Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: March 17 * The Racing Biz

MID-ATLANTIC THREE STARS: MARCH 17

John Piassek
March 17, 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

FIRST STAR: AMERICAN PROMISE. Colonial Downs played host to their signature event, the Virginia Derby, on Saturday. The race was held on dirt for the first time, in March for the first time, and offered 50 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, ensuring them of a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Wayne Lukas trainee American Promise, coming off a pair of unplaced finishes in stakes races, locked up his spot in the Derby field with a 7 3/4-length victory. He pressed odds-on choice Getaway Car early on, shook away from them on the lone turn of the 1 1/8-mile contest, and pulled clear for a decisive victory. He ran the distance over a very fast track in 1.46.38, setting a new track record. Render Judgement, with Sheldon Russell aboard, finished second, while Virginia-bred Omaha Omaha was third. The winner is now 2-for-9 lifetime, and is owned by BC Stables LLC. Nik Juarez had the winning mount.

SECOND STAR: FONDLY. One race prior, 3-year-old fillies sought a spot in the Kentucky Oaks in the Virginia Oaks. Fondly made her stakes debut a winning one, taking it by a half-length. She set the early pace under Irad Ortiz, then was overtaken by Anonima on her inside and raced in second on the turn. However, she fought back on the outside and wore down Anonima, getting up in the last few jumps to improve to 2-for-2 lifetime. Early On closed from fifth to finish second, while Anonima held third. The winner is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Graham Motion.

THIRD STAR: BOOK’EM DANNO. The reigning Jersey-bred Horse of the Year made his 4-year-old debut in Friday’s Boston Handicap at Colonial Downs. Facing only a pair of rivals, Virginia-bred Repo Rocks and Maryland-bred Celtic Contender, Book’em Danno lived up to 3-10 expectation, rating off the pace and kicking on to win by two lengths. He’s now won six stakes races in his 12-race career, and increased his earnings to $1,098,125. He was bred by Greg Kilka and Bright View Farm and is owned by Atlantic Six Racing LLC, trained by Derek Ryan, and ridden by Paco Lopez.

Colonial Downs

VIDEO: Charles Town weekend highlights
In today’s video, highlights from the weekend’s racing at Charles Town, including a stakes winner returns, a sharp debut, and more.

FIRST STAR: AMERICAN PROMISE. Ran a huge race in the Virginia Derby and may give Nik Juarez, who got his start in the Mid-Atlantic, his first Derby mount.

SECOND STAR: FONDLY. Can this filly contend in the Kentucky Oaks in what would be just her third career start?

THIRD STAR: BOOK’EM DANNO. He did what he had to do to capture his 4-year-old debut.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: IM THE DIRECTOR. A two-time stakes winner at 2, he won his 3-year-old debut on Saturday by winning a West Virginia-bred dash in the last few jumps.

SECOND STAR: PENGUIN PARADE. Led gate-to-wire to capture a West Virginia-bred sprint on Friday, for his third victory in his last five starts.

THIRD STAR: DORADO. Swooped the group to win an open first-level sprint going away on Saturday; he’s now hit the exacta in his last nine races.