Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: MUAD’DIB. Local hero Muad’dib, the latest West Virginia-bred millionaire, earned his first victory since passing the seven-figure barrier on Friday night at Charles Town. Sent off as the 3-5 choice in a seven-furlong, ten-horse West Virginia-bred allowance contest, he rallied wide from well off the pace and got up to win by a half-length. The 7-year-old gelding passed the million-dollar mark when second in the Randy Funkhouser Memorial Stakes two races back, and is now a 17-time winner in 29 starts. He was bred by John McKee and is owned by David Raim, trained by Jeff Runco, and ridden by Angel Cruz.

SECOND STAR: NO EASY DAYS. Top local older sprinters met in a third-level contest on Saturday at Laurel Park. No Easy Days rebounded off a defeat in the Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs, sitting the trip and drawing off to win by 1 1/2 lengths. He rated off a battle between Karan’s Notion and Factually Correct, then moved four-wide in the stretch and outkicked all the others. All six of his wins this year have come at Laurel, and he’s only missed the board once on this track. He’s owned by MIH Affiliates LLC, trained by Daniel McKenzie, and ridden by Jevian Toledo.

THIRD STAR: PORK CHOP PETE. Wednesday’s feature at Charles Town was a first–level dash at 4 1/2 furlongs. Pork Chop Pete, stakes-placed four times on the year, picked up his third consecutive win and fifth lifetime score, going gate-to-wire as the 1-10 choice. He won under wrapped by Juan Nunez, and has positioned himself as a West Virginia-bred sprinter to watch for 2024. Alex Kazdan bred him and co-owns him with O’Sullivan Farms; Javier Contreras in the winning trainer.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: NO EASY DAYS. Got back to his wining ways thanks to a fantastic trip.

SECOND STAR: MINDTAP. Returned from a long layoff to win a second-level route on Sunday.

THIRD STAR: SECRET ZIPPER. Went gate-to-wire in a first-level route on Friday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: MUAD’DIB. Capped off another big season with a come-from-behind win.

SECOND STAR: PORK CHOP PETE. Will 2025 be the year he gets his stakes breakthrough?

THIRD STAR: LITTLE ROO ROO. Local star and three-time stakes winner got back on the right track Saturday with a determined victory in an allowance contest.

Parx Racing

FIRST STARS: RUBEN SILVERA AND JAMIE NESS. The jockey/trainer tandem won the first three races on the Tuesday program.

SECOND STAR: PARTY AT SAM’S. Picked up his third win in a row in a first-level race on Monday; he’s now won five times on the year in 17 starts.

THIRD STAR: ADELEKE. Set the pace and drew off to win a starter optional claiming sprint on Monday, improving to 3-for-3 on the year in the process.