Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: October 27

 Royal Urn wins the Dan Horn Handicap over Golden Brown. Photo: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

Plenty of racing action took place throughout the Mid-Atlantic this past week.

Here’s a look at the “three stars” of each track:

LAUREL PARK

• FIRST STAR: SHELDON RUSSELL. Of all the stars on Maryland Million day last Saturday, Sheldon Russell shone the brightest. He won four of the twelve Maryland Million races on the card, beginning the day with a win in the Turf Distaff Starter Handicap on Jumpstartmyheart. He got his second win in the afternoon on the dominant Hello Beautiful in the Distaff, for his wife Brittany. In the Turf, he guided Pretty Good Year to a 15/1 upset win, for trainer Kelly Rubley. The grand slam was completed in the Classic, as Monday Morning Qb, for trainer Robert Reid, became the first 3-year-old to win the big race.
• SECOND STAR: TREVOR MCCARTHY. Maryland’s top jockey had a big day of his own, with three stakes wins Saturday. He took the Ladies on Epic Idea, in a gate-to-wire effort, for trainer Ann Merryman. Miss Nondescript won the Lassie for trainer Mike Trombetta, giving McCarthy a double. He completed the hat trick on heavy favorite Fiya, who won the Turf Sprint for trainer Tom Albertrani. Through the first two weeks of the meet, McCarthy holds a slight 12-11 lead over Russell and Jevian Toledo, who are tied or second. 
• THIRD STAR: DALE CAPUANO. He was the only trainer to win multiple races on Saturday. He teamed up with Russell with Jumpstartmyheart in the Turf Distaff Starter Handicap to begin the day. After that, he saddled Kenny Had a Notion to an explosive five-length win in the Nursery. The Virginia-bred gelding, ridden by Jorge Ruiz, has now won two stakes in a row, having won the Jamestown Stakes in his last start.

CHARLES TOWN RACES

  MONMOUTH PARK

• FIRST STAR: KELLY BREEN. Monmouth’s leading trainer wrapped up the meet with a dominant Saturday afternoon. He saddled three winners, with two of those victories coming in stakes. He won the Smart N Classy Handicap with Stay Smart, then took the Dan Horn Handicap with Royal Urn. Breen completed the hat trick in race 10, sending out West Will Power for the score. On the year, Breen saddled 38 winners at Monmouth from 139 starters, to capture the training title. 
• SECOND STAR: JOE BRAVO. A Monmouth veteran who finished third in the riding standings this year, Bravo also ended his meet on a high note. He scored three wins on Saturday’s card, teaming up with Kelly Breen on Stay Smart in the Smart N Classy and West Will Power in race 10. He also took the Pinot Grigio Handicap, the final race of the season, on heavy favorite Lil Miss Moppet. 
• THIRD STAR: NO CENTS. This Cal Lynch trainee has established himself as the top Jersey-bred 2-year-old. He won his second start in a row on Wednesday afternoon, taking an allowance race by a neck. Sent off at 3/1 in the six-furlong affair, he stalked behind the leaders on the inside, then moved between horses on the turn and battled in the stretch. He got up to win by a neck, over Heir Port. The winner’s owned by Isabelle de Tomaso and Hope Jones, and ridden by Nik Juarez.

PARX RACING

• FIRST STAR: LUIS OCASIO. He turned a natural hat trick on Wednesday’s card, booting home three consecutive winners. He scored with African Song in the fourth race, for trainer Ralph Riviezzo, on Claudio Gonzalez-trained Isabellaalexa in race 5, and with Spider Jorgensen, conditioned by Carlos Milan, in race 6. 
• SECOND STAR: MYCHEL SANCHEZ. Not to be outdone, Parx’s leading jockey pulled off a hat trick of his own the day before. After missing with his first three mounts, Sanchez found the winner’s circle for the first time in race 6, on Juan Guerrero trainee Pategory One. He got his second win of the day in race 9, guiding 2-year-old allowance winner Quick Tempo to an impressive score for trainer Chris Davis. The three-bagger was completed in race 10, as Sanchez guided Printer to an easy win, for trainer Mary Pattershall.
• THIRD STAR: DREAMS UNTOLD. This Pennsylvania-bred three-year-old shrugged off a defeat in the Chick Lang Stakes with an easy allowance win on Wednesday. Sent off as the 4/5 favorite, he encountered pace pressure on his outside from Thiscatcanjump, then shook him off on the turn and drew clear. Although Semi Excited surged at him late, Dreams Untold held on to win by 1 3/4 lengths, going the seven furlongs in 1:22.29. Jeremy Laprida rode him for the first time, for owner Someday Farm and trainer John Servis.

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