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- ROJA. On Saturday, Monmouth Park played host to the Blue Sparkler Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on the grass. Roja, most recently a tough second in the Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park last out, bounced back with a 3 ½-length victory under Jaime Rodriguez. Sent off as the 7-10 favorite in the seven-horse field, she battled for the early lead with Serene Spirit in the two-path, then kicked away at the top of the stretch. She hit the wire in front in 1:03.40 over a firm grass course for her first career stakes win and second win overall, following a sharp maiden victory at Laurel in May. She’s owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables LLC and trained by Graham Motion.

SECOND STAR- SLAM NOTION. A few hundred miles south of Monmouth, Colonial Downs held a pair of stakes races for Maryland and Virginia-restricted 3-year-olds. The Star de Naskra Stakes pitted a field of eight Maryland-bred 3-year-old males against each other at seven furlongs on the dirt. Slam Notion, a homebred for Nancy and Eric Rizer, made his first start outside of his home state a winning one. He stalked the pace while wide under J.G. Torrealba, then kicked on in the stretch and pulled away under a drive to win by two lengths. He ran well all winter long at Laurel, and though he was disappointing in the Chick Lang Stakes last out, he rebounded with this performance. The Oct. 11 Maryland Million Sprint is a likely target for this son of Northview’s Great Notion. Robbie Bailes, who saddled a winner for the Rizers on Colonial opening day on Wednesday, was the winning trainer.

THIRD STAR- WINFINITY. Earlier on the Saturday Colonial card, the filly equivalent of the Star de Naskra, the Miss Disco Stakes, took place. The lone Virginia-bred in the field, Winfinity, made short work of her four Maryland-bred rivals. She raced in last in the early stages of the seven-furlong contest, but made a strong move in the center of the track on the turn. The pacesetters were unable to hold her off, and Winfinity drew away to win by 2 ¾ lengths. It was her second career win in six starts, and she improved to 2-for-2 lifetime at Colonial, having taken her career debut in last August’s Keswick Stakes. She was bred by Ann Mudge Backer and Smitten Farm and is owned by Dream Big Racing LLC, trained by John Ortiz, and ridden by Ben Curtis.

COLONIAL DOWNS

CHARLES TOWN RACES

• FIRST STAR- ARNALDO BOCACHICA. Rode home four winners on Saturday- two for Jeff Runco, two for Anthony Farrior.
• SECOND STAR- POWERED BY LOVE. Led every step to impressively beat a West Virginia-bred allowance field on Friday. 
• THIRD STAR- JUBA’S PARADE. Last year’s My Sister Pearl Stakes winner crushed a West Virginia-bred group by 5 ½ lengths later on the Friday program.

DELAWARE PARK

• FIRST STAR- FEELING WOOZY. Made the front early in a second-level route on Thursday and couldn’t be caught, coasting under the wire seven lengths in front.
• SECOND STAR- SPIKEZONE. Crushed a starter optional claiming field in gate-to-wire style on Friday for his first win of the Delaware season.
• THIRD STAR- CHIPOTLE. Improved to 4-for-5 on the year with a sharp press-and-pounce win in a starter optional claiming sprint on Thursday.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!

MONMOUTH PARK

• FIRST STAR- ROJA. Looks like a grass sprint star in the making for Motion.
• SECOND STAR- STARVIEW TWINKLE. Led all the way in a first-level Jersey-bred route on Sunday in a 31-1 upset.
• THIRD STAR- SPECTACULAR GREY. Made some waves with an impressive move to win a 2-year-old maiden contest on Saturday.

PARX RACING

• FIRST STAR- KOHLER’S. Second in the Page McKenney Handicap last out, he lasted through pace pressure to beat a second-level Pennsylvania-bred allowance field on Wednesday. 
• SECOND STAR- PLEASANT EMBRACE. Shook off a pace challenge and held sway to win a second-level sprint on Wednesday. 
• THIRD STAR- RUNANDSCORE. Rated off the pace and pulled clear late in a first-level sprint for 3-year-olds on Wednesday for his third win of the year.