ELMONT, N.Y. – Last-out stakes winners Saginaw, Law Enforcement and Mine Over Matter will meet at Belmont Park on Saturday in the $100,000 Affirmed Success, a seven-furlong dash for New York-breds.

The 8-5 morning-line favorite is Saginaw, who has won four straight, including three since being claimed for $30,000 by David Jacobson, who owns the 6-year-old in partnership with Drawing Away Stable.

“My brother, Doug, does most of the claiming and he looked at [Saginaw],” said Jacobson. “His form was good, and he’s a big, good-looking horse. He looked the part, and we grabbed him. I claimed him from a really good trainer, Rick Dutrow, and we’re just keeping it going.”

In his most recent start, the 1 1/16-mile Carr Heaven overnight stakes on April 29 at Belmont, Saginaw contested the pace from the outside, took a clear lead inside the three-eighths pole, and drove clear to prevail by three lengths and earn his first stakes triumph in 26 career starts.

The Affirmed Success will be Saginaw’s first start in a sprint since a fourth-place finish in an optional claimer during the 2011 Saratoga Race Course meet.

“I love the cutback, especially at Belmont,” said Jacobson. “I think he’ll run a good race.”

David Cohen will ride Saginaw from post position 3.

Four-time stakes winner Law Enforcement made up 12 lengths when he rallied from last of seven to take Aqueduct Racetrack’s Hollie Hughes on February 20, his first victory since the 2010 John Morrissey at Saratoga. Trainer Mark Hennig said he is employing a new strategy this year with Law Enforcement, a 7-year-old son of Posse.

“We’ve learned he likes a little more time between races,” said Hennig, who trains the homebred for Camelia Casby. “He had some issues and ailments when he was younger that kept him from being his best, but now he seems to be past them.”

Hennig admits the Affirmed Success’ seven-furlong distance is a bit longer than Law Enforcement prefers.

“He’s probably best at 6½ furlongs,” said Hennig. “Six is can be a little short, and seven can be a little long. It all it depends on the set up as he likes to have a good pace in front of him.”

Law Enforcement, 5-1 on the morning line, will leave from post 5 with Alan Garcia aboard.

Also looking to post consecutive stakes scores is Chester and Mary Broman’s Mine Over Matter, victorious in the Fabersham overnight stakes, contested in the slop on April 22 at Aqueduct. In the Fabersham, Mine Over Matter trailed the compact field in the early stages before making a five-wide rally to nip Uncle T Seven by a nose.

“We’re hoping for the same thing,” said Hushion. “It was such a close finish, and we’ll probably get another one here. It’d be nice if he took another baby step forward. I think he ran run the same kind of race on a dry track.”

Rajiv Maragh has the assignment aboard Mine Over Matter, 7-2, from post 6.

Hushion will also be represented in the Affirmed Success by Rising Graph Stable’s Spa City Fever, who in his two most recent starts was second by a head in the Bryan G overnight stakes on March 11 at Aqueduct and fifth in the Carr Heaven. Spa City Fever, who has raced primarily in routes, previously competed for trainer Pat Kelly, for whom he won the 2011 Alex M. Robb at the Big A.

“That last race was very disappointing. “I think the mile and a sixteenth (of the Carr Heaven) and seven furlongs (of the Affirmed Success) are comparable. (The cutback) never bothered me at all. I know it would bother some people, but I kind of like it. Seven eighths is a tough race, and horses get tired in the last part.”

Uncle T Seven, second to Mine Over Matter in the Fabersham, and Wee Freudian, complete the field.

The field for the $100,000 Affirmed Success (NYB): Uncle T Seven (3-1), R Napravnik; Wee Freudian (15-1), C H Velasquez; Saginaw (8-5), D Cohen; Spa City Fever (6-1), S Camacho, Jr.; Law Enforcement (5-1), A Garcia; and Mine Over Matter (7-2), R Maragh.

BALTIMORE, Md. – Headed by the oldest stakes race in Pimlico Race Course’s storied history, the Preakness undercard offers stakes purses worth nearly $1 million.

The $300,000 Dixie Stakes (G2)–first run in 1870 as the Dinner Party Stakes and won by the horse Preakness–tops the list with 11 runners scheduled to go immediately before the Preakness Stakes.

In the forefront with the 7-2 overnight favorite is trainer Graham Motion and former Maryland riding star Edgar Prado, who will team up with Smart Bid.

Both have visited the winner’s circle after the Dixie previously with Motion scoring twice (Dr. Brendler, 2003) and (Better Talk Now, 2006) and Prado once (Ops Smile, 1997).

“He’s doing well. This is the race we’ve pointed him for,” Motion said of Smart Bid, who has run exclusively on turf the last two years. “He’s a pretty straightforward horse.”

Smart Bid has three lifetime victories and five runner-up finishes on the surface and prefers coming from slightly off the pace. Prado has been aboard the 6-year-old grandson of Mr. Prospector in his last 10 starts.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win this race before. It’s one I always like to enter,” said Motion.

Another duo with a backlog of success in the Dixie, jockey Ramon Dominguez and trainer Alan Goldberg, are on board with Straight Story (10-1), who is coming off a win in the Autumn Stakes (G2) and is 6-for-19 on the grass.

Dominguez has been the dominant jockey in the Dixie of late, taking five of the last nine runnings, teaming with Goldberg to prevail two years ago with Strike a Deal and with Motion on his two triumphs.

Also figuring to be in the thick of the battle are Todd Pletcher’s Hudson Steele (9-2), a horse who won the Henry Clark Stakes at Pimlico strip last month and Casino Host (5-1), who is on a two-race winning streak with the latest a G2 victory at the Fair Grounds.

Air Support took the Virginia Derby (G2) at Colonial Downs last summer and Trend has an impressive turf record as well (two wins and eight seconds in 12 starts).

“This field is tougher than I thought it would be,” said Ignacio Correas, trainer of Sagamore Farm’s Humble and Hungry, a 12-1 longshot in this lineup who finished fourth behind Hudson Steele in the Henry Clark Stakes on April 28. “It’s going to be a good one for the fans to watch.”

The $150,000 Gallorette Handicap (G3) has drawn seven females for the 1 1/16-mile grass race with Zagora the 8-5 morning line choice. She has been running exclusively in graded company and thriving. Her resume includes a win in the Diana(G1)  at Saratoga last summer.

Her main challenger appears to be Laughing (7-2), trained by Goldberg, who is 3-for-4 on the grass.

Five other thoroughbred stakes are offered, including the $100,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap (G3) and the $100,000 Allaire Dupont Distaff Stakes (G3).

PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
Hudson Steele

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Ken & Sarah Ramsey’s Lonesome Street, winner of the Grade II Commonwealth at Keeneland in April, headlines a field of 10 entered for Saturday’s Grade III $150,000 Hanshin Cup at Arlington Park.

The Hanshin, a one-mile race over Polytrack, is the first event on Arlington Park’s 26-race $5.8 million stakes schedule and is being run for the 18th time as an exchange race with the Japan Racing Association which annually hosts the Arlington Cup.

A 5-year-old Broken Vow horse, Lonesome Street stretches out to a mile for the Hanshin after posting a 2¼-length victory over seven furlongs in the Commonwealth, his only win this year and lone tally over a synthetic surface. His two previous 2012 starts were over grass at the Fair Grounds where he finished fifth in both the Grade III Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap and the listed Colonel Power Stakes. Arlington’s defending riding champion James Graham picks up the mount aboard the Mike Maker trainee.

Two other graded stakes winners are included among the starting line-up – Silverton Hill LLC’s Havelock and Frank Mancari’s Free Fighter.

The former, a gelded son of Great Notion, finished third in last year’s Hanshin but followed that up with victories in the $100,000 Arlington Sprint and the Grade II Play the King at Woodbine. In addition, the Darrin Miller-trained 5-year-old captured the Grade III Woodford at Keeneland last fall. Most recently, he finished fourth in the Grade III Shakertown at Keeneland last month. Florent Geroux has the call.

The latter, an Illinois-bred son Out of Place, won the Grade III Stars and Stripes over Arlington’s Polytrack last summer. Trained by Mike Reavis, the 7-year-old gelding has made just one start this year, finishing last of nine in the $60,000 Cryptoclearance Stakes at Hawthorne Race Course on April 7. Tim Thornton will ride.

Others of note entered in the Hanshin include Jim Tafel’s Fast Alex (Francisco Torres), runner-up in both the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap and the Grade III Mineshaft at the Fair Grounds earlier this year; Team Block’s Ioya Bigtime (Jeffrey Sanchez), a runner-up on Polytrack in the Grade II Fayette Stakes at Keeneland last fall; Peter J. Callaghan’s Scotus (Manoel Cruz), a winner over Keeneland’s Polytrack in his lone start this year; Clovertowne Farm’s Taptowne, victor in back-to-back starts at Hawthorne including a 1 ¼-length tally in the Cryptoclearance.

The remainder of the field for the Hanshin (with jockey listed) are: Starlight Partners’ Achaemenes (E. T. Baird), a winner in one of three starts in 2012; Terry Hamilton & Robert Morgan’s Gleam of Hope (Channing Hill), a victor over Arlington’s Polytrack two weeks ago; and Ashbrook Farm’s San Antone (Rosemary Homeister Jr.), who posted a front-running score at Keeneland last month.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mike Repole’s Stay Thirsty, who marked himself one of the leading 3-year-olds of 2011 in winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, will make his 4-year-old debut Thursday at Belmont Park in the 1 1/16-mile Vanlandingham overnight stakes, scheduled as the day’s third race with an approximate post of 1:54 p.m.

“He’s been training very well and we’ve kind of had a race around this time in mind for awhile, hopefully as a prep for the Suburban Handicap [Grade 2, $350,000  1 1/8 miles on July 7 at Belmont],” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “The main goal for the summer is the Whitney (Grade 1, $750,000, 1 1/8 miles on August 4 at Saratoga). We’re happy to have him back.”

Stay Thirsty spent the first two years of his career partially overshadowed by his 2010 juvenile champion stablemate UncleMo, who has since been retired to stud. After winning last year’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack en route to a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and a 12th-place showing in the Kentucky Derby, Stay Thirsty returned in the Belmont Stakes and was narrowly defeated by Ruler On Ice. After his spectacular Saratoga meet, the son of Bernardini ran third in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont and a disappointing 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs last November.

“It’s been a long time since the Breeders’ Cup, we’ve got to start somewhere, and this is a good spot,” said Repole. “It’s fun to see him back in the entry box, even though this seems a little tougher than an average overnight stakes!”

On Thursday, Stay Thirsty (7-5 morning line favorite) will face the lightly raced, but talented Trickmeister, whose only defeat in a half dozen career starts came in this year’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap on February 17 at Gulfstream Park, his first and only start in 2012. Trickmeister was made the 8-5 second choice in the field of six. The Vanlandingham field also includes stakes-winning New York-bred Swag Daddy (20-1), along with Sastre (50-1), Arthur’s Tale (10-1), and Joan’s Choice (7-2).

“Bringing Stay Thirsty back this year was a no brainer and I’m excited,” said Repole. “He won the Jim Dandy, the Travers, and I think he’s going to be one of a really, really good group of older horses this year.”

NYRA file photo
Stay Thirsty wins the Travers at Saratoga.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Dynamic Host and Dhaamer, who finished a neck apart when going 1½ miles on the Santa Anita main track March 24, will renew their rivalry at the same distance on turf in the $70,000 Round Table Stakes Sunday at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Back on the stakes calendar after a two-year absence, the Round Table is the seventh of nine races. Post time is 1 p.m.

Trained by Art Sherman for a partnership including Zvika Akin, Greg Avery and Bill Wilbur, Dynamic Host defeated Dhaamer in the Grade III Tokyo City Handicap nearly seven weeks ago.

The win was the fifth in 27 starts for the 6-year-old gelded son of Dynaformer and the French Deputy mare Hosta, increasing his earnings to $217,528.

 A victory in the Round Table would be his first over the grass at Betfair Hollywood Park. His best previous finish in three races was a third as a maiden Dec. 21, 2008 when trained by C. Beau Greely.

Claimed for $40,000 by his current connections last Aug. 25 at Del Mar, Dynamic Host has one win in five attempts, but has been worse than third only once.

Owned by Edward J. Brown, Jr. and trained by Mike Mitchell, Dhaamer followed his runner-up finish in the Tokyo City with a fourth in the Grade II San Juan Capistrano Handicap April 22 at Santa Anita.

An Irish bred gelding by Dubai Destination and the Ahonoora mare Arjuzah, the 5-year-old has won three of 12 and banked $70,502.

Falcon Rock will be trying to end a 15 race losing streak in the Round Table.

Owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Simon Callaghan, the 7-year-old Hawk Wing gelding out of the Caerleon mare Champaka hasn’t won since taking his United States debut March 6, 2010 at Santa Anita. The Irish bred is 2-for-25 overall with earnings of $213,342.

A German bred son of Dalakhani and the Caerleon mare Gold Round, Goldwaki will be making his first appearance since trailing in the Grade I Hollywood Turf Cup last Nov. 19.

No better than sixth in his three races in this country, Goldwaki, a 5-year-old, has four wins in 11 outings and earnings of $176,715.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner-breeders Joel Meredith and T.C. Stable, Lumberyard Jack won an optional claimer at the Round Table distance April 20 at Santa Anita.

A 4-year-old gelded son of Bellamy Road and the Private Terms mare Shellys Terms, Lumberyard Jack, an Illinois bred, has won three of 13 and has a bankroll of $86,024.

Porfido, the senior citizen of the group at age 10, will be seeking his 13th lifetime win Sunday.

Trained by Eoin Harty for owners Pete Fer and James Yanez, the son of Mash One and the Roy mare Piazza Venezia has started 52 times and earned $664,218.

Winless in 14 starts on turf – but second or third on 10 occasions – at Betfair Hollywood Park, Porfido will be making his third appearance in the Round Table.

The Chilean bred was third behind Cedar Mountain and Transduction Gold in 2008 and second to Obrigado in 2009.

Quaintly is the lone female in the race. Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 4-year-old Giant’s Causeway filly out of the Seeking the Gold mare Measure has won two of 12 and banked $39,552.

Trained by Patrick Biancone, Quaintly was second behind Lumberyard Jack in her U.S. debut last month.

A winner at 85-1 over the local turf last Dec. 17, Bud I Crushed It will be seeking his first win of 2012. Owned by Vicente Padilla and trained by Victor Fernandez, the 5-year-old Momentum gelding out of the Jade Hunter mare Sarah Jade has three wins in 28 starts and earnings of $73,826.

Completing the field is one time winner St. Joel. Owned by Joel Aaronson and trained by Oscar Garcia, the 8-year-old gelded son of The Good Life and the St. Jovite mare St. Tomacina has raced 15 times and earned $24,002.

From inside out, the field for the 4th Round Table Stakes: Goldwaki, Brice Blanc rides, 121 pounds; Lumberyard Jack, Eswan Flores, 115; Quaintly, Victor Espinoza, 112; Dynamic Host, David Flores, 121; St. Joel, Kevin Krigger, 115; Bud I Crushed It, Omar Figueroa, 115; Dhaamer, Joel Rosario, 117; Porfido, Garrett Gomez, 123; and Falcon Rock, Alonso Quinonez, 115.

Benoit Photo/file
Dynamic Host and David Flores

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A trio of Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. homebred Stallion Stakes winners, Fort Loudon, Awesome Belle, and Redbud Road, will take to the Calder Casino & Race Course main track on Saturday as a pair of six-furlong sprint stakes for 3-year-olds, the $75,000 In Summation Stakes and the $75,000 French Village Stakes, highlight a rich Saturday of racing in south Florida.

Trained by Stanley Gold, Fort Loudon swept all three divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes in 2011, culminating with  2 ½-length victory in the $300,000 In Reality Division as part of the October 15 Festival of the Sun program. The son of Awesome of Course has since tested the best of his generation, competing in four successive graded stakes including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Fort Loudon has drawn the inside stall for the nine-horse In Summation and will be ridden by jockey Luis Jurado.

Though he was never a threat to Fort Loudon in either of their two 2011 Stallion Stakes encounters, Rey Wan Racing’s Hello Prince looks to be a worthy In Summation adversary as the son of Halo’s Image enters the race off a close fourth in the $75,000 Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Prior to that outing, the Daniel Pita trainee crossed the wire second in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

During his juvenile season, Hello Prince was a three-time conqueror of the Calder main track, winning those races by a combined 13½ lengths, including an authoritative six-length score in the $100,000 Birdonthewire Stakes.

Assigned post five for the In Summation, Hello Prince will enjoy the riding services of Jose Angel Garcia.

Other notable entrants for the In Summation are World Thoroughbreds Racing, Inc.’s Tell All You Know, a winner of two straight sprints prior to an 11th-place performance in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby; Vicente Stella Stables, LLC’s Indirectly A. P., the third-place finisher in the Sophomore Stakes at Tampa; and Brenda Tabraue and Andrea’s Farm’s Angelofdistinction, winner of the $75,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa in December.

The Stanley Gold-conditioned pair of Awesome Belle and Redbud Road share marquee billing for the $75,000 French Village Stakes, which has attracted a talented field of nine 3-year-old fillies.

Awesome Belle, the winner of last year’s $300,000 My Dear Girl Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, exits a sixth-place performance in the Calder Oaks and is looking to stop a six-race losing streak while Redbud Road, a two-time Stallion Stakes winner last year, hasn’t started since finishing third in the My Dear Girl.

Awesome Belle was assigned post one for the French Village with Jeffrey Sanchez listed to ride. Redbud Road fared better at the post position draw and will be ridden from stall six by Luis Saez.

White Hall Lane Farm’s Citizen Advocate, a three-time stakes winner that boasts the rare treble of added-money victories over dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces, appears the challenger most likely to upend Awesome Belle and Redbud Road in the French Village.

The David Vivian-trained daughter of Proud Citizen, second in the $75,000 Sophomore Fillies at Tampa in her last start and winner of the Catcharisingstar on the Calder turf in 2011, has drawn post eight for the French Village with Luis Jurado named to ride.

Other notables scheduled for a start in the French Village include Rosa Stephany Taveras’ Miss Quisqueya, a two-time allowance winner at Gulfstream this spring, and Ron Hendrickson’s Who Is Camille, winner of the $50,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sale Sprint Filly Division at the Ocala Training Center in her last start.

