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Flat Out puts flawless Belmont record on line in Met Mile

Flat Out seeks to become the first horse since Forego to add the Met Mile to a prior victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Horsephotos.com) Flat Out can flat out run at Belmont Park, and the connections of his eight rivals in the Grade 1, $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap will have to be mindful of that when they attempt to depose the current king of "Big Sandy" in the 120th running of the one-mile dash on Memorial Day. Colloquially known as the Met Mile, the antique test has long been cherished by horsemen and breeders for its ability to reveal future stallion prospects. The door toward a lucrative post-racing career might finally open for the seven-year-old Flat Out if he can push his Belmont record to five-for-five with a win Monday. With placings in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Woodward, Whitney Handicap and Clark Handicap, Flat Out has been a competent player in the handicap ranks all over the country. On Long Island, however, the Bill Mott-trained son of Flatter is a beast. Winner of the past two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flat Out also owns hardware from scores in the Suburban Handicap and the Westchester.

The bay's versatility was on display for the latter victory, on April 27. After making a wide rally on the far turn, Flat Out eventually wore down a loose-on-the lead Cross Traffic in the final strides to win by a head. The final time for a mile, 1:32 4/5, was only three-fifths of a second off the track record.

Cross Traffic, who was making only his third career start in the Westchester, is back to re-oppose. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Unbridled's Song captured his first two starts at Gulfstream over the winter and was an even-money favorite in the Westchester, but simply tired late after setting demanding splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:08 4/5. The gray will have to be on his toes as he drew post 1 in the Metropolitan, and with plenty of other speed to his outside.

"It's pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time," Pletcher said. "He was an unraced four-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he's doing just as well or even better than he came into (the Westchester)."

Another fast pace could aid Carter Handicap winner Swagger Jack (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photgraphy) The first four from the April 6 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct are back for the holiday feature. The seven-furlong Carter was another race where closers benefited from a swift pace, none more so than Swagger Jack. The Calder-based five-year-old registered the 15-1 upset that day under Irad Ortiz Jr., with California invader Sahara Sky also making a serious late charge for the place. While Swagger Jack was winning his first stakes, Sahara Sky was proving his earlier upsets of the Palos Verdes and San Carlos at Santa Anita were hardly flukes. Discreet Dancer, the even-money favorite for the Carter and another Pletcher trainee, came up empty in the stretch of after being perhaps a bit too close to the pace. Hero of the Gulfstream Park Handicap two back, the lightly-raced four-year-old has never finished out of the money and will be one of the ones aiming for stablemate Cross Traffic. Fort Loudon did not falter badly in the Carter, finishing only two lengths behind Swagger Jack after rating in second through the opening quarter-mile. The Nick Zito pupil has never won beyond seven furlongs, however, and has only won the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship in nine races for the Hall of Fame conditioner.

Mark Valeski returns to the site of one of his biggest wins, the 2012 Peter Pan 12 over 1 1/8 miles. Unfortunately sidelined the for the remainder of the year, the Proud Citizen colt won the Mineshaft Handicap and placed in the Louisiana and New Orleans handicaps during a busy winter campaign at Fair Grounds. The Larry Jones trainee could be sitting on a big race following two recent bullet works at Churchill Downs.

"He handled the track real well (in the Peter Pan), and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn," trainer Larry Jones said. "He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They'll be churning and burning out there, so he'll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he's sharp."

Fed Biz, who represents Bob Baffert, has early foot but can also rate if the pace gets too heated. The Giant's Causeway colt registered his biggest win to date in January when taking the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando in wire-to-wire fashion.

The Met Mile field is completed by Handsome Mike, whose form has been generally lackadaisical since his upset of the Pennsylvania Derby last September.

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Flat Out puts flawless Belmont record on line in Met Mile

Flat Out seeks to become the first horse since Forego to add the Met Mile to a prior victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Horsephotos.com) Flat Out can flat out run at Belmont Park, and the connections of his eight rivals in the Grade 1, $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap will have to be mindful of that when they attempt to depose the current king of "Big Sandy" in the 120th running of the one-mile dash on Memorial Day. Colloquially known as the Met Mile, the antique test has long been cherished by horsemen and breeders for its ability to reveal future stallion prospects. The door toward a lucrative post-racing career might finally open for the seven-year-old Flat Out if he can push his Belmont record to five-for-five with a win Monday. With placings in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Woodward, Whitney Handicap and Clark Handicap, Flat Out has been a competent player in the handicap ranks all over the country. On Long Island, however, the Bill Mott-trained son of Flatter is a beast. Winner of the past two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flat Out also owns hardware from scores in the Suburban Handicap and the Westchester.

The bay's versatility was on display for the latter victory, on April 27. After making a wide rally on the far turn, Flat Out eventually wore down a loose-on-the lead Cross Traffic in the final strides to win by a head. The final time for a mile, 1:32 4/5, was only three-fifths of a second off the track record.

Cross Traffic, who was making only his third career start in the Westchester, is back to re-oppose. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Unbridled's Song captured his first two starts at Gulfstream over the winter and was an even-money favorite in the Westchester, but simply tired late after setting demanding splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:08 4/5. The gray will have to be on his toes as he drew post 1 in the Metropolitan, and with plenty of other speed to his outside.

"It's pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time," Pletcher said. "He was an unraced four-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he's doing just as well or even better than he came into (the Westchester)."

Another fast pace could aid Carter Handicap winner Swagger Jack (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photgraphy) The first four from the April 6 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct are back for the holiday feature. The seven-furlong Carter was another race where closers benefited from a swift pace, none more so than Swagger Jack. The Calder-based five-year-old registered the 15-1 upset that day under Irad Ortiz Jr., with California invader Sahara Sky also making a serious late charge for the place. While Swagger Jack was winning his first stakes, Sahara Sky was proving his earlier upsets of the Palos Verdes and San Carlos at Santa Anita were hardly flukes. Discreet Dancer, the even-money favorite for the Carter and another Pletcher trainee, came up empty in the stretch of after being perhaps a bit too close to the pace. Hero of the Gulfstream Park Handicap two back, the lightly-raced four-year-old has never finished out of the money and will be one of the ones aiming for stablemate Cross Traffic. Fort Loudon did not falter badly in the Carter, finishing only two lengths behind Swagger Jack after rating in second through the opening quarter-mile. The Nick Zito pupil has never won beyond seven furlongs, however, and has only won the Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship in nine races for the Hall of Fame conditioner.

Mark Valeski returns to the site of one of his biggest wins, the 2012 Peter Pan 12 over 1 1/8 miles. Unfortunately sidelined the for the remainder of the year, the Proud Citizen colt won the Mineshaft Handicap and placed in the Louisiana and New Orleans handicaps during a busy winter campaign at Fair Grounds. The Larry Jones trainee could be sitting on a big race following two recent bullet works at Churchill Downs.

"He handled the track real well (in the Peter Pan), and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn," trainer Larry Jones said. "He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They'll be churning and burning out there, so he'll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he's sharp."

Fed Biz, who represents Bob Baffert, has early foot but can also rate if the pace gets too heated. The Giant's Causeway colt registered his biggest win to date in January when taking the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando in wire-to-wire fashion.

The Met Mile field is completed by Handsome Mike, whose form has been generally lackadaisical since his upset of the Pennsylvania Derby last September.

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Joyful Victory, Disposablepleasure meet in Phipps; Kauai Katie highlights Acorn

Joyful Victory exits an impressive score in the Santa Margarita and is likely the one to catch in the Ogden Phipps  (Benoit Photo) The Metropolitan Handicap is the main event, but Monday's Memorial Day program at Belmont Park also features a strong undercard of stakes events with the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, Grade 1 Acorn and Grade 2 Sands Point. The $400,000 Phipps did not attract divisional leader Royal Delta, who is expected to make her first start back from Dubai in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis next month, but will showcase perhaps the two most exciting distaffers outside of the reigning Eclipse Award winner, Joyful Victory and Disposablepleasure. Both runners are two for two this season. After a solid 2012 campaign in which she recorded a stakes win and five graded placings, Joyful Victory appears to have developed into a much more formidable five-year-old. The daughter of Tapit opened the season with a facile 4 1/4-length tally in the January 26 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston and then made short work of her rivals when shipping to Santa Anita for the Grade 1 Santa Margarita on March 16, rolling on the front end to a four-length decision.

The gray mare netted BRIS Speed ratings of 112 (Santa Margarita) and 107 for those impressive performances. Rosie Napravnik will retain the mount for trainer Larry Jones and Joyful Victory promises to show speed from her innermost post position in the 1 1/16-mile Phipps.

Disposablepleasure posted her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2011, but her sophomore campaign got off to a slow start and she appeared to tail off at the end of the year following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 1 Mother Goose. The gray Giacomo filly has come back with a vengeance so far in 2013, opening with a good-looking score over optional claiming at Gulfstream Park before posting a 3 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne, running the 1 1/8-mile distance faster than Illinois Derby winner Departing later on the same program.

The Todd Pletcher-trained filly registered a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating in the Sixty Sails and should appreciate the return to Belmont Park, where Disposablepleasure has produced a win and a close second from two previous attempts. Javier Castellano will be back in the saddle.

Jones will also saddle 2012 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can, who exits a third in the Grade 2 La Troienne on May 4, and Pletcher has a second starter in La Troienne winner Authenticity.

Multiple Grade 3 queen Tiz Miz Sue, runner-up in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom most recently, and longshot Centring round out the Phipps field.

Kauai Katie steps up to face deeper competition in the Acorn after posting three runaway wins this year (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Kauai Katie will look to remain unbeaten at one turn when she lines up against five three-year-old rivals in the $300,000 Acorn at a mile. A multiple Grade 2 winner last season, the Pletcher-trained daughter of Malibu Moon sustained her only career setback when trying two turns in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, checking in fourth. Cutting back to the six furlongs in the Grade 3 Old Hat on New Year's Day, Kauai Katie posted an eight-length decision. She continued to roll along in the Grade 2 Forward Gal on January 26, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong test, and tuned up for the Acorn with an easy 3 1/4-length tally in the April 21 Road Princess going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. Kauai Katie steps up to face a deeper cast Saturday and figures to break running from her rail post with jockey John Velazquez.

Midnight Lucky and Close Hatches will both look to reverse fortunes after recording unplaced finishes in the Kentucky Oaks.

Midnight Lucky sustained her first defeat after setting the pace, weakening to fifth in the stretch, and trainer Bob Baffert hopes the cutback in trip will benefit her. The gray daughter of Midnight Lute opened her racing career in mid-February with a 7 1/4-length win over maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita and then produced an eye-catching eight-length victory in the March 24 Sunland Oaks. She drew well in post 5 with new rider Napravnik.

Close Hatches, who is by First Defence, captured her first three starts before a disappointing seventh in the Oaks in which she never fired. Winner of the Grade 2 Gazelle at Aqueduct two back, defeating subsequent Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar in the process, the Bill Mott-trained filly will keep Joel Rosario in the saddle Saturday.

The rest of the field is comprised of Cue the Moon, Let Me Entertain U and Momentary Magic.

In the $200,000 Sands Point, Watsdachances figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event on inner turf. Winner of the Grade 3 Miss Grillo and P.G. Johnson, she completed her two-year-old season with an excellent second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Chad Brown trainee made a belated three-year-old bow, rallying for fourth as the odds-on choice in the Grade 3 Appalachian on April 18, and is eligible to show much more following the tightener.

Appalachian winner Unbelievable Dream is also part of the seven-horse field that includes a main-track only runner.

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Joyful Victory, Disposablepleasure meet in Phipps; Kauai Katie highlights Acorn

Joyful Victory exits an impressive score in the Santa Margarita and is likely the one to catch in the Ogden Phipps  (Benoit Photo) The Metropolitan Handicap is the main event, but Monday's Memorial Day program at Belmont Park also features a strong undercard of stakes events with the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, Grade 1 Acorn and Grade 2 Sands Point. The $400,000 Phipps did not attract divisional leader Royal Delta, who is expected to make her first start back from Dubai in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis next month, but will showcase perhaps the two most exciting distaffers outside of the reigning Eclipse Award winner, Joyful Victory and Disposablepleasure. Both runners are two for two this season. After a solid 2012 campaign in which she recorded a stakes win and five graded placings, Joyful Victory appears to have developed into a much more formidable five-year-old. The daughter of Tapit opened the season with a facile 4 1/4-length tally in the January 26 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston and then made short work of her rivals when shipping to Santa Anita for the Grade 1 Santa Margarita on March 16, rolling on the front end to a four-length decision.

The gray mare netted BRIS Speed ratings of 112 (Santa Margarita) and 107 for those impressive performances. Rosie Napravnik will retain the mount for trainer Larry Jones and Joyful Victory promises to show speed from her innermost post position in the 1 1/16-mile Phipps.

Disposablepleasure posted her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2011, but her sophomore campaign got off to a slow start and she appeared to tail off at the end of the year following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 1 Mother Goose. The gray Giacomo filly has come back with a vengeance so far in 2013, opening with a good-looking score over optional claiming at Gulfstream Park before posting a 3 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne, running the 1 1/8-mile distance faster than Illinois Derby winner Departing later on the same program.

The Todd Pletcher-trained filly registered a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating in the Sixty Sails and should appreciate the return to Belmont Park, where Disposablepleasure has produced a win and a close second from two previous attempts. Javier Castellano will be back in the saddle.

Jones will also saddle 2012 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can, who exits a third in the Grade 2 La Troienne on May 4, and Pletcher has a second starter in La Troienne winner Authenticity.

Multiple Grade 3 queen Tiz Miz Sue, runner-up in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom most recently, and longshot Centring round out the Phipps field.

Kauai Katie steps up to face deeper competition in the Acorn after posting three runaway wins this year (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Kauai Katie will look to remain unbeaten at one turn when she lines up against five three-year-old rivals in the $300,000 Acorn at a mile. A multiple Grade 2 winner last season, the Pletcher-trained daughter of Malibu Moon sustained her only career setback when trying two turns in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, checking in fourth. Cutting back to the six furlongs in the Grade 3 Old Hat on New Year's Day, Kauai Katie posted an eight-length decision. She continued to roll along in the Grade 2 Forward Gal on January 26, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong test, and tuned up for the Acorn with an easy 3 1/4-length tally in the April 21 Road Princess going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. Kauai Katie steps up to face a deeper cast Saturday and figures to break running from her rail post with jockey John Velazquez.

Midnight Lucky and Close Hatches will both look to reverse fortunes after recording unplaced finishes in the Kentucky Oaks.

Midnight Lucky sustained her first defeat after setting the pace, weakening to fifth in the stretch, and trainer Bob Baffert hopes the cutback in trip will benefit her. The gray daughter of Midnight Lute opened her racing career in mid-February with a 7 1/4-length win over maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita and then produced an eye-catching eight-length victory in the March 24 Sunland Oaks. She drew well in post 5 with new rider Napravnik.

Close Hatches, who is by First Defence, captured her first three starts before a disappointing seventh in the Oaks in which she never fired. Winner of the Grade 2 Gazelle at Aqueduct two back, defeating subsequent Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar in the process, the Bill Mott-trained filly will keep Joel Rosario in the saddle Saturday.

The rest of the field is comprised of Cue the Moon, Let Me Entertain U and Momentary Magic.

