SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While he reserves the right to change his mind, trainer Shug McGaughey said Thursday that he is more likely to train Code of Honor up to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes rather than run him in the Jim Dandy on July 27.

“Probably leaning against” the Jim Dandy, McGaughey said, “and going straight to the Travers. Let those guys battle it out.”

McGaughey said that Code of Honor “was just a little bit slow” to rebound from his winning effort in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes on July 6.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rodolphe Brisset recorded his first Saratoga victory when the 3-year-old Off the Record slipped through an opening along the rail to win his debut by two lengths Wednesday at Saratoga.

A son of Distorted Humor, Off the Record showed real professionalism rallying along the rail over an extremely sloppy track. Off the Record covered seven furlongs in 1:24.50 and earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure.

SAN DIEGO – A San Diego County Superior Court Judge on Thursday said he needed more time to review documents related to a temporary restraining order sought by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer against Del Mar, setting a preliminary injunction hearing for eight days hence, on July 26.

Judge Ronald F. Frazier said he was denying “without prejudice” a temporary restraining order sought Thursday. He set the preliminary injunction hearing for his courtroom, in downtown San Diego, at 11:30 a.m. on what would be the eighth day of Del Mar’s summer meeting.

Rick Hammerle, who has logged more than 30 years as a racing official at such top tracks as Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, and Del Mar, has been brought on as racing coordinator for Oaklawn Park, the Hot Springs, Ark., track announced Thursday. He will work with Jed Doro, vice president of racing at Oaklawn, and Pat Pope, the track’s longtime racing secretary, during the meet that opens Jan. 24.

After Borracho finished a strong third in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last month at Belmont Park, beaten a length by Hog Creek Hustle, the prevailing thinking was that trainer Rusty Arnold would wheel his improving 3-year-old back in the Grade 1 Amsterdam a week from Sunday. Instead, Arnold opted to drop Borracho back into the allowance ranks on Sunday's card at Saratoga, where he’ll take on older horses for the first time in his career.

DEL MAR, Calif. – King Jack gave trainer Dan Ward his first winner at Del Mar on Wednesday since he officially took over the stable from trainer Jerry Hollendorfer earlier this week.

Hollendorfer was denied stalls by Del Mar officials earlier this month. Del Mar’s decision followed action by Santa Anita officials on June 22 ordering Hollendorfer to vacate his stalls at that track after a fourth horse in his care was euthanized as a result of an injury in racing or training since late December.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Two unraced horses were killed and jockey Assael Espinoza was hospitalized after a collision during workouts early Thursday morning at Del Mar.

Carson Valley, a 3-year-old trained by Bob Baffert, and Charge a Bunch, a 2-year-old trained by Carla Gaines, were involved in the accident, track officials said. Charge a Bunch unseated jockey Geovanni Franco on the backstretch and immediately reversed course, running into the first turn in a clockwise direction. The collision took place near the six-furlong pole, witnesses said.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Del Mar opened its 36-day summer meeting on Wednesday with a drop in ontrack attendance and all-sources handle compared to the corresponding day in 2018.

The ontrack audience of 31,276 was the lowest since 28,410 attended opening day in 1999, and was down 5.5 percent from the 33,112 in attendance last year. The all-sources handle, including ontrack, simulcasting and account wagering sources, was $14,843,399, a decline of 7.9 percent from the 2018 total of $16,131,881, but 5 percent higher than the 2017 figure of $14,101,063.

Monmouth Park will have protocols for extreme weather in place Saturday on the Haskell Invitational card. The protocols are intended to help both horses and humans deal with high temperatures and humidity from the ongoing heat wave.

The protocols include having extra emergency medical technicians on hand to help people affected by the heat; having ice containers positioned throughout the track and along the path where the horses walk to the paddock; having additional hoses accessible for horses before and after the races; and having a misting system in the paddock.

Laurel Park, Parx Racing, Delaware Park, and Finger Lakes have canceled their Saturday races due to expected high temperatures and humidity that are expected to persist in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this weekend.

Laurel also has canceled its Sunday races.

Saratoga has canceled its Saturday card and will now run Saturday's races on Sunday.