A third stake adds intrigue to the Saturday program at Calder as a full field of 12 will sprint five furlongs over the turf course in the $55,000 Champali.

Little Drama, a two-time main track stakes winner, will make his turf debut in the Champali where he is scheduled to meet the unbeaten and recently imported Panamanian mare Amor de Palacio, 2011 Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash and 2012 Needles Stakes hero Musical Flair, and recent $75,000 Tampa Turf Dash runner-up Western Prospector.

In addition to a multi-surface stakes triple, the Saturday program at Calder will also feature the third-leg of the lucrative Calder Starter Series, which offers a $50,000 purse for the nine horses scheduled to engage in battle over one mile and 70 yards of Calder dirt.

A pair of competitive allowance races, one on turf featuring stakes-placed participants Argentine Tango, Csaba, and Empire Builder, and the other on dirt, help accentuate a compelling Saturday card from Calder.

First race post time is 12:55 p.m. The stakes portion of the Saturday program will begin with the In Summation, scheduled as race nine at 4:30 p.m. The French Village will follow at 4:59 p.m. with the Champali listed for a 5:26 p.m. start.

File photo
Fort Louden

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Rey Wan Racing’s Hello Prince, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 10, worked a half-mile in :49.40 at Calder Casino & Race Course Sunday morning as he prepares for a start in the $75,000 In Summation Stakes, a six-furlong test for 3-year-olds to be run Saturday May 12.

“That’s the plan,” trainer Daniel Pita said when asked if the In Summation would mark the next appearance for his colt. “Today’s work was just what we wanted; a routine workout. He wasn’t pushed. We just wanted to keep him fresh and keep him ready.”

In his most recent start, the son of Halo’s Image finished fourth in the $75,000 Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs where he dueled on the lead through relatively fast fractions before weakening slightly to finish fourth, beaten two lengths.

“I don’t think he handled the surface at Tampa that day,” Pita said. “And he tends to get a little frisky when he’s away from his home base. But I think he still ran a good race.”

With his last two starts coming at seven furlongs, the In Summation will represent a shortening in distance for Hello Prince, something Pita views with little concern.

“I think he’s a pretty versatile horse so whether it’s six furlongs, seven furlongs, whatever, he’ll have no problem,” Pita said. “He possesses natural speed and he doesn’t need to be pushed, even at a shorter distance, so he can do whatever we ask him to do.”

The winner of last year’s $100,000 Birdonthewire Stakes, Hello Prince is a three-time winner in six career starts at Calder, with that trio of victories coming by a combined 13½ lengths.

“He works well over the track and he runs well over the track,” Pita said. “So we’re happy to be racing him back here. He knows his surroundings and is calm and relaxed here, so we expect him to run well Saturday.”

IN SUMMATION ALSO LIKELY TO ATTRACT FORT LOUNDON

In addition to Hello Prince, Calder stakes coordinator Sean Perl has listed Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.’s Fort Loudon and World Thoroughbreds Racing, Inc.’s Tell All You Know listed as probable starters for the In Summation.

Trained by Stanley Gold, Fort Loudon swept the three-division Florida Stallion Stakes last year but is winless since his $300,000 In Reality Division victory, contesting four graded stakes since that triumph, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Tell All You Know, conditioned by Chad Stewart, posted consecutive wins at Tampa this past winter and was last seen finishing 11th in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby March 10.

Listed as possible for the In Summation are Angelofdistinction, Bellefire, Indirectly A.P., Jordan’s Image, Miami Cat, Straight Fax, and Supreme Light.

The co-feature on the May 12 program at Calder is the $75,000 French Village for 3-year-old fillies, a race Perl lists White Hall Lane Farm’s Citizen Advocate, Rosa Stephany Taveras’ Miss Quisqueya, Jacks or Better Farm, Inc’s Redbud Road, and Ron Hendrickson’s Who Is Camille as probable participants.

Awesome Belle, Carolyn M., Denaesalildreamer, Given Enchantment, and Sinister Tale are listed as possible for the French Village.

Entries for the In Summation, French Village, and the $55,000 Champali, at five furlongs on turf, will be taken Monday, May 7.

ELMONT, N.Y. – A pair of New York Stallion Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-olds will be co-featured Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park. The NYSS action kicks off in race 6, the $100,000 Park Avenue Division for fillies, and continues in race 9, the $100,000 Times Square Division. Both NYSS races will be contested at 6½ furlongs over the main track.

The 2-1 morning line favorite in the Park Avenue is Saul and Max Kupferberg’s SunnyDesert, a 15 ¼-length maiden winner in her most recent outing on March 25 at Aqueduct. Claimed by John Parisella for $35,000 in November out of her second start, a runner-up effort at Aqueduct, the daughter of WildDesert turned in a fourth and pair of seconds in her next three starts before going to the sidelines at the end of January.