In the $200,000 Sands Point, Watsdachances figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event on inner turf. Winner of the Grade 3 Miss Grillo and P.G. Johnson, she completed her two-year-old season with an excellent second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Chad Brown trainee made a belated three-year-old bow, rallying for fourth as the odds-on choice in the Grade 3 Appalachian on April 18, and is eligible to show much more following the tightener.

Appalachian winner Unbelievable Dream is also part of the seven-horse field that includes a main-track only runner.

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Marketing to Mix it up with Lady of Shamrock in Gamely

Marketing Mix (right) finished ahead of the younger Lady of Shamrock (left) in the Breeders' Cup F&M Turf, but must confirm the form on Monday (Benoit Photos) In its final Memorial Day in operation, Hollywood Park will serve up a fascinating showdown between turf distaff stars Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock in the Grade 1, $250,000 Gamely Stakes. Marketing Mix beat her younger rival in their only prior meeting, when runner-up to champion Zagora in the November 2 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Lady of Shamrock was a creditable fifth that day. Not only was she a three-year-old taking on her elders, but Lady of Shamrock had also missed some training time, entered the race off a longer break than originally planned, and had traffic trouble to boot. Lady of Shamrock hopes that the proverbial shoe is on the other foot this time. The John Sadler filly has two solid runs already under her belt, while Marketing Mix will be making her five-year-old debut in this spot. Yet the older mare still brings the strongest form to bear, and remains the one to beat. Trained by Tom Proctor, Marketing Mix has compiled an 11-7-3-0 mark on turf, including victories in the 2011 Wonder Where, Pucker Up and Mrs. Revere at three and the 2012 Nassau, Dance Smartly and Rodeo Drive at four. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro has also performed capably against high-class European rivals. Aside from her second in the 2011 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, she just missed in last summer's Beverly D., and defeated a few highly-touted internationals in her placed effort in the Breeders' Cup.

Marketing Mix was scheduled to reappear in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day, but the rain-softened ground prompted connections to scratch her. Sure to get the firm turf she relishes in sunny Southern California, she also picks up the services of Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.

Lady of Shamrock was among last year's leading sophomore turf fillies. A dynamic winner of the American Oaks over the Hollywood turf, the Scat Daddy filly went last to first in the Del Mar Oaks, notching her fifth career stakes score. Although she has been convincing against members of her own generation, Lady of Shamrock has yet to cross the wire first since tackling distaffers of all ages. In her return in the March 24 Santa Ana, she got off to a slow start, rallied off a tepid pace, and settled for second. Lady of Shamrock next met with interference in the April 20 Santa Barbara, where she was awarded the victory via disqualification.

Following the Santa Barbara, which was another paceless affair, Sadler commented that he would likely employ a pacemaker to set up Lady of Shamrock's closing kick. Miss Ellany, in the same ownership as Lady of Shamrock, has the look of one in the Gamely. Although she's shown no speed in two U.S. starts, the daughter of sprinter Kodiac had raced on or near the lead in Great Britain. The rider switch to Martin Pedroza tips the hand, and Miss Ellany promises to carve out honest fractions from the rail.

The Gamely is not merely a match race. Tiz Flirtatious upset Lady of Shamrock when getting the jump on the favorite in the Santa Ana last out. Never out of the exacta in five turf starts, the Marty Jones mare also finished second in last fall's Matriarch and Robert J. Frankel. Fellow California-bred Halo Dolly captured the local prep, the April 28 Wilshire, and boasts 15 wins from 29 career starts. Owned in partnership by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Halo Dolly rates as the 123-pound co-highweight along with Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock.

My Gi Gi barely held on from Lady of Shamrock in the Honeymoon Handicap over this course and 1 1/8-mile trip last June, but was no match for her in their subsequent meetings. She has not raced since checking in fifth to Marketing Mix in the September 29 Rodeo Drive and appears up against it here. Former Peruvian champion Private Affair likewise must improve considerably to factor.

Fast Bullet seeks a breakthrough against much more experienced foes in the Los Angeles' Cap (Breeders' Cup Ltd.) Earlier on the holiday program, a contentious group of sprinters will dash six furlongs on the Cushion Track in the Grade 3, $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap. The hardy millionaire Comma to the Top ranks as the 121-pound highweight, on the strength of recent front-running victories in the March 2 Tom Fool at Aqueduct and the May 4 Cool Frenchy dashing five furlongs here. But the last time the Peter Miller veteran went six furlongs at this venue, Comma to the Top tired to fourth in last December's Vernon O. Underwood. The Bob Baffert-trained Fast Bullet looms as a dangerous pace rival. Two-for-two at Hollywood, the lightly-raced five-year-old romped in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance when last seen on December 6, garnering a dazzling 107 BRIS Speed figure. Fast Bullet has lost only once in his stop-start career, but that was a decent sixth off a year-long layoff in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and this is a more manageable spot. Baffert's more accomplished entrant is Apriority, who landed the 2011 Mr. Prospector and placed second in that year's Carter. Trained for most of his career by David Fawkes, he joined Baffert for 2013 and could be sitting on a peak effort in his third outing for the barn. Apriority exits a third to Jimmy Creed and Unbridled's Note in the April 6 Potrero Grande. Ron Ellis is also double-handed in the Los Angeles 'Cap, with Centralinteligence and Majestic City. Centralinteligence was runner-up in last year's edition and warmed up with a closing fourth to Comma to the Top in the Cool Frenchy, his return from a 10-month absence. Majestic City, a prominent two-year-old when trained by Miller, will be making his debut for Ellis. The City Zip colt brings a three-for-four local mark, highlighted by daylight wins in the 2011 Hollywood Juvenile Championship and Willard L. Proctor Memorial, and rates as a sleeper in his comeback.

Camp Victory, promoted to first in the 2011 Los Angeles on the disqualification of Amazombie, was only third in 2012 and now seeks to regain his title. The Mike Mitchell trainee has won just once in the interim, in last summer's Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood, and made no impact when fifth in his return in the Potrero Grande. Camp Victory has been training forwardly, however, and could be on the verge of a rebound.

The Cody Autrey-trained Tiz Tee Time takes a class hike off a wire job at Oaklawn Park on April 13, but keeps Stevens in the saddle.

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Marketing to Mix it up with Lady of Shamrock in Gamely

Marketing Mix (right) finished ahead of the younger Lady of Shamrock (left) in the Breeders' Cup F&M Turf, but must confirm the form on Monday (Benoit Photos) In its final Memorial Day in operation, Hollywood Park will serve up a fascinating showdown between turf distaff stars Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock in the Grade 1, $250,000 Gamely Stakes. Marketing Mix beat her younger rival in their only prior meeting, when runner-up to champion Zagora in the November 2 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Lady of Shamrock was a creditable fifth that day. Not only was she a three-year-old taking on her elders, but Lady of Shamrock had also missed some training time, entered the race off a longer break than originally planned, and had traffic trouble to boot. Lady of Shamrock hopes that the proverbial shoe is on the other foot this time. The John Sadler filly has two solid runs already under her belt, while Marketing Mix will be making her five-year-old debut in this spot. Yet the older mare still brings the strongest form to bear, and remains the one to beat. Trained by Tom Proctor, Marketing Mix has compiled an 11-7-3-0 mark on turf, including victories in the 2011 Wonder Where, Pucker Up and Mrs. Revere at three and the 2012 Nassau, Dance Smartly and Rodeo Drive at four. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro has also performed capably against high-class European rivals. Aside from her second in the 2011 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, she just missed in last summer's Beverly D., and defeated a few highly-touted internationals in her placed effort in the Breeders' Cup.

Marketing Mix was scheduled to reappear in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day, but the rain-softened ground prompted connections to scratch her. Sure to get the firm turf she relishes in sunny Southern California, she also picks up the services of Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.

Lady of Shamrock was among last year's leading sophomore turf fillies. A dynamic winner of the American Oaks over the Hollywood turf, the Scat Daddy filly went last to first in the Del Mar Oaks, notching her fifth career stakes score. Although she has been convincing against members of her own generation, Lady of Shamrock has yet to cross the wire first since tackling distaffers of all ages. In her return in the March 24 Santa Ana, she got off to a slow start, rallied off a tepid pace, and settled for second. Lady of Shamrock next met with interference in the April 20 Santa Barbara, where she was awarded the victory via disqualification.

Following the Santa Barbara, which was another paceless affair, Sadler commented that he would likely employ a pacemaker to set up Lady of Shamrock's closing kick. Miss Ellany, in the same ownership as Lady of Shamrock, has the look of one in the Gamely. Although she's shown no speed in two U.S. starts, the daughter of sprinter Kodiac had raced on or near the lead in Great Britain. The rider switch to Martin Pedroza tips the hand, and Miss Ellany promises to carve out honest fractions from the rail.

The Gamely is not merely a match race. Tiz Flirtatious upset Lady of Shamrock when getting the jump on the favorite in the Santa Ana last out. Never out of the exacta in five turf starts, the Marty Jones mare also finished second in last fall's Matriarch and Robert J. Frankel. Fellow California-bred Halo Dolly captured the local prep, the April 28 Wilshire, and boasts 15 wins from 29 career starts. Owned in partnership by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Halo Dolly rates as the 123-pound co-highweight along with Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock.

My Gi Gi barely held on from Lady of Shamrock in the Honeymoon Handicap over this course and 1 1/8-mile trip last June, but was no match for her in their subsequent meetings. She has not raced since checking in fifth to Marketing Mix in the September 29 Rodeo Drive and appears up against it here. Former Peruvian champion Private Affair likewise must improve considerably to factor.

Fast Bullet seeks a breakthrough against much more experienced foes in the Los Angeles' Cap (Breeders' Cup Ltd.) Earlier on the holiday program, a contentious group of sprinters will dash six furlongs on the Cushion Track in the Grade 3, $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap. The hardy millionaire Comma to the Top ranks as the 121-pound highweight, on the strength of recent front-running victories in the March 2 Tom Fool at Aqueduct and the May 4 Cool Frenchy dashing five furlongs here. But the last time the Peter Miller veteran went six furlongs at this venue, Comma to the Top tired to fourth in last December's Vernon O. Underwood. The Bob Baffert-trained Fast Bullet looms as a dangerous pace rival. Two-for-two at Hollywood, the lightly-raced five-year-old romped in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance when last seen on December 6, garnering a dazzling 107 BRIS Speed figure. Fast Bullet has lost only once in his stop-start career, but that was a decent sixth off a year-long layoff in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and this is a more manageable spot. Baffert's more accomplished entrant is Apriority, who landed the 2011 Mr. Prospector and placed second in that year's Carter. Trained for most of his career by David Fawkes, he joined Baffert for 2013 and could be sitting on a peak effort in his third outing for the barn. Apriority exits a third to Jimmy Creed and Unbridled's Note in the April 6 Potrero Grande. Ron Ellis is also double-handed in the Los Angeles 'Cap, with Centralinteligence and Majestic City. Centralinteligence was runner-up in last year's edition and warmed up with a closing fourth to Comma to the Top in the Cool Frenchy, his return from a 10-month absence. Majestic City, a prominent two-year-old when trained by Miller, will be making his debut for Ellis. The City Zip colt brings a three-for-four local mark, highlighted by daylight wins in the 2011 Hollywood Juvenile Championship and Willard L. Proctor Memorial, and rates as a sleeper in his comeback.

Camp Victory, promoted to first in the 2011 Los Angeles on the disqualification of Amazombie, was only third in 2012 and now seeks to regain his title. The Mike Mitchell trainee has won just once in the interim, in last summer's Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood, and made no impact when fifth in his return in the Potrero Grande. Camp Victory has been training forwardly, however, and could be on the verge of a rebound.

The Cody Autrey-trained Tiz Tee Time takes a class hike off a wire job at Oaklawn Park on April 13, but keeps Stevens in the saddle.

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Fort Larned drills five-eighths for campaign 'restart' in Stephen Foster

Things haven't exactly gone according to plan this year for 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, but trainer Ian Wilkes will look for things to turn around beginning with the Grade 1, $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 15.

Janis Whitham's Fort Larned made his 2013 debut in the March 9 Gulfstream Park Handicap and lost jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after stumbling at the start. In his second and most recent start of the year, he finished fifth as the 1-2 favorite in the April 13 Oaklawn Handicap.

"This is like a restart for the year for us," Wilkes said. "We had a couple hiccups earlier this year and now we are looking to restart our year and point everything to the Breeders' Cup."

The Stephen Foster is a "Win & You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will once again be run at Santa Anita on November 2.

In prep for the Stephen Foster, Fort Larned breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. It was the third fastest work of 21 at the distance.

"The horse is doing great," Wilkes said. "He worked very well this morning."

Working under Calvin Borel, Fort Larned recorded fractions of :12 4/5, :25 and :37 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 4/5, seven-eighths in 1:24 2/5 and a mile in 1:38 3/5.

"Calvin did me a favor and worked him this morning, but Brian won't be taking off. (Hernandez) will have the mount (in the Stephen Foster)."

In addition to being aboard the bay son of E Dubai for the Classic victory last year, Hernandez guided Fort Larned to wins in the Whitney Handicap and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap.

Nominations for the Stephen Foster Handicap close June 1.

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Fort Larned drills five-eighths for campaign 'restart' in Stephen Foster

Things haven't exactly gone according to plan this year for 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, but trainer Ian Wilkes will look for things to turn around beginning with the Grade 1, $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 15.

Janis Whitham's Fort Larned made his 2013 debut in the March 9 Gulfstream Park Handicap and lost jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after stumbling at the start. In his second and most recent start of the year, he finished fifth as the 1-2 favorite in the April 13 Oaklawn Handicap.

"This is like a restart for the year for us," Wilkes said. "We had a couple hiccups earlier this year and now we are looking to restart our year and point everything to the Breeders' Cup."

The Stephen Foster is a "Win & You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will once again be run at Santa Anita on November 2.

In prep for the Stephen Foster, Fort Larned breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. It was the third fastest work of 21 at the distance.

"The horse is doing great," Wilkes said. "He worked very well this morning."

Working under Calvin Borel, Fort Larned recorded fractions of :12 4/5, :25 and :37 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 4/5, seven-eighths in 1:24 2/5 and a mile in 1:38 3/5.

"Calvin did me a favor and worked him this morning, but Brian won't be taking off. (Hernandez) will have the mount (in the Stephen Foster)."

In addition to being aboard the bay son of E Dubai for the Classic victory last year, Hernandez guided Fort Larned to wins in the Whitney Handicap and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap.

Nominations for the Stephen Foster Handicap close June 1.

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'Fire' and 'Ice' face off in Majestic Light

Ruler on Ice (left) and Pants on Fire are both entered to Saturday's Majestic Light at Monmouth Park (Ryan Denver/EquiPhoto) It's been nearly two years since George and Lori Hall's Ruler On Ice and Pants On Fire faced off in the 2011 Haskell Invitational. But this Saturday, the duo, collectively known as "Fire" and "Ice" are entered in Monmouth's $75,000 Majestic Light going a mile and 70 yards over the main track. "I'm not certain that Pants On Fire will go," trainer Kelly John Breen said. "He's still possible. We had to scratch on race day for the (April 27) Westchester (at Belmont). He sliced his foot on the stall at Belmont that day. He's coming along great, I'm just not certain right now whether we'll run him on Saturday." As for his Belmont Stakes-winning stablemate, "Ruler On Ice is a go," Breen said. After collecting his classic trophy in the 2011 Belmont in 2011, Ruler On Ice went on to finish third in the Haskell, fourth in the Travers, second in the Pennsylvania Derby and third in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It was a rough go for the Roman Ruler gelding in 2012, where he was shut out of the winner's circle from four tries. He returned to the races on January 30, taking an allowance event at Aqueduct, and in his most recent try was fourth in a tough allowance contest at Parx.

