With only one horse to oversee in person this week, trainer John Shirreffs will have time to do some sightseeing in Philadelphia.

“I got to go see the steps that Rocky ran up, I guess,” Shirreffs said.

He’s Just Lucky is developing into a Louisiana-bred of significance. He won the Louisiana Cup Sprint last month at Louisiana Downs with a meet-high Beyer Speed Figure of 103 and will likely move to two turns for his next start, according to trainer Allen Landry.

Landry said He’s Just Lucky is a candidate for the $100,000 Gold Cup on Oct. 11 at Delta Downs. The seven-furlong race will be run around two turns on the six-furlong oval and it is restricted to horses bred in Louisiana.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Zarak the Brave looms the likely favorite in Thursday’s Grade 1, $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap at Aqueduct, but given the fact favorites went 0 for 5 in steeplechase races at Saratoga during the summer, perhaps looking elsewhere might be the way to go in this 2 1/2-mile jump race.

The connections of Chunk of Gold decided Monday morning that the West Virginia Derby winner will make his next start in the $300,000 Bourbon Flight on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Chunk of Gold also was entered in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby that runs Friday at Fairmount Park. Chunk of Gold, who is based at Turfway Park, drew post 11 for the St. Louis Derby and is the 3-2 favorite on the morning line.

“We’re going to go to the race at Churchill, the Bourbon Flight,” said Ethan West, who trains Chunk of Gold for Terry L. Stephens.

The September and November meets at Churchill Downs have become hotbeds for showcasing later-developing 2-year-olds who want to run longer distances. Juveniles who ran at Churchill Downs last September include this year’s Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer; Grade 1 winners La Cara, Sandman, and World Beater; and Magnitude and Owen Almighty, both graded stakes winners this year.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland September yearling sale passed its midway point with one record figure already assured for this renewal and plenty of others in dead aim as high-end activity continued at an unprecedented rate.

Through the first six of 12 sessions at this sale, comprising Books 1, 2, and 3 of the overall catalog, Keeneland reported that 1,216 horses had sold for gross receipts of $417,622,000. At the same point of the 2024 sale under the same early format, 1,166 horses had sold for $336,408,000.

Spice Runner has been a promising but immature colt this season. Both aspects of his personality were seen in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Spice Runner wandered about in the stretch when urged by jockey Jose Ortiz, with trainer Steve Asmussen noting the colt didn’t appreciate the whip. However, Spice Runner then zeroed in on Comport out in front of him and bore down with focus in the final yards to get up by a head at the wire. He earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure.