FRANKLIN, Ky. – Michael Wrona has seen – and said – a lot in more than 35 years of calling horse races. So if he pauses or misspeaks ever so slightly in one of his Kentucky Downs calls, it’s not for lack of expertise nor experience.

“This is the hardest job I’ve ever had,” a smiling Wrona said between calls last weekend at Kentucky Downs, where on Thursday he will end his first meet at this spacious turf-only track. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be here, but it’s a challenge and a half.”

Trainer Doug O’Neill will have starters in important stakes for juvenile fillies at Churchill Downs and Santa Anita this weekend and later this month.

Comical, who finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 31, will start in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita.

Giant Expectations, second by a head to Catalina Cruiser in a thrilling running of the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes on Aug. 25 at Del Mar, may not start in a Breeders’ Cup race.

Trainer Peter Eurton said he considering running Giant Expectations in the $200,000 Damascus Stakes at seven furlongs on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita instead of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile the same day, although the Dirt Mile “is still open,” he said.

“I think he’s better going one turn,” Eurton said. “He can get into his own rhythm.”

Oliver won the first stakes of his career in the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes for California-bred miles at Los Alamitos on Saturday and is likely to stay in the statebred division this fall, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

The $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for statebreds at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 24 is a long-range goal, O’Neill said in a text.

A 3-year-old, Oliver, who is owned by William Peeples, had his stakes debut against older horses in the Johnston. He closed from third in a field of eight under jockey Martin Garcia to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 22-1 Tule Fog.

The Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 is likely to be a rematch between the first three finishers of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, the two runners who failed to complete the race, and two other prominent members of the division who were not in the Del Mar Futurity.

The $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes, California’s leading prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1, is run at 1 1/16 miles.

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Cambria, the 2-year-old filly who beat males Saturday in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint, came out of her race in good shape and is on course to start at the Breeders’ Cup. Wesley Ward, who trains the filly for Stonestreet Stables, said Cambria, who has only sprinted so far, is a possible runner in the Juvenile Turf Sprint or the Juvenile Fillies Turf, which would be her first race over a route of ground.

“We’ll huddle up with the Stonestreet team and see if we’re going to go five-eighths or a mile,” said Ward.

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Totally Boss and Morticia, rich stakes winners Saturday at Kentucky Downs for trainer Rusty Arnold, returned to Arnold’s base at Keeneland late Saturday and came out of their respective races in good condition, Arnold said. Totally Boss got a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for running six furlongs in 1:09.21 winning the $684,640 Runhappy Turf Sprint. Changing his running style from closing to pace-pressing, Totally Boss wore down pacesetting Smart Remark to post a 1 1/4 -length victory.

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Zulu Alpha came out of his sharp win here Saturday in the Kentucky Turf Cup in good order and will be pointed either to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita or the Canadian International on Oct. 12 at Woodbine.

Trainer Mike Maker said he hadn’t yet spoken to owner Michael Hui as of Sunday afternoon about plans for Zulu Alpha, but an agenda should be firmed up within a week or so.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Sistercharlie, the reigning older female turf champion and two-time Grade 1 winner this year, and Bricks and Mortar, the leading older male turf horse, worked five furlongs together in 1:01.06 over the Belmont Park turf course Sunday morning as they prepare for their next assignments.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor, the Travers Stakes winner, returned to the work tab Sunday morning at Belmont Park, breezing a half-mile in 50.60 seconds over the main track. Under exercise rider Lexi Peaden, Code of Honor went in quarter splits of 25.82 seconds and 24.78. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.95 and six furlongs in 1:15.82.

All indications are that he will make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 28.