Before Arlington Million festivities kick off at Colonial Downs on Saturday, the $100,000 Randolph D. Rouse Steeplechase will take center stage on Thursday morning. Trainer Neil Morris has entered Avakate and Love Foreverafter, a pair of mares coming off commanding maiden victories over the course in Virginia.

Avakate, a 7-year-old who has spent most of her career in Europe, finally broke through in her fourth North American start over hurdles on July 24, winning a $64,000 maiden special weight at Colonial by 12 1/2 lengths.

Because of an unlikely post position draw for the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday, a clear line can be drawn within the field. The five likeliest pacesetters drew the five inside positions, while the three likeliest to close have drawn outside of them.

From the rail, 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will make his turf debut for trainer Kenny McPeek. In four starts this year on dirt, he has not started a race more than 2 1/2 lengths behind the early leader.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Nearly 48 hours after Kilwin upset the Test Stakes here Saturday, trainer Rusty Arnold admitted he still found it a little hard to believe his filly was able to pick herself back up following a near disastrous start to win one of the most prestigious sprint races for 3-year-old fillies.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wednesday’s renewal of the $150,000 Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga figures to be more competitive than the previous two years when Next dominated his competition at odds of 3-5 in 2023 and 1-20 in 2024.

This field of six lacks a standout with four horses pegged between 7-5 and 9-2 on the morning line.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – El Cohete will experiment around two turns on the inner turf in Thursday’s Woodbine headliner with a new rider in tow – Sahin Civaci. He should be favored in the nonwinners-of-three event that combines Ontario-sired allowance types with $40,000 claimers.

El Cohete has stuck to sprinting since placing in back-to-back Tapeta routes in July 2023. He went to the sidelines for nine months after beating nonwinners-of-two allowance opponents with a 77 Beyer Speed Figure a year ago.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer George Weaver is sure to be the busiest man in Saratoga Springs around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday as he’ll saddle four of the 12 prospective starters in the $150,000 Galway Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.

Weaver has entered Pop Idol, Regalton, Silsbee, and Laurice for the 5 1/2-furlong Galway and plans to run all four while taking on a very evenly matched field that also features the Miguel Clement-trained duo of two-time stakes winner Love Cervere and Make Haste.

DEL MAR, Calif. – A pair of maidens adding blinkers, and allowance fillies and mares changing surfaces, are key starters in three separate California-bred races on a quiet Thursday at Del Mar.

The maidens Shady Stripes in race 2 and Ya’ll Come in race 5 add blinkers to increase focus. Sharp Ride returns to preferred dirt footing in race 7; turf winner Young Love will experiment on dirt in the same race. Sharp Ride holds the edge on figures; Young Love holds the edge on pace.

Barrington Harvey, who won more than 740 races in the United States and was a rare jockey active in his 60s, died recently while visiting his native Jamaica, a Los Alamitos official said Sunday.

Harvey was 62. A cause of death was not immediately available.

DEL MAR, Calif. – With a veteran and a rookie, trainer John Sadler had a nationwide stakes double Saturday.

Kings River Knight, an 8-year-old gelding, won his ninth stakes in the California Dreamin’ for statebreds on turf at Del Mar. Earlier in the afternoon, Hey Nay Nay remained unbeaten after two starts with an easy win in the $98,000 Tyro Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf at Monmouth Park.

Hey Nay Nay ($2.60) led throughout to win by seven lengths. The colt, by No Nay Never, was not urged late by jockey Paco Lopez.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Speedy Wilson, winner of the Real Good Deal Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at seven furlongs last Friday at Del Mar, may be headed for open company and longer races.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday that he is eager to try Speedy Wilson around two turns, mentioning the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes at a mile on Aug. 31 as a possibility.

“I’d like to stretch him out,” D’Amato said.