Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: OCCULT. Favored Occult overcame an overland trip to win Saturday’s Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park for her first graded stakes win. The 7-5 choice raced in the middle of the 10-horse field early on while drafting a few paths off the rail. As they rounded the far turn, Feargal Lynch sent his mount towards the lead five-wide on the final turn, and she poured it on from there. She hit the line 10 1/4 lengths in front, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.74. Delaware Oaks winner Foggy Night was second, while Jersey-bred Riding Pretty was third. The winner is owned by Alpha Delta Stables LLC and trained by Chad Brown.

SECOND STAR: BE BETTER. While Forte was the more prominent and controversial Repole-owned stakes winner on Saturday, he wasn’t the only one. Be Better broke through to win the Deputed Testamony Stakes at Laurel Park by 1 1/4 lengths. Ournationonparade set the pace and led most of the way, but favored Nimitz Class moved to engage on the far turn. Nimitz Class poked a head in front in the stretch, but Be Better rated off the battle and powered by him to win going away. Since joining the Maryland circuit under Brittany Russell’s care, he’s hit the board in all five starts and has won three straight. Sheldon Russell had the winning mount on Saturday.

THIRD STAR: LIGHTENING LARRY. Later on Saturday’s card, Lightening Larry affirmed his status as one of the mid-Atlantic’s top sprinters with a win in the DeFrancis Dash. He stalked early leader Wondrwherecraigis most of the way, then pulled past that rival in the last eighth and hit the wire by a half-length. It was his third straight win, following victories in the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park. He was vanned off after the race as a precautionary measure, but was reported to be in good shape the following morning. He’s owned by Lea Farms LLC, trained by Jorge Delgado, and ridden by Daniel Centeno.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: BE BETTER. Imagine a Repole-trained graded stakes winner not trained by Todd Pletcher? Wouldn’t be a surprise anymore!

SECOND STAR: LIGHTENING LARRY. Looks like he’s no worse for the wear as he continues to pick up stakes wins in the region.

THIRD STAR: BEGUINE. Powered away to win Saturday’s Alma North Stakes, giving Yearling Show judge Ned Allard a stakes win for the second consecutive Saturday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: GREAT SPIRIT. This Jill Daniel homebred filly made it two stakes wins in a row Saturday with a sharp 2 1/2-length win in the Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes.

SECOND STAR: DIVINE FASHION. Beat starter allowance foes earlier on Saturday for her seventh win of the year from 12 starts.

THIRD STAR: MAGGIE’S GIRL. Improved to 3-for-3 lifetime with a sharp 5 1/2-length allowance win Thursday.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: PARADISE PRIDE. Made it three wins in a row with a starter allowance win on Thursday; he’s finished in the exacta seven times from 10 starts this year.

SECOND STAR: STRUGAR. Drew off easily to beat first-level allowance foes on Thursday for his second straight victory.

THIRD STARS: KEVIN GOMEZ AND JAIME RODRIGUEZ. They each pulled off a riding hat trick this week; Gomez on Wednesday, Rodriguez on Thursday.

Colonial Downs

FIRST STAR: HOLLYWOOD WALK. This Larry Johnson homebred picked up her first win of the year Thursday with a half-length win against second-level allowance runners.

SECOND STAR; WILLAKIA. Made her first start off the layoff a winning one Thursday with a strong gate-to-wire win in a first-level allowance race.

THIRD STAR: GAVIN ASHTON. Earned his first American riding victory in the Thursday nightcap with a dramatic 58-1 upset win aboard Will I Play.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: OCCULT. Could be a dark horse in major 3-year-old filly races later this year.

SECOND STAR: NO NAY METS. Blew the doors off the Tyro Stakes field to win Sunday’s featured event for his second career stakes win.

THIRD STAR: AMIDST WAVES. Prompted the pace and kicked away to win Saturday’s Colleen Stakes.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: WORD ON A WING. Pulled away late to win a third-level allowance sprint on Wednesday for his second straight winner’s circle trip.

SECOND STAR: CAIRO SUGAR. Earned her third win of the year Monday with a determined second-level allowance score.

THIRD STAR: MOVISITOR. Cruised to a gate-to-wire win in a first-level route on Wednesday; could end up as one of the local Pennsylvania Derby hopes.