ARCADIA, Calif. – Early Saturday afternoon, the champion Unique Bella won the sixth stakes of her career in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita.

For many stables, that would be the highlight of a day, a week, or even a month. For Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, it was the start of a brilliant afternoon.

A little more than an hour later, Kanthaka won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. In the next race, the maiden claimer Seau, co-owned by Hollendorfer, won a one-mile race.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Flameaway and Catholic Boy, the top two finishers Saturday in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, appear to be headed in separate directions as their connections start looking farther down the road to the 144th Kentucky Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Thirty minutes after watching his Kurilov fall a neck short of winning the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf, trainer Chad Brown rebounded in a big way by sending out Elysea’s World and Dream Awhile to finish first and second, respectively, in Saturday’s $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Ten 3-year-olds, headed by Lecomte Stakes winner Instilled Regard, were entered Friday for the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes, which will be run Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has been on an amazing roll this week, having won with seven of the first eight mounts he accepted during a three-day period that began when racing resumed on Wednesday. His lone loss during that span came aboard One Liner, who finished third behind Conquest Windycity and Mind Your Biscuits in Friday’s main event.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Noholdingback Bear, who defeated Mind Your Biscuits in the Gallant Bob at Parx Racing during the fall of their 3-year-old campaigns, continues to progress toward his 2018 debut after working an easy five furlongs in 59.94 seconds over a muddy track Friday. The move was the sixth, and second at five panels, for Noholdingback Bear since he returned to training earlier this winter.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sandy’s Surprise is a newcomer to the distaff division at Oaklawn Park, while local stalwart Ever So Clever is calling it a career.

The fillies were rivals back in November, when Sandy’s Surprise won the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks over runner-up Ever So Clever. But their paths are not expected to cross again.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Curlin’s Approval served notice she’s squarely on target to defend her title in the Grade 3 Royal Delta here after working an eye-catching five furlongs in 58.13 seconds before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.48 with jockey Edgard Zayas aboard at Gulfstream Park on Thursday.

Curlin’s Approval drew off to a six-length victory in the one-mile Royal Delta here a year ago, and is looking to make amends for her second-place finish as the 8-5 favorite behind 59-1 Jordan’s Henny in the seven-furlong Hurricane Bertie here last month.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Would trainer Chad Summers have liked for Mind Your Biscuits to have won his 2018 debut? Undoubtedly yes. But was he hanging his head in total disappointment just minutes after the multiple Grade 1 winner had been outgamed to the finish line by a head by Conquest Windycity in Friday’s $53,000 allowance feature? Definitely not.

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke has received a three-day suspension, next Thursday through Saturday, for causing interference in the first race at Santa Anita on Feb. 4.

Van Dyke was cited for his ride on Casino Red, who finished third in an optional claimer. Casino Red was ruled to have altered course without clearance on the turn of a one-mile turf race.

Ms Peintour, who finished fifth, was steadied on the turn. The stewards conducted an inquiry, but did not change the order of finish.