ARCADIA, Calif. – Gormley and Irap, graded stakes winners in April but unplaced in the Kentucky Derby, are candidates for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 10, their trainers said Friday.

Gormley, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8, finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby, while Irap, the winner of the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 15, finished 18th of the 19 finishers.

John Shirreffs, who trains Gormley, and Doug O’Neill, who trains Irap, said the Belmont Stakes at 1 1/2 miles is foremost on their minds.

Cajun Delta Dawn emerged as one of the top 2-year-old fillies of the spring-summer meet a year ago at Gulfstream Park, where she won the first four races of her career. She could see local action again soon.

Trainer David Fawkes said Friday that Cajun Delta Dawn is possible for the $75,000 Azalea on July 1.

Cajun Delta Dawn launched her 3-year-old season last week at Churchill Downs, and after pushing the pace from post 14 in the Grade 2 Eight Belles, she finished eighth. The start was her first in five months. Cajun Delta Dawn is now back home at Gulfstream.

Growing up a horse-crazed kid in Midway, Ky., Nick Bush had dreams of one day riding a Kentucky Derby winner. In a way, that dream was realized last weekend, when Always Dreaming romped to a 2 3/4-length victory in the 143rd Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.

While John Velazquez was the jockey of record, Bush played an important role in getting Always Dreaming to the race in the best possible shape.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – J Boys Echo exited his Kentucky Derby adventure with minor stiffness but is otherwise fine and could make his next start in the home state of his owners, the Albaugh Family Stable.

Trainer Dale Romans said the Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby is the next logical spot for J Boys Echo, who was never a factor at 47-1 when finishing 15th in the Derby last Saturday at Churchill Downs. Like several others, the colt was compromised by a chain reaction at the break and never recovered.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Veteran jockey Robby Albarado said this week that he continues to heal on schedule from the fractured left tibia he sustained in an April 23 spill at Keeneland. Albarado was the regular rider for J Boys Echo but was replaced by Luis Saez for the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Neil Pessin would have driven his mother in from Lexington, Ky., to watch Scatter Gun run Sunday in the featured race at Churchill Downs, but they recently took a longer trip to St. Louis.

“It probably [would] be a little much for her,” Pessin said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cistron may appear in all sorts of stakes for 3-year-olds this year.

Already, Cistron has finished third in the Pasadena Stakes for turf milers at Santa Anita in March and won the Northern Spur Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Oaklawn Park on April 15.

The next objective is something new – Saturday’s $75,000 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Cistron has never started in a turf sprint but has won on grass at Santa Anita in an optional claimer at a mile in February.

ARCADIA, Calif. – American Pastime won his debut in March in a manner suggesting that the 3-year-old was bound for an immediate stakes appearance.

Such high-class races are on the mind of trainer Bob Hess Jr. and the partnership that owns American Pastime, but Saturday’s Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita is not. Instead, American Pastime will start against older horses in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on the same program.

The distance played a pivotal role in the decision.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Battle of Midway, a well-beaten third in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs last Saturday, is likely to have his next start in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 24, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday.

The $100,000 Affirmed Stakes is run at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds.

“He may very well run in the Affirmed,” Hollendorfer said. The Derby “was a tough race. He ran very well.”

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The mantra at Monmouth Park as it begins its 72nd season Saturday is "down but not out."

Monmouth is the only track in the Mid-Atlantic region that doesn’t have alternative gaming or receive a casino subsidy, placing it at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to maintaining purses high enough to attract horses while remaining fiscally solvent.

Last year, Monmouth struggled to fill race cards and ran fewer races. When the dust cleared, handle was down 25 percent.