It has been four years since Aidan O’Brien trained the winner of the 2000 Guineas. That constitutes a drought. O’Brien won his first Guineas in 2002 and now has won 10 of them. Only once during this span of time has O’Brien gone more than two years without a Guineas win.

Win No. 11 should come Saturday, when O’Brien sends out heavily favored Auguste Rodin and heavily underrated Little Big Bear in the first classic of the European season.

Run down a straight mile over the Newmarket heath, the Guineas drew 14 entrants and appears to be a solid renewal.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There were two graded stakes, coastal bookends, for 3-year-old turf-route fillies on Aug. 20. Spendarella won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, and Haughty the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga. Neither has raced since. Both make their 4-year-old debut Saturday at Churchill Downs in the Grade 2, $500,000 Distaff Turf Mile.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An outside draw, the anticipation of a lively pace, and the presence of four-time Eclipse Award-winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. may give Gilmore a chance to upset a seemingly wide-open renewal of Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs.

City Man will be looking for the ninth stakes win of his career Saturday, when he takes on European invader Ottoman Fleet, Grade 1 winner Rockemperor, and the developing Fort Washington in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy at Belmont Park.

The Fort Marcy, which is for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf, shares a card with the Grade 2 Ruffian and $150,000 Elusive Quality. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 67 degrees, and a 25 percent chance of precipitation.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Even after a nine-month layoff, conditions seem right for a big run from Masqueparade as the talented 5-year-old returns to action Saturday in the $175,000 Knicks Go at Churchill Downs.

“His record at Churchill is really good, and he shows up and runs well off the bench,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said of Masqueparade, one of 12 older horses in the Knicks Go. “He’s training very well, and we wouldn’t have entered him if he wasn’t. It should be a good spot for him.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Churchill Downs grass course is different this May than last. The connections of Santin hope the Old Forester Turf Classic outcome is the same.

Santin won the 2022 Turf Classic and is a logical choice to capture the Grade 1, $1 million turf race again Saturday – if he likes the refurbished course as much as last year’s version.

A couple of $75,000 one-mile turf stakes races for 3-year-olds share the spotlight Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Post time for the first of 11 races is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

Fillies are up first in the Honey Ryder, which drew eight horses and goes as race 4. Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has strong chances with Honor D Lady and Violet Gibson.

It will be business as usual when the 2023 live meet at Emerald Downs gets under way Saturday. Business as usual means promotions, promotions, and more promotions.

“Corgis, wiener dogs, bull dogs, T-Rexes, Family Fun Day, they are all back,” Emerald president Phil Ziegler said. “We have something planned every weekend. We try to make it fun. Whenever somebody shows up, it should be special for them.”

One of the most popular events is the T-Rex races, scheduled for Aug. 20.

Kathleen O. made a splash at one turn earlier in her career and on Saturday will put her perfect record around one bend on the line in the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian at Belmont Park.

The Ruffian, a one-turn mile, is for fillies and mares. It’s one of three stakes on an 11-race card that includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

ARCADIA, Calif. – A graded stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies gets a makeover Saturday at Santa Anita, where an ungraded stakes for 3-year-old sprinters gets a resuscitation.

The Grade 3 Senorita has a new look, shortened this year from one mile on turf to 6 1/2 furlongs on the hill. The shorter distance and lively pace scenario benefit The Wild Grazer, though she is no cinch against improving Teena Ella and stakes winner Fast and Shiny.