Sunny Desert’s front-running maiden win – for which she earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 76 – came at one mile, while all of her previous starts were at six furlongs. On Sunday, she gets the services of BelmontPark’s leading rider, Ramon Dominguez, and leaves from post position 5 in the field of eight fillies.

Second choice among the fillies is Merrylegs Farm’s Caught by You, who broke her maiden by 9 ½ lengths at Aqueduct on March 9, also earning a 76 Beyer Speed Figure. Fourth in a first-level allowance race nine days later, she most recently finished last of 10 under the same conditions after rearing up at the start and trailing throughout on April 15 at Aqueduct.

Rajiv Maragh will ride the Stanislavsky filly, 3-1 on the morning line, from post 6.

Returning from a layoff to make her 3-year-old debut is Chester and Mary Broman’s Bait. A daughter of Hook and Ladder, Bait broke her maiden last July at Belmont and then went to the sidelines until November. She returned to post a third-place finish, beaten just a half-length against colts, in the NYSS Great White Way for juveniles on Nov. 13, and closed out her 2-year-old campaign with a fifth place allowance finish.

Trained by Linda Rice, Bait will be ridden by Corey Nakatani from post 8 on Sunday

Castles Burning, Sweet Moon, Hot Splash, Lenders Way and Sally’s Dream complete the field from the rail out.

In the NYSS Times Square, even-money favorite Sportswriter tops a field of eight colts and geldings off a runner-up finish in the one-mile Patsyprospect overnight stakes on April 6 at Aqueduct.

A Flying Zee Stables homebred who began his career running on turf for trainer Carlos Martin, Sportswriter is now trained by Rudy Rodriguez for Michael Dubb and Michael Imperio. In four dirt starts for Rodriguez ranging from six furlongs to one mile and 70 yards, the gelded son of Mabry’s Boy has compiled a record of 2-1-1, with both victories coming in six-furlong allowance contests.

Cornelio Velasquez has the call aboard Sportswriter from post 7 on Sunday.

Trainer Derek Ryan will saddle I’ll Stake U, the 7-2 second choice in the Times Square, who enters the race off a runner-up allowance finish at Parx Racing. A 6½-length maiden winner at Parx on Feb. 19, the Utopia colt was second in an Aqueduct allowance on March 14 after a wide trip and a tough-luck in a March 23 allowance at Parx. On Sunday, Rosie Napravnik will ride from post 1.

Shane Roars, Think I’m Hooked, Western Tryst, Exciting Missile, Disco On, Maggie’s Hadder and Frisky Warrior complete the field.

The field for the $100,000 NYSS Park Avenue Division: Castles Burning (10-1), R Napravnik; Sweet Moon (20-1), E Castro; Hot Splash (6-1), C H Velasquez; Lenders Way (8-1), J Lezcano; Sunny Desert (2-1), R A Dominguez; Caught by You (3-1), R Maragh; Sally’s Dream (15-1), D Cohen; and Bait (4-1), C S Nakatani.

The field for the $100,000 NYSS Times Square Division: I’ll Stake U (7-2), R Napravnik; Shane Roars (12-1), J Castellano; Think I’m Hooked (20-1), R Maragh; Western Tryst (6-1), J Lezcano; Exciting Missile (30-1), J A Davis; Disco On (8-1), E Castro; Sportswriter (even), C H Velasquez; Maggie’s Hadder (20-1), C C Lopez; and Frisky Warrior (12-1), M J Luzzi.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Defending Grade I Derby Day winners from 2011, Get Stormy and Sassy Image, plus the 1-2 finishers from last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI), Musical Romance and Switch, top the list of marquee names that will be featured Saturday in races leading up to the 138th running of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

Saturday’s 13-race program begins at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the Kentucky Derby going as the 11th race of the day with a 6:24 p.m. post time. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, five graded stakes will be contested.

Sullimar Stable’s Get Stormy will seek to become the second horse to defend his title when he goes postward in the 26th running of the $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (Grade I) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Only Einstein in 2008-09 repeated in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic.

The Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which drew a field of 11, will go as Saturday’s 10th race with a 4:44 p.m. post time.

Trained by Tom Bush, Get Stormy has a 6-3-1-2 record at the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic distance of nine furlongs. Fourth in his most recent start in the Maker’s 46 Mile (GI) at Keeneland, Get Stormy will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez and break from post position four.

The three horses that combined to finish a length in front of Get Stormy last month at Keeneland also return in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic: Data Link, Turallure and Doubles Partner.

Owned by Stuart Janney III, Data Link earned his first stakes victory in the Maker’s 46 Mile. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Data Link will be ridden by Alex Solis and break from post position seven.

Four D Stable’s Turallure, trained by Charles Lopresti, fell a nose short of catching Court Vision here last fall in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI). Julien Leparoux has the mount on Turallure, who will break from post position two.

WinStar Farm’s Double Partner, winner of the Canadian Turf (GIII) in his 2012 debut, finished third in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic last year, beaten only a length. Javier Castellano has the mount Saturday on Doubles Partner, who will break from post position six.

The field for the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, from the hedge out, is as follows: Little Mike (Joe Bravo, 120 pounds), Turallure (Leparoux, 120), Boxeur des Rues (Mario Gutierrez, 118), Get Stormy (Dominguez, 124), Slim Shadey (GB) (David Flores, 122), Doubles Partner (Castellano, 120), Data Link (Solis, 124), Turbo Compressor (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Al Khali (Corey Nakatani, 118), Brilliant Speed (John Velazquez, 120) and Papaw Bodie (Joel Rosario, 120).

HUMANA DISTAFF

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image will attempt to make history in the 26th running of the $300,000-added Humana Distaff (GI) for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track.

No horse has won the Humana Distaff twice and the Dale Romans-trained 5-year-old mare will have to turn back eight foes to complete the double.

Sassy Image has won five of six career starts at Churchill Downs with other stakes victories coming in the 2011 Winning Colors (GIII) and the 2009 Pocahontas (GIII) and Golden Rod (GII).  Robby Albarado has the riding assignment on Sassy’s Image, who will break from post position three.

Chief among the rivals to Sassy Image are Pinnacle Racing Stables and trainer Bill Kaplan’s Musical Romance and Lee Searing’s Switch as well as Fred and trainer Buff Bradley’s Groupie Doll, winner of the Vinery Madison (GI) at Keeneland on April 12.

Fourth as the favorite in the Vinery Madison, Musical Romance has remained in Kentucky since the Keeneland race instead of returning to her South Florida base. Juan Leyva, who was aboard for the Breeders’ Cup triumph, has the mount Saturday on Musical Romance, who will break from post position eight.

Trained by John Sadler, Switch will be making her initial start of 2012. The millionaire daughter of Quiet American also ran second here in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Switch will break from post position seven under Mike Smith.

Groupie Doll, who broke her maiden here last summer in her only dirt start at Churchill Downs, won the Vinery Madison by three lengths under Rajiv Maragh who retains the mount Saturday. Groupie Doll will break from post position six.

The Humana Distaff will go as Saturday’s ninth race with a 3:49 p.m. post time.

The field for the Humana Distaff, from the rail out, is as follows: Magical Feeling (Roberto Alvarado Jr., 120 pounds), Fantasy of Flight (John Velazquez, 118), Sassy Image (Albarado, 118), Salty Strike (Julien Leparoux, 118), Mildly Offensive (Joel Rosario, 118), Groupie Doll (Maragh, 123), Switch (Smith, 118), Musical Romance (Leyva, 123) and Hot Summer (Rafael Bejarano, 118).

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Thomas Sanford and trainer Bill Spawr’s Amazombie, winner of the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) here last fall, and 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, owned by Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge, head a field of eight sprinters for the 78th running of the $400,000-added Churchill Downs Presented by Navistar (GII) at seven furlongs on the main track.

The Churchill Downs, won last year by Aikenite, will go as the seventh race Saturday with a 2:08 p.m. post time.

Amazombie, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, enters the Churchill Downs off a victory in the Potrero Grande (GII) at Santa Anita. Amazombie will break from post position six.

Trained by Dale Romans, Shackleford closed his 2011 campaign with a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI). Third in the Carter Handicap (GI) in his most recent start, Shackleford will break from post position four under Jesus Castanon.

The field for the Churchill Downs from the rail out, is as follows: Smiling Tiger (Joel Rosario, 118 pounds), Almo d’Oro (Javier Castellano, 118), Apriority (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Shackleford (Castanon, 118), Hamazing Destiny (Corey Nakatani, 118), Amazombie (Smith, 123), Gantry (Richard Eramia, 118) and Will’s Wildcat (Calvin Borel, 118).

CHURCHILL DISTAFF TURF MILE

Two rising grass stars, Daisy Devine and Marketing Mix, plus 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly top a field of 10 to pass the entry box for the 27th running of the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Presented by American Commercial Lines (GII) for fillies and mares going a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, won last year by Aviate, will go as the eighth race Saturday with a 2:59 p.m. post time.

Owned by James Miller and trained by Andrew McKeever, Daisy Devine is undefeated in four starts on the turf. James Graham, who has been aboard for the past three victories that include a score in the Jenny Wiley (GI) last month at Keeneland, has the mount Saturday on Daisy Devine, who will exit post position five.

