Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: KENTUCKY OUTLAW. Monmouth Park opened their 2025 season on Saturday, with the Long Branch Stakes for 3-year-old males serving as the feature. Off a troubled fifth-place finish in the Federico Tesio Stakes last out, Parx-based Kentucky Outlaw went off as the 9-5 favorite in the seven-horse field. With a new rider in Paco Lopez, he broke a bit slowly, then rushed up towards the lead around the first turn, rank all the way. He continued to fight Lopez up the backstretch, as thr rider forced him to resist the urge to duel longshot leader Dear Chairman through strong early fractions. He eventually became more settled, then took control at the top of the stretch and fed off Pacaline’s late challenge to win by 1 1/2 lengths, stopping the clock for a mile and 70 yards in 1:41.06. He improved to 3-for-4 lifetime, with earnings of 124,500. Felissa Dunn is the winning owner and trainer.

SECOND STAR: TAKETHEMONEYHONEY. Sunday’s feature at Monmouth was the 1 1/16-mile Serena’s Song Stakes for older fillies and mares. Power Squeeze, a five-time stakes winner last year, including the Delaware Oaks and the Alabama Stakes, went off as the 2-5 favorite against three rivals. Maryland-bred Takethemoneyhoney, making her stakes debut, went to the front and set moderate early fractions. Catherine Wheel made her move after the leader on the final turn, and it looked as if she would roll by. However, Takethemoneyhoney dug in and fended off her rival, winning by a nose in a headbob photo. Power Squeeze finished a neck back in third. Takethemoneyhoney ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:42.19, and improved to 4-for-5 lifetime. She’s a homebred for Kasey K Racing Stable LLC, Michael Day, and Final Turn Racing Stables LLC, trained by Michael Moore and ridden by Eliseo Ruiz.

THIRD STAR: MOONLIT NOTION. West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds met in Saturday’s feature race at Charles Town, the 4 1/2-furlong Coin Collector Stakes. Moonlit Notion looked imposing on paper going in, and when his main rival, Annapolis Road, was scratched, he got bet down to 1-10. He made the price look reasonable, as he broke on top and drew away to win by 2 3/4 lengths. He’s now 6-for-6 in his career and has earned $132,344. He’s a homebred for the Grams family, train3d by Tim Grams, and ridden by Larry Reynolds.

Pimlico

FIRST STAR: NORTHERN GLOW. Came from off the pace to win a second-level route on Sunday.

SECOND STAR: ISMERIO VILLALOBOS. Won two of the three National Thoroughbred League races on Saturday, with Lamar Jackson and Wes Moore among those in attendance.

THIRD STAR: NATIONAL LAW. Prevailed in his first start of the year over a soldi first-level field of 3-year-olds on Sunday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: MOONLIT NOTION. He hasn’t set a foot wrong against West Virginia-bred rivals this year, and it could be an interesting race between him and Pascaline for the title of best 3-year-old in the state.

SECOND STAR: TALKIN PHAROAH. Picked up his second win of the year in as many starts on Thursday with a win in an open first-level dash.

THIRD STAR: KRISTINACHRYSALIS. Opened up a long early lead and held sway to win a starter optional claiming sprint on Friday; she’s finished in the exacta in her last six starts.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: KENTUCKY OUTLAW. He might end up hitting his peak at the right time later in the year.

SECOND STAR: TAKETHEMONEYHONEY. Dug in and held on for her first stakes win, and there may be many more to come.

THIRD STAR: PACO LOPEZ. Kentucky Outlaw was one of four winners on the opening day program for Monmouth’s perennial leading rider.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: BUCCHERINO. Last seen finishing third in the Gallant Bob Stakes, he lasted all the way to win his 4-year-old debut, an open allowance sprint, on Monday.

SECOND STAR: HARP’S HOT CORNER. One race prior, this Pennsylvania-bred gelding captured a second-level route in an exciting stretch battle with Arrow Speed, improving to 4-for-5 in 2025 in the process.

THIRD STAR: EDGE OF TOWN. Made it three wins in a row on Tuesday with a determined frontrunning victory in a second-level sprint on Tuesday.