MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: June 13

  • userJohn Piassek
  • dateJune 13, 2022

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

Miss Leslie
Miss Leslie won the Obeah Stakes. Photo HoofprintsInc.com.

FIRST STAR: ARMANDO R. One of the feature races on the Sunday card was a second-level allowance optional race for older males at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. After getting caught wide in his last start, Armando R saved ground most of the way, then angled wide as they turned for home. He pulled clear in the last eighth and won by 3 1/2 lengths. He ran the distance in 1:49.81, for owner Ronald Cuneo, trainer Damon Dilodovico, and rider Horacio Karamanos.

SECOND STAR: DETERMINED KINGDOM. A wide-open field of allowance optional claiming sprinters met in Saturday’s feature race. After rating off the pace most of the way, Determined Kingdom found clear sailing late and grinded his way to the lead in the last eighth. He got up for the victory by a neck over second favorite Oldies But Goodies. Determined Kingdom has now won once from five starts on the year, with earnings of more than $69,000. Will Humphrey had the winning mount for owners D Hatman Thoroughbreds and Kingdom Bloodstock Inc and trainer Phil Schoenthal.

THIRD STAR: A MO REAY. Todd Pletcher shipped A Mo Reay to Maryland for a first-level allowance optional claiming race for 3-year-old fillies on Friday. Sent off as the odds-on favorite, she fended off challenges from Baby Man and Glowsity in the stretch and won by 2 1/4 lengths, with fellow New York shipper Baby Man in second. A Mo Reay showed promise last year, but was well-beaten in her 3-year-old debut at Keeneland. This race proved a nice rebound effort. She’s owned by My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm LLC and ridden by Victor Carrasco.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: MISS LESLIE. A field of six older fillies and mares squared off in the Obeah Stakes on Wednesday, the local prep race for the Delaware Handicap. Despite drifting out in the stretch, Miss Leslie came from off the pace to win by a half-length at 2.30-1. She won the Serena’s Song Stakes at Monmouth Park last out, and has won five stakes races in the past twelve months. She’s owned by BB Horses, trained by Claudio Gonzalez, and ridden by Angel Cruz.

SECOND STAR: ADMIRAL ABE. Top allowance optional claiming sprinters headlined Friday’s card. There were only five entries, but four of them hit the wire together in an exciting finish. After the placing judges untangled the photo finish, they determined Parx shipper Admiral Abe to be the winner. The four horses were separated by just a head on the wire. That’s Admiral Abe’s first win of the year, and eleventh career win. He’s owned by Stefcon Racing, trained by Robert Mosco, and ridden by Silvestre Gonzalez.

THIRD STAR: STREET LUTE. After a pair of defeats to begin her 2022 season, this speedy Maryland-bred filly got back in the winner’s circle on Friday with a 1 3/4-length in an allowance optional claiming race. She tussled for the lead with I’m the Talent in the early stages, then pulled clear of that rival in the stretch and held sway in the end. That’s her tenth win in 19 career starts, while pushing her career earnings to over $600,000. She’s owned by Lucky 7 Stables, trained by Jerry Robb, and ridden by Xavier Perez.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: HYPOTHESIS. West Virginia-bred sprinters squared off in the It’s Only Money Stakes on Saturday. Hypothesis won three stakes races last year, including this one, but had not been seen on the track this year. He made up for lost time and then some with a half-length win. He moved four-wide after the leaders on the turn and got up over favored Penguin Power to win in the last few strides, covering the distance in 51.22 seconds. This 6-year-old gelding has won twelve times in 24 lifetime starts, while earning more than $378,000. He’s owned by Jill Daniel, trained by Crystal Pickett, and ridden by Jose Montano.

SECOND STAR: STAR OF NIGHT. Another West Virginia-bred star shone brightly on Friday night, as Star of Night, a two-time West Virginia bred Horse of the Year, won an allowance race by 1 3/4 lengths for her first victory of 2022. She had some mildly anxious moments early on, as she drafted in third off early leaders Knot Anymore and Moonlit Shadow. However, Star of Night got into gear on the final turn and drew off to an impressive win. Arnaldo Bocachica had the winning mount for owner Huntertown Farm LLC and trainer Jeff Runco.

THIRD STAR: PRIMAL DESTINY. He’s shown quite an affinity for Charles Town, having won seven races in a row over this track at one point. He won again on Thursday, as he took a starter allowance race by a head at 2-5. He was pressed on the lead by To the Front and held off the late advances of that rival for the victory, going 4 1/2 furlongs in a sharp 51.51 seconds. Robert Cole Jr is the winning owner, Kevin Patterson the winning trainer, and Gerald Almodovar the winning jockey.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: LEADER OF THE BAND. On Saturday, seven fillies and mares met in the Lady’s Secret Stakes going two turns on dirt. Leader of the Band, winner of the Monmouth Oaks on this track last year, rebounded to win by a head, prevailing in a thrilling stretch battle with Beth’s Dream. She’s won twice from four starts this year, and improved from her fourth-place effort in the Serena’s Song last out. She’s owned by SMD Limited, trained by John Servis, and ridden by Isaac Castillo.

SECOND STAR: OUR MAN LUKE. Seven Jersey-breds met in the inaugural Sunny Ridge Handicap, contested over one mile on a sloppy track. Our Man Luke recovered from a poor break to battle with Speaking down the stretch and prevail over that rival in a 16-1 upset. That’s the first career stakes win for this G.J. Stables homebred, who is trained by Luis Carvajal Jr and ridden by Jeremy Laprida.

THIRD STAR: OXANA. Dropping in class from a start in the Skipat Stakes, Oxana looked like a lock in the featured third-level allowance optional claiming race on Friday. As the 1-20 favorite, she handled the field with ease, She rated off the pace and cruised in hand down the stretch to win under Paco Lopez. She’s won four times in ten career starts, with this being her first win at Parx. She’s owned by Tee N Jay Stables, trained by Tim Hills, and ridden by Paco Lopez.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: EXIT RIGHT. Although he saw his winning streak snapped last out, this New York-bred gelding rebounded on Saturday with a starter allowance win by a nose. He led at every point of call in the 1 1/2-mile battle and held off the oncoming surge of Original Intent to win it. On the year, Exit Right has now won six times in seven starts, while earning almost $158,000. He’s owned by Morris Kernan Jr, Yo Berbs, and Jagger Inc, trained by Jamie Ness, and ridden by Ruben Silvera.

SECOND STAR: DR. B. This filly made her 4-year-old debut a winning one on Saturday, taking a second-level allowance optional claiming race. Eighth in the Mrs. Claus Stakes last December in her most recent start, she pressed the pace early and drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths, covering six furlongs in 1:11.75. Frankie Pennington had the winning mount for owners Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC, trainer Robert Reid Jr, and jockey Frankie Pennington.

THIRD STAR: MISS DILLINGHAM. This Jamie Ness trainee made it four in a row on Saturday with a sharp 3 1/4-length starter allowance win. She set the pace while pressured in the early stages of the 1 1/8-mile race, but drew off in the stretch and won handily. She’s owned by Madison Avenue Racing Stable Inc, Dawn Witte, and Jagger Inc and ridden by Ruben Silvera.

Region’s Best

  1. Miss Leslie- Starting to round back into best form.
  2. Hypothesis
  3. Star of Night

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