Humberto Ascanio will be listed as trainer of Ventura for Saturday's $300,000 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park, but if the brilliant 5-year-old wins the Grade 1 race over a mile on turf, he will not take credit. Ascanio's thoughts will be with the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who died on Nov. 16 after a lengthy illness.

Stardom Bound had already won five Grade 1 races and an Eclipse Award before Unrivaled Belle ever made it to the races. But entering Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct, there may be more upside to Unrivaled Belle than Stardom Bound, last year's juvenile filly champion.

On the last Saturday of November at Aqueduct, Homeboykris and Buddy's Saint hope to fuel their connections' dreams of being able to compete on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.

The Grade 2, $150,000 KJC Stakes long has been a producer of potential returnees for the Kentucky Derby six months hence, and although it would be premature to go out on that limb in regard to its 83rd running here Saturday, there still are prospects aplenty among the field of nine colts.

Sassy Image, a late-running filly, figures as a solid favorite in a field of seven entered in the 66th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Golden Rod on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Fluke's win in Friday's Grade 1 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park was trainer Humberto Ascanio's first stakes win since the death of his boss, Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.

Three-year-olds got the best of their elders in dramatic fashion Friday when Blame, ridden by Jamie Theriot, beat Misremembered by a neck in the 135th running of the Grade 2, $460,600 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.