OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Before Chad Summers and Al Gold run Napoleon Solo in Saturday’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, they’ll send out Lights Out Leni in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden for 3-year-old fillies, the only non-claiming race on Friday’s eight-race Aqueduct card.

Lights Out Leni is a daughter of Speightstown out of the Rockport Harbor mare Froyo Star. Lights Out Leni is a half-sister to debut winner Yorkshiremen.

It’s not all that common for a good turf horse to work over a dirt track with a good dirt horse. Remember Mamba, who runs Friday at Keeneland in the Transylvania not only has been working in company with the good dirt horse Reagan’s Honor, a contender in Saturday’s Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, he’s been holding his own.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Walk Away Kaye is the one to beat in the $150,000 Rainbow Miss on Friday at Oaklawn Park, but the sentimental favorite will be Pardon Me Z for the retiring trainer Jinks Fires.

“She’ll probably be the last stakes starter I’ll have,” the 85-year-old Fires said.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial figures to be a future-defining race for Napoleon Solo.

More than just trying to accrue qualifying points for the May 2 Kentucky Derby, Napoleon Solo’s performance in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial likely will dictate whether the son of Liam’s Map continues racing long or shortens up to races run around one turn.

The road to Kentucky Derby 152 has been filled with potholes thus far for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, has run seven 3-year-olds in nine points-scoring races toward the Kentucky Derby to be held May 2 at Churchill Downs. While he’s won two of those races, Plutarch, winner of the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes in February, was declared off the Derby trail with an injury. Plutarch, Baffert said, has recently begun jogging.

The Maryland Jockey Club announced that it will host the Fair Hill Turf Showcase, a two-day event that is intended to include flat turf racing and steeplechases. It will be held on Sunday, May 24, and Monday, May 25, which is Memorial Day.

Jockey Carol Cedeno will make her return to the Mid-Atlantic region in the first race Friday at Laurel Park. Since fracturing her wrist in a fall at Meadowlands Racetrack last September, she has gradually recovered and feels prepared to take on full afternoon slates soon.

“I feel great,” Cedeno said. “I’ve been going to the gym and I have the Equicizer [a mechanical horse] at the house. I’ve been breezing horses a lot, so I’m ready.”

Jockey Eliseo Ruiz is under investigation for his ride in Tuesday’s ninth race at Parx Racing, in which he ceded a considerable lead after failing to use his crop in the stretch.

Ruiz was riding Bailout Billy in a first-level allowance and carried a commanding early lead into the stretch when the 4-year-old filly suddenly began fading back toward the field. The jockey looked back several times as challengers drew near, but he did not appear to urge his filly. She was eventually passed by 9-5 favorite Cocktail Humor, who won by a half-length.