Explora soared to the top of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard in the Santa Ynez S., while So Happy foiled Buetane in the San Vicente (G2).

A trio of graded grass stakes on opening day at Santa Anita ended in upsets, led by the 12-1 surprise of Ambaya in the $300,000 American Oaks (G1).

Beholder's daughter Tamara ran herself into the discussion for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and Mission of Joy earned her way into the Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Bob Baffert has a three-year-old to go to war with in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) after all.

On paper, Bottle of Rouge stacked up as the third-stringer from the Bob Baffert barn in Saturday’s $301,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1).

The California form heading into the Kentucky Derby (G1) was flattered in New York on Saturday when Rodriguez gave nine rivals the slip in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct.

Subsanador prevailed in a three-way photo over National Treasure and Newgate in the California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita, earning a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

On a stakes-packed inaugural California Crown Day at Santa Anita, First Peace won the Eddie D (G2), Cabo Spirit stunned the John Henry Turf Championship (G2), and Toupie wired the Unzip Me S.

The stakes-packed Friday evening card at Charles Town provided a chance for proven stakes winners to add rich victories to their decorated resumes.

The Del Mar Debutante (G1) just eluded Hall of Famer Beholder during her 2012 juvenile campaign, but now she can boast of her daughter Tamara’s stunning victory in Saturday’s $303,500 renewal.

As the region braces for Hurricane Hilary, a more benevolent force of nature blew through Del Mar on Saturday – 4-5 favorite Anisette, who stormed from last to first in the Del Mar Oaks (G1).

Trainer Bob Baffert pulled off a Grade 1 double on opening day of the Santa Anita meet, nabbing the Malibu with Taiba and the La Brea with Fun to Dream.

Santa Anita’s Grade 3 events for turf juveniles on Sunday produced Breeders’ Cup contenders, as heavy favorites Packs a Wahlop and Comanche Country remained unbeaten on the Southern California circuit.

Trainer Mark Glatt swept both of the graded sprint stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. Howbeit held on by a pixel in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), and a half-hour later, Whatmakessammyrun upset the Eddie D. (G2) on turf.

After inexperience arguably cost him in his Haskell (G1) near-miss, Zedan Racing Stables’ Taiba was a savvier operator in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

Cave Rock conquered Sunday’s $302,000 Del Mar Futurity in stakes-record time, completing the second half of a juvenile Grade 1 double for late sire Arrogate.

Dubai World Cup (G1) hero Country Grammer was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in his comeback in Saturday’s San Diego H. (G2), but his old archrival Royal Ship was too sharp in the 1 1/16-mile test.