Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: COPPER TAX. Tesio Stakes winner Copper Tax made his second start off the bench a winning one on Friday, taking the Richard W. Small Stakes at Laurel Park by 1 3/4 lengths. The 2-5 choice in the seven-horse field drafted a few lengths off the pace in the early stages of the 1 1/8-mile affair, then made his move on the final turn. He looked as if he was going to win by open lengths, but Elephants Ear, who sat a similar stalking trip, made things mildly interesting late, but Copper Tax’s class pulled him through. He’s now won six times in his 13-race career, five of them in stakes races. He’s owned by Rose Petal Stable LLC, trained by Gary Capuano, and ridden by J.G. Torrealba.

SECOND STAR: WARRIOR JOHNY. Parx hosted a quartet of stakes races on Wednesday, including the Turkey Trot Stakes for older males going a mile and 70 yards. Warrior Johny, unplaced in three starts against graded stakes company this year, found the class drop to his liking, as he rallied three-wide on the final turn and pulled clear to win by 2 3/4 lengths. It was his second win of the year in nine starts, following a victory on opening day at Saratoga, and the fifth win of his 24-race career, the first in stakes company. Jaime Torres was up for owner Rigney Racing LLC and trainer Phil Bauer.

THIRD STAR: WINTERFELL. Although he failed to break his maiden in five starts on the west coast, Winterfell has thrived since joining Brittany Russell’s barn a few months ago. He picked up his first stakes win in Saturday’s City of Laurel Stakes, taking advantage of a blistering early pace to go last-to-first and win by two lengths. Speedyness and Celtic Contender battled through very fast early fractions, and while they hung on admirably for second and third, respectively, they could not hold off Winterfell’s late bid. The winner is owned by the SF Racing/Starlight Racing conglomerate and ridden by Jevian Toledo.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: COPPER TAX. Stamped himself as a 4-year-old to watch for 2025 with a sharp Small win.

SECOND STAR: WINTERFELL. Speaking of 4-year-olds to watch, we might see all of the top three finishers in the City of Laurel in the General George in ten weeks.

THIRD STAR: ROANAN GODDESS. Rallied four-wide on the turn to win Saturday’s Safely Kept Stakes, her second stakes win on this track.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: ARNALDO BOCACHICA. Won five races on Friday’s card, four of them for Anthony Farrior, as he closes in on 200 wins for the year.

SECOND STAR: KOSHER COWBOY. Mountaineer shipper led every step to take an open allowance dash as the 3-10 chalk on Friday.

THIRD STAR: DIVINE FASHION. Got up to beat starter allowance rivals on Friday, for her sixth win in 11 starts on the year.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: WARRIOR JOHNY. Found a field he could master and subsequently found the winner’s circle as well.

SECOND STAR: SPIKEZONE. Delaware Park sensation is plenty good at Parx as well; he took Wednesay’s Let’s Give Thanks Stakes as the favorite.

THIRD STAR: BEACH DAZE. Jersey-bred and Maryland-sired mare took the Cornucopia Stakes on Wednesday.