Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: October 13

Star of Night was one of many winners for Arnaldo Bocachica and Jeff Runco on Saturday at Charles Town. Photo: Allison Janezic

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: SUPER GARNER. This 7-year-old West Virginia-bred brought his eight-race winning streak to Laurel on Friday for a starter allowance race. Despite his streak, he was not the favorite, going off as the 7-5 second choice behind Kingston Pike. However, he left no doubt about who was best here, as he took control early and won by 4 1/2 lengths. His winning streak now stands at nine races in a row. He’s owned by Dunham Thoroughbreds and KCMH Racing LLC, trained by Bernard Dunham, and ridden by Wesley Ho.
SECOND STAR: MISS MAJORETTE. Later on Friday’s card, Miss Majorette won a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race by half a length. As the 7-5 choice in the 5 1/2 furlong grass contest, she made a five-wide move in the stretch and chased down Ellanation and Flyingontheground for the win. She’s now won three times from five races this year. Jevian Toledo had the winning ride, for owner Paul Tackett and trainer Michael Merryman.
THIRD STAR: JEVIAN TOLEDO. Miss Majorette was one of three winners for Toledo on Friday’s card. He also won race 4 with Glengar, for trainer Jonathan Maldonado, and race 9 with Lacey Gaudet-trained The Man To See. Toledo has the lead in the rider standings, with 20 wins from 90 mounts.

FIRST STAR: ARNALDO BOCACHICA. To those who follow Charles Town regularly, the riding skills of Arnaldo Bocachica are no secret. He displayed his skills to a national audience on Saturday night, when he won eight races on the nine-race West Virginia Breeders’ Classic card. The only race he didn’t win was the third race, when he finished fourth on Aaron’s Tap. Bocachica’s eight stakes wins in one card are believed to be an American record.
SECOND STAR: JEFF RUNCO. Runco teamed up with Bocachica on all but one of his stakes wins, for a total of seven victories on the card. That mark is also believed to be a record for trainers. Runco’s 101 wins on the season are the most among all Charles Town trainers, 19 clear of Anthony Farrior in second place.
THIRD STAR: STAR OF NIGHT. Bocachica and Runco teamed up on many West Virginia-bred stars on Saturday night, with none a bigger favorite than Star of Night. This superstar filly won the WVBC Cavada Stakes by half a length, winning a stretch battle with longshot Privately to prevail in the last stages of the 6 1/2-furlong contest. She’s a perfect 4-for-4 on the year, 10-for-12 lifetime, and has won eight races in a row. She’s owned by Huntertown Farm LLC.

FIRST STAR: PACO LOPEZ. The leading jockey at the Monmouth Park meet, Lopez had a big night at the Meadowlands last Friday, pulling off a natural hat trick. He won two for Kelly Breen, taking race 2 with Life On the Edge and race 4 aboard Like What I See. Sandwiched in between was a victory aboard Map the Moment, trained by Jonathan Thomas, in race 3. Lopez’s five wins on the Meadowlands meet lead all jockeys.
SECOND STAR: LIKE WHAT I SEE. Coming off a runner-up finish in the Joey P Handicap, Like What I See was the big favorite in Friday night’s feature, a Jersey-bred allowance optional claiming race at five furlongs. As the 2-5 favorite, he lived up to expectations, drawing away after a brief battle to win by half a length. He’s owned by USA Thoroughbreds and David Lengel, and as noted above, trained by Breen and ridden by Lopez.
THIRD STAR: HIGH LIMIT ROOM. The Saturday feature was a n/w1x allowance race at five furlongs. High Limit Room, the odds-on favorite, won for the third time in his last four starts. He took the lead early and drew off to a 4 1/2-length win, covering the distance in an impressive 55.46 seconds. Jose Camejo co-owns the winner with Aulds, Benoit, and Camejo. Jorge Panaijo had the winning mount.

FIRST STAR: JAIME RODRIGUEZ. Delaware’s leading jockey had a four-win afternoon last Thursday. He won race 2 on Moniques Daredevil, trained by Antonio Machado, the 3rd race aboard Jarlian, trained by Bernardo Lopez, race 5 on Michael Gorham trainee Baci, and the 6th race on Chrisatude, trained by Jamie Ness. As the meet winds down, Rodriguez has wrapped up the riding title, with 98 victories as of Oct. 12.
SECOND STAR: BEAUTIFUL GRACE. Rodriguez and Ness teamed up for an impressive win on Saturday, as Beautiful Grace won for the fifth time this year. She went off as the odds-on choice in a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race at five furlongs on the dirt, and lived up to all the hype, crushing the field by 7 1/4 lengths. All five of her wins this year have come at Delaware. Morris Kernan Jr is the winning owner.
THIRD STAR: SHACKQUEENKING. The winner of the Howard County Stakes last year, Shackqueenking won his 3-year-old debut last Wednesday, defeating favored Wentz to win a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race by 5 3/4 lengths. He stalked Wentz early on in the one-mile contest, then pulled clear as they turned for home and won handily. He’s owned by Pocket 3’s Racing LLC, trained by Gary Capuano, and ridden by Angel Suarez.

FIRST STAR: MY BOY TATE. Last Monday’s feature was an open allowance going seven furlongs. Hard-knocking New York-bred My Boy Tate proved much the best, rating off the early leaders and powering away to win by 5 3/4 lengths. He covered the distance in 1:24.22 as the 4-5 favorite. Kendrick Carmouche had the mount for owners Little Red Feather Racing and Michelle Nevin; the latter also trains.
SECOND STAR: FRANKIE PENNINGTON. Pennington pulled off a natural hat trick on last Monday’s card. He won race 5 with Lavery, trained by Guadalupe Preciado, race 6 on Bode O, trained by Juan Vazquez, and the 7th race aboard She’salittleedgy, trained by Scott Lake. Pennington’s 132 wins going into this Wednesday’s card have him in a clear-cut second place, behind Ruben Silvera.
THIRD STAR: SHE’SALITTLEEDGY. As noted above, She’salittleedgy prevailed last Monday, taking a n/w2x allowance optional claiming sprint by 1 1/2 lengths. After applying pressure to longshot leader I’m the Talent early on, she moved to the lead on the far turn and drew away to the victory. Gumpster Stable LLC is the winning owner, with Lake training and Pennington riding.