ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lou Tucci has fond memories of his first Queen’s Plate victory as an owner in 2013 when Midnight Aria took the field gate-to-wire to spring a 16-1 upset over favored Up With the Birds. Tucci is back on the Queen’s Plate trail this year, as co-owner of the highly regarded Skywire, but admits the lead up to the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on June 29 is much different this time around.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In most other years, the first weekend of June is a big one for the Kentucky Derby winner. It’s the weekend before the Belmont Stakes, and a final pre-race breeze is typically in order.

But this is no ordinary year. Not with all the tumult surrounding California racing. Not with the Derby disqualification. And not with the horse declared the Derby winner getting sick a few days afterward.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Instagrand, the beaten favorite in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile on Derby Day at Churchill, had surgery last week to remove a chip from a left hind ankle, owner Larry Best said Thursday morning at Belmont Park.

“Rood and Riddle made it sound like it was pretty straightforward,” Best said. “We’ll get him back under tack in 30 to 45 days and then we’ll accelerate the healing on the ligaments.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Peter Miller plans to make a run at three of the eight Grade 1 stakes offered on the June 8 Belmont Stakes card at Belmont Park.

Miller plans to send out Belvoir Bay and Om against World of Trouble in the $400,000 Jaipur Invitational; Proud Emma in the $700,000 Acorn; and Spiced Perfection in the $700,000 Ogden Phipps. Spiced Perfection, winner of the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland in April, is also being considered for Friday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o’ Roses Invitational.

The Grade 2, $500,000 Penn Mile, which tops an eight-stakes program at Penn National on Saturday, drew a field of nine Wednesday.

First post on Penn Mile Day is 2:45 p.m. The undercard includes the $200,000 Penn Oaks and six $100,000 stakes. Four of the stakes are part of the MATCH Series.

Lone Star Park leading jockey C.J. McMahon has been suspended 14 calendar days by the track’s board of stewards for careless riding in the fifth race May 19. The field for the off-the-turf route was scratched down to two horses, and McMahon’s mount, So Long Sailor, finished first by a length and a half, but was disqualified and placed second. He was cited for interference in the first turn.

McMahon’s suspension is scheduled to run from June 3 through June 16, according to the stewards. He waived his right to a hearing.

Trainer Steve Asmussen won stakes in Texas and Louisiana last weekend and plans for both of those winners, Adore and Shang, are to be determined, he said Wednesday.

Adore captured the inaugural running of the $100,000 Lone Star Park Turf Stakes on Monday, and for her wire-to-wire win in the mile race for fillies and mares she earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

“She’s so incredible,” Asmussen said. “She’s 11 for 23 now.

“I don’t have a specific race in mind for her. We’ll see what we think is right.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he will likely be the longest shot in the field, Tale of Silence is being pointed to the Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 8, trainer Barclay Tagg confirmed on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Tale of Silence worked five furlongs in 58.17 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track. He began his work about 10 lengths behind Funny Flowers and caught him at the wire after going three furlongs in 33.40 seconds and his final quarter in 24.77.

“He seemed to do all right,” Tagg said. “I didn’t really want him to go that fast.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – At the upcoming Saratoga meet, the New York Racing Association will offer maiden juvenile races restricted to horses purchased at their most recent auction for $45,000 or less. This gives an owner the option of not having to run in a claiming race to avoid taking on the higher-priced auction buys.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice will give Newly Minted a chance against open company and try to stretch out Blindwillie McTell in distance as she makes plans for her pair of 3-year-olds who won stakes on Monday’s Empire Showcase Day card at Belmont Park.

Newly Minted, who improved her record to 3 for 3 with her victory in the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes, will likely make her next start in the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride Stakes for 3-year-old fillies here on July 5. That race is at 6 1/2 furlongs.