Niche will get a class test on Saturday when she moves into the first-level allowance ranks in the second race at Aqueduct.

The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies is one of four allowance offerings on an 11-race card that starts at 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

LAUREL, Md. – Cruise the Nile has passed every test so far for trainer Graham Motion and will take a much deserved step up in the Grade 3, $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park. Unbeaten since switching to turf in December, the 4-year-old gelding will surge into his graded stakes debut with momentum to spare.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Unbeaten Minimum Forty moves up to nonwinners-of-three company in Friday’s Woodbine feature that combines Ontario-sired allowance types with $40,000-claiming females. Can she survive a speed duel with the sharp Gulfstream shipper Brittany’s Way?

A 4-year-old trained by Robert Tiller, Minimum Forty made quite a splash when debuting Nov. 22, leading all the way in a six-furlong maiden race to prevail by 5 1/4 lengths. She earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure in that blowout score.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After faultless preparation exiting a second-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational led to White Abarrio’s upset victory over reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty in the Oaklawn Handicap nearly three months later, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. isn’t about to change the formula now.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Racing resumes Friday with a nine-race program topped by a $65,000 entry-level allowance test for Florida-bred fillies and mares. The 1 1/16-mile turf race drew an evenly matched field of 10 with the inside drawn pair of Bayou Brigid and Lindsay Smiles perhaps the ones to beat.

LAUREL, Md. – Different venue, but trainer Norm Casse will hope for the same result when he brings Awesome Aaron back to Maryland for Friday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Pimlico Special to be held at Laurel Park.

Awesome Aaron won last year’s Pimlico Special – run at Pimlico – but has gone winless in five starts since. In two starts this year, Awesome Aaron finished last of seven in the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile in March before finishing fourth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Stars and Stripes in the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland in April.

Fresh off winning the New York-bred trainer of the year award, Linda Rice will seek to get into the winner’s circle with an Irish-bred on Friday when she saddles leading contender Thiene in the fourth race at Aqueduct.

The first-level allowance for fillies and mares will be run at a mile on the inner turf. It goes with a field of seven, with four others listed as main-track-only entrants. The allowance highlights an eight-race card that starts at 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

ARCADIA, Calif. – A veteran mare in peak form and a 2-year-old first-time starter with no form carry high expectations into separate races Friday at Santa Anita.

Imaboutago draws in from the also-eligible list in race 9, a second-level allowance turf sprint. A two-time winner at the level, Imaboutago is entered for the $80,000 optional claiming tag. She already cleared the first hurdle – getting into the field.

LAUREL, Md. – The last time Margie’s Intention shipped to Maryland, she left a graded stakes winner. Trainer Brad Cox noted that Laurel Park could provide different challenges than Pimlico, but he remains hopeful for more success when the 4-year-old filly returns in the $125,000 Allaire duPont Distaff Stakes on Friday.

“She was able to ship over there last year and win, or the trip over to Pimlico anyhow,” Cox said. “We targeted this race after the first run there back at the Fair Grounds in late March. She’s training well leading up to this.”