Cowboys Gun Z is an exceptional 2-year-old Quarter Horse who has reason to move forward Saturday night when he takes on Dark Nme in a deep renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Theoretically, trainer Jack Sisterson has found a cushy spot for Tamarama, fourth in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl while making her U.S. debut this summer at Saratoga, in an entry-level allowance and optional-claiming race Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Whether theory actually turns to reality is a question bettors will have to answer when assessing the first of three similarly conditioned allowance races to be decided on a marathon 12-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The male turf division in North America was, to be kind, lacking depth in 2023. With likely male turf champion Up to the Mark headed to the breeding shed for 2024, reinforcements are desperately needed.

It’s too early to know how good horses like Integration or Equitize could be, but their limited body of work is promising.

Integration and Equitize could provide further clues as to their ability when they run in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Hill Prince Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Bill Mott has ample familiarity with a Godolphin homebred who seems like they should excel at nine furlongs around two turns but doesn’t. Cody’s Wish, recently retired, is a superstar between seven furlongs and one mile, but run him farther and Cody’s Wish, despite looking the part of a route horse, loses his edge.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Bettors questioning the reliability of the juvenile stakes favorite Saturday at Del Mar may ultimately arrive at the same conclusion – Royal Slipper is a cinch in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes.

There is no such thing as a cinch, of course. But if there was, Royal Slipper would be a perfect example. Dominating debut winner at Keeneland, Royal Slipper faces modest 2-year-old fillies in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz, race 2 on a card that includes the Cary Grant Stakes, race 8.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The victory by Nobals in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint two weeks ago provided some angst and some affirmation for Ned Allard, trainer of Alogon. It was in the Da Hoss Stakes in September at Colonial Downs that Alogon was defeated a head by Nobals.

Allard said shortly after the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint was run, he heard from owner Charlie Hallas.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Chosen Vron is expected to begin a new win streak Saturday at Del Mar, where he faces easier company than two weeks ago at Santa Anita.

After a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint ended an eight-race win streak, The Chosen Vron drops into the same California-bred division he has dominated for more than a year. The Chosen Vron did not have to run back this soon after the Breeders’ Cup, but why wait? He is a racehorse, after all.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Patches O’Houlihan will try to put an exclamation point on a perfect season in Saturday’s Grade 2 Kennedy Road at Woodbine and should be well-backed in the six-furlong sprint.

A once-beaten 3-year-old trained by Robert Tiller, Patches O’Houlihan came up empty in his second race at 2 in the Bull Page Stakes, after which he went to the sidelines for eight months. The son of Reload won all six of his starts this year, including a pair of Grade 3 stakes over older rivals in his last two outings, the Bold Venture and Vigil.

Fewer racing days and far more turf racing should make the 2023-24 Fair Grounds racing season, which begins Friday in New Orleans, far superior to the 2022-23 meeting. There’s nearly nowhere to go but up.

Fair Grounds began last season without the use of its grass course and barely was able to card turf races until March. Track officials said that a well used to irrigate the course had become contaminated in late summer with saltwater that killed much of the grass on the inner 60 percent of the oval.

Magic Grant, who won his maiden in the Clever Trevor at Remington Park, is a candidate for the track’s $300,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 15. The race for 2-year-olds offers points for the Kentucky Derby.

Magic Grant closed from next to last for a 4 1/2-length win in the seven-furlong Clever Trevor.

“I think he’s going to end up running in the Springboard,” owner Kevin Horton said from Arkansas. “Long Range Toddy won over there and Will Take Charge was second. We’ve had some pretty good success over there.”