Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: October 27

by John Piassek | Oct 27, 2021 | Breaking, Racing, Regionwide, Top Stories

Hello Beautiful made history on Saturday with her third Maryland Million win. 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: HELLO BEAUTIFUL. The Maryland-sired stars were out at Laurel Park on Saturday on Jim McKay Maryland Million day, and no star shone brighter than Hello Beautiful. As the 1-5 favorite in the Maryland Million Distaff, she lived up to all expectations, winning by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:22.22. That win marked her third consecutive win in a Maryland Million race; she won the Distaff last year and the Lassie in 2019. She’s won ten races lifetime, almost all of which have come at Laurel, from eighteen starts, with earnings of $582,570. Jevian Toledo had the winning mount, for owners Madaket Stables LLC, Frassetto, Parkinson, K-Mac Stable, and Magic City Stables LLC and trainer Brittany Russell.
SECOND STAR: PRENDIMI. Later on the Saturday card, Prendimi rode a golden rail to a 12-1 upset win in the Maryland Million Classic. Mychel Sanchez gave him a heads-up ride, putting him on the lead and establishing control early. Odds-on choice Tappin Cat rated off the pace two-wide, and was unable to pass rail-skimming Prendimi in the stretch. The Jersey-bred 6-urar-old gelding, off the board in this race last year, crossed the wire a neck in front. He’s owned by G.J. Stable and trained by Luis Carvajal Jr.
THIRD STAR: SOMEKINDOFMAGICIAN. He won the Maryland Million Turf in an exciting photo finish, for his fourth win in his last five races. He rallied four-wide in the stretch and surged in the last few moments to win a three-horse photo with Johng and Street Copper. He’s now won four times on the year from seven starts, with earnings of over $134,000. He’s owned by Bell Gable Stable LLC, trained by Gary Contessa, and ridden by Angel Cruz.

CHARLES TOWN RACES

FIRST STAR: ANOTHER VICTORY. This West Virginia-bred ridgling won for the first time this year in Saturday’s feature, a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs. Breaking from the outside post position in the field of six, he dropped to last early on, but rallied four-wide and got up to win by a neck after lasting in a stretch battle with Substantial. Charles Town’s leading trainer and jockey, Jeff Runco and Arnaldo Bocachica, teamed up for the win, for owner New Farm.
SECOND STAR: STORM BOARDER. Earlier on the Saturday card, Storm Boarder won his fourth race in a row, albeit in desperate fashion. As the 1-5 favorite in a first-level allowance optional claiming race, he broke on top, and turned for home with a four-length lead. Although his strides were shortening, and Combination was surging, the wire came in time for Storm Boarder, who won by a head. He’s owned by Robert Cole Jr, trained by Kevin Patterson, and ridden by Gerald Almodovar.
THIRD STAR: ARNALDO BOCACHICA. Charles Town’s top jockey won a total of eight races last week, and pulled off two hat tricks. He won three races on Thursday, one each for trainers Larry Curtis, Jeff Runco, and Anthony Farrior. On Saturday, he won two more for Runco, including Another Victory, and one more for Farrior.

MEAdowlands

FIRST STAR: HECTOR DIAZ. Diaz pulled off a double on Saturday’s card, taking race 4 with Rob Atras trainee Vettori Kin and the 5th race on Chad Brown-trained Bleecker Street. With only one more scheduled day on the season at the big M, Diaz has five winners, one shy of co-leaders Paco Lopez and Isaac Castillo.
SECOND STAR: BLEECKER STREET. Bleecker Street won the feature on Saturday, winning a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares by 1 1/2 lengths. She rated just off the pace on the inside, then came through when a hole opened up and drew off from there. Peter Brant is the winning owner.
THIRD STAR: POSTINO’S IDOL. Jersey-bred allowance horses took center stage earlier on the Saturday card. Much like Bleecker Street did later in the card, Postino’s Idol rated off the leaders on the inside, and came through in the stretch to pull away to victory. She’s won twice on the year from five starts, with earnings of just over $97,000. Jomar Torres had the winning mount for Winner’s Circle Stables LLC and David Nunn.

DELAWARE PARK

FIRST STAR: MISS LESLIE. Last Thursday’s feature race was a n/w3x allowance optional claiming race at a mile and 70 yards. Miss Leslie, who won the Weber City Miss Stakes earlier in the year, found the winner’s circle for the first time since then with a 5 1/4-length win. Although she rated in last place early on, she circled the field on the final turn and drew away for a convincing win under Angel Cruz. She’s owned by BB Horses and trained by Claudio Gonzalez.
SECOND STAR: ANGEL SUAREZ. Suarez won three races on Saturday’s card. He swept the early double, taking race 1 on Melodious Singer, for trainer Jose Ramirez, and race 2 aboard Feeling Dangerous, trained by Jose d’Angelo. He capped the card off with a win on Edward Allard trainee Hot to Party in race 8. Suarez is currently in fourth place in the Delaware standings, with 42 wins.
THIRD STAR: SHE’SALITTLE EDGY. This Scott Lake-trained filly won her sixth race of the year last Thursday, on her fifth different track. She won a starter optional claiming race gate-to-wire by 1 1/2 lengths, recovering from a bad start to take charge early, withstand pace pressure, and win going away. She’s owned by Gumpster Stable LLC and ridden by Frankie Pennington.

PARX RACING

FIRST STAR: GLORY DIA. Taking a drop in class after two stakes tries, Glory Dia impressively won an open allowance at Parx last Monday. She rated just off the pace on the outside, then moved to the leaders on the final turn and drew away to win by 2 1/2 lengths. That was her third win of the year from eight starts, for owner The Hakim’s Stable LLC, trainer Mario Dominguez, and jockey Angel Castillo.
SECOND STAR: WHY WHY PAUL WHY. Tuesday’s feature, a n/w2x allowance optional claiming race at a mile and 70 yards on dirt, went to Why Why Paul Why, for his third win in a row. As the odds-on choice, he stalked the pace early, made a move to the lead on the turn, and was clear in the stretch en route to a 7 1/4-length score. He’s taken to Parx since arriving there in July, with four wins from five starts. He’s owned by JKX Racing, trained by Penny Pearce, and ridden by Abner Adorno.
THIRD STAR: FRANKIE PENNINGTON. Pennington won three races on last Wednesday’s card. He started the afternoon with a victory on Wick in race 2, for trainer Jamie Ness. He teamed up with Louis Linder Jr on another odds-on choice, The Big Bluff in race 6. He completed the hat trick with Robert Reid Jr-trained Eloquist in the 8th race.