Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: January 27 * The Racing Biz

MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: january 27

John Piassek
January 27, 2025

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

Barbadian Runner, in the pink blinkers, prevailed in Saturday’s Spectacular Bid Stakes. Photo by Jeff Snyder/MJC.

FIRST STAR: BARBADIAN RUNNER. Some of the best local 3-year-old males clashed in Saturday’s seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel Park. Barbadian Runner, by Shamrock Farm stallion Barbados, broke through for his first stakes victory after a pair of stakes placings. He rated a few lengths off the pace in the early stages, then was asked for run entering the stretch by Forest Boyce. Crab Daddy, who inherited the lead after early leader Scheduling Dude stopped badly, gave him all he could handle towards the inside, but Barbadian Runner dug in and held on to win by a head at 6-1. He covered seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:25.85, while improving his career record to 2-2-3 in nine starts with earnings of $137,445. He was bred by Shamrock and is owned by AJ Will Win Stables LLC, trained by Henry Walters, and ridden by Forest Boyce.

SECOND STAR: ONYX TEN. One race prior, 3-year-old fillies traveled six furlongs in the Xtra Heat Stakes. Onyx Ten, a Maryland-bred Frank Sample homebred, rated off the pace and rallied up the rail to win by 1 3/4 lengths for her first stakes victory. She was stakes-placed twice last year, but this was her first victory since her maiden-breaking score at Delaware Park in August. She ran six furlongs in 1:12.54 over a fast surface, with J.G. Torrealba aboard for trainer Gary Capuano.

THIRD STAR: WILD VINE. Sunday’s feature at Laurel was a third-level route for older males at 1 1/16 miles. Wild Vine, who was in sharp form at his Penn National base, but struggled in the Bob Manfuso Stakes, returned to his winning ways. He rated off of early leader Bouncer, took advantage when that one tired, and held off the late rally of Cataleya Strike to pull a 16-1 upset. He improvd to 6-fotr-17 lifetime, with career earnings of $187,870. Bred in PEnnsylvania by R R Equine Stables LLC, he’s owned by Short Straw Stable, trained by Flint Stites, and ridden by Jomar Torres.

Laurel Park

Delaware Park announces 75-day 2025 race schedule
Delaware Park will race 75 days in 2025, the track announced today, and it significantly shuffled its stakes schedule.

FIRST STAR: BARBADIAN RUNNER. Earned his first stakes win and gave his breeder and sire a nice feather in their caps.

SECOND STAR: ONYX TEN. Rode the rail and got the job done in the Xtra Heat.

THIRD STAR: RED VINE. We might see him here in stakes company next after his big win on Sunday.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: ARNALDO BOCACHICA. Rode four winners on Friday, including a sweep of the last three races on the program.

SECOND STAR: ALVY. One of Bocachica’s Friday wins came on this 5-year-old gelding, who overcame a wide trip to win a starter optional claiming contest for his third victory in his last five starts.

THIRD STAR: CHARITABLE WINDSOR. Made a move from off the pace and got up to win a West Virginia-bred starter optional claiming contest on Saturday in a 33-1 upset, despite lugging in in the stretch.