Trainer Brad Cox has big plans for Howl, but the impressive debut winner must first pass the class test in Laurel’s Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

The Safely Kept is one of three $100,000 stakes on Saturday at Laurel, joining the Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Howl was bet to favoritism in a 12-horse maiden special weight on Oct. 28 at Keeneland and won by 7 3/4 lengths with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

Booth became one of the most exciting 2-year-olds of the season with his debut victory last month at Keeneland, and the form of that race has come back strong.

On Saturday at Churchill Downs, Booth will make his highly anticipated second start in the $225,000 Ed Brown Stakes, part of a strong undercard on a Stars of Tomorrow program dedicated to 2-year-old racing.

Central Avenue gets a chance to go two turns for the first time Saturday at Churchill Downs, which is located on Central Avenue in Louisville. She, and the other seven fillies in the field for the Grade 2, $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes, are already dreaming of a return to Central Avenue on the first Friday in May.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The $250,000 Coronation Futurity was once thought to be a barometer for the following year’s Queen’s Plate, but the winner of the nine-furlong test for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds hasn’t gone on to capture the Plate since Norcliffe in 1975-76.

Trainer Kevin Attard is hoping to end the longstanding drought sooner than later. He won the Coronation in two of the past three years and will saddle King Rosso and Zippy Gizmo in Saturday’s renewal.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Neither of Just Katherine’s first two tries in graded stakes company have gone very well. In April, she was beaten 14 1/4 lengths when finishing last of eight in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. In September, she finished seventh, beaten 19 1/2 lengths, in the Grade 1 Cotillion.

In both cases, her connections believe Just Katherine was hindered by running back too close to her previous start. Saturday, when Just Katherine runs in the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct, she will be doing so nine weeks after the Cotillion.

The rain that fell Tuesday at Churchill Downs was good news for the connections of Neecie Marie and Watch This Birdie, but not so much for Heavenly Sunday and the Churchill turf course itself.

Churchill hasn’t used its turf course – called slippery by some, merely soft by others – since the River City on Nov. 11. Few expect overnight races to remain on grass this week, but Churchill hopes to run three grass stakes during closing week, including the Grade 2, $300,000 Mrs. Revere on Friday.

You will never find Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox driving a horse van ferrying a Godolphin runner to a graded stakes race. But on Wednesday morning, trainer Mike Dini was rolling down the highway hauling a gelding named Straight Arrow into battle with First Mission, a Godolphin colt trained by Cox who will be favored to win the Grade 2, $600,000 Clark Stakes on Friday at Churchill Downs.

Dark Nme, who defeated male rivals in the Grade 1, $1.1 million Texas Classic Futurity last Saturday night at Lone Star Park, has been put away for the season and will target the rich derby series next summer at Ruidoso Downs, according to owner Willie Garcia.

Garcia said Dark Nme emerged from the Texas Classic Futurity in excellent condition and on Tuesday was to arrive at his farm in Hebbronville, Texas. It’s located about two hours south of San Antonio.

Empire of Gold, who has put up the highest Beyer Speed Figure of the current meet at Remington Park, is targeting an upcoming stakes at Delta Downs.

Trainer Terry Eoff said Tuesday that Empire of Gold will look to defend his title in the $75,000 Sam’s Town. The five-furlong race is Jan. 5 at Delta.

“We’re giving him a little breather and won’t run him again until January,” he said. “The shorter the race the better. It looks like five furlongs is his best spot if we can get it.”

Heroic Move continued a strong work pattern on Wednesday, when he put in his final drill for the $300,000 Zia Park Derby that is being run Tuesday in New Mexico.

Heroic Move is based at Remington Park, where he worked five furlongs in 1:01.56 on a fast track. The move was part of a string of notable drills for the Zia Derby. Other works include five-eighths in 1:00.80 on Nov. 15 and the same distance in 59.28 seconds Nov. 8.