Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: December 18 * The Racing Biz

MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: december 18

John Piassek
December 18, 2023

Plenty of racing action took place throughout the Mid-Atlantic this past week.

Here’s a look at the “three stars” of each track:

Region’s Best

Howl — Jevian Toledo, shown winning his 100th career stakes win earlier this year, won five races on Saturday. Photo by Jerry Dzierwinski.

FIRST STAR: JEVIAN TOLEDO. With just five days left in the Laurel Park fall/winter meet, Jevian Toledo took a big step towards a riding title with a five-win Saturday. He bookended the day with Brittany Russell-trained winners, guiding home Dwelling Legacy in race 1 and American Odalisque in race 9. In between, he turned a natural hat trick, riding home Bella Bettina in race 5 for trainer Sammy Davis, the 6th race aboard John Salzman Jr trainee Running River, and race 7 with Witty, trained by Lizzie Merryman. Toledo holds a one-win advantage over Jaime Rodriguez, 47-46.

SECOND STAR: MS. BUCCHERO. Sunday’s feature at Laurel Park was an open allowance sprint for fillies and mares. Ms. Bucchero bounced back off two consecutive dull efforts to win by a nose in an exciting stretch battle. She set the pace and maintained the lead on the far turn, but was soon collared by Whiskey and Rye. It looked like that rival was going to roll by in the stretch, but Ms. Bucchero fought back on the inside and won in an 8-1 upset. It was her fifth victory of the year in nine starts for owner/trainer Diane Morici. She covered six furlongs in 1:12.59 over an increasingly wet track labeled “good” under Johan Rosado.

THIRD STAR: OVERLY CRITICAL. This 4-year-old gelding capped his Charles Town season on closing night on Saturday, when he won his seventh start of the year. He won a second-level contest at 6 1/2 furlongs by a neck, running down early leaders O’Conner Sunset and Tap Secret and getting up int he last few jumps. He’s won five of his last six starts, all but one of which came at Charles Town. He’s owned by Top Notch Racing, trained by Ornaldo Bocachica.

Laurel Park

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FIRST STAR: JEVIAN TOLEDO. Took a big step forward to another riding title.

SECOND STAR: MS BUCCHERO. If that was her last start of the year, it was an impressive one.

THIRD STAR: WITTY. Lived up to the odds-on hype with a sharp victory in a second-level sprint on Saturday, his first dirt start since May.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: OVERLY CRITICAL. Found his best stride towards the end of the season, and (persumably) capped his season on a high note.

SECOND STAR: AKEMI. Went straight to the front and won a second-level dash for fillies and mares as much the best on Saturday, for her third win of the year.

THIRD STAR: GOLDEN KEY. Stakes-placed twice this year, he earned his third victory of the season on Thursday by taking a second-level dash in gate-to-wire fashion.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: IRISH EXIT. Earned his seventh victory of the year, and fourth in arow, by taking a second-level contest on Wednesday in his first start off the claim by Jamie Ness.

SECOND STAR: TIME TO CRUISE. Stalked the pace, fought hard in the stretch, and got up to win a first-level route earlier on the Wednesday card.

THIRD STAR: RHUMJAR. Earned his first victory of the year on Wednesday, taking a starter optional claiming contest as much the best.

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