The seven-figure purse deficits Del Mar and Santa Anita have amassed in recent years will take considerable time to eliminate and are likely to rise in the short-term, several racing and track executives said in the last week.

According to discussions at the California Horse Racing Board meeting on June 18 in Sacramento, Santa Anita has a current purse overpayment of approximately $4 million, while Del Mar has overpaid purses by $2.1 million.

Both tracks have taken measures in the last year to reverse the trend by cutting prize money, a trend widely expected to continue.

Sydney “Chip” Dutrow will be the trainer of record of Master Piece when he runs in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park. Chip Dutrow is the assistant to his brother Rick, who has trained Master Piece since May.

Rick Dutrow has not run a horse in Florida since he returned from a 10-year suspension handed him by the New York State Gaming Commission (née Racing Commission) last April. Dutrow is not licensed in Florida, but is not barred from applying for one and is not expected to be denied if and when he does.

Opportunities to ride in Grade 1 races don’t come often enough for jockey Kendrick Carmouche, which is why he was disappointed to lose the mount on the undefeated Integration for Saturday’s $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Edwin Maldonado, sidelined since Jan. 6 after sustaining a shoulder injury in a morning workout, is booked to return to riding on Friday with six mounts on an eight-race program at Santa Anita.

Maldonado, 31, will be hoping to return to the form he showed in the first weeks of the current winter-spring meeting.

Despite not riding in nearly four weeks, Maldonado is tied for seventh place in the jockey standings with six wins from 15 mounts. Through Sunday, Flavien Prat and Juan Hernandez are tied for the lead with 18 wins.

ARCADIA, Calif. – More than three months after she sustained fractured sesamoids in a workout at Santa Anita, the 2021 champion Echo Zulu continues her recovery at a local veterinary clinic.

The 5-year-old Echo Zulu is likely to remain at the clinic for considerable time, according to Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen.

“We’re still progressing,” Blasi said on Sunday.

“We’re not to the point to turn her out or anything like that yet. It’s still a week-by-week thing.”

Trainer Bobby Dibona has already enjoyed a successful Gulfstream Park winter meet and has a big week coming up with his 12-horse stable that includes Steal Sunshine in Saturday’s $150,000 Fred Hooper Stakes.

Dibona has two runners on Thursday’s card he believes are both live, including Star of Saturn, who returns from a four-month layoff in a first-level allowance race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds at six furlongs that serves as the feature on a nine-race program.

ARCADIA, Calif. – She’s 19 races into her career and just getting started, her trainer said.

Desert Dawn, the winner of the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Saturday, could be on the verge of a career-best year as a 5-year-old mare in 2024, according to trainer Phil D’Amato.

“I think she’s like a fine wine,” D’Amato said on Sunday. “She gets better with age.”

For the second time this month, a carryover in the late pick five ushers in a new race week Wednesday at Tampa Bay Downs. No one hit it on Sunday, resulting in a healthy $61,755 carryover on a wager that requires bettors to select the winners of the last five races on the nine-race card.

No one hit the late pick five on Dec. 31, resulting in a $26,569 carryover for Jan. 3. The pool that day was $287,129 and the payoff was $12,300.50 for a 50-cent wager.

Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has purchased a share in Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio as part of new partnership with C2 Racing Stable, according to C2 Racing owner and racing manager Mark Cornett. White Abarrio will make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 24.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Charlton Baker has several options for Twenty Four Mamba following back-to-back allowance wins at Aqueduct in which he earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure each time.

Baker is considering another allowance spot for which Twenty Four Mamba is eligible at Aqueduct on Feb. 9; the Grade 3, $250,000 General George at Laurel Park on Feb. 19; or he could wait for the Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct on March 2.