD STAR: ANTIGRAVITY. Earlier on the Saturday card, Antigravity picked up his first win of 2022 by winning a second-level allowance optional claiming event by a half-length. The 6-5 choice pressed the pace early and overtook Burning Bright late for the win. That rival held on for second, while Phat Man closed late for third. The winner was third in last year’s Haskell, and won for the first time since an allowance victory in June 2021. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer co-owns him with Dennis January, while Paco Lopez had the winning mount.

COLONIAL DOWNS

FIRST STAR; SIMPLY SUPER. This Mike Maker trainee became the first Maryland-bred member of the class of 2020 to win a stakes race, when he won Tuesday’s Hickory Tree Stakes by a half-length. He rated off favored early leader Heldish, but under vigorous urging from Karamanos, wore him down in the last eighth for the win, going five furlongs in 56.74 seconds. He’s owned by Maxis Stable.

SECOND STAR: TITOSCHANGEDMYLUCK. Two races later, 2-year-old fillies met in the female equivalent of the Hickory Tree, the Keswick Stakes. Titoschangedmyluck pulled off a 13-1 upset, making a three-wide move in the stretch and drawing off late to win by 2 1/2 lengths. It marked the first win for this Pennsylvania-bred filly from three starts. Jeiron Barbosa was aboard for owners Matthew Schera and Lawrence Stables Inc and trainer James Lawrence II.

THIRD STAR: DOUBLE CROWN. A multiple stakes winner as a 3-year-old, this Maryland-bred gelding won for the first time as a 5-year-old on Monday. He won a second-level allowance optional claiming race by a length, saving ground most of the way and rallying towards the inside late. This was his fifth career win, and his first in a route. Built Wright, Cash, and Karamanos teamed up on this winner.

Region’s Best

  1. Kuramata- another grass stakes win for Chad Brown.
  2. Built Wright Stables/Norman Cash
  3. Nothing Better

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