Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: IRISH CORK. Parx hosted a pair of open allowance races on Tuesday. Irish Cork , who was entered in the original version of the Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park but not the redrawn version, stalked the pace and drew off to win by two lengths for his second straight win in a one mile and 70-yard contest. This gray 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred gelding improved his career record to 7-8-6 from 29 starts, with earnings of $395,392. He’s owned by Irish Three Racing LLC, trained by John Servis, and was ridden by Paco Lopez.

SECOND STAR: SKY’S NOT FALLING. Saturday’s co-feature at Laurel was a third-level allowance optional claiming contest featuring some top local grass horses, including some prominent Maryland-breds. One of those, last year’s Maryland Million Turf Sprint champion Sky’s Not Falling, came from off the pace to win by 1 1/2 lengths, outkicking favored Eons, who rallied from last to get second. The winner is owned by breeder Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable, trained by Mike Trombetta, and ridden by John Rosado.

THIRD STAR: BREEZY GUST. Later on Parx’s Tuesday card, Breezy Gust, who won the Not For Love Stakes at Laurel in his prior start, came from mid-pack to win an open allowance sprint, for his third win of the year. He rallied very wide in the stretch and gamely fended off stretch challenges to win by three-quarters of a length. He’s finished in the exacta in all five of his starts this year. This Pennsylvania-bred gelding is owned by Trending Stable, trained by Josue Arce, and ridden by Dexter Haddock.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: SKY’S NOT FALLING. Got his first win of the year on Saturday as he returned to his home state.

SECOND STAR: THOMAS SHELBY. Held on to win a third-level allowance dirt route on Saturday, as David Jacobson continued an impressive run with his shippers to Maryland.

THIRD STAR: JEIRON BARBOSA. Thomas Shelby was one of four winners for Barbosa on the Saturday card.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: WELLING. Drew off impressively to win a starter allowance contest on Friday, his third win in his last four starts.

SECOND STAR: BABY MAN. This 4-year-old filly, well-beaten in her last few at Aqueduct, shipped in for Brittany Russell and won a second-level allowance optional claiming contest later on the Friday program.

THIRD STARS: ANTHONY FARRIOR AND ARNALDO BOCACHICA. Charles Town’s leading trainer/jockey duo teamed up for three wins on Saturday.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: IRISH CORK. Wouldn’t be surprising to see this Pennsylvania-bred head to stakes company next out.

SECOND STAR: BREEZY GUST. See above.

THIRD STAR: LUIS OCASIO AND MYCHEL SANCHEZ. Both riders won three races on the special Derby day Saturday card.