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: AIR RECRUIT. In just his second start of the season, Air Recruit won the Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park for the second consecutive year, taking the 1 1/16-mile grass stakes by a nose on Saturday. He rated in third in the early stages, while longshots Bonus Move and There Are No Words set the early pace. On the final turn, Air Recruit made a three-wide move after the pacesetter and poked a nose in front. However, he was soon met by some stiff challenges. Neat made a strong move up the rail, and dueled with Air Recruit in the final eighth. Air Recruit eventually put Neat away, but was soon met by the oncoming surge of Running Bee, who was caught in traffic at the top of the stretch. Although Running Bee was flying, the wire came just in time for Air Recruit, who won in a nosebob photo finish. This was Air Recruit’s fifth career win in 10 starts, and his first victory since last year’s Oceanport. The 5-year-old chestnut gelding ran the distance on a grass course labeled “good” in 1:44.63 for owner Mark Grier, trainer Arnaud Delacour, and jockey Charlie Marquez.

SECOND STARS: HARK THEANGELSSING AND DOUBTING THOMAS. Colonial Downs hosted a pair of stakes races for 3-year-old grass sprinters on Saturday: the Shenandoah Stakes for fillies and the Colonial Turf Dash for the boys. Appropriately, both of these open stakes were won by Virginia-bred homebreds for the late Larry Johnson, trained by his longtime trainer, Mike Trombetta. Hark Theangelssing, a descendant of Johnson’s foundation broodmare, Ran’s Chick, captured the Shenandoah by two lengths. She set the pace and was pressed intently by Spinelli on the outside and Carolyncaroline from her inside, but shook off their challenges and drew off in the stretch, covering six furlongs in 1:09.17 under Ismerio Villalobos. She’s now 4-for-7 lifetime and a two-time stakes winner, following a win in the Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park in June. One race later, Doubting Thomas, out of Johnson’s stakes-placed mare Allwewantforxmas, came from off the pace to win the Colonial Turf Dash by a neck. He raced towards the back of the pack early on, then moved six-wide in the stretch, and despite some late bumping, got up by a neck over Beautiful War. He ran the distance in 1:08.66 with Mychel Sanchez aboard and is now 3-for-5 in his career. He previously won the Jamestown Stakes on this track last August.

THIRD STAR: WHITTEN WAY. The Blue Hen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, one of two juvenile stakes on Delaware Park’s Saturday card, went to Whitten Way in a dramatic performance. She went off as the 3-10 favorite following a 1 3/4-length maiden-breaking win on June 24. She raced in fourth, 4 1/2 lengths off the pace, in the early stages, and did not initially respond to the urges of Emanuel Rosario on the far turn. However, she moved in tandem with Olivia’s Legacy at the top of the stretch, and soon found her best stride on the muddy going. She outkicked Olivia’s Legacy and wore down early leader Tiz Tappin to win by a head. She’s the fourth stakes winner from six foals produced by her dam, Steady N Love, who is turn is a daughter of the wildly successful broodmare Slow N Steady. This Maryland-bred filly is owned by Eagle Up III, London Reid Thoroughbreds, and trainer Gary Capuano’s Non Stop Stable.