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: MIKE TROMBETTA. Colonial Downs hosted four stakes races on their Saturday card: two for Maryland/Virginia-restricted 3-year-olds on dirt, two for Virginia-restricted older runners on grass. Mike Trombetta had a field day, winning three of the four contests. After finishing third with Just Philtored in the Miss Disco Stakes, he got on the board in the Star de Naskra Stakes with Pont Aven, who held off Close the Gate to win by a nose in a thrilling stretch duel. Next up, in the Glenn Petty Stakes for older fillies and mares on the lawn, Trombetta sent out 13-10 favorite Noquestionaboutit, who won by a half-length. For the finishing touch, Trombetta captured the Punch Line Stakes with Determined Kingdom, who led all the way to live up to 1-2 expectations. The latter two are homebreds for the Larry Johnson estate, a longtime Trombetta client. Pont Aven is owned by Day at the Races LLC and ridden by Mychel Sanchez, who also rode Determined Kingdom to victory. Jorge Ruiz had the winning mount on Noquestionaboutit. Trombetta is off to a strong start at the Colonial meet; he’s 10-for-30 through the first three weeks.

SECOND STAR: DETERMINED KINGDOM. Perhaps the most noteworthy of Trombetta’s stakes winners was Determined Kingdom, who won the Punch Line for the fourth time in his career. Off a victory at Saratoga during their Belmont Stakes Racing Festival last out, he went off as the heavy favorite against a largely overmatched field of four rivals. He made the early lead and was pressed on the pace by War Humor, but shook off that challenge and held clear to win by two lengths, covering 5 1/2 furlongs on a firm grass track in 1:01.67. This victory improved his career mark to 12-for-35, with earnings of $966,680. Four of his wins came in the Punch Line, which he previously won in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Saxton got up for second over War Humor.

THIRD STAR: REBEL WITH A CAUSE. Monmouth Park hosted a grass sprint stakes of their own on Saturday, playing host to a field of six 3-year-olds in the 5 1/2-furlong My Frenchman Stakes. The highly-touted Jersey-bred Cairo Surprise went off as the 11-10 favorite, but had no punch in the stretch and ended up third. Rebel With a Cause, who was fourth in the William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs last out, came up the inside after racing off the pace and won by 1 1/4 lengths. It was his third win of the year in four starts, with his only defeat coming at Churchill, and his first career stakes victory. He ran the distance in 1:03.90 for owner Tristar Farm LLC, trainer Lauren Hobson (for her first stakes win), and jockey Jose Ferrer.

SECOND STAR: AUTHENTIC KINGDOM. Pressed the pace from the inside and rallied up the rail to win a starter optional claiming sprint on Monday in a 21-1 upset.

THIRD STAR: FRANCISCO MARTINEZ. Turned a natural hat trick on Monday, starting with Authentic Kingdom.