DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – It was back to work on Friday for Florida Derby winner and potential Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness, who breezed an easy half-mile in 50.17 seconds in company with his Grade 2-winning stablemate Agate Road just after dawn at Palm Beach Downs.

Despite the fact the work was strictly maintenance by design, the importance of the drill in the overall scheme of things was not lost on trainer Todd Pletcher or Fierceness’ regular rider, John Velazquez, who flew in overnight from Keeneland to put the reigning 2-year-old champion male through his paces Friday.

Much of the attention at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training will focus on its top prices – and with good reason. The sale-toppers from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 editions of the sale all went on to be Grade 1 winners, with Corniche, sold for $1.5 million in 2021, that season’s Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old male.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Apple Blossom Handicap has developed into an iconic race for fillies and mares, and Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million renewal at Oaklawn Park brings together another worthy group as the nine-horse field of stakes winners boasts a trio of millionaires in Adare Manor, Wet Paint, and Free Like a Girl.

Bellamore, Taxed, and Flying Connection are among those that could join the seven-figure club with a win in the 1 1/16-mile race. The field also includes $800,000 earner Shotgun Hottie, Gulfstream Park shipper Honor D Lady, and local prep winner Misty Veil.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Somebody get that horse a cape!

The super sprinter Skelly is quicker out of the blocks than Usain Bolt. He’s been known to break the heart of his competition after a quarter of a mile. And his kickback could stir up a dust storm.

Those qualities and more will serve Skelly well on Saturday, when he seeks to win the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap for the second year in a row at Oaklawn Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The $150,000 Top Flight Stakes did not have enough entrants to be carded as scheduled for Saturday – though it did have enough to be carded for Sunday – so the nine-race Aqueduct Saturday program lacks a true feature.

A trio of maiden races for New York-breds are sprinkled throughout the card including one for fillies 3 years old and up that includes two progeny of top sire Gun Runner.

The less said about the last two Saturdays – at least in terms of this exercise – the better. Chin up, sun coming out at Keeneland, Apple Blossom Day in Hot Springs. Forward.

Jenny Wiley

Keeneland was sloppy and off turf Wednesday and Thursday, and before the rain tapers off Friday, another half-inch or so could fall. The sand-based Keeneland course doesn’t really get soft, but it could be yielding and tricky.

On a nice firm course, pick your venue, the Grade 3, $300,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes could come down to an East Coast versus West Coast contest.

From the East comes Roses for Debra, who won four races in a row last year after joining the barn of trainer Christophe Clement and becoming a turf sprinter.

Elm Drive travels from the opposite coast for California’s top turf trainer, Phil D’Amato. She’s taken tough losses in her last two turf sprints, both at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s downhill course. The 5 1/2-furlong Giant’s Causeway could suit her.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The local stakes schedule may be on hold at the present time, but there is no shortage of quality racing Saturday at Gulfstream with four of the 10 races on the card to be decided under allowance conditions, two over the main track and two on turf.

As expected, the two grass races drew large and very wide-open fields, starting with the afternoon’s second race, for fillies and mares, which lured 10, including trainer Mark Casse’s stakes-winning Ticker Tape Home, who has been idle since finishing sixth in the Glen Cove Stakes on turf last fall at Aqueduct.

You have a general sense that Chad Brown has trained a host of Grade 1 turf winners at Keeneland. What you might not realize is Brown’s utter domination of Keeneland’s two Grade 1 turf routes for older fillies and mares, the Jenny Wiley, renewed Saturday, and the First Lady in October.

From the 12 editions of these two stakes beginning with the 2018 Jenny Wiley, Brown has won 11. That’s right: 11 of 12. Overall, his runners in those 12 races have compiled a 27-11-7-2 mark.

Royal Ship faced the best of the best when based in Southern California.

One of the key handicapping components in Laurel Park’s Frank Y. Whiteley for 3-year-olds and up is whether Royal Ship will be at his best returning from a 259-day layoff at a seven-furlong distance that might be less than ideal.