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

MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: march 18

John Piassek
March 18, 2024

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

Shaft’s Bullet returns to the winner’s circle following a big effort in the Harrison Johnson. Photo: Jerry Dzierwinski

FIRST STAR: SHAFT’S BULLET. Shaft’s Bullet made his stakes debut a winning one in Saturday’s Harrison Johnson Memorial Stakes at Laurel Park. Sent off as the 2-1 second choice in the four-horse contest, he drafted off the early pace under Carlos Lopez early on, while favored Nimitz Class and Double Crown disputed the pace. He ranged alongside them in the three-path on the turn and drew off in the stretch to win by four lengths. He covered the mile on a fast track in 1:37.14, good for an impressive Beyer figure of 99, and improved his career record to 5-2-1 from nine starts with earnings of $225,580. He’s owned by Larry Fowler Jr. and trained by Gary Capuano.

SECOND STAR: TAKE A HINT. Two races earlier on Saturday, Capuano and Fowler, along with co-owner John Hazard, teamed up to win the Not For Love Stakes with Take a Hint, for the gelding’s third victory on the year. He enjoyed a great trip stalking early leaders Arden’sluckytobe and Rominski, then advanced on them on the turn and drew away to win by 1 1/4 lengths. By the late Northview stallion Bandbox and bred by Mr. & Mrs. Charles McGinnes, he covered six furlongs in 1:10.72 with Jaime Rodriguez aboard.

THIRD STAR: TOO MANY KISSES. Cynthia McGinnes, in partnership with Francis Clemens on the ownership side, and her husband Charles and trainer Tim Keefe on the breeding side, picked up another stakes win on Saturday when Too Many Kisses, making her second start of the season, won the Conniver Stakes. She was squeezed back at the start and dropped far behind, racing 10 1/2 lengths off the pace on the turn. However, she gobbled up ground in the stretch and wore down clear leader Royal Whisper in the last eighth to win by 1 1/4 lengths, going seven furlongs in 1:25.76. Forest Boyce was in the saddle.

Laurel Park

Grade 3 winner Warrant to stand at Murmur Farm
Warrant, a Grade 3 winner by Consitution, will stand at Maryland’s Murmur Farm in 2025 after having stood in Pennsylvania in 2024.

FIRST STAR: SHAFT’S BULLET. That big Beyer indicates he’s earned a try against bigger fish.

SECOND STAR: TAKE A HINT. The lightbulb has gone on for him this year, and he can now say he’s a stakes winner.

THIRD STAR: TOO MANY KISSES. She’s now 2-for-2 on the year, coming from well off the pace to win both starts.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: MARSHALL PEANUT. This West Virginia-bred gelding improved to 4-for-4 lifetime with a gate-to-wire win in an allowance dash Friday.

SECOND STAR: ELLE’SBIGSEACRET. He became the first horse in the country to win five races this year Wednesday, battling on the lead and holding off Golden G’s late rally to win a starter allowance dash.

THIRD STAR: QUALIFLY. Improved to 3-for-3 on the year with a gate-to-wire starter allowance win to kick off the Friday card.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: CENTRE COURT CHAMP. Came up the inside to win a third-level sprint going away Monday, for her second victory of the year.

SECOND STAR: RESPECTFULLY. Made her first start since July a winning one Monday, taking them all the way around in a mile and 70-yard first-level contest to win as much the best.

THIRD STAR: SHERIFF RONNIE. Improved to 3-for-3 on the year with a starter allowance victory Tuesday.

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