Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: August 18

 Introduced won the Incredible Revenge at Monmouth Park. Photo: Ryan 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:

PIMLICO

• FIRST STAR: TAPPIN CAT. Jamie Ness-trained Thundershook was the heavy odds-on favorite in Friday’s feature, a n/w3x allowance optional claiming race going long on the dirt. However, Tappin Cat won in a front-running upset. Angel Cruz put him on the early pace, and he cruised around the track to win in gate-to-wire style, crossing the line five lengths in front. It was the first win of the year from five starts for this Maryland-bred gelding. Thundershook ended up third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths. The winner is owned by Non Stop Stable and trained by Gary Capuano.
• SECOND STAR: CHARLIE MARQUEZ. Marquez pulled off a natural hat trick on Sautrday’s card. He won two races for trainer Cal Lynch, taking race 5 with Ordinary Girl and the 7th race aboard Depository. In between those two, he won race 6 with Starburst, trained by Mike Stidham. With one week to go at the Pimlico meet, Marquez had a seven-win lead over runner-up J.D. Acosta. 
•  THIRD STAR: COMPLETED PASS. One of the top grass sprinters in the region took a big drop in class on Sunday, entering a starter optional claiming race at five furlongs on the grass. Earlier in the meet, he won the King Leatherbury Stakes, and was second in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint. Bettors sent him off as the 1-2 favorite, and he delivered on their expectations. Angel Cruz rated him off early leader South Sea, then moved for the front and struck the lead entering the stretch. Despite a late bid from Gins and Tins, Completed Pass had enough to hold on for the win. He’s won ten times from 24 starts, with earnings of $438,020. He’s owned by Robert Bone and trained by Claudio Gonzalez. 

CHARLES TOWN RACES

  MONMOUTH PARK

• FIRST STAR: INTRODUCED. Saturday’s feature, the Incredible Revenge Stakes, was won by Introduced, a 5-year-old Maryland-bred mare trained by Jorge Duarte Jr. Running Memories zoomed to the lead and set the early pace in the 5 1/2-furlong dash, while favored Miss Auramet rated in second. As they turned for home, Miss Auramet flattened out, and Introduced began to cut into Running Memories’s lead. In the last sixteenth, under urging from Albin Jimenez, Introduced surged to the lead and won by 3/4 of a length. She’s won eight times from nineteen lengths, and has won a stakes race three years in a row. Colts Neck Stable Inc are the winning owners.
• SECOND STAR: REAL TALK. Sunday’s feature was the Jersey Shore Stakes, for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on the dirt. The winner was Real Talk, who shipped up from Florida and cruised on the front end to win by 4 1/2 lengths. He was pressed on the early pace by Fire Sword, but shook off that rival and drew off impressively in the stretch. He’s now won four times in ten starts, with this being his first stakes win. He’s owned by Bell Racing LLC, trained by Carlos David, and ridden by Paco Lopez. 
• THIRD STAR: HECTOR DIAZ. Diaz had a strong riding day on Sunday, with three wins from four mounts. He won race 2 on Wayne Potts trainee Gio d’Oro, race 5 aboard Tiz Her Way, for trainer John Quiles, and the 7th race with Mid Day Image, for trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. Diaz is in fifth place in the jockey standings, with 24 wins. 

DELAWARE PARK

• FIRST STAR: SAMMIE SUNSHINE. This mare has had a fantastic season both here and in Maryland. She won her fifth race of the season last Monday, as she won a starter allowance by 2 3/4 lengths. She went to the front end early, then received a challenge as they neared the half-mile point from What About Tonight. However, Sammie Sunshine managed to dismiss that rival, and drew away in the stretch to win. Raul Mena had the winning mount, for owner Larry Metz and trainer Michael Gorham. 
• SECOND STARS: ANGEL SUAREZ. Suarez won three races on Saturday’s eight-race card, including both halves of the late double. He won race 1 with Cause I Said, for trainer Mark Reid, race 7 with Inanna’s Quest, trained by Lynn Ashby, and the 8th race aboard Striking Heir, for trainer Gerald Bennett. Heading into this Wednesday’s card, Suarez has 22 wins from 149 mounts, good for fourth in the standings.
• THIRD STAR: CAIRO CAMPAIGN. In last Monday’s feature, a n/w1x allowance sprint on the grass, Cairo Campaign won for the third time this year. As the odds-on choice, he was 3 1/2 lengths back in the stretch, but under a vigorous ride from Daniel Centeno, he got up to win by half a length, edging out pacesetter Showtime Cat. Kelsey Danner is the winning owner and trainer. 

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