HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The rematch between Upstart and Itsaknockout will draw most of the prerace attention, but it is the undefeated Materiality who may be the wild card in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby.

Materiality was an easy winner of his only two starts and now occupies the spot vacated by the highly regarded Khozan, who originally was targeted as stablemate Itsaknockout’s partner in the Florida Derby. Materiality is lightly raced and will try to overcome the long-standing Kentucky Derby jinx of not having started as a 2-year-old if he gets that far.

For the second year in a row, Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., will subject horses entered in the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes to additional security protocols, including 24-hour monitoring in the 48 hours leading up to the race.

NEW ORLEANS – He’s won on dirt, synthetic, and turf, won going short and going long, owns wins at Belmont Park and Woodbine, and trains at Gulfstream Park. But it is here at Fair Grounds where International Star has done his best work on a résumé that deserves far more praise than it has garnered.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has charged trainer Tevis McCauley with multiple violations of its racing rules, including administering a so-called milkshake to a horse entered on race day, according to the commission and McCauley.

NEW ORLEANS – International Star, the winner of the Lecomte and Risen Star stakes, drew the outside post in a field of nine on Wednesday when the field was drawn for Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

Mike Diliberto, the linemaker at Fair Grounds, made International Star the favorite at 3-1.

The field, from the rail out, is Stanford, Mr. Z, Defondo, Fusaichi Flame, A Day In Paradise, War Story, Keen Ice, St. Joe Bay, and International Star.

WHO’S HOT

Five horses trained by Kenny Smith at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., have been cleared to run by track stewards after tests on the horses came back clean for high cobalt concentrations, according to the chief steward and Smith.

Three of Smith’s horses are entered on the Friday card at Oaklawn: Witch Alert in the third, Dixie Banner in the sixth, and No Time Limit in the seventh. Stan Bowker, the chief state steward at Oaklawn, said that five horses returned clean tests this week, with another five tests expected “shortly.” A total of 29 horses in Smith’s barn were tested.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird leads the list of 15 Thoroughbred-racing candidates eligible to be elected to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2015.

The Hall of Fame’s 20-member election committee will determine the winners in each of the five Thoroughbred categories on this year’s ballot and will announce the results April 7. The induction ceremony is set for the Mississauga Convention Centre on Aug. 5. An additional 15 candidates in five Standardbred voting categories also are eligible to be elected.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A standing-room-only crowd filled the Sport of Kings Theatre at Gulfstream Park on Tuesday morning to say goodbye to Allen Jerkens in a memorial service for the Hall of Fame trainer, who died March 18.

Family members, media members, trainers, and Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero shared stories about Jerkens, remembering him as a soft-spoken, fierce competitor with a passion for the sport and compassion for those who worked in it.

Dubai Sky, the winner of last Saturday’s Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, was one of nine horses nominated to the Triple Crown at the last deadline Monday night, according to Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby.

The other late nominees are I Spent It, the winner of last year’s Saratoga Special; Gotham Stakes runner-up Tiz Shea D; two 3-year-olds trained by Todd Pletcher, Comfort and Two Weeks Off; Bridget’s Big Luvy, the winner of the $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park; two-time allowance winner Mr. Jordan; Divining Rod; and Pepper Roani.