Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: October 6

Consumer Spending won the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park last Saturday. Photo: Jim McCue/MJC

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: TIDE OF THE SEA. The Japan Turf Cup, one of five stakes on the Saturday card at Laurel, featured a field of seven going 1 1/2 miles on the grass. 13-10 favorite Tide of the Sea lived up to expectations, winning by 1 3/4 lengths for his second victory of the season. Horacio Karamanos rated him in third most of the way, well clear of most of the others. Turning for home, Karamanos struck the lead with his mount, and they drew off for a convincing score. The winner is owned by Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Mike Maker. 
• SECOND STAR: TUNED. Graham Motion sent out both favorites in Saturday’s All Along Stakes, Tuned and Oyster Box. The two made up the exacta, with Tuned rallying from last to win by 3 3/4 lengths going away. That’s the third win in a row for this British-bred 5-year-old mare, who won the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes at Colonial Downs last out. Al Shaqab Racing is the winning owner, Feargal Lynch the winning rider. 
•  THIRD STAR: CONSUMER SPENDING. Chad Brown sent out one of his impressive maiden-winning fillies, Consumer Spending down to Maryland for the Selima Stakes on Saturday. Under Victor Carrasco, she split horses in the stretch and won by 2 1/2 lengths as the 2-5 favorite. She’s owned by Klaravich Stables Inc, and went 1 1/16 miles on the grass in 1:43.21.

CHARLES TOWN RACES

  MEAdowlands

• FIRST STAR: ISAAC CASTILLO. On the heels of a successful Monmouth Park meet, Castillo stole the show on Saturday at the Meadowlands. He won three races on the six-race card. He took race 2 on Beach Warrior, for trainer Patricia Farro, race 4 aboard Diamond Play, trained by Tony Margotta Jr, and the 6th race on Buff’s In Love, for trainer Mike Stidham. Castillo won a race on Friday as well, giving him a meet-leading four victories so far. 
• SECOND STAR: DIAMOND PLAY. One of Castillo’s winning mounts came in Saturday’s feature race, as Jersey-bred Diamond Play won a starter allowance race by 3/4 of a length. Despite getting caught wide on both turns, he grinded down the stretch under vigorous urging from Castillo, and got up late to overhaul frontrunning longshot Driven by Speed. He’s won thirteen times from 49 career starts, and has finished in the top two 27 times. He’s owned by A R M Racing LLC and Carol Luchento. 
• THIRD STAR: JOSE FERRER. Ferrer won a pair of races on Friday night, the opening card of the season. He swept the late double, taking race 5 with Go Poke the Bear, for trainer Jose d’Angelo, and race 6 on Chad Brown-trained Infinite Potential. Ferrer was one of three jockeys with multi-win days on the weekend. Castillo and Paco Lopez were the other two.

DELAWARE PARK

• FIRST STAR: FLIGHT TO SHANGHAI. Making her first start since a fifth-place finish in the Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx, Flight to Shanghai won a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race in gate-to-wire style last out on Wednesday. Mychel Sanchez put her on the early lead, and she never looked back as she cruised under the line by 3 3/4 lengths. She’s now won twice on the year, with her previous victory coming at Delaware three starts back. She’s owned by Goodwood Racing XI and trained by Mychel Sanchez. 
• SECOND STAR: ENTERTAINMENT. Thursday’s feature, a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race, went to Entertainment, for his third win in a row at Delaware. Like Flight to Shanghai the day before, he zoomed out to the early lead, established firm control, and drew off in the end to win by 2 1/4 lengths. It took him a little while to break his maiden, but since doing so in early July, he’s undefeated over the track. Jorge Vargas Jr rode for owner Marablue Farm LLC and trainer Kelly Rubley. 
• THIRD STAR: SKYSCANNER. Saturday’s card was headlined by a starter allowance race at six furlongs. Skyscanner won his third race of the year, getting up in the last few strides after completing a wide stretch rally. Jaime Rodriguez was up for owners John Hodges and Joseph Short and trainer Aaron Shorter. 

PARX RACING

• FIRST STAR: LILBITO’CHARM. This Pennsylvania-bred filly continued a great year last Monday, with her fourth victory in a row. After rating towards the back in the early stages of the six-furlong contest, she ranged up on the outside of pacesetter Empress Deona and got by her in the last eighth for a 1 1/4-length score. She covered six furlongs in 1:12.18, for owner Ylliehus 5 Star, trainer Ralph Riviezzo, and jockey Dexter Haddock. 
• SECOND STAR: PACO LOPEZ. The Monmouth Park season may be over, but Lopez hasn’t slowed down a bit. Last Monday, he won three races on the 9-race program. He won race 2 on odds-on choice Nuturing, for trainer Guadalupe Preciado, race 6 aboard Aussie Mist, trained by John Kirby, and the 7th race aboard Paco Lopez-trained Big Perm. 
• THIRD STAR: WHY WHY PAUL WHY. This 4-year-old Penny Pearce trainee won a n/w1x allowance last Tuesday, for his third win in his last four starts. He pressed the pace from the outside, then opened up a clear lead in the stretch to win by four lengths as the 4-5 favorite. He’s owned by JKX Racing and ridden by Abner Adorno. 

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