Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: HYBRID ECLIPSE. Hybrid Eclipse took the Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes for the second year in a row this Saturday at Laurel Park, Sent off as the second choice under Sheldon Russell, she took her customary spot at the back of the pack early on, racing twelve lengths off the pace after a quarter-mile. Odds-on favorite Opus Forty Two took control up the backstretch and turned for home in front, However, she quickly got leg-weary, and Hybrid Eclipse gobbled up ground late to win by 5 1/4 lengths, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.28. She’s now a five-time stakes winner, with all five coming at Laurel, and has earned $574,324 in her 24-race career. She’s owned by the Elkstone Group LLC and trained by Brittany Russell.

SECOND STAR: COPPER TAX. This up-and-coming 2-year-old made it five wins in a row earlier in the day at Laurel, taking the James F. Lewis III Stakes in a dramatic finish. Off four consecutive open-length wins at Delaware Park, the Gary Capuano trainee went off as the 1-2 favorite in the six-furlong dash. He remained a few lengths off the front as they hit the top of the stretch, but thanks to a deft rival-splitting move by Jaime Rodriguez at the eighth pole, he struck the front late and got by early leader Inveigled by a neck. He ran six furlongs in 1:11.30, more than a second faster than Cap Classique did in winning the Smart Halo Stakes for Juvenile Fillies one race prior. This one previously won the Rocky Run Stakes at Delaware, as well as the First State Dash allowance earlier this year. He’s owned by Rose Petal Stable LLC and ridden by Jaime Rodriguez.

THIRD STAR: SOMEDAY IS TODAY. West Virginia-bred distaff stars met on Saturday in the My Sister Pearl Stakes at Charles Town. Off a win in the Roger Ramey on West Virginia Breeders’ Classics night, Anthony Farrior-trained Someday is Today went off as the slight 2-1 favorite. She lived up to expectations and then some, rating near the pace and drawing away to win by six lengths, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:55.57. She improved her record to 5-0-2 from nine starts on the year, and 9-2-3 in 20 lifetime outings, with earnings of $250,452. She’s owned by Andrew Warren and was ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: HYBRID ECLIPSE. Is she the Laurel Park Horse of the Year? Certainly possible.

SECOND STAR: COPPER TAX. I’m interested to see where he goes this winter; you have to figure a return to two-turns is in his future.

THIRD STAR: CAP CLASSIQUE. Rallied to win the Smart Halo Stakes earlier on Saturday for her second straight win.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: SOMEDAY IS TODAY. Added another stakes victory to her breakthrough season.

SECOND STAR: SUPER RENEE. Got up in time to win a second-level dash on Thursday for her third straight victory.

THIRD STAR: NEVER COMPROMISE. Drew off to beat fellow West Virginia-breds on Thursday for her eighth win of the year in 12 starts.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: ROB THE RICH. Picked up his fourth win in a row on Monday, taking a third-level sprint with a sharp, wide move.

SECOND STAR: EXIT RIGHT. Won for the fifth time this year, and 17th time overall, with a gate-to-wire starter allowance victory on Monday.

THIRD STAR: YOUNG SQUIRE. Pennsylvania-bred son of Uptowncharlybrown improved to 4-for-7 lifetime after taking a starter allowance contest on Wednesday with a late rally.