"I'm just putting a line through that last race," Breen said. "He was back to his old ways of goofing off and just didn't have his head on right that day. Since he's been back at Monmouth, though, he's been terrific. He put in a solid breeze of :59 and four the other day and looked great doing it."

That morning move was on May 18, fastest of 12 workers that day. Prior to that the chestnut sported another bullet work, going four furlongs in :48 1/5 on May 4, the best of 46 on the work tab.

Pants On Fire is coming off a third-place finish in the Skip Away at Gulfstream Park on March 30. The Grade 2-winning son of Jump Start is quickly closing in on $1 million in earnings, having banked $985,760 from a 19-6-3-3 career mark.

The dark bay five-year-old is a two-time winner at Monmouth, having taken the Pegasus in 2011 and Skip Away over the track last year.

Also entered in the Majestic Light are Grade 3 victor Buffum, last seen finishing fourth in the November 24 Cigar Mile Handicap, and stakes debuter Bowman's Beast, who's captured his past three by a combined 31 1/4 lengths.

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'Fire' and 'Ice' face off in Majestic Light

Ruler on Ice (left) and Pants on Fire are both entered to Saturday's Majestic Light at Monmouth Park (Ryan Denver/EquiPhoto) It's been nearly two years since George and Lori Hall's Ruler On Ice and Pants On Fire faced off in the 2011 Haskell Invitational. But this Saturday, the duo, collectively known as "Fire" and "Ice" are entered in Monmouth's $75,000 Majestic Light going a mile and 70 yards over the main track. "I'm not certain that Pants On Fire will go," trainer Kelly John Breen said. "He's still possible. We had to scratch on race day for the (April 27) Westchester (at Belmont). He sliced his foot on the stall at Belmont that day. He's coming along great, I'm just not certain right now whether we'll run him on Saturday." As for his Belmont Stakes-winning stablemate, "Ruler On Ice is a go," Breen said. After collecting his classic trophy in the 2011 Belmont in 2011, Ruler On Ice went on to finish third in the Haskell, fourth in the Travers, second in the Pennsylvania Derby and third in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It was a rough go for the Roman Ruler gelding in 2012, where he was shut out of the winner's circle from four tries. He returned to the races on January 30, taking an allowance event at Aqueduct, and in his most recent try was fourth in a tough allowance contest at Parx.

"I'm just putting a line through that last race," Breen said. "He was back to his old ways of goofing off and just didn't have his head on right that day. Since he's been back at Monmouth, though, he's been terrific. He put in a solid breeze of :59 and four the other day and looked great doing it."

That morning move was on May 18, fastest of 12 workers that day. Prior to that the chestnut sported another bullet work, going four furlongs in :48 1/5 on May 4, the best of 46 on the work tab.

Pants On Fire is coming off a third-place finish in the Skip Away at Gulfstream Park on March 30. The Grade 2-winning son of Jump Start is quickly closing in on $1 million in earnings, having banked $985,760 from a 19-6-3-3 career mark.

The dark bay five-year-old is a two-time winner at Monmouth, having taken the Pegasus in 2011 and Skip Away over the track last year.

Also entered in the Majestic Light are Grade 3 victor Buffum, last seen finishing fourth in the November 24 Cigar Mile Handicap, and stakes debuter Bowman's Beast, who's captured his past three by a combined 31 1/4 lengths.

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O'Brien seeking record ninth win in Irish Two Thousand Guineas

Aidan O'Brien on Thursday declared four of the original eight entries for Saturday's Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas, with Joseph O'Brien booked for Magician as the stable seeks to improve on their record eight winners.

While the last five of O'Brien's winners had tackled the Newmarket equivalent beforehand, this year's prime candidate is dropping down in trip having impressed over the 10 furlongs of the Dee Stakes at Chester when last seen on May 10. Many saw him as a Derby prospect immediately after that four-length romp on the Roodeye, so it was a mild surprise that Magician reverts to the course and distance over which he registered a six-length maiden score at the expense of the subsequent Group performer Bunairgead in October.

"He's a Galileo with a very fast pedigree," his trainer told PA Sport. "He showed he got a mile and a quarter well at Chester, whether he'd get a mile and a half I'm not absolutely sure, but Chester's a sharp, fast track and he looked like he wouldn't have a problem dropping back to a mile."

Magician takes up the leading role from the absent Cristoforo Colombo and Mars, and will be joined by stablemate George Vancouver, who was unplaced in the Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on May 4, as well as Gale Force Ten and Flying the Flag, the respective fourth- and ninth-place runners in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) at Longchamp on May 12.

Runner-up in the Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot in June and Newmarket's Middle Park Stakes going six in October, Gale Force Ten possesses a fair share of speed along with his fellow barnmate George Vancouver. The former had more of a straightforward passage through the Poule d'Essai des Poulains than the colt who finished a short head behind him, Havana Gold, but it is hard to quantify how much improvement there is left in him.

George Vancouver ran a tame race in the Newmarket classic, but so did the stable's 2011 winner Roderic O'Connor and last year's hero Power, so it is far too early to write off his chances. He may need the ground faster than he is due to encounter here, as he came alive on a quick surface in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November.

There is a possibility that the outsider of the Ballydoyle runners, Flying the Flag, could be the surprise package of the race. Out of 2008 Irish One Thousand Guineas heroine Halfway to Heaven, he was finishing with real menace when a close-up ninth in the Poulains and has just 1 1/2 lengths to find with Team Valor's First Cornerstone on the form of the Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs here in August.

Trainer Andrew Oliver has committed First Cornerstone, who has not been seen since finishing fourth in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October. The Futurity winner will not need fast conditions, so the forecast showers are welcome news to his conditioner.

"First Cornerstone is in good form for the Two Thousand Guineas. Good ground would be fine for him and the only real concern I would have for my horses is if it firms up into real quick ground," Oliver told the Irish Times.

Richard Hannon's classic brigade have not made the impact most expected so far in 2013, but Saturday's Guineas offers another opportunity for the stable and their solid campaigner Van Der Neer.

Third in Newmarket's Two Thousand Guineas three weeks ago, Saeed Manana's likeable performer was building on the promise he had shown at two when runner-up to Kingsbarns in Doncaster's Racing Post Trophy and when successful in his sophomore bow in the April 6 International Trial Stakes on Lingfield's Polytrack last out.

Van Der Neer is joined by Qatar Racing Limited & CSH's Havana Gold, who was a close-up fifth in a blanket finish in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp 13 days ago.

"Van der Neer has done two nice bits of work since he ran so well to finish third at Newmarket and, though he is never spectacular in the mornings, he looked the part when breezing at Herridge on Wednesday morning and the stiff uphill finish should suit him," Richard Hannon Jr. said.

"Havana Gold takes his racing well, so while this comes quickly after his super run in the French Guineas, we feel it is worth the gamble. Jamie Spencer enjoyed such a dream run up the rails at Longchamp that he actually got there too soon, and the plan is to hold him up longer this time."

Saturday's contest is as notable for its withdrawals as its final acceptors, with Jim Bolger scratching last year's Group 1 Criterium International scorer Loch Garman and set to be represented only by Thursday's Dante Stakes runner-up Trading Leather.

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O'Brien seeking record ninth win in Irish Two Thousand Guineas

Aidan O'Brien on Thursday declared four of the original eight entries for Saturday's Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas, with Joseph O'Brien booked for Magician as the stable seeks to improve on their record eight winners.

While the last five of O'Brien's winners had tackled the Newmarket equivalent beforehand, this year's prime candidate is dropping down in trip having impressed over the 10 furlongs of the Dee Stakes at Chester when last seen on May 10. Many saw him as a Derby prospect immediately after that four-length romp on the Roodeye, so it was a mild surprise that Magician reverts to the course and distance over which he registered a six-length maiden score at the expense of the subsequent Group performer Bunairgead in October.

"He's a Galileo with a very fast pedigree," his trainer told PA Sport. "He showed he got a mile and a quarter well at Chester, whether he'd get a mile and a half I'm not absolutely sure, but Chester's a sharp, fast track and he looked like he wouldn't have a problem dropping back to a mile."

Magician takes up the leading role from the absent Cristoforo Colombo and Mars, and will be joined by stablemate George Vancouver, who was unplaced in the Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on May 4, as well as Gale Force Ten and Flying the Flag, the respective fourth- and ninth-place runners in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) at Longchamp on May 12.

Runner-up in the Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot in June and Newmarket's Middle Park Stakes going six in October, Gale Force Ten possesses a fair share of speed along with his fellow barnmate George Vancouver. The former had more of a straightforward passage through the Poule d'Essai des Poulains than the colt who finished a short head behind him, Havana Gold, but it is hard to quantify how much improvement there is left in him.

George Vancouver ran a tame race in the Newmarket classic, but so did the stable's 2011 winner Roderic O'Connor and last year's hero Power, so it is far too early to write off his chances. He may need the ground faster than he is due to encounter here, as he came alive on a quick surface in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November.

There is a possibility that the outsider of the Ballydoyle runners, Flying the Flag, could be the surprise package of the race. Out of 2008 Irish One Thousand Guineas heroine Halfway to Heaven, he was finishing with real menace when a close-up ninth in the Poulains and has just 1 1/2 lengths to find with Team Valor's First Cornerstone on the form of the Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs here in August.

Trainer Andrew Oliver has committed First Cornerstone, who has not been seen since finishing fourth in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October. The Futurity winner will not need fast conditions, so the forecast showers are welcome news to his conditioner.

"First Cornerstone is in good form for the Two Thousand Guineas. Good ground would be fine for him and the only real concern I would have for my horses is if it firms up into real quick ground," Oliver told the Irish Times.

Richard Hannon's classic brigade have not made the impact most expected so far in 2013, but Saturday's Guineas offers another opportunity for the stable and their solid campaigner Van Der Neer.

Third in Newmarket's Two Thousand Guineas three weeks ago, Saeed Manana's likeable performer was building on the promise he had shown at two when runner-up to Kingsbarns in Doncaster's Racing Post Trophy and when successful in his sophomore bow in the April 6 International Trial Stakes on Lingfield's Polytrack last out.

Van Der Neer is joined by Qatar Racing Limited & CSH's Havana Gold, who was a close-up fifth in a blanket finish in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp 13 days ago.

"Van der Neer has done two nice bits of work since he ran so well to finish third at Newmarket and, though he is never spectacular in the mornings, he looked the part when breezing at Herridge on Wednesday morning and the stiff uphill finish should suit him," Richard Hannon Jr. said.

"Havana Gold takes his racing well, so while this comes quickly after his super run in the French Guineas, we feel it is worth the gamble. Jamie Spencer enjoyed such a dream run up the rails at Longchamp that he actually got there too soon, and the plan is to hold him up longer this time."

Saturday's contest is as notable for its withdrawals as its final acceptors, with Jim Bolger scratching last year's Group 1 Criterium International scorer Loch Garman and set to be represented only by Thursday's Dante Stakes runner-up Trading Leather.

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Irish One Thousand Guineas attracts 16 fillies

Just the Judge will face 15 rivals in Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at The Curragh as she bids to regain the winning thread. Beaten a half-length by Sky Lantern when runner-up at Newmarket May 5 in the One Thousand Guineas, the Charlie Hills trainee carries stable confidence as she looks to provide her conditioner with a first classic success.

"We'd have to be pretty optimistic, as she's come out of the race well and she ran her heart out there doing it the hard way," commented the son of the famed Barry Hills, who carried off this prize in 1993 and 1999. "She has the advantage of having had that run and this is more of a galloping track which will suit her. That is what attracted us to this race.

"She's fit and well, it's a classic and there is no point in bypassing it. We're drawn two, so we're on the rail. We'll just jump her out, we don't want to be trapped two deep on that rail so I imagine we'd go slightly forward."

Sixth in that Newmarket classic was Fred Darling winner Maureen, and the stable companion of Sky Lantern was proving that she stays this trip with a strong finishing effort there.

"We weren't sure going into Newmarket whether she would stay the mile, but she finished the race off better than anything," Richard Hannon Jr. said. "We can be a little bit handier and, though she has a few lengths to find with Just the Judge, we think that she has a good each-way chance."

There were no surprises at Friday's declaration stage, with One Thousand Guineas fifth Snow Queen set to sport a visor for the first time as she heads a trio from Ballydoyle.

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Irish One Thousand Guineas attracts 16 fillies

Just the Judge will face 15 rivals in Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at The Curragh as she bids to regain the winning thread. Beaten a half-length by Sky Lantern when runner-up at Newmarket May 5 in the One Thousand Guineas, the Charlie Hills trainee carries stable confidence as she looks to provide her conditioner with a first classic success.

"We'd have to be pretty optimistic, as she's come out of the race well and she ran her heart out there doing it the hard way," commented the son of the famed Barry Hills, who carried off this prize in 1993 and 1999. "She has the advantage of having had that run and this is more of a galloping track which will suit her. That is what attracted us to this race.

"She's fit and well, it's a classic and there is no point in bypassing it. We're drawn two, so we're on the rail. We'll just jump her out, we don't want to be trapped two deep on that rail so I imagine we'd go slightly forward."

Sixth in that Newmarket classic was Fred Darling winner Maureen, and the stable companion of Sky Lantern was proving that she stays this trip with a strong finishing effort there.

"We weren't sure going into Newmarket whether she would stay the mile, but she finished the race off better than anything," Richard Hannon Jr. said. "We can be a little bit handier and, though she has a few lengths to find with Just the Judge, we think that she has a good each-way chance."

There were no surprises at Friday's declaration stage, with One Thousand Guineas fifth Snow Queen set to sport a visor for the first time as she heads a trio from Ballydoyle.

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BC Turf berth on line in Gran Premio 25 de Mayo

A field of 19 horses has been entered for Saturday's Group 1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at San Isidro in Argentina, with the winner receiving the first automatic berth of the year into the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park on November 2.

The Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, to be run at 1 1/2 miles for three-year-olds and up on the turf course, is part of the international Breeders' Cup Challenge, a global series of 67 stakes races whose winners receive automatic berths into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The Gran Premio field is led by three starters coming out of the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Porteno, a Group 3 on April 21 at San Isidro. The six-year-old Soy Carambolo, a son of 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal, finished third in the Porteno after a six-month layoff for trainer Roberto Pellegatta and jockey Juan Noriega. Fourth in last year's Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, Soy Carambolo won two Group 3 stakes last fall in the Clasico Progresso at San Isidro and the Clasico Vicente Casares at Palermo.

The five-year-old Storm Rancher, who won the Porteno, is trained by Pablo Sahagian and will be ridden by Gustavo Calvente. Last August at San Isidro, the bay son of American-bred Bernstein won the Clasico General Pueyrredon at 1 7/8 miles.

Going Somewhere, the runner-up in the Porteno by 1 1/2 lengths, won the prestigious 1 1/2-mile Carlos Pellegrini last December at San Isidro for trainer Juan Etchechoury. The four-year-old chestnut son of Sulamani will be ridden by Nelito da Cunha.

Breeders' Cup Ltd. will provide special incentives for the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo winner to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. If Saturday's winner is nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the October 21 pre-entry deadline, the winning stable will have its $60,000 in entry fees into the Championships paid by Breeders' Cup Ltd.

