Surprsinglyperfect is a clear standout and will be a short price in Saturday’s allowance feature over a mile and 70 yards at Emerald Downs.

Before arriving at Emerald Downs in May, 10-year-old Surprsinglyperfect listed a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 81. The Justin Evans trainee has topped that number in each of his last two starts with blowout wins after racing two turns each time. Entering Saturday’s race, the gelding sports not only a career bankroll of $300,222 but also a last-out Beyer of 87, which topped his previous best of 85 earned 2 1/2 weeks prior.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Although the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Sprint is the one that got away from The Chosen Vron – his only loss in his last 14 starts – the gelding’s main objective for 2024 was always the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar.

One year after he cemented his reputation as top sprinter in California by winning the Bing Crosby despite a brutal trip, The Chosen Vron will try for a repeat Saturday in the six-furlong race. Trainer Eric Kruljac is happy with the gelding’s condition, and wary of the competition.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Coming off the best race he’s run to date with the added benefit of it coming over this track and at this distance, Jefferson Street looks the one to beat in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.

A son of Street Sense owned and bred by Godolphin Racing and trained by Bill Mott, Jefferson Street took advantage of a nice setup to gallop to an eight-length victory in a first-level allowance race here June 7. He ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.96 and earned a career-best and field-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The trio of horses trainer Brad Cox ran at Monmouth Park last Saturday all shipped up to Saratoga the following day and are targeting stakes here in late August.

The reigning champion older dirt filly Idiomatic, who won a dogged stretch duel with Soul of an Angel to win the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher by a head, will be aimed at the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 23. Her four-length victory in last year’s Personal Ensign was the first of three straight Grade 1 victories that helped clinch her an Eclipse Award.

Choose Joy can turn the tables on Oh Darlin with some better racing luck Friday in the featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park, when the pair meet again in a five-furlong conditioned allowance for fillies and mares on Tapeta.

Oh Darlin closed down the center of the track to nip Choose Joy by a neck in a four-way cavalry charge to the wire in that 5 1/2-furlong allowance on June 23. Choose Joy missed the break and put in a sustained run from last as the 8-5 favorite.

DEL MAR, Calif. – A filly who is irritable sometimes and reliable every time, Grand Slam Smile has come a long way both literally and figuratively.

Based at Pleasanton in Northern California, nearly 400 miles from Del Mar, stakes winner Grand Slam Smile shipped in last week for the $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes on Friday. She has a score to settle with Pushiness. Based on decisive recent stakes wins, Grand Slam Mile is up to the task.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown was looking for a confidence booster for his Grade 1-placed filly Occult and trainer Wesley Ward was hoping to get his Grade 1-winning mare Chi Town Lady back on track when both trainers entered the pair in Friday’s fourth race. Instead, they wound up hooking one another in the one-mile contest that also lured the multiple stakes-placed Movie Moxy and four-time stakes winner Stonewall Star.

Lie and Deny will attempt to get back on track for new connections in Friday’s $10,000 starter-allowance feature over 6 1/2 furlongs at Emerald Downs. The son of Dialed In had his six-race Emerald win streak snapped earlier this month when he checked in sixth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, in a $15,000 claiming race.

Claimed that day by Rakoczy Racing LLC and Justin Evans, the gelding will make his first start under the care of Evans on Friday. The starter-allowance conditions afford the new connections a chance to assess their new purchase without worry of losing him to another claim.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sahin Civaci made his way to the top of the Woodbine jockey standings last week and had a 44-41-win advantage over Rafael Hernandez heading into this week.

Civaci, who won two stakes last Saturday, picks his mounts judiciously. He rides two on Friday, including probable favorite Alley Oop Johnny in the fifth race, a starter/optional claimer scheduled for a mile on the inner turf.