Annapolis is a small city in Maryland, but the 4-year-old colt named after the place was bred in Kentucky, and that could be worth a pretty penny.

Annapolis is one of a dozen entered in the one-mile Mint Millions on Saturday at all-turf Kentucky Downs. The Grade 3 race has a base purse of $1 million with another $1 million available to Kentucky-breds. There are 10 of those entered along with Ireland-bred Dhabab and Florida-bred Max K. O.

The field, top to bottom, doesn’t measure up to its purse, and if Annapolis produces his standard performance, he’s a likely winner.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With her much anticipated rematch with War Like Goddess failing to materialize after the latter missed some training time due to a minor illness, McKulick appears to be a standout and will likely go postward one of the shortest-priced favorites of the meet when facing just three rivals in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl at Saratoga.

The 11-furlong grass fixture is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Once beaten and always favored, Faiza is expected to begin a new win streak Saturday in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar.

Although the dirt mile is restricted to 3-year-old fillies, and the least significant of five stakes Saturday, bettors may argue the race-8 Torrey Pines is the most important on the Del Mar card. The reason – Faiza is an obvious pick six single candidate on mandatory payout day.

What began as an experiment in January has evolved into a spectacular career revival for Exaulted, the 6-year-old horse owned by Lee and Susan Searing and trained by Peter Eurton.

Exaulted has not only thrived since he was switched from racing on dirt to turf, but has been such a success that he has already booked a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. A start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf is part of the build-up to that international race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Big Invasion has not accomplished at 4 all he did at age 3. There’s still time.

Back from a fruitless trip to Royal Ascot in June, Big Invasion looks to get back to his winning ways Saturday at Saratoga when he heads a field of six turf runners entered in the $150,000 Harvey Pack Stakes scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs over the Mellon turf.

The Harvey Pack, formerly the Lucky Coin, was renamed to honor the longtime New York Racing Association analyst and host of “Thoroughbred Action” who passed away in 2021 at the age of 94.

When Gold Phoenix won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Labor Day weekend in 2022, the turf marathon represented his first stakes win and confirmed his status among Southern California’s leading grass runners.

A year later, Gold Phoenix is back in the $300,000 Del Mar Handicap on Saturday with a more established position in the division. In six starts in the last year, Gold Phoenix has raced only in Grade 1 and Grade 2 races, winning twice – the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March and the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on July 30 at Del Mar.

It’s a unique tune they’re trying to play in the Grade 3, $1 million Music City Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Kentucky Downs. On paper, the race, which has drawn a full field of 12, plus four also-eligibles, is 6 1/2 furlongs. However, because of the unique, undulating turf course at the Franklin, Ky., venue, with the last furlong a gradual uphill climb, that trip can feel closer to seven furlongs or more than a true sprint.

Frosty the Giant, fourth in Belmont’s Tremont on June 11, races as a gelding for the first time in Saturday’s $75,000 Timonium Juvenile for 2-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs.

Trained by Anthony Farrior, Frosty the Giant finished fourth, 12 3/4 lengths behind runaway winner American Rascal, when debuting at 4 1/2 furlongs on April 20 at Keeneland.

Multiple stakes winner How Did He Do That and the developing Big Data could both get the right setup Saturday in the $200,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile race, which is back after a three-year hiatus, drew a number of speed horses in the field of seven. Promise Me a Ride and Machine Gun Man are coming off front-running allowance wins. No White Flags is 2 for 2 in sprints at Louisiana Downs, and Donegal Arrow and Tiz Donegal go sprint-to-route Saturday.

Big Data enters off an allowance win in which he stalked the pace July 23 at Gulfstream Park.

All year long, an unassuming older handicap division waited for revival in California. All year long, budding 3-year-olds waited for a shot at 1 1/4 miles.

They come together Saturday at Del Mar in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, a 1 1/4-mile race led by a trio of 3-year-old colts who missed the Kentucky Derby for one reason or another. Any could shake up the handicap division.