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: PAY BILLY. Last year’s Federico Tesio Stakes winner picked up his first win since then at Laurel Park on Friday. He won a third-level allowance optional claiming contest by two lengths thanks to a great stalking trip. Indy Charges On and Quick to Accuse contested the early pace, while Pay Billy rated a few lengths off of them in third. Indy Charges On opened up a clear lead in the stretch, but he began to feel the effects of his duel in the final eighth and tired. Pay Billy rolled by him for the victory, covering a mile on a fast track in 1:37.44. He’s now 5-for-13 lifetime, with all five of his wins coming on the Laurel main track. His career earnings total $290,275. Raul Mena had the winning mount on Friday for owner RKTN Racing LLC and trainer Mike Gorham.

SECOND STAR: XCELLENT START. Sunday’s Laurel feature, a second-level allowance optional claiming route at 1 1/8 miles, went to Xcellent Start in a 12-1 upset. 2-5 favorite Certified Loverboy went out and set the early pace, as expected, going through a moderate opening quarter in 24.33 seconds and a first half-mile in 48.72 seconds. However, he gave way on the far turn, ultimately ending up a well-beaten fifth. Hagrid’s Flame, who sat off the pace in second, inherited the lead in the stretch and tried to pull clear, but Xcellent Start rallied up the rail from 11 3/4 lengths out of it to win by a half-length. This West Virginia-bred 6-year-old gelding earned his 11th career win, and his first outside of his home state, in his 41st career start, boosting his career earnings to $307,866 in the process. He ran the distance on a fast track in 1:53.61 for owner Regulator Racing Stable, trainer Wade Sanderson, and jockey Fredy Peltroche.

THIRD STAR: CAIRO SURPRISE. At Laurel on Saturday, this Jersey-bred 3-year-old gelding captured his 3-year-old debut, an allowance optional claiming sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs, by 3 3/4 lengths. In his first start since a runner-up effort in the South Mountain Stakes at Penn National in late November, he made a four-wide brush for the front at the top of the stretch and held sway despite drifting out in the stretch. He ran the distance in 1:04.69 to improve to 2-for-5 lifetime with earnings of $86,625. He’s a homebred for Hope Jones trained by Cal Lynch, with Angel Cruz handling Saturday riding duties.