MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: november 7
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
FIRST STAR: AMERICAN D’ORO. Friday’s feature race, an allowance optional claiming race at a mile on dirt, was headlined by the return of General George Stakes winner Cordmaker. However, he showed little and was well-beaten. Meanwhile, American d’Oro, off an impressive second-level allowance win, roared up the rail and drew off to win by 7 1/2 lengths. He’s now won three times on the year from 10 starts, and has run his two best Equibase speed figures in his last two starts. He’s owned by Sterling Road Stables and LBR Racing Stable, trained by Richard Sillaman, and ridden by Lauralea Glaser.
SECOND STAR: RADICAL RIGHT. Sunday’s program was co-headlined by a second-level allowance optional claiming sprint. Radical Right sat an excellent trip off the pace, rating off very fast fractions on the rail. As they turned for home, he set his sights on Pirate Rick, and wore down that rival in the last eighth for a half-length win. He covered six furlongs in 1:10.22, for breeder/owner Richard Shultz, trainer Richard Sillaman, and jockey Jeremy Rose.
THIRD STAR: FORE HARP. One race prior, Fore Harp took the field gate-to-wire in a second-level allowance optional claiming race on the grass. He broke on top under Jaime Rodriguez and opened up a three-length lead. Turning for home, he maintained a comfortable advantage, and though several rivals, including the Mike Trombetta pair of Momos and Maya Prince, charged at him late, Fore Harp held sway and won by 1 3/4 lengths. This Pennsylvania-bred gelding has now won twice this year from eight starts. He’s owned by LC Racing, James Bonner, and Wellesley Stable and trainer Butch Reid.
Delaware Park
FIRST STAR: AMATTEROFTIME. Rodriguez rode another gate-to-wire winner on Wednesday, as this Jersey-bred cruised to victory in a third-level allowance optional claiming race. He opened up under a drive in the lane and powered away to win by 6 1/2 lengths, for his second win of the year. A two-time stakes winner in his career, this victory pushed his career earnings to $481,253. Silvino Ramirez is the winning owner and trainer.
SECOND STAR: HOWGREATISNATE. On Saturday, the final day of the 2022 season, this 2-year-old son of Speightster improved to 3-for-3 lifetime with an allowance optional claiming victory. Off a win in the First State Dash Stakes a few weeks ago, he came from off the pace and wore down the leaders late to win by 1 1/2 lengths. He ran six furlongs in 1:10.38, for owner Imaginary Stables, trainer Andrew Simoff, and jockey J.D. Acosta.
THIRD STAR: IT’S SIZZLING TIME. Later on the Wednesday card, It’s Sizzling Time ran off with a first-level allowance optional claiming race by 7 3/4 lengths. He dueled on the outside with Penetrator early on, then dispatched that rival and powered off to win going away for his second victory of the year, running six furlongs in 1:09.54. Mychel Sanchez was aboard for owners Chuckie Inc and Mona Bowley and trainer Valrie Smith.
Charles Town Races
- VIDEO: Latest Charles Town highlightsIn this video, the latest Charles Town Races highlights, including the final stake of the year for fillies and mares and more.
FIRST STAR: NAVY SWORD. Saturday’s feature at Charles Town was the My Sister Pearl Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares going seven furlongs. Odds-on favorite The Sky is Falling missed the board, while 7-1 Navy Sword won a three-horse stretch battle to prevail by a head over Seneca Rocks. The 5-year-old daughter of Bodemeister has now won six times from 24 career starts with earnings totaling $179,179. She’s a homebred for Coleswood Farm Inc, trained by Jeff Runco, and ridden by Marshall Mendez.
SECOND STAR: BEVERLY PARK. Everyone’s favorite iron horse made his 25th start of the year on Thursday. He went off as the 1-5 favorite in a seven-furlong starter allowance race and drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths. He’s now won 12 times this year, for the most victories among all North American horses. Five of those wins have come at Charles Town. He’s owned by Built Wright Stables LLC, trained by Norman Cash, and jockey J.D. Acosta.
THIRD STAR: PRIMAL DESTINY. The previous night, this Kevin Patterson trainee improved his record on the year to 7-for-9 with an allowance optional claiming win. As the 7-10 choice, he broke on top from the outside post in the 4 1/2-furlong dash and held on to win by a neck. After finishing second in his first two starts of the year, he’s now rattled off seven in a row, for owner Robert Cole Jr and jockey Carlos Lopez.
Parx Racing
FIRST STAR: NO SALT. This 5-year-old gelding won for the fifth time this year on Monday, taking a starter allowance race by a neck. He struck the front entering the stretch after rating off the pace, then fended off Maythehorsebwithu for the victory. This was his first win of the year at Parx, after previously winning at three other tracks earlier this year. Paco Lopez had the winning mount for owners Irving Kalensky and Joseph Loner and trainer Scott Volk.
SECOND STAR: NINETYPRCENTMADDIE. The winner of the Whistle Pig Stakes in late August made her return to the races on Monday, and improved to 3-for-3 lifetime with a 7 1/2-length win. She enjoyed a good trip rating off the early pace, then kicked by early leader Belt Parkway without much resistance and pulled clear. The LC Racing LLC homebred is trained by Butch Reid and ridden by Frankie Pennington.
THIRD STARS: SILVESTRE GONZALEZ AND ANDY HERNANDEZ. Both of these riders turned hat tricks last week. Gonzalez, who is closing in on 500 career wins, had a natural hat trick on Tuesday, winning race 3 on Jump Shot, trained by Haleem Lee, race 4 aboard Don’t B Ridiculous, ridden by Steven Krebs, and the 5th race with Robert Mosco trainee Mega Charlie. On Wednesday, Hernandez swept the early double, winning race 1 on The Furmanator, trained by Richard Vega, and race 2 aboard Sugar Streak, for trainer Patricia Farro. Later in the day, he completed the hat trick in race 9 with Jump for Alex, trained by Guadalupe Preciado. Gonzalez ranks third in the rider standings with 97 wins, while Hernandez is fourth with 92 victories.
Region’s Best
- Navy Sword- Won the My Sister Pearl Stakes on Saturday.
- American d’Oro
- Amatteroftime
- The story of Post Boy, the great Maryland horseIn the nation’s early days, horse racing was its only organized sport, and one of its biggest stars was Post Boy, called “the great Maryland horse.”
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