Region’s Best

LAUREL PARK: PHIL CAPUANO. When Dale Capuano retired from training a few weeks ago, he passed on his stable to his nephew, Phil. On Saturday, Phil won his first two races in Maryland. He sent out Imagine a Cure to victory in race 2, for owner Louis Ulman with Jean Alvelo aboard. A few races later, Phil notched his second career training win, as Vance Scholars, last year’s Bald Eagle Derby winner, made his 4-year-old debut a winning one in a third-level allowance optional claiming contest. So far, Phil has three wins from ten starts in his career, with his first career win coming at Charles Town on Friday.

CHARLES TOWN: TYLER HEARD. 20-year-old Heard, originally based in Great Britain, won his first American race on Thursday at Charles Town. He got aboard Paul McEntee trainee Baytown Frosty in a second-level allowance optional claiming dash. He wore down early leader Fully Connected in the stretch and got up for a three-quarter length win. Heard began his riding career in his native country at the age of 17 in 2019, after working for esteemed trainer Richard Hughes. He had his first American mount on Jan. 6 at Turfway Park.

PARX RACING: NINETYPRECENTYBRYNN. This Pennsylvania-bred 5-year-old, who was stakes-placed twice last year, made her 2023 debut a winning one last Monday, as she took a second-level allowance optional claiming race by a half-length. After drafting near the back of the pack early on, she rallied four-wide in the stretch and oukicked longshot B B’s Busted for the victory, covering a mile in 1:44.59 over a fast track. She’s now 4-for-19 lifetime, and has hit the board in 14 of 19 lifetime with earnings of $277,496. She’s a homebred for LC Racing LLC, trained by Butch Reid and ridden by Abner Adorno.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: PHIL CAPUANO: Started his training career on a strong note.

SECOND STAR: ZABRACADABRA. Made it two in a row with a sharp open allowance win on Sunday.

THIRD STAR: JHOVANY PAREDES. 10-pound bug won his first career race on Friday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: TYLER HEARD. Picked up his first career win on Baytown Frosty.

SECOND STAR: MY LOVELY GIRL. Got up for a second-level allowance optional claiming win on Thursday.

THIRD STAR: MR TINGLES. Went gate-to-wire in first-level allowance company on Friday.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: NINETYPERCENTBRYNN. Rallied to win the allowance optional claiming feature on Monday.

SECOND STAR: FOR THE DREAMERS. Sharp allowance optional claiming win last Wednesday could prove a breakthrough effort for this Pennsylvania-bred.

THIRD STAR: PEACH PERFECT. Made it two wins in a row on Tuesday in an Pennsylvania-bred allowance race performance; she’s now hit the board 10 times from 11 lifetime starts.