This year, Breeders' Cup will pay a $40,000 travel allowance for all horses based outside of the United States and Canada to run in the World Championships. This includes all runners from Argentina.

Last year, Calidoscopio became the first horse based in Argentina to win a Breeders' Cup World Championships race, capturing the Marathon at Santa Anita Park. Calidoscopio qualified for the Marathon by winning the Clasico Belgrano at Palermo.

The complete 2013 Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule is available at this link.

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BC Turf berth on line in Gran Premio 25 de Mayo

A field of 19 horses has been entered for Saturday's Group 1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at San Isidro in Argentina, with the winner receiving the first automatic berth of the year into the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park on November 2.

The Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, to be run at 1 1/2 miles for three-year-olds and up on the turf course, is part of the international Breeders' Cup Challenge, a global series of 67 stakes races whose winners receive automatic berths into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The Gran Premio field is led by three starters coming out of the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Porteno, a Group 3 on April 21 at San Isidro. The six-year-old Soy Carambolo, a son of 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal, finished third in the Porteno after a six-month layoff for trainer Roberto Pellegatta and jockey Juan Noriega. Fourth in last year's Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, Soy Carambolo won two Group 3 stakes last fall in the Clasico Progresso at San Isidro and the Clasico Vicente Casares at Palermo.

The five-year-old Storm Rancher, who won the Porteno, is trained by Pablo Sahagian and will be ridden by Gustavo Calvente. Last August at San Isidro, the bay son of American-bred Bernstein won the Clasico General Pueyrredon at 1 7/8 miles.

Going Somewhere, the runner-up in the Porteno by 1 1/2 lengths, won the prestigious 1 1/2-mile Carlos Pellegrini last December at San Isidro for trainer Juan Etchechoury. The four-year-old chestnut son of Sulamani will be ridden by Nelito da Cunha.

Breeders' Cup Ltd. will provide special incentives for the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo winner to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. If Saturday's winner is nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the October 21 pre-entry deadline, the winning stable will have its $60,000 in entry fees into the Championships paid by Breeders' Cup Ltd.

This year, Breeders' Cup will pay a $40,000 travel allowance for all horses based outside of the United States and Canada to run in the World Championships. This includes all runners from Argentina.

Last year, Calidoscopio became the first horse based in Argentina to win a Breeders' Cup World Championships race, capturing the Marathon at Santa Anita Park. Calidoscopio qualified for the Marathon by winning the Clasico Belgrano at Palermo.

The complete 2013 Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule is available at this link.

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'NHC Online Challenge' offering five berths to NHC

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Friday that registration is now open for the year's first free "NHC Online Challenge," which will be held June 1.

The top five finishers in the June 1 online tournament will receive berths in the $1.5 million-guaranteed Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) in January 2014. The five qualifiers will also receive roundtrip air travel and hotel accommodations for their trip to the 2014 NHC in Las Vegas.

The June 1 "NHC Online Challenge" is the first of four free NHC online tournaments to be held this year. In all, a total of 20 seats to the NHC will be awarded to NHC Tour members qualifying in these free tournaments. Membership ($50) in the 2013 NHC Tour is mandatory to participate in the online tournaments. To sign up for the NHC Tour, please visit ntra.com/nhctour.

The "NHC Online Challenge" requires contestants to place mythical $2 win and place wagers on 10 designated contest races on June 1. The 10 contest races will be posted online by tournament officials on May 30. Selections may be made beginning May 31, after official program numbers have been assigned. All selections must be made no later than one minute prior to the scheduled post time of each mandatory race.

The five players amassing the highest number of points based on the players' earnings (i.e. the highest final bankroll) from all mythical $2 win and place wagers at the end of the competition will receive berths in the January 2014 NHC in Las Vegas, provided that they have a paid membership for the 2013 NHC Tour prior to the start of the tournament.

The NHC Tour is a yearlong bonus series offering additional prize money and qualifying berths to the NHC Final in Las Vegas. NHC Tour benefits include:

For more information about the NHC, please visit ntra.com. For further information or questions about the June 1 tournament, contact Michele Ravencraft of the NTRA at 859-422-2657 or via e-mail at mravencraft@ntra.com.

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'NHC Online Challenge' offering five berths to NHC

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Friday that registration is now open for the year's first free "NHC Online Challenge," which will be held June 1.

The top five finishers in the June 1 online tournament will receive berths in the $1.5 million-guaranteed Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) in January 2014. The five qualifiers will also receive roundtrip air travel and hotel accommodations for their trip to the 2014 NHC in Las Vegas.

The June 1 "NHC Online Challenge" is the first of four free NHC online tournaments to be held this year. In all, a total of 20 seats to the NHC will be awarded to NHC Tour members qualifying in these free tournaments. Membership ($50) in the 2013 NHC Tour is mandatory to participate in the online tournaments. To sign up for the NHC Tour, please visit ntra.com/nhctour.

The "NHC Online Challenge" requires contestants to place mythical $2 win and place wagers on 10 designated contest races on June 1. The 10 contest races will be posted online by tournament officials on May 30. Selections may be made beginning May 31, after official program numbers have been assigned. All selections must be made no later than one minute prior to the scheduled post time of each mandatory race.

The five players amassing the highest number of points based on the players' earnings (i.e. the highest final bankroll) from all mythical $2 win and place wagers at the end of the competition will receive berths in the January 2014 NHC in Las Vegas, provided that they have a paid membership for the 2013 NHC Tour prior to the start of the tournament.

The NHC Tour is a yearlong bonus series offering additional prize money and qualifying berths to the NHC Final in Las Vegas. NHC Tour benefits include:

For more information about the NHC, please visit ntra.com. For further information or questions about the June 1 tournament, contact Michele Ravencraft of the NTRA at 859-422-2657 or via e-mail at mravencraft@ntra.com.

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Winning Cause bids to stay perfect on Polytrack in Marine

Winning Cause extended his Polytrack mark to three-for-three in the Lexington (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Winning Cause had enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby after capturing the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, but connections instead opted to keep him on the Polytrack that suits him so well. The Todd Pletcher trainee will accordingly line up in the next logical spot for a sophomore of his profile -- Sunday's C$150,000 Marine Stakes at Woodbine. The well-bred son of Giant's Causeway brings a perfect three-for-three mark on Polytrack, all at Keeneland. He has yet to win on any other surface, with his best result from four other starts being a runner-up effort in the January 21 Jimmy Winkfield over Aqueduct's inner dirt. Winning Cause has since won two straight at Keeneland's spring meet, taking an April 6 allowance before wheeling back successfully in the April 20 Lexington at this same 1 1/16-mile trip. Julien Leparoux will stay aboard in search of the hat trick. His most dangerous opponent is Up with the Birds, who was also last seen at Keeneland, just missing in the April 5 Transylvania on turf. The Sam-Son Farms homebred sports a two-for-three record on the Woodbine Polytrack. A 3 1/2-length maiden winner in September, he similarly dominated the November 10 Coronation Futurity in his juvenile finale. Up with the Birds wintered at Fair Grounds, where the Malcolm Pierce pupil rallied in time to take the March 2 Black Gold in his prep for the Transylvania.

Ghost Hunter, runner-up to Winning Cause in that Keeneland allowance two back, was most recently a close third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Derby Day. The Ghostzapper colt was edged by the well-regarded Bellarmine and Code West, who has since come back to win impressively at Pimlico and is on course for the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Ghost Hunter was subsequently transferred from Kim Chapman to David Cotey, and he will make his debut for the barn here.

Five Iron has twice finished second in local stakes. Best of the rest behind eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured in last September's Swynford, the Brian Lynch colt was a closing runner-up in the April 21 Woodstock last time out. The form was boosted when Woodstock winner Dan the Tin Man came back to score in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle, but Five Iron has a bit to prove at this longer trip. Completing the short field are recent allowance winner Drenched and Ontario-bred maiden scorer Silent Admirer.

Canadian turf champ Riding the River, shown edging Hotep in the 2012 Nijinsky, will meet him again in the Connaught Cup (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Later on Sunday, Canadian champion turf male Riding the River returns to action in the Grade 2, C$200,000 Connaught Cup. Only fourth in last year's running of this seven-furlong turf test, the Cotey charge went on to garner the King Edward and Nijinsky. Riding the River concluded his Sovereign-worthy season with a fourth in the September 16 Woodbine Mile to a trio of top-rated horses -- U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan, Canadian champion older male Hunters Bay and U.A.E./Irish highweight Cityscape. Reigning Connaught Cup winner Something Extra is back to defend his title, and figures to enjoy the step up in trip from his recent turf dashes. In the five-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, he rallied for second to Varsity, and in the 5 1/2-furlong Shakertown at Keeneland last out, he missed by a whisker to Havelock. Michelle Nihei dispatches two from Saratoga -- Grade 3 hero Upgrade and Artest, winner of a turf sprint stakes at the Spa last summer. Others to note are the Reade Baker duo of Bear Tough Tiger and Bear No Joke; Lockout from the Mark Casse barn; stakes veterans Hotep and Artic Fern; and unbeaten Valentino Beauty, who tries stakes company for the first time.

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Winning Cause bids to stay perfect on Polytrack in Marine

Winning Cause extended his Polytrack mark to three-for-three in the Lexington (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Winning Cause had enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby after capturing the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, but connections instead opted to keep him on the Polytrack that suits him so well. The Todd Pletcher trainee will accordingly line up in the next logical spot for a sophomore of his profile -- Sunday's C$150,000 Marine Stakes at Woodbine. The well-bred son of Giant's Causeway brings a perfect three-for-three mark on Polytrack, all at Keeneland. He has yet to win on any other surface, with his best result from four other starts being a runner-up effort in the January 21 Jimmy Winkfield over Aqueduct's inner dirt. Winning Cause has since won two straight at Keeneland's spring meet, taking an April 6 allowance before wheeling back successfully in the April 20 Lexington at this same 1 1/16-mile trip. Julien Leparoux will stay aboard in search of the hat trick. His most dangerous opponent is Up with the Birds, who was also last seen at Keeneland, just missing in the April 5 Transylvania on turf. The Sam-Son Farms homebred sports a two-for-three record on the Woodbine Polytrack. A 3 1/2-length maiden winner in September, he similarly dominated the November 10 Coronation Futurity in his juvenile finale. Up with the Birds wintered at Fair Grounds, where the Malcolm Pierce pupil rallied in time to take the March 2 Black Gold in his prep for the Transylvania.

Ghost Hunter, runner-up to Winning Cause in that Keeneland allowance two back, was most recently a close third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Derby Day. The Ghostzapper colt was edged by the well-regarded Bellarmine and Code West, who has since come back to win impressively at Pimlico and is on course for the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Ghost Hunter was subsequently transferred from Kim Chapman to David Cotey, and he will make his debut for the barn here.

Five Iron has twice finished second in local stakes. Best of the rest behind eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured in last September's Swynford, the Brian Lynch colt was a closing runner-up in the April 21 Woodstock last time out. The form was boosted when Woodstock winner Dan the Tin Man came back to score in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle, but Five Iron has a bit to prove at this longer trip. Completing the short field are recent allowance winner Drenched and Ontario-bred maiden scorer Silent Admirer.

Canadian turf champ Riding the River, shown edging Hotep in the 2012 Nijinsky, will meet him again in the Connaught Cup (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Later on Sunday, Canadian champion turf male Riding the River returns to action in the Grade 2, C$200,000 Connaught Cup. Only fourth in last year's running of this seven-furlong turf test, the Cotey charge went on to garner the King Edward and Nijinsky. Riding the River concluded his Sovereign-worthy season with a fourth in the September 16 Woodbine Mile to a trio of top-rated horses -- U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan, Canadian champion older male Hunters Bay and U.A.E./Irish highweight Cityscape. Reigning Connaught Cup winner Something Extra is back to defend his title, and figures to enjoy the step up in trip from his recent turf dashes. In the five-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, he rallied for second to Varsity, and in the 5 1/2-furlong Shakertown at Keeneland last out, he missed by a whisker to Havelock. Michelle Nihei dispatches two from Saratoga -- Grade 3 hero Upgrade and Artest, winner of a turf sprint stakes at the Spa last summer. Others to note are the Reade Baker duo of Bear Tough Tiger and Bear No Joke; Lockout from the Mark Casse barn; stakes veterans Hotep and Artic Fern; and unbeaten Valentino Beauty, who tries stakes company for the first time.

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Starformer the one to catch in Sheepshead Bay

Starformer has the advantageous early foot to steal the Sheepshead Bay (Kenny Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Starformer, who stole a pair of graded stakes on the front end last season, might be in a position to do so again when she breaks from post 1 in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park. The 1 3/8-mile test over the Widener turf has attracted a highly competitive field of eight older fillies and mares. A homebred campaigned by Juddmonte Farms, Starformer won or placed in five of seven outings last season, including wire-to-wire victories in a pair of Grade 3s: the Robert G. Dick Memorial over 1 3/8 miles at Delaware Park, and the Long Island Handicap over 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct. Although she showed versatility taking the February 16 The Very One at Gulfstream from slightly off the pace, the five-year-old mare should be well positioned to take an early lead here at the hedge in what looks on paper like a paceless affair. Edgar Prado, who has four wins and a second the last five times he's ridden the Bill Mott trainee, will be reunited with her for the Sheepshead Bay.

Mystical Star, controversially disqualified from third to eighth in last year's Sheepshead Bay after breaking through the gate before the start, seeks to snap a five-race losing skid. The 2012 New York heroine fell a neck short of catching Starformer in the Long Island last November, and fell victim to a slow pace in both the Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs and the Doubledogdare at Keeneland in her two outings this year.

Strathnaver has transformed from a low-level handicap performer in Britain to a graded stakes winner since her importation over the winter. Now residing in the barn of Graham Motion, the Oasis Dream filly won at first asking for her new trainer in a Gulfstream allowance, and then overcame a 13-length deficit to win the 1 1/2-mile Bewitch at Keeneland going away by a length as an 18-1 longshot.

Hessonite, the New York-bred mare who turned in an explosive sixteenth-mile burst to claim the Beaugay earlier this month, will attempt to win for the first time beyond nine furlongs. The David Donk-trained daughter of Freud has won five of nine over the Belmont lawn, though the Beaugay was her first ever success against open stakes company.

Three of the top four finishers from the May 1 Owsley, a 1 1/4-mile overnight stakes, return for the Sheepshead Bay. Julie's Love endured a pocket trip before getting out and up by a half-length to post the 6-1 upset of that race, with 29-1 longshot Minakshi second in her U.S. debut. Fourth was Group 3 winner Tannery, who has not placed in this country since a third in the Garden City for three-year-olds last September.

The field is rounded out by Anjaz, a handicap performer in England who was fourth in the Orchid at Gulfstream in her American bow.

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Starformer the one to catch in Sheepshead Bay

Starformer has the advantageous early foot to steal the Sheepshead Bay (Kenny Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Starformer, who stole a pair of graded stakes on the front end last season, might be in a position to do so again when she breaks from post 1 in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park. The 1 3/8-mile test over the Widener turf has attracted a highly competitive field of eight older fillies and mares. A homebred campaigned by Juddmonte Farms, Starformer won or placed in five of seven outings last season, including wire-to-wire victories in a pair of Grade 3s: the Robert G. Dick Memorial over 1 3/8 miles at Delaware Park, and the Long Island Handicap over 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct. Although she showed versatility taking the February 16 The Very One at Gulfstream from slightly off the pace, the five-year-old mare should be well positioned to take an early lead here at the hedge in what looks on paper like a paceless affair. Edgar Prado, who has four wins and a second the last five times he's ridden the Bill Mott trainee, will be reunited with her for the Sheepshead Bay.