Glen Hill Farm’s Marketing Mix has won four of five starts on grass with the lone setback being a runner-up finish in last fall’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland. Trained by Tom Proctor, Marketing Mix won the Mrs. Revere (GII) here to close out her 2011 and campaign and won her seasonal bow three weeks ago at Keeneland. Marketing Mix will start from post position three under Julien Leparoux.

Frank Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly enters the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile off a third-place finish in the Jenny Wiley. Trained by Dale Romans, Tapitsfly took the Honey Fox (GII) in March at Gulfstream Park. Tapitsfly will break from post position four under Robby Albarado.

The field for the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile from the hedge out is as follows: Heavenly Landing (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds), Hooh Why (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Marketing Mix (Leparoux, 120), Tapitsfly (Albarado, 120), Daisy Devine (Graham, 123), Annabel Lee (Jon Court, 118), Aruna (Ramon Dominguez, 118), City to City (Corey Nakatani, 120), La Reine Lionne (Javier Castellano, 118) and Hungry Island (John Velazquez, 118).

TWIN SPIRES TURF SPRINT

Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s veteran Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) here, heads a field of 12 for the 18th running of the $125,000-added Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by GE Appliances (GIII) for 4-year-olds and up going five furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Twin Spires Turf Sprint, won last year by Regally Ready, will go as the sixth race Saturday with a 1:19 p.m. post time.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Chamberlain Bridge will be making his fourth appearance in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint with a victory coming in the 2009 renewal. Jamie Theriot has the riding assignment on Chamberlain Bridge, who will break from post position 11.

Chief among Chamberlain Bridge’s rivals is Melnyk Racing Stables’ Bridgetown, who will be making his 2012 debut. Second in this race last year, Bridgetown will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post position four.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint from the hedge out is as follows: Santo Gato (Rafael Bejarano, 118 pounds), Great Attack (Joel Rosario, 120), Cactus Son (Robby Albarado, 118), Bridgetown (Velazquez, 118), City Sage (Calvin Borel, 118), Stormy Going (Gabriel Saez, 118), Speight the Halo (James Graham, 118), Spinning Move (Corey Lanerie, 118), Amanecer de Oro (Richard Eramia, 118), Great Mills (Julien Leparoux, 120), Chamberlain Bridge (Theriot, 118) and Shabaab (Luis Contreras, 118).

Gulfstream Park file photo
Get Stormy

ELMONT, N.Y. – After winning Grade 1 turf races in 2011 with European imports Stacelita and Zagora, trainer Chad Brown is primed to make a similar assault on major grass events in America this year after receiving an influx of talented international runners.

“It’s important that different people have seen that we know what to do when you send us the right horses,” said Brown. “We have a program that seems to work, and I had always hoped to take on some of the European horses who had shown some talent over there.”

One of the new additions to Brown’s stable is Desert Blanc, who last year won a listed stakes in France. Now 4, Desert Blanc will make his stateside debut for new owner Swift Thoroughbreds in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Fort Marcy at Belmont. The son of Desert Style turned in a 1:02.22 five-furlong turf breeze at Belmont on Sunday.

“He came straight into Palm Meadows, and he trained pretty well down there,” said Brown. “He’s been right there in group races, and he’s been holding good company over there. He’s a good-looking horse, so I’m anxious to get him started. I think he could be a factor in some of these big turf races for boys.”

While Brown believes Desert Blanc can be effective at the Fort Marcy’s 1 1/16-mile distance, the trainer plans to race the colt, who was Group 3 placed at 1 ¼ miles, in longer races later in the year.

“He’s run as far as a mile and a quarter over there, but I think I think this is a good comeback, a mile and a sixteenth, to see where we’re at with him,” said Brown. “He’s a versatile horse, but I’ll be looking to stretch him out after this race. He should handle the mile and a sixteenth.”

Brown considered running Dealbata, another 4-year-old French listed stakes winner who is unraced in the United States, in Saturday’s Grade 3 Beaugay before withdrawing her from consideration following a 50.78 four-furlong breeze on turf Sunday morning at Belmont. Dealbata was bought privately by Martin Schwartz, the owner of now-retired Stacelita.

“I think (Dealbata) is going to need more time after watching her breeze,” said Brown.

Yet another talented import in Brown’s barn is Banimpire, a five-time group winner in England and Ireland. Banimpire, who also has a pair of Group 1 placings to her credit, was purchased at auction in Ireland by Schwartz for approximately $3 million in November.

“She came up here [from Palm Meadows] and kind of took one step backwards,” said Brown of the 4-year-old. “Minor stuff, just adapting. She had been doing super in Florida. There’s a different environment up here, a different climate, different tracks. I felt she took one step backwards, so we’re regrouping with her and are going to focus on a summer campaign. She should be fine, and we have a few horses coming up behind her.”