Quezon and Absatootly, who traded stakes decisions in their last two starts, both put in workouts Saturday morning at Belmont Park in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s $100,000 La Verdad Stakes at Aqueduct.

Quezon, who won the Garland of Roses on Dec. 9 after finishing third behind Absatootly in the Iroquois on Oct. 21, worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds. Absatootly, who finished third in the Iroquois, worked a half-mile in 46.68.

“That was too fast,” trainer Charlton Baker said of the work in which the opening quarter went in 22.79.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita is introducing a new condition for maidens in Monday’s sixth race. The six-furlong race is restricted to 3-year-old maidens who were bred by their owners or were purchased for $100,000 or less at auction.

The race was well-supported, with 11 entrants – 10 purchased at auction for prices ranging from $18,000 to $75,000 and one homebred.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup race winners Roy H and Stormy Liberal are being pointed to races in February at Santa Anita, trainer Peter Miller said.

Roy H, who won the BC Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar, is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on Feb. 3. The $200,000 Palos Verdes is run at six furlongs.

Roy H has had a pair of three-furlong workouts in recent weeks to begin preparation for a 2018 campaign.

“We’re right on schedule for the Palos Verdes,” Miller said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The parent company of the San Luis Rey Downs training center that was partially destroyed by a devastating wildfire Dec. 7 has solicited bids for the reconstruction of stables, but has not set a timetable on completion of the project.

Santa Anita chairman Keith Brackpool said Friday that conversations are taking place with horsemen’s groups and Del Mar regarding the short-term future of San Luis Rey Downs. Santa Anita and San Luis Rey Downs are owned by The Stronach Group.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association and the Jockeys’ Guild on Friday reached agreement in principle on a new contract that will avert a threatened strike by the Aqueduct riding colony.

Details of the new agreement were not released. The Jockeys’ Guild sought a three-year contract from NYRA for payments that go toward paying health and insurance benefits for those jockeys who ride regularly at NYRA’s three tracks – Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga. The Guild did not seek an increase in payments for 2018, but did want a 1 percent increase in 2019 and 2020.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A pair of allowance races highlight Sunday’s 11-race program, the final card of 2017 season, including a second-level allowance/optional $50,000 claimer to be decided at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for a $61,000 purse.

The main event attracted a well-matched field of 10 horses, led by Chunnel, whose three-race win streak came to a halt over the main track in the Claiming Crown Jewel; the Mike Maker-trained duo of War Stroll and Flashy Chelsey; Blue Harbor; and Tasit.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice said she is considering running both Do Share and Seymourdini in the Grade 3, $100,000 Toboggan at Aqueduct on Jan. 27. The Toboggan is now at seven furlongs after previously being run at six.

Do Share won last Saturday’s $100,000 Gravesend and will scratch from Saturday’s $100,000 Dave’s Friend Stakes at Laurel Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Jose Ortiz wasted little time announcing his presence at Gulfstream this winter by winning with his first mount at the Championship meet, Shar Ran ($6), in Thursday’s opener.

Shar Ran was the first horse Ortiz had ridden since undergoing knee surgery earlier this month. He inherited the mount from Julien Leparoux, who returned to Kentucky earlier this week for the birth of his second child.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The $100,000 Bay Ridge, which did not have enough entries to be carded for Friday, as scheduled, did draw a field of five New York-bred fillies and mares on Friday and will now be run on Monday’s New Year’s Day program.

Holiday Disguise, trained by Linda Rice, was a surprise entrant in the Bay Ridge, run at 1 1/8 miles, as she was expected to run in next Saturday’s La Verdad Stakes at seven furlongs. Holiday Disguise has not run beyond seven furlongs and has not raced since winning the Bouwerie Stakes on May 29.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Owner Ron Lombardi and trainer Jason Servis have a very simple and logical explanation for keeping Kentucky Derby prospect Firenze Fire in New York this winter.

“Ron and I talked about it, and he thought New York was the softest path to the Derby, and I agreed with him,” Servis said.

Weather permitting, New York’s path to the Kentucky Derby is scheduled to begin Monday with the $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct, and Firenze Fire was one of eight horses entered Friday for the one-turn mile.