The 14 races trainer Mike Biehler won during 2018 marked his lowest annual total since 1995, but the Minnesota native, who began training in 1989 at Canterbury, has restocked his stable and is rolling early this Canterbury season.

Biehler entering this week’s racing had a meet record of 14-5-3-2 after winning just seven races throughout the entire 2018 Canterbury meet, and the Friday night card of May 17 was particularly memorable.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Back from a layoff of more than a year, Wellabled appears to be as fast as ever.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After winning 27 races during the 2018-19 championship meet, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. set his sights high for the current spring session, which runs through June 30.

“Our main goal was to win the training title at this meet, and so far everything is working out well,” said Joseph, who entered the week with a dozen victories and a four-win cushion atop the standings. “I’ve got very supportive owners, a good team, and so far I am very pleased with the way things have been going to this point.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – While Preakness Stakes winner War of Will had another relaxed morning on Wednesday at Keeneland, one of his expected foes in the Belmont Stakes hit the track to breeze.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A heat wave accompanied by rain was in the forecast for this region for the latter part of this week, so the good news is that none of the three allowances on a nine-race Friday card at Churchill is scheduled for turf.

The 1 1/16-mile co-features are $91,000 third-level allowances with identical conditions, except that race 3 is for fillies and mares and race 8 is for 3-year-olds and up. Cosmic Burst, the winner of the Zia Park Oaks last fall, looks like the horse to beat in race 3, while Hawaakom and My Boy Jack are among the principals in race 8.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Liora, the runner-up to Serengeti Empress in the Kentucky Oaks on May 3, underwent surgery Tuesday at the Rood and Riddle equine clinic in Lexington, Ky., to repair an injury to her right hind leg sustained in a routine gallop this week at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The look in their eyes said it all.

“I’ve had people tell me it was one of the greatest races they’ve ever seen a horse run,” said Brad Cox, who sent out Covfefe to a record-shattering run last Friday in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico. “She was about as impressive as a horse can possibly be. The way she ran really was incredible.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The speedy sprinter Yorkton may switch to the turf for the $175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes, according to Robert Landry, general manager for the horse’s owner, Chiefswood Stable. The seven-furlong Connaught Cup has Grade 2 status, and will be run here June 1. 

Yorkton was a Sovereign award finalist for Canadian champion male sprinter last year. He faded after getting softened up in a speed duel in his season opener in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes. 

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Commencing in the third condition book of the Woodbine meet, starter allowance races have been eliminated, except for several novelty starter races. 

The first one is on May 29, the Early Bird Starter Handicap, a six-furlong Tapeta sprint for 3-year-olds and up who started for a claiming price at the meet before May 13. 

ARCADIA, Calif. - Flor de La Mar will become the first Kentucky Oaks starter to run back when she starts Sunday at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. Flor de La Mar, runner-up in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks prior to finishing 12^th in the Kentucky Oaks, worked a half-mile Tuesday a morning in 49.

A small field is taking shape for the Summertime Oaks. Possible starters for the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies include Sneaking Out, My Majestic Rose, Flor del La Mar, and Colonial Creed.