Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: MALIBU BEAUTY. Maryland-bred Malibu Beauty earned her fifth career stakes victory, and first since December 2022, at Laurel Park on Sunday, taking the Caesar’s Wish Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths. Benefiting from the scratch of fellow pacesetter Continentalcongres, the 6-year-old mare got away with a slow first quarter of 25.00, then fended doff the challenge of 9-10 favorite Saddle Up Jessie and pulled clear in the stretch for the victory, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:45.00. She’s now 11-9-5 in 37 career starts with earnings of $693,699. She’s a homebred for ZWP Stable and trainer Gary Capuano’s Non Stop Stable. J.G. Torrealba had the winning ride.

SECOND STAR: GOVERNOR SAM. Saturday’s feature at Monmouth Park was the Tyro Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on the grass. 3-10 favorite Governor Sam, shipping in off a maiden victory at Saratoga, came from just off the pace and wore his way past pacesetter et Sweep Joe to win by a neck. He ran the distance over a firm grass course in 56.15, for owners Bregman Family Racing LLC and Swinback Stables LLC, trainer George Weaver, and jockey Paco Lopez.

THIRD STAR: ROANAN GODDESS. Earlier on the Sunday card at Laurel, Torrealba picked up another stakes win in the Searching Stakes, which was washed off the grass and run at one mile on the dirt. Roanan Goddess, making her return to dirt following two tries on the lawn, rallied from last and won by 6 1/4 lengths going away. She’s now a two-time stakes winner, having taken the Xtra Heat Stakes on this track in January. She’s owned by Mens Grille Racing and trained by Hammy Smith.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: MALIBU BEAUTY. She’s earned almost $700,000 the hard way, and is likely to make an appearance in the Maryland Million Distaff for the fourth year in a row.

SECOND STAR: ROANAN GODDESS. Benefited from the surface change and won the Searching as much the best.

THIRD STAR: GIVE IT A WHIRL. Led for every step in Sunday’s Bald Eagle Derby.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: HESSICA. Last year’s Cavada champion crushed an allowance field by 5 3/4 lengths on Thursday for her second victory of the tear.

SECOND STAR: GREAT SPIRIT. This Jill Daniel homebred filly drew off to beat allowance foes on Saturday, improving to 3-for-4 on the year and 8-for-13 lifetime.

THIRD STAR: LITTLE BIT OF THAT. Won a starter allowance ash as the odds-on choice; she’s now won four of six on the year and has hit the exacta eight times in a row.

Delaware Park

FIRST STAR: SCARAMOUCHE. Earned his first victory of the year on Thursday, coming from just off the pace and pulling clear in the last few strides to take a second-level sprint.

SECOND STAR: OCEAN CITY. Went gate-to-wire to take a second-level contest on the lawn on Thursday.

THIRD STAR: PRINCESS JAVONICA. Rated off the pace and kicked on to win a second-level grass route on Wednesday, for her second win in a row.

Colonial Downs

FIRST STAR: WINFINITY. This John Ortiz-trained first-time starter rallies from last to win the Keswick Stake on Saturday.

SECOND STAR: CANDYCRUMBS. Gulfstream Park invader came from well out of it to take Saturday’s Hickory Tree Stakes.

THIRD STAR: OTAGO. Surged and got up late to win a second-level grass route on Saturday, for his second victory in his last three starts.

Monmouth Park

FIRST STAR: GOVERNOR SAM. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint ight be in this one’s crosshairs. following his Tyro Stakes win.

SECOND STAR: STARSTRUCK NOTION. St the pace and drew off late to win a second-level grass route on Saturday..

THIRD STAR: JASPER’S PRIDE. Bounced back from his Haskell effort to defeat second-level Jersey-bred foes on Saturday.