Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: BISHOPS BAY. Monmouth Park hosted a quintet of stakes races on their Haskell preview day program on Saturday. Bishops Bay, in search of his third consecutive stakes win, was sent away as the 3-10 favorite in the six-horse field. He battled with Nelson Avenue through a quick opening quarter in 22.81, then turned down the tempo to a 48.20 first half mile. As they approached the far turn, he pulled clear from Nelson Avenue and held the rest at bay for a five-length victory. He ran the mile in 1.37.16 over a very soupy main track. The 5-year-old improved to 4-for-5 on the year, adding the Salvator Mile to a resume which also includes wins in Oaklawn’s American Pharoah Stakes and the Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct, the latter over Quint’s Brew. He’s owned by a partnership led by Spendthrift Farm LLC, trained by Brad Cox, and ridden by Flavien Prat.

SECOND STAR: ADMIRAL DENNIS. Approximately 114 miles southwest of Monmouth, Delaware Park hosted the inaugural Delaware Derby on Saturday. The eight-horse field featured another Cox-trained runner in Admiral Dennis, most recently fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes. He was the 2-1 second choice behind 9-5 favorite Kentucky Outlaw, coming off a victory in the Long Branch Stakes. The pair battled for the early lead going up the backstretch, and Kentucky Outlaw opened up to a clear lead at the half-mile point. However, Admiral Dennis reengaged and took back control in the stretch, ultimately pulling clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths under Luan Machado. It was his first stakes victory for the Albaugh-owned 3-year-old, and third overall win in seven starts. It may have helped punch his ticket to the Haskell Stakes on July 19. Maryland-bred Barbadian Runner rallied for second, while Kentucky Outlaw held third.

THIRD STAR: FONDLY. One race later on the Saturday Delaware card, top local 3-year-old fillies met in the Delaware Oaks. The 1 1/16-mile affair pitted the top three finishers in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes against Virginia Oaks winner Fondly. Fondly, in her first start since an off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Oaks, led every step and won by three lengths. Black-Eyed Susan winner Margie’s Intention, sent off as the slight 5-2 favorite, chased Fondly home and finished second. The winner is now 3-for-4 lifetime and a two-time stakes winner in her brief career. Irad Ortiz was up for owners Eclispse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables LLC and trainer Graham Motion.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: GATA BRAZIL. Made a perfectly-timed move to capture the Stormy Blues Stakes on Sunday under Jevian Toledo.

SECOND STAR: BAND CAMP. Rallied strongly to win a second-level sprint on Sunday for his first victory of the season in two starts.

THIRD STAR: STRONSINO. Led all the way to win a second-level route on Friday, showing a new dimension from his usual off-the-pace style.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STARS: ARNALDO BOCACHICA/ANTHONY FARRIOR. Won four races each on Friday, teaming up for three of them.

SECOND STAR: IM THE DIRECTOR. Crushed a West Virginia-bred non-winners of four field by six lengths on Thursday.

THIRD STAR: GRAN ANDREWS. One of Farrior’s and Bocachica’s Friday wins came with this classy gelding, who sat the trip to beat a starter optional claiming field as the odds-on favorite.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: ADMIRAL DENNIS. Came in from out of town and easily handled the Delaware Derby field.

SECOND STAR: FONDLY. Proved her Virginia Oaks win wasn’t a fluke with an impressive Delaware Oaks win.

THIRD STAR: FULL MOON MADNES. Rallied from off the pace and got up in the last few strides to win the Alapocas Run Stakes on Saturday.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: BISHOPS BAY. Will he try the Monmouth Cup next, or are bigger targets on his dance card?

SECOND STAR: WHISKEY DECISION. Came up the inside to win Saturday’s Eatontown Stakes in her 2025 debut.

THIRD STAR: REDISTRICTING. Led all the way as the 3-10 favorite in the Monmouth Stakes on Saturday.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: CARMELINA. Improved to 2-for-2 on the year by defeating Pennsylvania-breds in Sunday’s Unique Bella Stakes.

SECOND STAR: HOUGHTON SHUFFLE. One race later, he rallied from last to capture the Page McKenney Handicap for Pennsylvania-bred older males.

THIRD STAR: ROAN BURGUNDY. Went last-to-first to win a second-level sprint on Tuesday despite bearing out in the stretch.