Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: SPEEDYNESS. Saturday’s co-feature at Laurel Park was the Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-old males. Speedyness, a Maryland-bred homebred for co-owner and trainer Jamie Ness, lasted through early pace pressure and held on to win by 1 1/2 lengths. It was his fourth win in his last five starts, all of which have come at Laurel Park, and his first stakes triumph. He ran a mile in 1:39.95 for Ness and co-owner Morris Kernan Jr, with Jaime Rodriguez aboard.

SECOND STAR: MISS HARRIETT. One race prior to the Miracle Wood, 3-year-old fillies did battle in the seven-furlong Wide Country Stakes. Miss Harriett, who won the Maryland Million Lassie at 62-1 on debut last fall, also showcased her speed and won by three-quarters of a length. She made her way to the front up the backstretch, opened up a clear lead on the turn, and held off the late rally of Determined Driver to win it. She’s now 3-for-4 lifetime with two stakes wins and earnings of $151,810. She’s a Maryland-bred homebred for David Baxter, by Murmur Farm’s Blofeld, and is trained by Brandon McFarlane and ridden by Rodriguez.

THIRD STAR: SHAFT’S BULLET. Maryland-bred Shaft’s Bullet made his 2024 debut a winning one on Sunday at Laurel Park. He went off as the slight 3-2 favorite in a one-mile third-level contest, he drafted towards the back of the pack early on, then rallied wide at the top of the stretch and struck the front. Second choice Magic Michael gave him a fight along the inside, but Shaft’s Bullet held sway and won by three-quarters of a length. Carlos Lopez was aboard for owner Larry Fowler Jr. and trainer Gary Capuano.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: SPEEDYNESS. Proved he can last through pressure and got his first stakes win in the process.

SECOND STAR: MISS HARRIETT. Already a two-time stakes winner and likely to stay sprinting according to her connections.

THIRD STAR: SHAFT’S BULLET. He’s shown flashes of promise in his eight-race career, and could make a big impact if he can stay on the track.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: GRAN ANDREWS. Improved to 2-for-2 on the year with a sharp starter allowance win on Thursday, rating off the pace and pouncing to prevail at 1-10.

SECOND STAR: MISS STONES. Earned her fourth win in her last five races later on the Thursday card, taking a first-level dash by almost five lengths as much the best.

THIRD STAR: NO LOVE FOR JUBA. The 2022 West Virginia Futurity champion won his second straight start on Thursday, going gate-to-wire for the victory.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR; HOLLYWOOD JET. Fought hard with Bourbon Music almost the whole way and got up to win Monday’s feature, a third-level sprint, by a head, for his 11th career win in 25 starts.

SECOND STAR: TOPS THE CHART. Got pressured on the pace almost the whole way, but repelled all challenges to win a second-level route on Wednesday for his second victory in his last three starts.

THIRD STAR: RATIFIED. Made it four wins in a row on Monday with a starter allowance victory, running down 9-10 favorite Comedy Act to do so.