Mystical Star, controversially disqualified from third to eighth in last year's Sheepshead Bay after breaking through the gate before the start, seeks to snap a five-race losing skid. The 2012 New York heroine fell a neck short of catching Starformer in the Long Island last November, and fell victim to a slow pace in both the Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs and the Doubledogdare at Keeneland in her two outings this year.

Strathnaver has transformed from a low-level handicap performer in Britain to a graded stakes winner since her importation over the winter. Now residing in the barn of Graham Motion, the Oasis Dream filly won at first asking for her new trainer in a Gulfstream allowance, and then overcame a 13-length deficit to win the 1 1/2-mile Bewitch at Keeneland going away by a length as an 18-1 longshot.

Hessonite, the New York-bred mare who turned in an explosive sixteenth-mile burst to claim the Beaugay earlier this month, will attempt to win for the first time beyond nine furlongs. The David Donk-trained daughter of Freud has won five of nine over the Belmont lawn, though the Beaugay was her first ever success against open stakes company.

Three of the top four finishers from the May 1 Owsley, a 1 1/4-mile overnight stakes, return for the Sheepshead Bay. Julie's Love endured a pocket trip before getting out and up by a half-length to post the 6-1 upset of that race, with 29-1 longshot Minakshi second in her U.S. debut. Fourth was Group 3 winner Tannery, who has not placed in this country since a third in the Garden City for three-year-olds last September.

The field is rounded out by Anjaz, a handicap performer in England who was fourth in the Orchid at Gulfstream in her American bow.

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Arlington kicks off 2013 stakes season with a Grade 3 smorgasbord

General Election will take on 11 fellow sophomores while trying turf for the first time in the Arlington Classic (Pat Lang Photography) A trio of Grade 3 races on Saturday will not only kick off the Memorial Day holiday weekend at Arlington Park, but will also serve as the curtain raisers on the track's 25-event, $5.5 million stakes slate. Two of Saturday's main events will be run on the Polytrack while the third will be contested over Arlington's grass course. The lone turf race in the stakes troika is the $150,000 Arlington Classic for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. The race, which serves as the first leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, drew a full field of 12, including Admiral Kitten, second in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. The Mike Maker-trained Kitten's Joy colt has never finished worse than second in three turf starts and will have Mike Smith aboard. Among those slated to face Admiral Kitten in the Arlington Classic is Fordubai, runner-up in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby last month. The Greg Geier-trained son of E Dubai broke his maiden last fall in his only try on turf, and gets a jockey switch to Kent Desormeaux for Saturday's return to the green. Stakes winners Brown Almighty, General Election and Procurement have also been entered in the Arlington Classic. The former, a Big Brown colt trained by Tim Ice, broke his maiden over this course last summer before shipping south to annex the Sunny's Halo at Louisiana Downs. Eddie Castro will be in the irons for the first time Saturday.

General Election will be making his turf debut for trainer Kellyn Gorder in the Arlington Classic. The Harlan's Holiday bay captured the John Battaglia Memorial on Turfway Park's Polytrack in early March and keeps the services of jockey Joe Rocco Jr., who guided General Election to a runner-up placing in the Grade 3 Lexington over Keeneland's Polytrack last out in April.

Procurement invades from Santa Anita Park for trainer Tom Proctor. The bay son of Milwaukee Brew won the La Puente over that track's turf course on April 21 beneath Garrett Gomez, who has been aboard Procurement in his last four starts and gets the return call.

Trainer Danny Peitz could have a live longshot in the Arlington Classic in Yorkshire Icon, an English-bred recent acquisition who is exiting an impressive May 4 allowance win on the Arlington turf.

"We were pleasantly surprised. He settled out the back and ran right by them like a horse who could be useful," Peitz said of the small bay son of Sixties Icon. "We don't know what's going to be in (the Arlington Classic), but we are taking a shot here."

Yorkshire Icon comes from a European female family flush with endurance influences and intense closing speed. This often also means that he may appreciate a little bit of cut in the ground -- which proved true when he won his allowance on yielding ground and his maiden in England over soft going.

"It wouldn't bother us if we get a little bit rain. He proved the other day that he likes it. And, he seems like he's come out well and is moving forward -- he seems very happy," Peitz said.

Coming from 16 lengths behind a dawdling pace of 1:15.17 for the first six furlongs, Yorkshire Icon, despite being on the petite side, made massive strides down the stretch to easily best the field by a little over a length -- making up six lengths in the last quarter and rewarding his backers at a nice 28-1.

"I'm hoping he runs well enough to keep running in the (Mid-America Triple)," Peitz added. "He will probably get better as the races get longer."

Nates Mineshaft returns to action following an 11-month layoff (Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography) One race prior to the Arlington Classic, the $150,000 Hanshin Cup at a mile over Polytrack attracted 10 older horses topped by Nates Mineshaft. The six-year-old ridgling son of Mineshaft has not raced since finishing third in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs last June, but prior to that had won the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap, Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap and Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap. Relatively lightly raced, Nates Mineshaft was a respectable third to Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Ron the Greek and eventual Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Foster to become Grade 1-placed. Since then, he was entered in last fall's Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2), but was withdrawn and given additional rest until now. "We have been waiting a long time to run him. He was never injured, he just had time off, and he's fit and happy right now," explained trainer Anne Smith from her Arlington barn. "The timing of the race is perfect. We want to see if, at age six, he still wants to be competitive. We'll know more about where he is after the race. "He's training like we're doing the right thing by entering. He doesn't seem to train super fast, but he definitely is fast in his race. He's had some easy works and I like how relaxed he is." A good performance in the Hanshin could lead to bigger and better things at Arlington for the handicapper.

"In a perfect world, we'd like to keep him here and see if he takes to the grass," Smith stated. "The owners are local and want to see him race here in Illinois at Arlington."

E.T. Baird has the call on Nates Mineshaft, who will be making his first start on a synthetic course since his lone try in December 2011 at Turfway Park.

"Right now he's telling me that he handles this track just fine," Smith commented.

Among those lining up against Nates Mineshaft is Mister Marti Gras, who ran second in the Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap last fall in his last appearance at Arlington. The Belong to Me six-year-old gelding has been competitive in several starts since, including two wins at Hawthorne last fall.

Ice Cream Silence faces a rematch with Sisterhood in the Arlington Matron (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Completing the trifecta of stakes races on Saturday will be the $150,000 Arlington Matron for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack. Lotta Lovin is a proven stakes winner on Polytrack and invades the race for trainer Mike Maker. The daughter of Repent has taken six of her seven victories over all-weather surfaces, including a 10 1/4-length romp in the January 19 Likely Exchange on Turfway Park's Polytrack. Mike Smith has been named to ride the four-year-old miss, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on Keeneland's version of that synthetic track. Ice Cream Silence triumphed in the Doubledogdare in her last trip to post, and the four-year-old Street Sense filly could prove tough in here for trainer Rusty Arnold. Also exiting that race is runner-up Sisterhood, who just missed by a neck and will be looking to turn the tables on Ice Cream Silence. Ausus didn't compete in the Doubledogdare, but is also exiting a start at Keeneland for Peitz. The four-year-old Invasor filly finished fifth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley going 8 1/2 furlongs on that Kentucky track's turf, and her trainer is looking forward to trying Ausus at a longer distance in the Arlington Matron.

"She ran behind four Grade 1 winners. She didn't disgrace herself. I wish we would have had more pace to run at, but that's how it goes. We knew we were taking a shot and she's a good filly," Peitz explained, before adding that he believes the chestnut lass will appreciate the conditions of the race.

"She broke her maiden here and likes the Polytrack. She will really appreciate the two turns here, too. She seems to run well on everything. I'm looking to run her in the (Grade 3) Modesty (on July 13) after this, and I thought this was a good spot to hopefully get us there.

"She has gone from a two-year-old who didn't look like much to competitive in a Grade 1. I'm glad to keep her in training. She's an Invasor and I think she will get better. I don't think she's going to embarrass us. We're going to see something and find out how much she's improved. We would definitely like to get to the (Grade 1) Beverly D. (on August 17)," the horseman concluded.

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Arlington kicks off 2013 stakes season with a Grade 3 smorgasbord

General Election will take on 11 fellow sophomores while trying turf for the first time in the Arlington Classic (Pat Lang Photography) A trio of Grade 3 races on Saturday will not only kick off the Memorial Day holiday weekend at Arlington Park, but will also serve as the curtain raisers on the track's 25-event, $5.5 million stakes slate. Two of Saturday's main events will be run on the Polytrack while the third will be contested over Arlington's grass course. The lone turf race in the stakes troika is the $150,000 Arlington Classic for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. The race, which serves as the first leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, drew a full field of 12, including Admiral Kitten, second in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. The Mike Maker-trained Kitten's Joy colt has never finished worse than second in three turf starts and will have Mike Smith aboard. Among those slated to face Admiral Kitten in the Arlington Classic is Fordubai, runner-up in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby last month. The Greg Geier-trained son of E Dubai broke his maiden last fall in his only try on turf, and gets a jockey switch to Kent Desormeaux for Saturday's return to the green. Stakes winners Brown Almighty, General Election and Procurement have also been entered in the Arlington Classic. The former, a Big Brown colt trained by Tim Ice, broke his maiden over this course last summer before shipping south to annex the Sunny's Halo at Louisiana Downs. Eddie Castro will be in the irons for the first time Saturday.

General Election will be making his turf debut for trainer Kellyn Gorder in the Arlington Classic. The Harlan's Holiday bay captured the John Battaglia Memorial on Turfway Park's Polytrack in early March and keeps the services of jockey Joe Rocco Jr., who guided General Election to a runner-up placing in the Grade 3 Lexington over Keeneland's Polytrack last out in April.

Procurement invades from Santa Anita Park for trainer Tom Proctor. The bay son of Milwaukee Brew won the La Puente over that track's turf course on April 21 beneath Garrett Gomez, who has been aboard Procurement in his last four starts and gets the return call.

Trainer Danny Peitz could have a live longshot in the Arlington Classic in Yorkshire Icon, an English-bred recent acquisition who is exiting an impressive May 4 allowance win on the Arlington turf.

"We were pleasantly surprised. He settled out the back and ran right by them like a horse who could be useful," Peitz said of the small bay son of Sixties Icon. "We don't know what's going to be in (the Arlington Classic), but we are taking a shot here."

Yorkshire Icon comes from a European female family flush with endurance influences and intense closing speed. This often also means that he may appreciate a little bit of cut in the ground -- which proved true when he won his allowance on yielding ground and his maiden in England over soft going.

"It wouldn't bother us if we get a little bit rain. He proved the other day that he likes it. And, he seems like he's come out well and is moving forward -- he seems very happy," Peitz said.

Coming from 16 lengths behind a dawdling pace of 1:15.17 for the first six furlongs, Yorkshire Icon, despite being on the petite side, made massive strides down the stretch to easily best the field by a little over a length -- making up six lengths in the last quarter and rewarding his backers at a nice 28-1.

"I'm hoping he runs well enough to keep running in the (Mid-America Triple)," Peitz added. "He will probably get better as the races get longer."

Nates Mineshaft returns to action following an 11-month layoff (Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography) One race prior to the Arlington Classic, the $150,000 Hanshin Cup at a mile over Polytrack attracted 10 older horses topped by Nates Mineshaft. The six-year-old ridgling son of Mineshaft has not raced since finishing third in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs last June, but prior to that had won the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap, Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap and Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap. Relatively lightly raced, Nates Mineshaft was a respectable third to Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Ron the Greek and eventual Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Foster to become Grade 1-placed. Since then, he was entered in last fall's Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2), but was withdrawn and given additional rest until now. "We have been waiting a long time to run him. He was never injured, he just had time off, and he's fit and happy right now," explained trainer Anne Smith from her Arlington barn. "The timing of the race is perfect. We want to see if, at age six, he still wants to be competitive. We'll know more about where he is after the race. "He's training like we're doing the right thing by entering. He doesn't seem to train super fast, but he definitely is fast in his race. He's had some easy works and I like how relaxed he is." A good performance in the Hanshin could lead to bigger and better things at Arlington for the handicapper.

"In a perfect world, we'd like to keep him here and see if he takes to the grass," Smith stated. "The owners are local and want to see him race here in Illinois at Arlington."

E.T. Baird has the call on Nates Mineshaft, who will be making his first start on a synthetic course since his lone try in December 2011 at Turfway Park.

"Right now he's telling me that he handles this track just fine," Smith commented.

Among those lining up against Nates Mineshaft is Mister Marti Gras, who ran second in the Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap last fall in his last appearance at Arlington. The Belong to Me six-year-old gelding has been competitive in several starts since, including two wins at Hawthorne last fall.

Ice Cream Silence faces a rematch with Sisterhood in the Arlington Matron (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Completing the trifecta of stakes races on Saturday will be the $150,000 Arlington Matron for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack. Lotta Lovin is a proven stakes winner on Polytrack and invades the race for trainer Mike Maker. The daughter of Repent has taken six of her seven victories over all-weather surfaces, including a 10 1/4-length romp in the January 19 Likely Exchange on Turfway Park's Polytrack. Mike Smith has been named to ride the four-year-old miss, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on Keeneland's version of that synthetic track. Ice Cream Silence triumphed in the Doubledogdare in her last trip to post, and the four-year-old Street Sense filly could prove tough in here for trainer Rusty Arnold. Also exiting that race is runner-up Sisterhood, who just missed by a neck and will be looking to turn the tables on Ice Cream Silence. Ausus didn't compete in the Doubledogdare, but is also exiting a start at Keeneland for Peitz. The four-year-old Invasor filly finished fifth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley going 8 1/2 furlongs on that Kentucky track's turf, and her trainer is looking forward to trying Ausus at a longer distance in the Arlington Matron.

"She ran behind four Grade 1 winners. She didn't disgrace herself. I wish we would have had more pace to run at, but that's how it goes. We knew we were taking a shot and she's a good filly," Peitz explained, before adding that he believes the chestnut lass will appreciate the conditions of the race.

"She broke her maiden here and likes the Polytrack. She will really appreciate the two turns here, too. She seems to run well on everything. I'm looking to run her in the (Grade 3) Modesty (on July 13) after this, and I thought this was a good spot to hopefully get us there.

"She has gone from a two-year-old who didn't look like much to competitive in a Grade 1. I'm glad to keep her in training. She's an Invasor and I think she will get better. I don't think she's going to embarrass us. We're going to see something and find out how much she's improved. We would definitely like to get to the (Grade 1) Beverly D. (on August 17)," the horseman concluded.

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In brief

Chantal Sutherland, who retired from race riding last October, told Daily Racing Form Thursday that she will mount a comeback at Del Mar this summer. "I just started dreaming about it again," Sutherland said. "All of a sudden I started waking up at 4 a.m. I missed it too much. I love all the people at the racetrack."...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Teardrop (Tapit), a three-quarter sister to Grade 1 star Pyro (Pulpit), stamped herself as a juvenile to follow with a memorable debut score in Thursday's 1ST race at Churchill Downs. Dispatched as the even-money favorite with Rosie Napravnik, the Steve Asmussen pupil overcame a slow and awkward start, and a seven-wide trip, to win as much the best. Teardrop collared the pacesetter in the stretch, drew off by 3 3/4 lengths, and completed five furlongs on the fast main track in :58 2/5. The gray filly is a close relative of three graded stakes performers. Aside from Pyro, whose major scores include the 2009 Forego (G1) and 2008 Louisiana Derby (G2), she is also a three-quarter sister to multiple stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Longview Drive (Pulpit) and a full sister to Grade 3 queen War Echo (Tapit). Their dam, the winning Wild Vision (Wild Again), is herself a full sister to Grade 2 victor Wild Wonder. This is the family of Grade 1 heroes Olympio (Naskra), Cuvee (Carson City), Paddy O'Prado (El Prado) and Tapizar (Tapit), winner of last November's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1)...

