Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: GIRL NAMED CHARLIE. Sunday’s feature at Monmouth Park was the Miss Liberty Stakes for older fillies and mares on the grass. Girl Named Charlie, already a two-time winner this year in allowance company at Fair Grounds and Keeneland, took control early on and never looked back to win by 1 1/4 lengths. She covered 1 1/16 miles on a firm grass course in 1:40.94, and is now 3-for-5 on the year with earnings of $173,978. She’s owned by Jerry Caroom and Jeffrey Lambert, trained by Lindsay Schultz, and ridden by Fernando Jara.

SECOND STAR: DATAMAN. One day prior at Monmouth, older males did battle in the Cliff Hanger Stakes, also at 1 1/16 miles on grass. Coming in off a win in the Henry S. Clark Stakes in his prior outing, Dataman added another notch to his belt in the Cliff Hanger, He rallied from last with a strong, wide move on the final turn and chased down longtime leader There Are No Words to win by a length. He’s now a three-time stakes winner lifetime, having previously won the Bald Eagle Derby last year in addition to his two stakes wins this year. This Wertheimer and Frere homebred is trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Jorge Ruiz.

THIRD STAR: SIR WELLINGTON. A crack field of open allowance sprinters headlined Saturday’s card at Delaware Park. Sir Wellington, after a middling winter at Oaklawn Park, returned to the winner’s circle with a 3 1/4-length win. He made a three-wide move on the turn, hit the front at the top of the stretch, and pulled clear for the victory, covering six furlongs in 1:10.91. He’s now 7-for-30 lifetime, including a pair of stakes victories, with career earnings of $497,618. Ederik Robles was aboard for owner Xtreme Racing Stables LLC and trainer McLean Robertson.

Pimlico

FIRST STAR: ROMINSKI. Continued his impressive year Saturday with a third-level sprint victory, improving to 4-for-5 on the campaign in the process.

SECOND STAR: ANONYMOUSLY. Came up the inside to defeat a third-level field of fillies and mares later on the Saturday card, upsetting heavily favored Mystic Seaport in the process.

THIRD STAR: WINKED. Stalked the pace, struck the front, and fought hard late to win a Maryland-bred allowance grass sprint Saturday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: DUNCAN IDAHO. A brother of Late Night Pow Wow, Muad’dib, and Overnight Pow Wow, he’s begun to carve out a path of his own, continuing with an open allowance win against West Virginia-breds Saturday, defeating the likes of Penguin Power and Golden Key.

SECOND STAR: RONNEY BROWN. Turned a training hat trick Thursday as part of a five-win week.

THIRD STAR: TIZ NO CLOWN. Made his 2024 debut a winning one Friday, taking an allowance affair over the likes of Little Roo Roo and Teachintherelease in a 13-1 upset.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: SIR WELLINGTON. A return to stakes company is likely next after his big win Saturday.

SECOND STAR: MALIBU BEAUTY. Maryland-bred veteran returned to the races off a six-month layoff Saturday and prevailed in a third-level route, taking them gate-to-wire and holding off the late rally of I’m the Boss of Me.

THIRD STAR: JAIME RODRIGUEZ. Pulled off a grand slam Wednesday, winning four races for four different trainers.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: GIRL NAMED CHARLIE. Looks well-suited for the series of stakes races on the Monmouth grass this summer.

SECOND STAR: DATAMAN. Did it the opposite way as Girl Named Charlie, launching from last to win it.

THIRD STAR: IT CAN BE DONE. Went gate-to-wire to win a second-level grass route Saturday, for his third win in four starts this year.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: RESPECTFULLY. Led every step and drew off under a drive to take a second-level route last Tuesday.

SECOND STAR: FLAMINGO WAY. Battled on the pace and drew off to win her 3-year-old debut last Monday against first-level foes.

THIRD STAR: THIRSTY PAPPY. Fought hard on the lead to win a first-level route Wednesday; he’s now 3-for-6 on the year and hasn’t missed the board.