Mid-Atlantic three stars: April 27, 2026
John Piassek
April 27, 2026
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: NINETYPRCENTMADDIE. Parx hosted a trio of stakes races on Wednesday. The third of them, the Page McKenney Handicap, featured an all-star field of Pennsylvania-bred sprinters traveling six furlongs. Favored Twisted Ride and Insurmountable set the early pace, while Ninetyprcentmaddie sat off the pace on the rail. Twisted Ride maintained his advantage in the stretch, but Ninetyprcentmaddie angled off the rail and worked his way past the chalk to win by a length. The 6-year-old gelding, bred and campaigned by LC Racing LLC, made his 2026 debut a winning one, winning for the 7th time in 32 career starts while boosting his earnings to $715,650. He ran the distance in 1:09.78 for trainer Butch Reid and rider Paco Lopez.
SECOND STAR: CARMELINA. LC Racing, Reid, and Lopez won the other stakes race for older horses on the card as well. Carmelina prevailed in the Unique Bella Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares by 3 1/2 lengths as the 8-5 favorite. Her stablemate, Disco Ebo, set the early pace, with Carmelina stalking in the two-path. Lopez asked his mount for run as they approached the stretch and she responded in kind, opening up without much trouble and crossing the wire in 1:10.30 for six furlongs. Confirmed Star rallied for second, while Carousel Queen got up for third at 31-1. This was Carmelina’s sixth career stakes win, her second consecutive one in the Unique Bella, and her ninth overall win in 22 starts. She was bred by Lillith Boucher.
THIRD STAR: SHANE’S WONDER. This rising Pennsylvania-bred star made his stakes debut a winning one in Wednesday’s Wait For It Stakes at Parx. On the strength of two impressive wins to begin his career, he went off as the 1-5 favorite in the four-horse, six-furlong contest, and lived up to all expectations. He was pressed on the outside by second choice Presenceisapresent, but dispatched of that rival at the top of the stretch and pulled away to win by 4 1/4 lengths, covering the distance in 1:10.49. Not only has he not lost any of his three races, he hasn’t trailed at any point in them. He’s earned $110,000 for owner/breeder Uptowncharlybrownstud LLC, trainer Alfredo Velazquez, and jockey Eliseo Ruiz.
LAUREL PARK
FIRST STAR: TOO MANY KISSES. Sat off the pace and converted the perfect stalking trip to win a second-level allowance dirt route on Friday.
SECOND STAR: RERUN TABLE. Captured a first-level allowance dirt sprint for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday in impressive style as the biggest longshot in the field.
THIRD STAR: JEVIAN TOLEDO. Rode three winners on the Saturday card, all of them on grass.
CHARLES TOWN
FIRST STAR: MASKEDANDMUMMED. Made a wide rally and got up to win Saturday’s Its Binn Too Long Stakes for West Virginia-bred 3-year-old fillies; she’s now won three stakes races in a row going back to her 2-year-old season.
SECOND STAR: PLAY IT LOUD. Rallied from last to win an open allowance route on Friday for his second consecutive victory.
THIRD STAR: HEAVEN STREET. Captured a starter optional claiming sprint on Thursday for his third win in a row and fourth in his last five races.
PARX RACING
FIRST STAR: NINETYPRCENTMADDIE. The classy veteran called on all of his class to win the Page McKenney, capping a big day for LC Racing, Reid, and Lopez.
SECOND STAR: CARMELINA. Got the perfect trip tracking her stablemate and made it count.
THIRD STAR: SHANE’S WARRIOR. The sky’s the limit for this speedy sophomore.
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