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella decided not to ship Jimmy Creed (Distorted Humor) to Belmont Park for Monday's Metropolitan H. (G1). As a result, jockey Garrett Gomez is staying at Hollywood and has picked up the mount on Halo Dolly (Popular) in Monday's Gamely S. (G1)...

Bob Baffert gave an update on plans for multiple Grade 1 winner Game on Dude (Awesome Again), who went a leisurely half-mile in :50 3/5 Monday at Santa Anita. "He just started breezing," Baffert said of the $4.7-million earner, most recently successful in the Charles Town Classic (G2). "He won't run in the Californian ([G2] on June 1), but I think he'll be ready for the Gold Cup ([G1] on July 6)." Game on Dude, the reigning Hollywood Gold Cup hero, will bring four-race win streak into his title defense. Baffert will be represented in the Californian by Liaison (Indian Charlie). Coming off a score in the Mervyn LeRoy H. (G2), Liaison worked six furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:13 4/5 Tuesday...

Jockey Frankie Dettori has made himself available to France Galop for further drugs tests in a bid to return from a six-month worldwide ban in time for the June 1 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1). Dettori's intended comeback on Monday was called off after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) refused to grant the rider a license in the absence of clearance from France Galop. It has since emerged that one of three tests Dettori underwent last month produced an irregular result. "The decision of the (France Galop Medical) Commissioners last year was that Frankie would have to pass three straight tests in the same week and that all should be negative," Dettori's agent in France, Herve Naggar, told Racing Post. "We knew last Friday the first of those three posed a problem. Frankie decided not only to collaborate with the French authorities, but, in order to sort things out as quickly as possible, he arrived in France Wednesday morning and decided himself to undertake the same testing procedure again as last month. He asked France Galop to re-test him Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because he's sure of himself."...

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has ordered the drafting of a decree rendering the import, sale, purchase and use of anabolic steroids in all horse-related sports in the United Arab Emirates a criminal offence. The decree is to have immediate effect. In a statement issued by godolphin.com, Sheikh Mohammed said, "I have always believed in the integrity of horse racing and all other horse sports. I have, in light of the unfortunate recent event, directed that a decree be issued making, with immediate effect, the import, sale, purchase or use of anabolic steroids in horse sports a criminal offence under the UAE penal laws. Regrettably, one of my stables in Europe has recently fallen below the standards that I expect and will tolerate. As soon as the internal investigations are complete and the requisite preemptory rules are put in place, Godolphin will go from strength to strength and lead, once again, adherence to the highest standards in that gracious sport."...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has nothing but fond memories of Richard Lies, who passed away Monday at the age of 71 following a lengthy illness. Lies, who retired from training in the mid 2000s, had several ventures, but especially loved his job at Del Mar, where he worked as an usher for many years. "I got to know him real well down there," Baffert said. "He worked in the area (around our box). He always rooted for me and was always upbeat. He just enjoyed life." It wasn't a secret that Lies had a favorite horse. "He absolutely loved Richard's Kid (Lemon Drop Kid)," Baffert recalled. "When I wasn't training him anymore, I gave Richard his halter." John Lies, one of Richard's four children and the track announcer at Lone Star Park, looked forward every summer to Del Mar, where he could spend some time with his father. Baffert's final conversation with Richard Lies concerned his son. "When I found out he was sick, I called him," Baffert revealed. "One of the last things he said to me was 'be good to my kid.'".

More than 50 sophomores were nominated to the inaugural running of the $500,000 Penn Mile on the turf, including the winners of seven of the eight graded races run on the turf for two-year-olds last year and three-year-olds this year. Entries for the Penn Mile, the richest race in the history of Penn National, will be taken May 29 with the race set to be run June 1 on a 10-race card kicking off at 6 p.m. (EDT) and featuring six stakes races worth more than $1 million in purses, including the $250,000 Mountainview Handicap and $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup. Among the most accomplished turf colts nominated for the Penn Mile are trainer Chad Brown's Grade 2-winning duo of Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song) and Balance the Books (Lemon Drop Kid), who ran second and third in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, respectively, along with Grade 3 grass victors Den's Legacy (Medaglia d'Oro) for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Jack Milton (War Front) for five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Todd Pletcher and Rydilluc (Medaglia d'Oro) for four-time leading NYRA trainer Gary Contessa. Two horses who most recently contested the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby 4 were nominated to the Penn Mile -- Grade 2 scorer Vyjack (Into Mischief) for trainer Rudy Rodriguez and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Charming Kitten (Kitten's Joy) for Pletcher. Grade 1 heroes Java's War (War Pass) and Power Broker (Pulpit), trained by Kenny McPeek and Baffert, respectively, are also among those nominated to the Penn Mile, with the former's top win coming on a synthetic surface and the latter's on dirt. Of the remaining Penn Mile nominees, 20 are either stakes winners or have finished top three in a graded race. In addition to the Penn Mile, Mountainview and Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, the June 1 card will also feature the $50,000 Penn Dash for three-year-olds and up going five furlongs, and a pair of $60,000 six furlong dirt sprints, the E Dubai HBPA and Silver Train HBPA, for Pennsylvania-bred or Pennsylvania-sired horses. It will be the richest day of racing in the 40-year history of Penn National...

Team Block's Ioya Bigtime (Dynaformer), winner of the 2012 Kentucky Cup Turf (G3), finished a disappointing ninth in the recent Elkhorn (G2) as the favorite but will look to get back on track in Saturday's Louisville Handicap (G3). "We haven't really been able to come up with (an excuse)," trainer Chris Block said. "It was nothing physical. Maybe we tried to slow things down too much. They were awfully slow fractions and we might have throttled him down too much. I don't know for sure, though. I'm kind of just putting a line through the race and we're back at it on Saturday." Ioya Bigtime set the pace in the 1 1/2-mile Elkhorn, running the opening half-mile in :52 1/5 over Keeneland's firm turf course. "He's doing really well since and if he wasn't then we wouldn't be running him Saturday," Block said. "We'll just forget about the last one and go into Saturday with some confidence the horse will go out and throw a good race." Block added that Ioya Bigtime will be close to the pace, but doesn't need the lead. "I'll leave it up to the horse and (jockey) Jeffrey (Sanchez)," Block said. "He always breaks pretty sharp. If he happens to be on the lead without too much encouragement, then that's fine. If someone else wants it, then that's fine and we'll lay off them."...

Janis Whitham's homebred Lent (Pulpit), a half-brother to 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned (E Dubai), will make his career debut in Friday's 7TH race at Churchill Downs. "We'll get him started and let him improve," trainer Ian Wilkes said. "He's a different horse than his brother -- different conformation and different type of horse. I hope he can run as fast." Wilkes, who has saddled two winners at the 2013 spring meet, has won with six of 250 first-time starters in his career. But Wilkes is more concerned with races down the line than with getting a horse to win at first asking. "It's all about developing the horse to me and not putting everything into the horse's first race," Wilkes said. "I like to build some asset value in the horse and let him develop and let him be as good as he can be when he matures." A three-year-old bay, Lent also is a half-brother to Izarra (Distorted Humor), who finished second in the Oak Leaf (G1) and third in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in 2007.  "He was very close to starting late in his two-year-old year," Wilkes said. "He had a little issue in an ankle, so we stopped on him and gave him some time. Now he's ready to go." Lent's older brother Fort Larned, who is being pointed toward the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 15, is scheduled to breeze five furlongs Friday morning prior to the renovation break....

Trainer Ron Moquett reports that Gentlemen's Bet (Half Ours) is possible for the $100,000 Aristides (G3) at six furlongs on June 1. Third when making his stakes debut in the April 13 Count Fleet (G3) at Oaklawn, the four-year-old colt exits a sharp score over optional claiming rivals at Churchill Downs last Friday, netting a 106 BRIS Speed rating for the 5 3/4-length decision...

Australian Bloodstock Stable, who plucked last year's Doomben Cup (Aus-G1) winner Mawingo (Tertullian) and Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) third Lucas Cranach (Mamool) from Germany, has returned to that racing circuit to acquire another pair of high-class individuals. Andreas Wohler trainee Waldpark (Dubawi), winner of the 2011 Deutsches Derby (Ger-G1) and a last-out second in the May 12 Grosser Preis der Badischen Unternehmer (Ger-G2), is bound for Anthony Freedman's yard and has the Cox Plate (Aus-G1) as his main target. Salon Soldier (Soldier Hollow), who has hit the board twice at the Group 3 level and ran sixth behind Waldpark last out, will leave Peter Schiergen to be trained by Kris Lees, and has the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1) as his main objective...

Khalid Abdullah's Romantica (Galileo) has already done much to uphold her esteemed family tradition, but the daughter of Banks Hill (Danehill) and granddaughter of Hasili (Kahyasi) seems in no mood to stop at present and takes to Saint-Cloud for more honors in Friday's Prix Corrida (Fr-G2). Andre Fabre has won this event a record five times and already guided the homebred to success in the Prix de la Nonette (Fr-G2) at Deauville in August and Prix Allez France (Fr-G3) over 10 furlongs at Chantilly last out on April 29. Fabre also saddles Guy Reed's Prix de Pomone (Fr-G2) scorer La Pomme d'Amour (Peintre Celebre), who has been off the board in her last three starts, while another trainer who is double-handed is Alain de Royer-Dupre. Haras de Saint Pair's Fairly Fair (Sinndar) was only sixth in the Allez France, while Fair Salinia Ltd.'s Fate (Teofilo) is totally unexposed after her breakthrough win in a conditions event over this 1 5/16-mile trip at Longchamp on May 2...

The march toward the June 29 Shoemaker Mile (G1) continues Saturday with the $150,000 American Handicap (G2), a course-and-distance prep for the Shoemaker over Hollywood Park's turf course. The likely favorite is the front-running Obviously (Choisir), who racked up wins last fall in the Del Mar Mile (G2) and Arroyo Seco Mile (G2) before a third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). In his lone outing this year, the five-year-old gelding was nabbed late going downhill at Santa Anita in the San Simeon (G3). The American will mark the U.S. debut for Lucayan (Turtle Bowl), who went unplaced in his final three starts in Europe following a 27-1 upset of the French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) at Longchamp last May. Now conditioned by Neil Drysdale, Lucayan will be ridden for the first time by a fellow French import, Julien Leparoux. Also in the six-horse lineup are Chosen Miracle (Ghostzapper), who's placed in the San Gabriel (G2) and San Simeon this season, and Drill (Lawyer Ron), a rallying fourth in the San Simeon which marked the colt's turf debut...

Dark Cove (Medaglia d'Oro) will face eight rivals on Saturday as he seeks to add a second straight graded win to his resume in Churchill Downs' $100,000 Louisville Handicap (G3). The Mike Maker trainee was a 4 1/4-length victor of the Elkhorn (G2) over Keeneland's turf on April 26 and will stay at that race's 1 1/2-mile distance for Saturday's grass affair under the Twin Spires. Dark Cove owns two prior tries over the Churchill green, finishing a well-beaten 10th in the Commonwealth Turf (G3) in 2010 and most recently posting a runner-up effort in a 2011 optional claimer. Rosie Napravnik has the call aboard the bay six-year-old, who will be facing Heathcote (Niigon), a 12 1/4-length romper last out when taking the Valedictory (Can-G3) in mid-December; Harrods Creek (Langfuhr), winner of the John's Call at Saratoga in his final appearance of 2012 on August 3; and last year's Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Marathon third-placer, Atigun (Istan), who just scored in his second turf appearance in a May 4 Churchill optional claimer...

Dual Canadian champion Irish Mission (Giant's Causeway) returns to Woodbine on Saturday as part of a seven-distaffer field in the C$200,000 Nassau (Can-G2) going a mile on the turf. The Mark Frostad pupil captured last year's Woodbine Oaks over the Polytrack prior to a runner-up effort in the Queen's Plate against the boys. She would go on to finish sixth on the Fort Erie dirt in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales, before taking the 1 1/2-mile third jewel, the Breeders', on Woodbine's turf in her penultimate start of 2012. Irish Mission made her return to competition on February 28 at Gulfstream Park, running second in an optional claimer before filling the third spot in the Orchid (G3) in her last start on March 30. Earlier on Woodbine's Saturday program, a field of seven sophomore fillies will line up in the C$125,000 Lady Angela, and Rootham Triple E's (Weather Warning) will try to return to the winner's circle after a sixth-place effort in the Fury on May 4. The bay miss captured the Star Shoot to open her 2013 campaign...

Csaba (Kitten's Joy) tops a field of 10 entered in Saturday's $75,000 Memorial Handicap at Calder. The four-year-old colt reeled off consecutive wins this winter in the Tropical Park Derby, Fred Hooper (G3), Harlan's Holiday and Hal's Hope (G3) before finishing fifth in the Donn Handicap (G1) and has been freshened 105 days in advance of this assignment by trainer Phil Gleaves. Manoel Cruz picks up the mount. Rule Number Six (Repent) and Megamove (High Cotton), the two respective finishers from the May 5 Sumter at Calder, will both return in this spot and Grade 2 winner Eldaafer (A.P. Indy) figures to appreciate the class relief following a fifth in the Grade 3 Skip Away last out. Other contestants include Isutalkintome (Flashy Bull), Ducduc (Langfuhr) and Flatter This (Flatter)...

Winning Image (Southern Image), last seen posting a comfortable score in the Willa on the Move at Laurel Park in mid-December, will make a title defense in Saturday's $75,000 My Juliet at Parx Racing. A four-time stakes heroine, the Michael Aro-trained mare will make her 2013 debut against five rivals and has been listed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the six-furlong test. Regular rider Jose Caraballo will be up. Ruffian (G2) winner Withgreatpleasure (Hold That Tiger) is scheduled to wheel back a week later after finishing third in the Vagrancy (G2) and Villette (Petionville) will step up to face graded rivals following an easy triumph in the April 13 Foxy JG at Parx over state-bred foes. Stakes winners Appealing Stella (Closing Argument) and Ms. Cruisen' (Candy Ride) are also entered...

Victor Espinoza was three shy of 3,000 career wins going into Friday's card at Hollywood Park. The Mexico City native earned win number 2,997 aboard Heat Trap (Unusual Heat) in Sunday's 9TH race. Espinoza, who turned 41 Thursday, had two scheduled rides on his birthday. He finished second aboard Foxy Boss (Street Boss) in the 5TH before an unplaced try on Warren's Joe T. (Affirmative) in the 8TH. On Friday, he is named to ride Nevada City (Cee's Tizzy) for Mike Harrington in the opener and Iconic Spirit (Bernstein) for John Sadler in the 4TH...

Apprentice Gonzalo Nicolas, who won with three of his first 12 mounts at Los Alamitos, makes his Hollywood Park debut Friday when he rides Sofos Quick Logic (Sofocles [Brz]) in the 3RD race...

