Region’s Best

FIRST STARS (TIE): MYCHEL SANCHEZ AND JEIRON BARBOSA. These two Mid-Atlantic riding stars get the nod following dominating weeks at Parx and Laurel Park, respectively. Sanchez won five races on Monday at Parx, and added a hat trick on Wednesday, for a total of eight wins during the racing week. Not to be outdone, following a victory on Friday and a double on Saturday, Barbosa dominated the Sunday card at Laurel, winning five races from eight mounts. Barbosa leads the rider standings at Laurel with 39 wins, four clear of Jaime Rodriguez in second place. Sanchez also leads the Parx standings heading into Monday, having won 31 races compared to 27 each for Frankie Pennington and Ruben Silvera.

THIRD STAR: IRISH CORK. Friday’s feature at Laurel Park was a third-level allowance optional claiming race at 1 1/16 miles. Irish Cork looked like the lone speed on paper, but found himself rating off Plot the Dots in the early stages. The end result ended up the same, as Irish Cork kicked away and won by 1 1/2 lengths for his first win of the year. The Pennsylvania-bred John Servis trainee picked up his first win since April 2021 and improved his career record to 6-8-6 from 26 starts, with earnings of $344,992. He’s owned by Irish Three Racing LLC and was ridden by Frankie Pennington.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: JEIRON BARBOSA. Regained the riding lead with an impressive week in the saddle.

SECOND STAR: IRISH CORK. Got back in the winner’s circle on Friday with a good stalking trip.

THIRD STAR: GOING TO THE LEAD. Came from off the pace to win a second-level allowance optional claiming race Saturday over odds-on favorite H P Moon.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: DULCIMER DAME. Drew off at 1-5 on Saturday to win for the fifth time at the meet.

SECOND STAR: KOZY’S WILDCAT. Improved to 3-for-3 on the year on Wednesday with a gate-to-wire win in a second-level allowance optional claiming race.

THIRD STAR: MY LOVELY GIRL. Rallied three-wide to win a second-level allowance optional claiming contest on Wednesday; she’s now 2-for-3 on the season.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: MYCHEL SANCHEZ. Put himself back atop the Parx standings with a big week.

SECOND STAR: HOLDTHEFLIGHT. One of Sanchez’s wins was on this Michael Pino-trained gelding, who lasted through a long duel and kicked away to win a second-level allowance optional claiming race on Wednesday.

THIRD STAR: LOOSE ENDS. One race later, this Pennsylvania-bred won a state-bred allowance race by a half-length after a wide trip. He’s now hit the exacta 13 times in 15 career starts.