Region’s Best

FIRST STAR: WORCESTER. Following a runner-up effort in the Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct last out, Worcester broke through for his first stakes victory in Saturday’s Frank Whiteley Stakes at Laurel Park. The late-running sprinter took advantage of the track’s rally-wide bias, coming from off the pace with a five-wide sweep to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Brittany Russell barnmate New King, in his local debut, rated off the pace and finished a clear-cut second to complete the Russell-trained exacta. The winner is now 3-for-4 lifetime at Laurel Park, with his only defeat coming in his first start off a 15-month break in late November. He’s owned by the partnership led by SF Racing and Starlight Racing and was ridden by Sheldon Russell.

SECOND STAR: ROYAL SPA. In her last start, Royal Spa chased gate-to-wire winner Irish Maxima in the Barbara Fritchie Stakes over a sloppy, speed-favoring track. This time, in Saturday’s Heavenly Cause Stakes at Laurel, she took advantage of the way this wet track was playing. She raced on the lead, but well off the rail. As they rounded the turn, she repelled a challenged from rail-riding Opus Forty Two and pulled clear in the stretch. Regaled, who was racing wide as well, closed late, but the wire came in time for Royal Spa, who won by a neck. A homebred 5-year-old mare for Breffini Farm, she’s trained by Rodolphe Brisset and was ridden by Mychel Sanchez.

THIRD STAR: CATALEYA STRIKE. The track bias and the pace setup played right into Cataleya Strike’s hands in Saturday’s Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel. The ever-fast Speedyness went to the front in the early stages of the 1 1/8-mile contest, while Film Star closely hounded him the whole way. Those two tired as they rounded the final turn, while Cataleya Strike, who was 11 lengths back after a half-mile, made his move on the outside. Speedyness held in as tough as he could, but Cataleya Strike overwhelmed him and crossed the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front for his first career stakes win. Jevian Toledo was aboard for owner J R Sanchez Racing Stable and trainer Rudy Sanchez-Salomon.

Laurel Park

FIRST STAR: WORCESTER. Him and Whitely runner-up New King looked like strong candidates for the Maryland Sprint for Brittany Russell.

SECOND STAR: ROYAL SPA. Led all the way to capture the Heavenly Cause.

THIRD STAR: CATALEYA STRIKE. Took advantage of the track and picked up his first stakes win, as well as Rudy Sanchez-Salomon’s first stakes win since 2021.

Charles Town Races

FIRST STAR: CHARTIABLE WINDSOR. Set the early pace and drew away to capture a starter optional claiming race on Thursday by 6 1/2 lengths for his second victory for the season.

SECOND STAR: FLASH TOWN. Pulled off a gate-to-wire 14-1 upset in a first-level dash on Thursday, in her second start off a 26-month layoff.

THIRD STAR: ORLANDO BOCACHICA. Won two of the first three races on the Friday card before it was cancelled.

Parx Racing

FIRST STAR: COUNTERSPY. Coming in off fourth-place effort in the Gulfstream Park Mile last out, he led all the way to win an open allowance route on Wednesday.

SECOND STAR: ALANI. Went to the the front and drew away to win a second-level sprint on Tuesday by almost six lengths.

THIRD STAR: IRA THE ICON. He was elevated to victory via disqualification in a first-level route on Monday, for his third victory in his last five starts.