Transgress had been pointed for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 25, but will pass on the race, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Tuesday. Transgress was second by a neck in an allowance last month at his base of Oaklawn. Lukas said plans are to be determined for Transgress.

The Sunland Derby is just starting to take shape. Officials said those possible for the 1 1/8-mile race, which carries qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, include All Out Blitz, Dark Vader, Dream Baby Dream, New York Central, and Runaway Ghost.

Trainer Chris Richard, who is coming off a high-percentage meet at Delta Downs, is heading north. He said he plans to race at Keeneland this spring before setting up shop at Canterbury Park for the first time.

“I had an opportunity to train for some breeders up there,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Richard said the timing of the Canterbury meet is appealing, as he will ship back to Delta upon Canterbury’s conclusion in the middle of September. Delta opens its Thoroughbred meet in October. Richard won 14 races from 60 starts at this Delta meet.

Sully’s Dream gave the up-and-coming trainer John A. Ortiz a significant milestone during the Sam Houston meet that closes Saturday.

“She was my first stakes winner,” said Ortiz, 32.

Sully’s Dream won the $50,000 Houston Distaff in January. Ortiz said she is headed to the $50,000 New Orleans Ladies on the Louisiana Derby program March 24 at Fair Grounds.

The band is getting back together.

Trainer David Jacobson and the ownership group Drawing Away Stable, which three years ago ended a successful three-year run on the New York Racing Association circuit, is joining forces again, according to both parties.

Jacobson said that he will soon begin claiming horses for Drawing Away in both New York and Southern California, where he opened up a stable in December.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Steve Asmussen had a number of quality 3-year-olds out for works Monday at Oaklawn, among them Title Ready and Zing Zang. He said both horses, along with Combatant, who worked Sunday at Oaklawn, remain on course for the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel here Saturday.

Zing Zang worked a half-mile in 50.80 seconds, with Oaklawn clocker Taylor Radimer getting his final quarter in 23.80. Title Ready worked a half-mile in company, situated along the rail, and went in 50 seconds Monday.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has Bravazo and Sporting Chance on deck for upcoming Kentucky Derby points races, with both horses putting in bullet works Monday at Oaklawn.

Sporting Chance is being pointed to the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel on Saturday at Oaklawn. He went a half-mile in 47 seconds on a track rated fast, working by himself. Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton had the horse’s final quarter in 22.80 and his gallop-out of five-eighths in 1:00.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Donnie Von Hemel took down a Kentucky Oaks points race last weekend at Oaklawn with Cosmic Burst in the Grade 3 Honeybee. On Saturday, the barn tries to add a Kentucky Derby points race when Higher Power runs in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel.

Although the pick five at Turfway Park is not typically among the track’s most popular exotic wagers – with other bets regularly drawing higher handle – Thursday night could prove an exception. The wager is virtually assured of attracting more attention after being sweetened by a $5,082 carryover, which could partially offset its 22 percent takeout.

Turfway had a similar carryover this past Friday evening and handle was up sharply. Pick five tickets with winners at odds of 7-1, 7-2, 16-1, 8-5, and 5-2 returned $8,718.90 for the base wager of 50 cents.

A sizable reduction in purse and Kentucky Derby qualifying points has seemingly done little to dissuade horsemen from entering runners for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. A full field of 12 is projected, although no leading Derby contenders are expected.

Yockey’s Warrior, the best sprinter at Fair Grounds this winter, has missed training with a splint-bone injury and won’t make his intended start April 14 in the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn, trainer Al Stall said.

“He has an old splint that started to bother him,” said Stall, who also is a part owner of Yockey’s Warrior. “I just shut him down and cooled him out, so he’s going to miss that race. Since we’ve got time on our side, we’re not going to play around.”