Skinner breezed a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Dec. 31 at Fair Grounds, fastest among 67 works at the distance and his first drill since joining the stable of trainer Cherie DeVaux.

“He looked great. He shipped in to us in great order and worked really well,” DeVaux said.

Five-year-old Skinner finished third in the 2023 Santa Anita Derby and came to Louisville later that month a stealth contender for the Kentucky Derby, but got sick after shipping and was scratched from the Derby the day before the race.

After his sprint debut in August at Ellis Park and his second start, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, it became apparent that the Godolphin homebred colt East Avenue possessed elite talent. That was obvious from the outside. From the inside, those that worked daily with the colt collected ample evidence suggesting East Avenue was a horse who breathed different air.

Then East Avenue fell on his nose leaving the starting gate as the heavy favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. – From the first Saturday of each winter month at Santa Anita to the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, the search is on to find a 3-year-old with the right stuff.

For those still light on seasoning, such as Barnes and Bullard, the 2025 trail begins Saturday in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes. Others are more established and on standby, including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile one-two Citizen Bull and Gaming, and Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner Journalism.

January is still early, and a lot will change.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Gulfstream Park racing office released the first group of invitations to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup on Wednesday. The list is headed by Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, along with fellow Grade 1 winners Mixto, Saudi Crown, Senor Buscador, Stronghold, and White Abarrio.

Invitations also were released for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf and $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf, all three events to be decided here Jan. 25 on a blockbuster card featuring 10 stakes, seven graded, worth $5.55 million.

Corrina Corrina can open the Sunland Park meet on Friday by making some New Mexico-bred history when she starts in the $90,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Stakes.

A win in the race would make her the all-time leading Thoroughbred earner among New Mexico-breds. She enters the 5 1/2-furlong stakes just $39,565 shy of Rocky Gulch’s record earnings mark of $1,151,725. A first-place finish would be worth $54,000.

Sunland is racing 55 dates through April 6. Post time is 12:25 p.m. Mountain.

For the first time in his career, jockey Flavien Prat ranked atop the national standings, with earnings of more than $37.27 million for 2024. He finished his season Sunday with a record 82 stakes wins, including 56 graded stakes, also a record.

Starting Wednesday, with the turn of the calendar, Prat’s task is to repeat all of those accomplishments, if possible.

“It’s scary, right?” he said after winning Sunday’s first race at Santa Anita. “Everything goes back to zero.

“I’ve got to do it again. It’s challenging.”