DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – It was back to work on Friday for Florida Derby winner and potential Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness, who breezed an easy half-mile in 50.17 seconds in company with his Grade 2-winning stablemate Agate Road just after dawn at Palm Beach Downs.

Despite the fact the work was strictly maintenance by design, the importance of the drill in the overall scheme of things was not lost on trainer Todd Pletcher or Fierceness’ regular rider, John Velazquez, who flew in overnight from Keeneland to put the reigning 2-year-old champion male through his paces Friday.

The Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico is one of a couple of next start options for Recharge, winner of the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.

Recharge, a daughter of Gun Runner, is 3 for 4 for breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds. She is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2, $750,000 Fantasy on March 30 at Oaklawn for which she earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 77.

Whelen Springs, who won last year’s Grade 3 Philip Iselin at Monmouth Park, will be honored as the 2023 Arkansas-bred of the Year during a Friday night banquet at the Oaklawn Event Center, said Deana Echols, executive secretary of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association.

Track Mate will get a chance at Grade 1 company after winning back-to-back allowances in his last two starts at Oaklawn. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Monday that Track Mate is being pointed for the Grade 1, $1 million Churchill Downs at seven furlongs May 4.

Track Mate popped a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100 for a two-other-than allowance win at six furlongs April 5. The Calumet Farm homebred is a son of Union Rags and from the female family of War Front.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Todd Fincher was on the road again Monday, hauling Perfect Dude from New Mexico to Oaklawn Park for Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

The trip comes on top of back-to-back flights to the Middle East, where Fincher saddled Senor Buscador to win the $20 million Saudi Cup in February and run third in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March.

And next month, Fincher will be bringing a division of horses to Southern California, basing at San Luis Rey Downs Training Center.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As part of an eight-win day at four tracks Saturday, Chad Brown won two stakes at Aqueduct with Shidabhuti upsetting the Grade 3, $169,750 Distaff Stakes and Reasoned Analysis doing the same in the $175,000 Bay Shore Stakes.

Shidabhuti, who hadn’t run since finishing eighth in the Monmouth Oaks on July 29, was entered in an allowance race that didn’t fill, so Brown wound up supplementing her to the Distaff.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – If all goes to plan, the second half of White Abarrio’s 5-year-old campaign will look exactly likely that of his 4-year-old season.