ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kentucky-based trainer Joe Sharp, who began the Woodbine meet by winning with two of his first three starters, ships in Takemetothebeach for Friday’s feature. The stakes-placed 5-year-old should be favored in the 1 1/16-mile conditioned allowance for fillies and mares, which has a $50,000 claiming option.

Far Bridge, the three-time Grade 1 turf stakes winner and earner of more than $2.5 million, will be sidelined through the summer with an unspecified injury. His connections hope the 6-year-old can make it back to the races this fall with the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Oct. 31 as a goal.

Far Bridge, trained by Miguel Clement, came off a lengthy layoff to win the Grade 3 Pan American at Gulfstream Park on March 28. That race was to be a stepping-stone to races like the Manhattan and Sword Dancer this summer at Saratoga, races he will undoubtedly miss.

An overflow field of 13 was entered for the Thursday feature at Churchill Downs, a second-level allowance race carded for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf and open to $80,000 claimers. The morning line lists Murdock as the 5-2 favorite, and with just three starts behind him, the last two quite fast on the Beyer Speed Figure scale, perhaps even better days lie ahead for this 4-year-old gelding.

The future looks even brighter for the morning-line favorite in Thursday’s sixth race, which immediately precedes the feature on the eight-race card.

Lee Einsidler won the feature race last Friday at Aqueduct but even the enthusiastic horse owner had to admit that was only the second-best thing that happened to him that afternoon.

Einsidler watched T Kraft win a third-level allowance Friday on a big screen television from Saratoga National Golf Club, where about 45 minutes after the race Einsidler married his longtime girlfriend Aimee Brisson.

Knightsbridge steamrolled his way through the winter in South Florida, seemingly establishing himself as the top dirt miler in the country.

Sent off the favorite in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong race on May 2 at Churchill Downs, Knightsbridge failed to fire, chasing the early pace and retreating to sixth, 8 1/4 lengths behind Japanese shipper T O Elvis.

“I’m totally baffled,” trainer Bill Mott said. “I thought he went into the race good. It was a tougher type of race in the Churchill Downs.

While trainer Bill Mott may not have been able to become the first trainer in 28 years to record a repeat victory in the Kentucky Derby, he stands a very good chance to become the first trainer in 30 years to win back-to-back runnings of the Belmont Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Early Encore won his debut by 6 3/4 lengths in a maiden race for California-bred 2-year-olds at Santa Anita on Sunday, leaving trainer John Sadler eager to start the colt at the Del Mar summer meeting.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Early Encore ($3) took the lead strides from the gate and was quickly clear of seven rivals. He led by 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.

Sadler said the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for statebreds at 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 7 is a goal for Early Encore, who races for a large partnership that includes Desert Sun Stables.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ag Bullet, one of the nation’s top female sprinters, is likely bound for Saratoga in coming weeks for her first start of 2026.

Trainer Richard Baltas said over the weekend that Ag Bullet is under consideration for two stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf – the Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes, a $250,000 race for fillies and mares on June 4, or the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes, a $500,000 race against males on June 6. Both races are being run during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Led by Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, five horses pointing to the $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga put in workouts Saturday morning at three different venues.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Desert Gate has been the favorite in five of his six races for trainer Bob Baffert and will again be the chalk Monday when he ships in from Southern California for the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park.

The 1 1/16-mile race is one of six stakes on Lone Star Million Day. The 12-race card is led by the richest Thoroughbred race in Texas, the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile.