OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There were two main factors that prompted trainer Chad Brown to ship Ballerina d’Oro to New York for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct rather than to Keeneland for Monday’s rescheduled Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland.

Brown prefers the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Gazelle to the 1 1/16 miles of the Ashland. Also, Ballerina d’Oro has a good race at Aqueduct, having finished second, beaten one length by Muhimma in last December’s Grade 2 Demoiselle.

A poor recent race record aside, I Am Maximus will be favored to win Saturday’s famous Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, for the second consecutive year.

In 2024, I Am Maximus was a co-favorite at 7-1, winning the grueling race at about 4 1/4 miles over 30 fences by 7 1/2 lengths.

In preparation for this year’s race, I Am Maximus was always going to have a light campaign directed by his famous trainer, Willie Mullins, the leading jumps trainer in Ireland.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Quality trumps quantity Saturday at Santa Anita.

Just five 3-year-olds are entered in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, the smallest field for the 1 1/8-mile race since 2006. Yet while many snicker at field size, few dispute its significance – Kentucky Derby berths, and favoritism, are on the line at Santa Anita.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The South Florida invader Strong Like Sara will make her first start against Arkansas-breds on Saturday in the $150,000 Rainbow Miss at Oaklawn Park. She appears to be coming into the race on top of her game, according to trainer John Servis.

The Rainbow Miss is a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies bred in Arkansas. It drew a field of nine that includes the unbeaten Caliente Star and recent allowance winner She’s a Dreamer.

Queen Maxima has been perfect in three starts at the current winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita, a record expected to continue in Saturday’s Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

“She hasn’t done much wrong,” trainer Jeff Mullins said Thursday. “She just a good horse.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered two 5-year-olds in the $150,000 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Crupi will be stepping down in class while Classic Catch takes a sharp step up, but the trainer believes that both are ideally suited to run 1 1/4 miles.

Since winning the Queens County at Aqueduct in December 2023, Crupi has competed in nine straight graded stakes, including a victory in the Grade 2 Suburban at 1 1/4 miles in June. This year, he has run in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Grade 3 Razorback, finishing 10 lengths behind the winner in both.

ARCADIA, Calif. – First in a summer squeaker, then an autumn runaway, Tenma was a better 2-year-old filly last season than Vodka With a Twist.

Actually, Tenma was better than most. A three-time graded winner, Tenma remains the leader of the California filly division, having defeated Vodka With a Twist by a nose in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and by more than 10 lengths in the Grade 2 Starlet at Los Alamitos.

Flood Zone, who will start favored in Saturday’s Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, has been a colt on the go this year.

After winning his second start in a maiden race for Florida-breds by 5 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 5, Flood Zone was purchased privately by Wathnan Racing of Qatar and transferred to Brad Cox. In the first start for his new connections, Flood Zone recorded a 17-1 upset in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at a mile at Aqueduct on March 1. Flood Zone disputed the early pace before pulling clear by 3 1/4 lengths.

He won the Breeders’ Cup Turf for the second time in November, was named American champion turf male for 2024 in January, and won his lone start this year in the $2.5 million Amir Trophy in Qatar in February. Despite those achievements, Rebel’s Romance may not be favored in Saturday’s Group 1 Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates.

The 7-year-old gelding, a winner of 16 of 23 career starts, including seven Grade 1 or Group 1 races, was the 3-1 second choice with British bookmakers as of Wednesday behind the French import Calandagan at 2-1.