Jockey Joe Steiner, who has been representing himself, will be handled by veteran agent Ivan Puhich beginning June 1...

Trainer Ron Ellis is five victories away from his 1,000th career victory...

Churchill Downs will stage a special 11-race Memorial Day program on Monday. The first of 11 races on the holiday program is 12:45 p.m. (EDT), and the featured event is the $100,000 Winning Colors (G3), a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. All active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge with proof of identification. Churchill Downs popular track bugler Steve Buttleman is sure to decorate the Kentucky Derby winner's circle with an abundance of U.S. flags and will perform patriotic melodies following the "Call to the Post" for each race...

Doug O'Neill celebrates his 45th birthday Friday. The trainer's only starter is Conkate (Exchange Rate) in the 7TH race...

Entering Thursday, 23 people remained alive in Hollywood's $2,500 winner-take-all Show Me the Money Contest.

In brief

Chantal Sutherland, who retired from race riding last October, told Daily Racing Form Thursday that she will mount a comeback at Del Mar this summer. "I just started dreaming about it again," Sutherland said. "All of a sudden I started waking up at 4 a.m. I missed it too much. I love all the people at the racetrack."...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Teardrop (Tapit), a three-quarter sister to Grade 1 star Pyro (Pulpit), stamped herself as a juvenile to follow with a memorable debut score in Thursday's 1ST race at Churchill Downs. Dispatched as the even-money favorite with Rosie Napravnik, the Steve Asmussen pupil overcame a slow and awkward start, and a seven-wide trip, to win as much the best. Teardrop collared the pacesetter in the stretch, drew off by 3 3/4 lengths, and completed five furlongs on the fast main track in :58 2/5. The gray filly is a close relative of three graded stakes performers. Aside from Pyro, whose major scores include the 2009 Forego (G1) and 2008 Louisiana Derby (G2), she is also a three-quarter sister to multiple stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Longview Drive (Pulpit) and a full sister to Grade 3 queen War Echo (Tapit). Their dam, the winning Wild Vision (Wild Again), is herself a full sister to Grade 2 victor Wild Wonder. This is the family of Grade 1 heroes Olympio (Naskra), Cuvee (Carson City), Paddy O'Prado (El Prado) and Tapizar (Tapit), winner of last November's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1)...

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella decided not to ship Jimmy Creed (Distorted Humor) to Belmont Park for Monday's Metropolitan H. (G1). As a result, jockey Garrett Gomez is staying at Hollywood and has picked up the mount on Halo Dolly (Popular) in Monday's Gamely S. (G1)...

Bob Baffert gave an update on plans for multiple Grade 1 winner Game on Dude (Awesome Again), who went a leisurely half-mile in :50 3/5 Monday at Santa Anita. "He just started breezing," Baffert said of the $4.7-million earner, most recently successful in the Charles Town Classic (G2). "He won't run in the Californian ([G2] on June 1), but I think he'll be ready for the Gold Cup ([G1] on July 6)." Game on Dude, the reigning Hollywood Gold Cup hero, will bring four-race win streak into his title defense. Baffert will be represented in the Californian by Liaison (Indian Charlie). Coming off a score in the Mervyn LeRoy H. (G2), Liaison worked six furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:13 4/5 Tuesday...

Jockey Frankie Dettori has made himself available to France Galop for further drugs tests in a bid to return from a six-month worldwide ban in time for the June 1 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1). Dettori's intended comeback on Monday was called off after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) refused to grant the rider a license in the absence of clearance from France Galop. It has since emerged that one of three tests Dettori underwent last month produced an irregular result. "The decision of the (France Galop Medical) Commissioners last year was that Frankie would have to pass three straight tests in the same week and that all should be negative," Dettori's agent in France, Herve Naggar, told Racing Post. "We knew last Friday the first of those three posed a problem. Frankie decided not only to collaborate with the French authorities, but, in order to sort things out as quickly as possible, he arrived in France Wednesday morning and decided himself to undertake the same testing procedure again as last month. He asked France Galop to re-test him Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because he's sure of himself."...

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has ordered the drafting of a decree rendering the import, sale, purchase and use of anabolic steroids in all horse-related sports in the United Arab Emirates a criminal offence. The decree is to have immediate effect. In a statement issued by godolphin.com, Sheikh Mohammed said, "I have always believed in the integrity of horse racing and all other horse sports. I have, in light of the unfortunate recent event, directed that a decree be issued making, with immediate effect, the import, sale, purchase or use of anabolic steroids in horse sports a criminal offence under the UAE penal laws. Regrettably, one of my stables in Europe has recently fallen below the standards that I expect and will tolerate. As soon as the internal investigations are complete and the requisite preemptory rules are put in place, Godolphin will go from strength to strength and lead, once again, adherence to the highest standards in that gracious sport."...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has nothing but fond memories of Richard Lies, who passed away Monday at the age of 71 following a lengthy illness. Lies, who retired from training in the mid 2000s, had several ventures, but especially loved his job at Del Mar, where he worked as an usher for many years. "I got to know him real well down there," Baffert said. "He worked in the area (around our box). He always rooted for me and was always upbeat. He just enjoyed life." It wasn't a secret that Lies had a favorite horse. "He absolutely loved Richard's Kid (Lemon Drop Kid)," Baffert recalled. "When I wasn't training him anymore, I gave Richard his halter." John Lies, one of Richard's four children and the track announcer at Lone Star Park, looked forward every summer to Del Mar, where he could spend some time with his father. Baffert's final conversation with Richard Lies concerned his son. "When I found out he was sick, I called him," Baffert revealed. "One of the last things he said to me was 'be good to my kid.'".

More than 50 sophomores were nominated to the inaugural running of the $500,000 Penn Mile on the turf, including the winners of seven of the eight graded races run on the turf for two-year-olds last year and three-year-olds this year. Entries for the Penn Mile, the richest race in the history of Penn National, will be taken May 29 with the race set to be run June 1 on a 10-race card kicking off at 6 p.m. (EDT) and featuring six stakes races worth more than $1 million in purses, including the $250,000 Mountainview Handicap and $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup. Among the most accomplished turf colts nominated for the Penn Mile are trainer Chad Brown's Grade 2-winning duo of Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song) and Balance the Books (Lemon Drop Kid), who ran second and third in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, respectively, along with Grade 3 grass victors Den's Legacy (Medaglia d'Oro) for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Jack Milton (War Front) for five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Todd Pletcher and Rydilluc (Medaglia d'Oro) for four-time leading NYRA trainer Gary Contessa. Two horses who most recently contested the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby 4 were nominated to the Penn Mile -- Grade 2 scorer Vyjack (Into Mischief) for trainer Rudy Rodriguez and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Charming Kitten (Kitten's Joy) for Pletcher. Grade 1 heroes Java's War (War Pass) and Power Broker (Pulpit), trained by Kenny McPeek and Baffert, respectively, are also among those nominated to the Penn Mile, with the former's top win coming on a synthetic surface and the latter's on dirt. Of the remaining Penn Mile nominees, 20 are either stakes winners or have finished top three in a graded race. In addition to the Penn Mile, Mountainview and Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, the June 1 card will also feature the $50,000 Penn Dash for three-year-olds and up going five furlongs, and a pair of $60,000 six furlong dirt sprints, the E Dubai HBPA and Silver Train HBPA, for Pennsylvania-bred or Pennsylvania-sired horses. It will be the richest day of racing in the 40-year history of Penn National...

Team Block's Ioya Bigtime (Dynaformer), winner of the 2012 Kentucky Cup Turf (G3), finished a disappointing ninth in the recent Elkhorn (G2) as the favorite but will look to get back on track in Saturday's Louisville Handicap (G3). "We haven't really been able to come up with (an excuse)," trainer Chris Block said. "It was nothing physical. Maybe we tried to slow things down too much. They were awfully slow fractions and we might have throttled him down too much. I don't know for sure, though. I'm kind of just putting a line through the race and we're back at it on Saturday." Ioya Bigtime set the pace in the 1 1/2-mile Elkhorn, running the opening half-mile in :52 1/5 over Keeneland's firm turf course. "He's doing really well since and if he wasn't then we wouldn't be running him Saturday," Block said. "We'll just forget about the last one and go into Saturday with some confidence the horse will go out and throw a good race." Block added that Ioya Bigtime will be close to the pace, but doesn't need the lead. "I'll leave it up to the horse and (jockey) Jeffrey (Sanchez)," Block said. "He always breaks pretty sharp. If he happens to be on the lead without too much encouragement, then that's fine. If someone else wants it, then that's fine and we'll lay off them."...

Janis Whitham's homebred Lent (Pulpit), a half-brother to 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned (E Dubai), will make his career debut in Friday's 7TH race at Churchill Downs. "We'll get him started and let him improve," trainer Ian Wilkes said. "He's a different horse than his brother -- different conformation and different type of horse. I hope he can run as fast." Wilkes, who has saddled two winners at the 2013 spring meet, has won with six of 250 first-time starters in his career. But Wilkes is more concerned with races down the line than with getting a horse to win at first asking. "It's all about developing the horse to me and not putting everything into the horse's first race," Wilkes said. "I like to build some asset value in the horse and let him develop and let him be as good as he can be when he matures." A three-year-old bay, Lent also is a half-brother to Izarra (Distorted Humor), who finished second in the Oak Leaf (G1) and third in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in 2007.  "He was very close to starting late in his two-year-old year," Wilkes said. "He had a little issue in an ankle, so we stopped on him and gave him some time. Now he's ready to go." Lent's older brother Fort Larned, who is being pointed toward the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 15, is scheduled to breeze five furlongs Friday morning prior to the renovation break....

Trainer Ron Moquett reports that Gentlemen's Bet (Half Ours) is possible for the $100,000 Aristides (G3) at six furlongs on June 1. Third when making his stakes debut in the April 13 Count Fleet (G3) at Oaklawn, the four-year-old colt exits a sharp score over optional claiming rivals at Churchill Downs last Friday, netting a 106 BRIS Speed rating for the 5 3/4-length decision...

Australian Bloodstock Stable, who plucked last year's Doomben Cup (Aus-G1) winner Mawingo (Tertullian) and Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) third Lucas Cranach (Mamool) from Germany, has returned to that racing circuit to acquire another pair of high-class individuals. Andreas Wohler trainee Waldpark (Dubawi), winner of the 2011 Deutsches Derby (Ger-G1) and a last-out second in the May 12 Grosser Preis der Badischen Unternehmer (Ger-G2), is bound for Anthony Freedman's yard and has the Cox Plate (Aus-G1) as his main target. Salon Soldier (Soldier Hollow), who has hit the board twice at the Group 3 level and ran sixth behind Waldpark last out, will leave Peter Schiergen to be trained by Kris Lees, and has the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1) as his main objective...

Khalid Abdullah's Romantica (Galileo) has already done much to uphold her esteemed family tradition, but the daughter of Banks Hill (Danehill) and granddaughter of Hasili (Kahyasi) seems in no mood to stop at present and takes to Saint-Cloud for more honors in Friday's Prix Corrida (Fr-G2). Andre Fabre has won this event a record five times and already guided the homebred to success in the Prix de la Nonette (Fr-G2) at Deauville in August and Prix Allez France (Fr-G3) over 10 furlongs at Chantilly last out on April 29. Fabre also saddles Guy Reed's Prix de Pomone (Fr-G2) scorer La Pomme d'Amour (Peintre Celebre), who has been off the board in her last three starts, while another trainer who is double-handed is Alain de Royer-Dupre. Haras de Saint Pair's Fairly Fair (Sinndar) was only sixth in the Allez France, while Fair Salinia Ltd.'s Fate (Teofilo) is totally unexposed after her breakthrough win in a conditions event over this 1 5/16-mile trip at Longchamp on May 2...

The march toward the June 29 Shoemaker Mile (G1) continues Saturday with the $150,000 American Handicap (G2), a course-and-distance prep for the Shoemaker over Hollywood Park's turf course. The likely favorite is the front-running Obviously (Choisir), who racked up wins last fall in the Del Mar Mile (G2) and Arroyo Seco Mile (G2) before a third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). In his lone outing this year, the five-year-old gelding was nabbed late going downhill at Santa Anita in the San Simeon (G3). The American will mark the U.S. debut for Lucayan (Turtle Bowl), who went unplaced in his final three starts in Europe following a 27-1 upset of the French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) at Longchamp last May. Now conditioned by Neil Drysdale, Lucayan will be ridden for the first time by a fellow French import, Julien Leparoux. Also in the six-horse lineup are Chosen Miracle (Ghostzapper), who's placed in the San Gabriel (G2) and San Simeon this season, and Drill (Lawyer Ron), a rallying fourth in the San Simeon which marked the colt's turf debut...

Dark Cove (Medaglia d'Oro) will face eight rivals on Saturday as he seeks to add a second straight graded win to his resume in Churchill Downs' $100,000 Louisville Handicap (G3). The Mike Maker trainee was a 4 1/4-length victor of the Elkhorn (G2) over Keeneland's turf on April 26 and will stay at that race's 1 1/2-mile distance for Saturday's grass affair under the Twin Spires. Dark Cove owns two prior tries over the Churchill green, finishing a well-beaten 10th in the Commonwealth Turf (G3) in 2010 and most recently posting a runner-up effort in a 2011 optional claimer. Rosie Napravnik has the call aboard the bay six-year-old, who will be facing Heathcote (Niigon), a 12 1/4-length romper last out when taking the Valedictory (Can-G3) in mid-December; Harrods Creek (Langfuhr), winner of the John's Call at Saratoga in his final appearance of 2012 on August 3; and last year's Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Marathon third-placer, Atigun (Istan), who just scored in his second turf appearance in a May 4 Churchill optional claimer...

Dual Canadian champion Irish Mission (Giant's Causeway) returns to Woodbine on Saturday as part of a seven-distaffer field in the C$200,000 Nassau (Can-G2) going a mile on the turf. The Mark Frostad pupil captured last year's Woodbine Oaks over the Polytrack prior to a runner-up effort in the Queen's Plate against the boys. She would go on to finish sixth on the Fort Erie dirt in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales, before taking the 1 1/2-mile third jewel, the Breeders', on Woodbine's turf in her penultimate start of 2012. Irish Mission made her return to competition on February 28 at Gulfstream Park, running second in an optional claimer before filling the third spot in the Orchid (G3) in her last start on March 30. Earlier on Woodbine's Saturday program, a field of seven sophomore fillies will line up in the C$125,000 Lady Angela, and Rootham Triple E's (Weather Warning) will try to return to the winner's circle after a sixth-place effort in the Fury on May 4. The bay miss captured the Star Shoot to open her 2013 campaign...

Csaba (Kitten's Joy) tops a field of 10 entered in Saturday's $75,000 Memorial Handicap at Calder. The four-year-old colt reeled off consecutive wins this winter in the Tropical Park Derby, Fred Hooper (G3), Harlan's Holiday and Hal's Hope (G3) before finishing fifth in the Donn Handicap (G1) and has been freshened 105 days in advance of this assignment by trainer Phil Gleaves. Manoel Cruz picks up the mount. Rule Number Six (Repent) and Megamove (High Cotton), the two respective finishers from the May 5 Sumter at Calder, will both return in this spot and Grade 2 winner Eldaafer (A.P. Indy) figures to appreciate the class relief following a fifth in the Grade 3 Skip Away last out. Other contestants include Isutalkintome (Flashy Bull), Ducduc (Langfuhr) and Flatter This (Flatter)...

Winning Image (Southern Image), last seen posting a comfortable score in the Willa on the Move at Laurel Park in mid-December, will make a title defense in Saturday's $75,000 My Juliet at Parx Racing. A four-time stakes heroine, the Michael Aro-trained mare will make her 2013 debut against five rivals and has been listed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the six-furlong test. Regular rider Jose Caraballo will be up. Ruffian (G2) winner Withgreatpleasure (Hold That Tiger) is scheduled to wheel back a week later after finishing third in the Vagrancy (G2) and Villette (Petionville) will step up to face graded rivals following an easy triumph in the April 13 Foxy JG at Parx over state-bred foes. Stakes winners Appealing Stella (Closing Argument) and Ms. Cruisen' (Candy Ride) are also entered...

Victor Espinoza was three shy of 3,000 career wins going into Friday's card at Hollywood Park. The Mexico City native earned win number 2,997 aboard Heat Trap (Unusual Heat) in Sunday's 9TH race. Espinoza, who turned 41 Thursday, had two scheduled rides on his birthday. He finished second aboard Foxy Boss (Street Boss) in the 5TH before an unplaced try on Warren's Joe T. (Affirmative) in the 8TH. On Friday, he is named to ride Nevada City (Cee's Tizzy) for Mike Harrington in the opener and Iconic Spirit (Bernstein) for John Sadler in the 4TH...

Apprentice Gonzalo Nicolas, who won with three of his first 12 mounts at Los Alamitos, makes his Hollywood Park debut Friday when he rides Sofos Quick Logic (Sofocles [Brz]) in the 3RD race...

Jockey Joe Steiner, who has been representing himself, will be handled by veteran agent Ivan Puhich beginning June 1...

Trainer Ron Ellis is five victories away from his 1,000th career victory...

Churchill Downs will stage a special 11-race Memorial Day program on Monday. The first of 11 races on the holiday program is 12:45 p.m. (EDT), and the featured event is the $100,000 Winning Colors (G3), a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. All active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge with proof of identification. Churchill Downs popular track bugler Steve Buttleman is sure to decorate the Kentucky Derby winner's circle with an abundance of U.S. flags and will perform patriotic melodies following the "Call to the Post" for each race...

Doug O'Neill celebrates his 45th birthday Friday. The trainer's only starter is Conkate (Exchange Rate) in the 7TH race...

Entering Thursday, 23 people remained alive in Hollywood's $2,500 winner-take-all Show Me the Money Contest.

On the California worktab

Grade 1 winner Marketing Mix (Medaglia d'Oro), runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, recorded four furlongs in :50 4/5 over the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park on Thursday. She will make her 2013 bow in Monday's Gamely (G1).

Grade 1 winner Rail Trip (Jump Start), unraced since a second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, completed six furlongs in 1:14.

Grade 3 queen Via Villaggio (Bernardini), who hasn't started since an unplaced finish in the Raven Run (G2) last October, worked in 1:12 1/5 from the gate.

Grade 1 winner Book Review (Giant's Causeway), a close second in the February 16 Santa Maria (G2) most recently, logged a half-mile in :50 on the fast track at Santa Anita.

Stakes victor Gervinho (Unusual Heat), unraced since a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, traveled five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

On the California worktab

Grade 1 winner Marketing Mix (Medaglia d'Oro), runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, recorded four furlongs in :50 4/5 over the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park on Thursday. She will make her 2013 bow in Monday's Gamely (G1).

Grade 1 winner Rail Trip (Jump Start), unraced since a second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, completed six furlongs in 1:14.

Grade 3 queen Via Villaggio (Bernardini), who hasn't started since an unplaced finish in the Raven Run (G2) last October, worked in 1:12 1/5 from the gate.

Grade 1 winner Book Review (Giant's Causeway), a close second in the February 16 Santa Maria (G2) most recently, logged a half-mile in :50 on the fast track at Santa Anita.

Stakes victor Gervinho (Unusual Heat), unraced since a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, traveled five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

On the New York worktab

Grade 2 victor Justin Phillip (First Samurai), hero of the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) most recently, clocked a bullet five-eighths in 1:01 over Belmont Park's fast dirt training track on Thursday. The Steve Asmussen pupil is readying for the True North H. (G2) on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard.

Grade 1-placed multiple stakes queen Beautiful But Blue (El Corredor), unraced since a second-placing in last November's Chase the Dream, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

Saturday's Charm (Any Given Saturday), a nose second in the Tom Fool H. (G3) in early March, traveled five panels in 1:01 2/5.

On the New York worktab

Grade 2 victor Justin Phillip (First Samurai), hero of the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) most recently, clocked a bullet five-eighths in 1:01 over Belmont Park's fast dirt training track on Thursday. The Steve Asmussen pupil is readying for the True North H. (G2) on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard.

Grade 1-placed multiple stakes queen Beautiful But Blue (El Corredor), unraced since a second-placing in last November's Chase the Dream, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

Saturday's Charm (Any Given Saturday), a nose second in the Tom Fool H. (G3) in early March, traveled five panels in 1:01 2/5.

On the New Jersey worktab

Grade 1 winner Currency Swap (High Cotton), unraced since a seventh as the favorite in the Gallant Bob last September, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 over the fast track at Delaware Park on Thursday.

On the New Jersey worktab

Grade 1 winner Currency Swap (High Cotton), unraced since a seventh as the favorite in the Gallant Bob last September, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 over the fast track at Delaware Park on Thursday.

On the Kentucky worktab

Grade 3 winner Wine Princess (Ghostzapper), a seven-length romper when making her 2013 bow in an April 27 optional claiming event, breezed six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 over the fast track at Churchill Downs on Thursday.

Grade 2 runner-up Treasury Bill (Lemon Drop Kid), third in the May 11 Came Home at Hollywood, completed five furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

Multiple stakes vixen Cor Cor (Smoke Glacken), third as the odds-on favorite in the May 12 Inaugural at Presque Isle, logged four furlongs in :51 on Keeneland's Polytrack.

On the Kentucky worktab

Grade 3 winner Wine Princess (Ghostzapper), a seven-length romper when making her 2013 bow in an April 27 optional claiming event, breezed six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 over the fast track at Churchill Downs on Thursday.

Grade 2 runner-up Treasury Bill (Lemon Drop Kid), third in the May 11 Came Home at Hollywood, completed five furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

Multiple stakes vixen Cor Cor (Smoke Glacken), third as the odds-on favorite in the May 12 Inaugural at Presque Isle, logged four furlongs in :51 on Keeneland's Polytrack.

On the Florida worktab

Multiple stakes winner Trickmeister (Proud Citizen), unraced since a third in the Kelso (G2), breezed five furlongs in a bullet 1:01 over the fast track at Calder on Thursday.

On the Florida worktab

Multiple stakes winner Trickmeister (Proud Citizen), unraced since a third in the Kelso (G2), breezed five furlongs in a bullet 1:01 over the fast track at Calder on Thursday.

NORTH AMERICAN ALLOWANCE RESULTS

For Friday or Next Raceday

HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS

MAY 24, 2013

by Dick Powell

The good thing about last Saturday's Preakness Stakes is when the action leaves Maryland for its summer home at Colonial Downs, they can plant corn on the main track. Because after watching the races from Pimlico last Friday and Saturday, that's what I thought they should do with it.

I don't want to see return to the days of Tank's Prospect and Farma Way, who not only set a stakes record in the Pimlico Special for 1 3/16 miles but equaled the American record for the distance -- 1:52.40.

But when the nine furlongs of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes took 1:52.73, which was the second slowest since the race was switched back to its current nine-furlong distance, and the 1 3/16 miles of the Pimlico Special took 1:58.50, which was the slowest since 1958, clearly something is wrong.

For Preakness Day, there was a forecast of possible showers and it did not look like the main track was watered enough. Watch the Preakness and focus on the cloud of dust that was being kicked up by the horses and how deep the track was. It was no surprise that it took 1:57.54, the slowest since Carry Back in 1961, for this year's renewal.

Knowing how the track was on Friday, it still was surprising to me that the track was so slow on Saturday. If the showers had been more severe, it probably would have been a very different track. But what little rain that came was not enough to have an effect on the track and it was a situation that reminded me of Animal Kingdom's Kentucky Derby, when expected showers just missed the track and it wound up being deep and cuppy which favored horses running on the outside.

Oxbow was a possible contender for Saturday's Preakness based on the fact that he was the only horse in the Derby that raced up near the pace and held on some in the stretch run. But when you watched the preceding races, how was he going to handle conditions that seemed to be against his running style?

But a funny thing happened on the way to the winner's circle, the starting gate opened and Kevin Krigger decided to take back aboard Goldencents and let Gary Stevens clear the field aboard Oxbow. Expected pace pressure from Govenor Charlie never came and Julien Leparoux had Titletown Five farther back than expected.

So even on a deep, tiring track, here was Stevens loose on an uncontested lead, crawling through the first half in :48.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.26. He kept Oxbow well off the rail, and going up the backstretch Joel Rosario found himself racing in midpack aboard Derby winner and heavy favorite Orb. When he tried to surge forward, he wanted to go to the inside but Leparoux was making a middle move down there on Titletown Five and Orb had to back off.

At one point, Orb was shuffled back to seventh and at no point did it look like he was going to win. The inside/outside trip we all anticipated where Rosario would let the speed clear out, save ground on the first turn, then rally wide from way behind never happened because the speed did not clear out. He wound up racing down near the inside, which was the worst part of the track, and it wasn't just the rail but three or four of the inside paths.

I liked Departing and at one point around the far turn, he was about to go into second place with only Oxbow in front of him. Unfortunately, he was on the inside part of the track and you could see from his stride that he was having trouble grabbing the track and was not going to be a serious threat.

Oxbow turned for home with a clear advantage and opened the lead to three lengths with a furlong to go. Johnny Velazquez, who luckily had Itsmyluckyday on the outside from post 9, was making up some ground and Rosie Napravnik had My Lute in a drive from far back. Neither threatened Oxbow but they did have a wide margin over Orb, who re-rallied to get up for fourth.

Stevens almost leapt out of the saddle when Oxbow hit the finish line and screamed, "Are you kidding me?"

My sentiments exactly.

You can handicap track biases until the cows come home but there is nothing like lone speed. And uncontested lone speed is even more dangerous, no matter how slow the track might be.

At the age of 77, Wayne Lukas won his 14th Triple Crown race and has now passed the immortal Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons for most wins in America's classic races. Combined with his 19 Breeders' Cup victories, most earned when the Breeders' Cup was a one-day event with only seven races, Wayne is the Jack Nicklaus of our sport.

By the way, in case anyone forgot, he is a member of the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame as well, with 23 champions including the legendary Dash for Cash. At one point, he trained the winners of 18 straight $100K stakes races in southern California over a three-year period in the 1970s.

At the age of 77, Lukas has had a resurgence in his career, employing the same methods that he always used. But he now has some serious money behind him with Brad Kelley's revived Calumet Farm. With the yearling sales coming up, I'm sure the guy in the cowboy hat will be busy bidding against everyone.

HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS

MAY 24, 2013

by Dick Powell

The good thing about last Saturday's Preakness Stakes is when the action leaves Maryland for its summer home at Colonial Downs, they can plant corn on the main track. Because after watching the races from Pimlico last Friday and Saturday, that's what I thought they should do with it.

I don't want to see return to the days of Tank's Prospect and Farma Way, who not only set a stakes record in the Pimlico Special for 1 3/16 miles but equaled the American record for the distance -- 1:52.40.

But when the nine furlongs of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes took 1:52.73, which was the second slowest since the race was switched back to its current nine-furlong distance, and the 1 3/16 miles of the Pimlico Special took 1:58.50, which was the slowest since 1958, clearly something is wrong.

For Preakness Day, there was a forecast of possible showers and it did not look like the main track was watered enough. Watch the Preakness and focus on the cloud of dust that was being kicked up by the horses and how deep the track was. It was no surprise that it took 1:57.54, the slowest since Carry Back in 1961, for this year's renewal.

Knowing how the track was on Friday, it still was surprising to me that the track was so slow on Saturday. If the showers had been more severe, it probably would have been a very different track. But what little rain that came was not enough to have an effect on the track and it was a situation that reminded me of Animal Kingdom's Kentucky Derby, when expected showers just missed the track and it wound up being deep and cuppy which favored horses running on the outside.

Oxbow was a possible contender for Saturday's Preakness based on the fact that he was the only horse in the Derby that raced up near the pace and held on some in the stretch run. But when you watched the preceding races, how was he going to handle conditions that seemed to be against his running style?

But a funny thing happened on the way to the winner's circle, the starting gate opened and Kevin Krigger decided to take back aboard Goldencents and let Gary Stevens clear the field aboard Oxbow. Expected pace pressure from Govenor Charlie never came and Julien Leparoux had Titletown Five farther back than expected.

So even on a deep, tiring track, here was Stevens loose on an uncontested lead, crawling through the first half in :48.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.26. He kept Oxbow well off the rail, and going up the backstretch Joel Rosario found himself racing in midpack aboard Derby winner and heavy favorite Orb. When he tried to surge forward, he wanted to go to the inside but Leparoux was making a middle move down there on Titletown Five and Orb had to back off.

At one point, Orb was shuffled back to seventh and at no point did it look like he was going to win. The inside/outside trip we all anticipated where Rosario would let the speed clear out, save ground on the first turn, then rally wide from way behind never happened because the speed did not clear out. He wound up racing down near the inside, which was the worst part of the track, and it wasn't just the rail but three or four of the inside paths.

I liked Departing and at one point around the far turn, he was about to go into second place with only Oxbow in front of him. Unfortunately, he was on the inside part of the track and you could see from his stride that he was having trouble grabbing the track and was not going to be a serious threat.

Oxbow turned for home with a clear advantage and opened the lead to three lengths with a furlong to go. Johnny Velazquez, who luckily had Itsmyluckyday on the outside from post 9, was making up some ground and Rosie Napravnik had My Lute in a drive from far back. Neither threatened Oxbow but they did have a wide margin over Orb, who re-rallied to get up for fourth.

Stevens almost leapt out of the saddle when Oxbow hit the finish line and screamed, "Are you kidding me?"

My sentiments exactly.

You can handicap track biases until the cows come home but there is nothing like lone speed. And uncontested lone speed is even more dangerous, no matter how slow the track might be.

At the age of 77, Wayne Lukas won his 14th Triple Crown race and has now passed the immortal Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons for most wins in America's classic races. Combined with his 19 Breeders' Cup victories, most earned when the Breeders' Cup was a one-day event with only seven races, Wayne is the Jack Nicklaus of our sport.

By the way, in case anyone forgot, he is a member of the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame as well, with 23 champions including the legendary Dash for Cash. At one point, he trained the winners of 18 straight $100K stakes races in southern California over a three-year period in the 1970s.

At the age of 77, Lukas has had a resurgence in his career, employing the same methods that he always used. But he now has some serious money behind him with Brad Kelley's revived Calumet Farm. With the yearling sales coming up, I'm sure the guy in the cowboy hat will be busy bidding against everyone.

SPOT PLAYS

For Friday

For Friday

*all times Eastern

HIGHLIGHTS

For Friday

*all times Eastern

HANDICAPPER'S EDGE is compiled by Bloodstock Research Information Services. This newsletter may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Copyright 2011, Bloodstock Research Information Services. Information as to the races, race results and earnings was obtained from Equibase Company LLC and is utilized herein with the permission of the copyright owner, Equibase Company LLC.

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