HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – What began as one of the Cinderella stories of this year’s Dubai World Cup program ended a little before midnight when trainer Luis Carvajal Jr., who operates a modest eight-horse stable at Parx Racing, was forced to scratch his star, Imperial Hint, from the Dubai Golden Shaheen just days before the race due to a minor infection.

It’s a classic clash of class and speed in Sunday’s eighth race at Lone Star, where millionaire Neck ‘n Neck takes on course record-holder Supermason in an optional $40,000 claiming race at a mile.

Neck ‘n Neck is charged with running down Supermason, a five-time stakes winner who has a chance to control the pace. Supermason set quick fractions last out and finished second by a half-length in a one-mile turf allowance that went in 1:34.20 at Lone Star.

Eguard Tejera was to have his first mounts in North America since October 2014 on Friday night at Lone Star Park near Dallas, but he’s actually never been away from the races. Tejera has spent the past few years riding in his native Uruguay as well as in Dubai and now plans to rejoin the circuit in Texas.

“I love Texas,” Tejera, 38, said Friday. “I feel like it’s home. I’ve ridden in a lot of states in the U.S. I like it here a lot.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds at Santa Anita on Friday for an expected start in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos on July 8.

Finest City won the Great Lady M. in April 2016 and later the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita last November to clinch the title. This year, Finest City has one win in four starts – the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita in January.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The California Horse Racing Board will expand the team of veterinarians conducting prerace examinations to include a wider range of inspections during the Del Mar summer meeting that begins July 19.

At Thursday’s racing board meeting, executive director Rick Baedeker said that “up to four official” vets would be working during the meeting. The larger team will be used after a rash of racing and training fatalities at Del Mar last summer and fall. Baedeker said the primary task of the veterinarians will be to “identify horses at risk of injury.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Retired jockey agent Ivan Puhich, who represented riders throughout the West Coast in a career that spanned more than 60 years, died on Monday in San Diego, according to his nephew, Mike Puhich.

Ivan Puhich was 89 and died of age-related infirmities, Mike Puhich said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Flavien Prat, the leading rider at Santa Anita's spring-summer meeting entering Friday's program, received a court stay this week allowing him to ride July 1-4 while contesting a recent suspension, according to his agent, Derek Lawson.

Prat appealed the suspension to the California Horse Racing Board this week but was denied, leading to the court action, Lawson said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Queen’s Plate contender Megagray will face a stamina test in the $1 million race over 1 1/4 miles on Tapeta at Woodbine on July 2, but it’s a test that trainer Mike Keogh believes the colt can handle.

“I really believe he’ll get the mile and a quarter,” he said. “I’m happy with him. I think he deserves a shot.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Songbird, the two-time champion who won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes on June 10 at Belmont Park in her 2017 debut, worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds Thursday at Santa Anita.

Songbird is a candidate for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes on July 30 at Del Mar, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Rubilinda will try to follow her striking debut victory by jumping directly into stakes company Saturday at Belmont Park in the $100,000 Wild Applause, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Chad Brown, Rubilinda will be favored over five rivals based on her last-to-first win, but Saturday’s race is a more difficult assignment. She will be stretching out from six furlongs to a mile, facing tougher, more seasoned opponents, and there is not a lot of early speed in the lineup if she ends up trailing again early.