MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: september 11
Plenty of racing action took place throughout the Mid-Atlantic this past week.
Here’s a look at the “three stars” of each track:
Region’s Best
FIRST STAR: INTEGRATION. The closing day feature at Colonial Downs on Saturday was the Virginia Derby. In just his second career start, Integration won by 1 1/4 lengths. He sat in mid-pack early on, then made a five-wide move to swoop the field and win. He previously broke his maiden at Colonial on August 12. Kendrick Carmouche was aboard for owners West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing LLC and trainer Shug McGaughey.
SECOND STAR: THIRTY THOU KELVIN. One race prior, 3-year-old fillies did battle in the Virginia Oaks. Thirty Thou Kelvin, off a win in the Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park last out, took them almost all the way around and won by a neck. She opened up a clear lead up the backstretch and maintained the advantage as they turned for home. Alpha Bella, who sat a great trip off the leader, moved to engage in the stretch and stuck a neck in front, but could not get by Thirty Thou Kelvin, who held off both her and late-running Root Cause. The winner is owned by SJB Stable and trained by John Terranova.
THIRD STAR: ST ANTHONY. The Labor Day feature at Monmouth Park was the Red Bank Stakes going a mile on grass. St. Anthony enjoyed a perfect stalking trip under Paco Lopez, drafting off the early pace and splitting rivals late for a 2 1/2-length victory. It’s his third career stakes victory, following wins in the Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate Fields and the Robert Dupret Derby at Santa Rosa last year. He’s a homebred for Alice Bamford trained by Neil Drysdale.
Pimlico
- VIDEO: Maryland racing highlightsMaryland-connected horses had plenty of racing success this past weekend, both at home and on the road. Here are Maryland racing highlights.
FIRST STAR: DOUBLE CROWN. Came from off the pace to win Sunday’s Polynesian Stakes in a 6-1 upset, in his 13th start of the year.
SECOND STAR: WHISKEY AND RYE. Picked up her first stakes win earlier on Sunday by taking the off-the-grass Sensible Lady Turf Dash.
THIRD STAR: SWILL. Ran down early leader Al Loves Josie to win Sunday’s Challedon Stakes.
Delaware Park
FIRST STAR: ARDANWOOD. Won Saturday’s Governor’s Day Starter Handicap in sharp gate-to-wire style.
SECOND STAR: THISNAMEISOKAY. One race later, this filly took them gate-to-wire to prevail in the George Rosenberger Memorial Starter Stakes.
THIRD STAR: ABOVE THE LIMIT. Another front-running winner to wrap things up; this mare led every step in a second-level grass sprint.
Colonial Downs
FIRST STAR: INTEGRATION. As Jason Beem noted in his race call, McGaughey pulled a great training job with this one.
SECOND STAR; THIRTY TWO KELVIN. Nice to see a prior mid-Atlantic stakes winner return to take a bigger prize in the region.
THIRD STAR: STARTING OVER. Capped off the Colonial season with a victory in the Colonial Cup.
Monmouth Park
FIRST STAR: ST. ANTHONY. Made it two in a row at the Monmouth meet with his Red Bank win.
SECOND STAR: BOOK ‘EM DANNO. Jersey-bred Derek Ryan trainee lived up to odds-on expectations with a sharp win in Saturday’s Smoke Glacken Stakes.
THIRD STAR: GREAT NAVIGATOR. Another Jersey-bred; he crushed the field in Monday’s Charles Hesse III Handicap to cap his season on a high note.
Parx Racing
FIRST STAR: MASROUR. Improved to 4-for-4 on the year with a 4 3/4-length starter allowance win on Wednesday.
SECOND STAR: ELISEO RUIZ. Won three races from four mounts on Tuesday and finished second with his other ride.
THIRD STAR: CIVIL WAR. Got up to win a n/w3L allowance contest on Monday in a 27-1 upset.
- 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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