As expected, Conquest Sandman sped right to the lead breaking from the rail under jockey Emisael Jaramillo and then was never headed, drawing away to a 4 ¼-length victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Mecke Stakes. The Mecke was the third stakes tally for Conquest Sandman since being claimed by trainer Juan Carlos Abarrio in the interests of owner Costa Brava for a bargain $16,000 in February.

“As long as he can get on the lead and have it his way, no one is going to touch him,” said Abarrio, through an interpreter, after the race.

The controversy surrounding the disqualification of Midnight Soiree from first to second in Saturday’s $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes will continue indefinitely. According to trainer Lisa Lewis, the owners of Midnight Soiree will appeal the stewards’ decision to place their horse second behind Camila Princess for alleged interference through the stretch run of the one-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies.

Trainer Jose Pinchin had himself a big weekend. On Friday, his promising 2-year-old Fully Loaded remained unbeaten after drawing away to a very convincing 7 1/2-length allowance victory. Forty-eight hours later, Pinchin sent out Front Loaded to a similarly impressive four-length triumph in Sunday’s $48,000 allowance co-feature at one mile. Edgard Zayas was aboard both winners.

Red Ruby earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for her 13-length tour de force in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks on Saturday. The figure is by far the highest for a 3-year-old filly this year.

The second-best 3-year-old filly Beyer belongs to division leader Monomoy Girl, who earned a 98 winning the Grade 1 Acorn.

Four 3-year-old fillies have recorded a 97 Beyer this year – Monomoy Girl in the Kentucky Oaks, Athena in the Belmont Oaks on turf, Mia Mischief in the seven-furlong Eight Belles, and the late Amada Rafaela in her debut maiden victory.

The complexion of the $750,000 Delaware Handicap changed over the weekend when Bob Baffert decided not to send Abel Tasman cross-country for the 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares. The Del Cap instantly went from a small field with a heavy favorite to a larger, more wide-open affair.

Grade 1 winners Elate and Unbridled Mo should vie for favoritism in Saturday’s nine-horse Del Cap when they break from posts 6 and 5, respectively.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The top three finishers from the 1 3/16-mile Arlington Handicap on Saturday are on different tracks. Divisidero, who won his first graded stakes race away from Churchill Downs in the Arlington Handicap, returned in good shape to trainer Kelly Rubley’s base at Fair Hill in Maryland. He got a Beyer Speed Figure of 100 while winning beyond 1 1/8 miles for the first time. Divisidero was sixth in the 2017 Arlington Million and could get another shot in the race next month.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – All Real Story wants to do is run free.

Try to restrain the horse and you are in for a battle you both will lose. Let Real Story dictate his race, as happened Saturday in the American Derby, and he’ll show his best.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Graham Motion has several horses under consideration for stakes races on the Aug. 11 Arlington Million card, but Colonia, a sharp winner of the $100,000 Hatoof Stakes here Saturday in her North American debut, is not among them.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine Oaks winner Dixie Moon did not have the best of it in the $1 million Queen’s Plate on June 30, as she was shuffled back at the start and was eased into the stretch. Trainer Catherine Day Phillips said Dixie Moon came out of the race with no issues and will fight another day.

CYPRESS, Calif. – The 2-year-old colt Owning won his debut in a maiden special weight race Sunday in a style that left owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Simon Callaghan planning for graded stakes at Del Mar next month.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Owning ($8.60) was always near the front and pulled away in the final furlong to win the 5 1/2-furlong race by 2 1/2 lengths over Tariq. Owning was timed in 1:04.20.

“We couldn’t ask for much more,” Callaghan said. “He broke sharp and placed himself nicely and drew off.”