SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Pandagate will look to keep his unbeaten record against New York-breds intact when he heads a field of six 3-year-olds entered in the $250,000 Albany Stakes, one of six stakes on an 11-race card devoted entirely to New York-breds.

In three starts against New York-breds, Pandagate, a son of 2016 Travers winner Arrogate, has a maiden win, a 5 1/2-length victory in the Gander Stakes and, most recently a three-quarter-length triumph over Doc Sullivan in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Until such time as his connections find a suitable open-company stakes in which to run him, Spirit of St Louis figures to once again dominate a New York-bred stakes when he takes on four familiar foes in Sunday’s $200,000 West Point Handicap at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After winning the Sanford and skipping the Saratoga Special earlier in the meet, it seemed only logical that Mo Plex would likely come back on closing day in the Grade 1 Hopeful. But to the surprise of many, and likely dismay of his nine rivals, Mo Plex will return instead to statebred company Sunday at Saratoga in the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes.

Owen Almighty, to date the fastest 2-year-old in the Midwest this summer, will make his next start Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs in the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes.

The colt’s trainer, Brian Lynch, didn’t hesitate when asked Thursday what late summer and autumn holds for Owen Almighty.

“We’ll see what happens with more racing. Time will tell, but we’d be thrilled if he could get two turns,” Lynch said.

It’s good to have a fallback option.

Sea Streak last raced in the Grade 1 Haskell and did not disgrace himself, finishing fifth in a race won by Dornoch, leader of the North American 3-year-old division entering this weekend. But Sea Streak doesn’t have to tackle Dornoch or any other elite members of his class Sunday. Instead, he makes his first start in a race restricted to New Jersey-breds, the $125,000 Charles Hesse Handicap at Monmouth Park.

Chris Block has gone all Chad Brown on the Mystery Giver Handicap on Sunday at Hawthorne.

Brown seemingly has three horses for every filly-and-mare turf stake in New York – he ran three of four Thursday in the Ballston Spa – and Block entered three of the six in the $75,000 Mystery Giver, a 1 1/16-mile grass race for older Illinois-breds.

Post Facto will bring a somewhat unconventional win streak into Sunday’s seventh race at Gulfstream Park.

The 4-year-old gelding is looking to win his fourth consecutive race – for his fourth consecutive trainer – in the $12,500 starter allowance over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta.

Post Facto has been claimed in each of his last three starts. He began his win streak last August at Del Mar, when he won a mile dirt race and was claimed for $25,000.

The benefit of a recent race may give Empressum an advantage against arch-rival Scoops Dynasty in Sunday’s $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap for older Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.

Empressum, the 2022 Quarter Horse World Champion, won the $150,000 Vessels Maturity for a record-equaling third consecutive year on July 7. The Vessels Maturity was Empressum’s first start since a second to Flash Bak in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park in New Mexico in January.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Short fields and short prices are recurring themes in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, a filly-mare sprint likely to follow historical precedent Sunday at Del Mar.

Sweet Azteca figures odds-on in the 6 1/2-furlong Rancho Bernardo, won by favorites the past four years, and 15 of the last 24. Michael McCarthy trains Sweet Azteca, a Grade 1 route winner over Adare Manor two back at Santa Anita followed by a 106-Beyer Speed Figure crusher in a Grade 2 sprint at Los Alamitos.

Breezin Brianne, the dominant winner of the B.C. Cup Debutante, headlines the first of a quartet of CTHS Sales Stakes events on a unique Monday evening card at Hastings beginning at 7 p.m. Pacific. The four stakes are positioned as the first, second, fourth, and seventh races on the program. The first pair, each for 2-year-olds, will cover 6 1/2 furlongs, while the others, each for 3- and 4-year-olds, will cover 1 1/16 miles. All of the stakes are exclusively for CTHS sales graduates.