SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of one horse are looking to run a rabbit against him. The long-range forecast calls for rain.

But, six days out from Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Steve Asmussen seemed worry-free as it pertained to Gun Runner, the probable odds-on favorite in the prestigious 1 1/8-mile race for older males.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Good Samaritan came out of his 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes in good order and will be pointed to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 26 at Saratoga, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday morning.

Whether he again will face Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and/or Preakness winner Cloud Computing in the Travers will not be known for a few more weeks, as the connections for those horses seek explanations for their colts' disappointing performances Saturday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Both Ransom the Moon and Drefong came out of an eventful Bing Crosby on Saturday in good order, their trainers said Sunday morning at Del Mar, but they likely will take a different path toward a potential rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here on Nov. 4.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Jorge Navarro said El Deal was “on the quiet side” but otherwise exited his breakthrough performance, an eight-length triumph under jockey Javier Castellano in Saturday’s Grade 2 Vanderbilt, in good order after returning to his Monmouth Park base later that evening.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Juan Ochoa appeared to escape serious injury Sunday morning at Del Mar when he was tossed from a horse he was working and was hit by the horse's hoof, sending him to a local hospital for observation.

Ochoa was aboard a horse trained by Sal Gonzalez Jr. The horse broke from the gate, then stumbled, dislodging Ochoa. The rider lay on the ground for several minutes before being attended to by medical personnel.

SARATOGA S PRINGS, N.Y. - New Money Honey is a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf, but the 3-year-old filly may be heading to the dirt for her next start.

New Money Honey worked a half-mile in 48.64 seconds over the Saratoga main track Saturday morning in what could be a first step toward a start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes here Aug. 19. Under Javier Castellano, New Money Honey worked outside of the 3-year-old maiden filly Devine Union. The two went their first quarter in 23.93 seconds and the second quarter in 24.71 going very easily.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Union Strike, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last September, will miss the Grade 1 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Aug. 5 because of an undisclosed injury.

Owner and trainer Mick Ruis said Saturday that Union Strike will be out of training for 90 days.

“We’ll back off for 90 days,” Ruis said. “She has a little issue. She doesn’t need surgery.”

Ruis said he hopes Union Strike can resume racing “after Christmas” at Santa Anita’s winter meeting.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher was all smiles when reflecting on Keen Ice’s final work for next Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney, an easy half-mile in 49.11 seconds punctuated by a sparkling gallop-out into and around the clubhouse turn.

Working in company Saturday with the 3-year-old Patch, Keen Ice began to assert his class nearing the wire, edging two lengths clear while well in reserve before accelerating into the clubhouse bend, completing five-eighths in 1:01.52 and three-quarters in 1:13.84 before pulling up seven furlongs in 1:27.41.

DEL MAR, Calif. – One week after Arrogate’s shockingly dull try in the San Diego Handicap, trainer Bob Baffert on Saturday at Del Mar said he still intended to make the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic here on Aug. 19 with Arrogate, but he left open the possibility of heading to Saratoga for the Woodward Stakes on Sept. 2 if he deems Arrogate needs more time.

For most owners, being on the wrong side of a photo in a $500,000 race might take years to get over. But for Brad Grady, there was a silver lining to last month’s Ohio Derby, where his Girvin finished second by a nose to Irap. It was a good advertisement for the pinhooking side of his business.

“We actually bought Irap as a yearling, sold him as a 2-year-old in training,” Grady said of himself and agent Bobby Dodd. “He’s a graduate of ours.”