Pimlico

FIRST STAR: EARLY VOTING. Five years ago, Klaravich Stables Inc and Chad Brown teamed up to win the Preakness Stakes with Cloud Computing. They teamed up to win the Preakness again last Saturday, as Early Voting prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths. Off a runner-up finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes last out, he passed up a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby in favor of a Preakness bid. Jose Ortiz rated him off early leader Armagnac then took control in the stretch and opened up by 3 1/2 lengths in the stretch. Favored Epicenter cut into the margin, but the wire came in plenty of time for Early Voting. He went the 1 3/16 miles in 1:54.54. This marked Ortiz’s first Preakness win.

SECOND STAR: INTERSTATEDAYDREAM. On Friday, thirteen 3-year-old fillies battled in the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. After a great trip stalking the pace on the outside, Interstatedaydream made her bid for the lead on the final turn and took control in the final quarter. She held on to win by 1 1/4 lengths for her first graded stakes win. This Ontario-bred filly covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.73, for owner Flurry Racing Stable LLC, trainer Brad Cox, and jockey Florent Geroux.

THIRD STAR: FIRST CAPTAIN. One race prior, First Captain overcame a wide trip to win the Pimlico Special by a head. He raced in the three and four-path most of the way, and made a strong, sustained wide move. In the last sixteenth, First Captain took control from favored Vindictive and got up and won by a head, going 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.24. He showed promise last year, winning the Dwyer Stakes, and looks promising this year as well. He’s owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm LLC, Bobby Flay, and Woodford Racing LLC, trained by Shug McGaughey, and ridden by Luis Saez.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: SILKY SERENA. The Saturday feature at Charles Town was the Its Binn Too Long Stakes, for 3-year-old West Virginia-breds going 4 1/2 furlongs. Silky Serena, who came into the race with only a maiden win to her credit from three career starts, overcame a wide trip to get up and win in 51.75 seconds. The Cynthia McKee-owned filly paid $20 to win, and has now earned more than $73,000 lifetime. She’s trained by John McKee and ridden by Reshawn Latchman.

SECOND STAR: GOODLUCKCHUCK. He made it back-to-back wins on Thursday, taking a second-level allowance optional claiming race by 1 1/2 lengths in gate-to-wire style. He set the early pace and brushed off a challenge from Ishihara to resurge in the stretch and pull clear in the end. This Virginia-bred gelding has won eight times in 27 career starts, and has won five times in the last twelve months. Denis Araujo was in the saddle, for owner Michael Overfelt and trainer Robert Bailes.

THIRD STAR: COMPLETE SURPRISE. On Friday, Complete surprise impressively won a second-level allowance optional claiming race by 6 1/2 lengths. She quickly opened up a long early lead in the seven-furlong contest and was never in serious danger of getting caught. She’s won five times in 28 lifetime starts, including two victories this year. She’s owned and trained by Ernest Haynes and ridden by Andrew Ramgeet.

SECOND STAR: ROBIN SPARKLES. Saturday’s Politely Stakes, the female equivalent of the Get Serious, was washed off the grass and moved to the dirt. That didn’t slow down Robin Sparkles, who led throughout and won by a length in 57.78 seconds for five furlongs. This New York-bred mare has won eight times from 14 career starts, with earnings of over $410,000. Daniel Centeno was in the saddle for owner Michael Schrader and trainer Bruce Brown.

THIRD STAR: NOTHING BETTER. Second-level allowance optional claiming horses did battle earlier on the Sunday program. Nothing Better, making his 2022 debut, withstood pace pressure from Kingpin and drew off in the stretch for a 2 3/4-length win. He’s won four times in 13 career starts, for owner Colts Neck Stables LLC, trainer Jorge Duarte, and jockey Jairo Rendon.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: HOLLYWOOD JET. This veteran gelding continued his torrid winning streak on Tuesday, as he won a starter optional claiming race by 10 1/2 lengths. As the overwhelming 3-10 favorite, he broke on top early and never gave any of his five rivals a chance. That’s the seventh straight win for this gelding, with all of his victories having come at Parx. He went 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.30 for owner/trainer Carlos Millan and jockey Luis Ocasio.

SECOND STAR: ROUGH SEA. A few weeks after Rough Sea upset the Native Dancer Stakes, he dropped in class for the second leg of the Spring Starter Series Route on Saturday, going 1 3/16 miles. As the 4.90-1 third choice, he came from well off the pace to win by 1 1/4 lengths under Abner Adorno. That’s his sixth career win, and marks the first time he’s won back-to-back races in his career. He’s owned by Proud Stable Inc and trained by Bruno Tessore.

THIRD STAR: AMATTEROFTIME. This Jersey-bred wheeled back in six days to win an open allowance on Saturday by three-quarters of a length in a 15.20-1 upset. With a wide move on the turn, he chased down the early leaders and got up for the victory, covering the mile in 1:37.01. Edwin Rivera was aboard for owner/trainer Silvino Ramirez.

Region’s Best

1. Early Voting- Preakness winner gives Brown another notch in his belt.
2. Interstatedaydream
3. First Captain