OLDSMAR, Fla. – The biggest day of the Tampa Bay Downs season is Saturday, with large fields expected for the card’s five stakes races, which are worth a total of $925,000, making for the richest card in track history. The highlight of the annual Festival Day program is the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, a 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds that offers 85 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its top four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 basis.

Here’s a look at the major players expected for the Tampa Bay Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – One viewing of the replay of the ninth race at Santa Anita on Feb. 11 was enough for veteran jockey Rafael Bejarano. The memories returned quickly when he saw the spill in a turf race that left him sidelined for nearly three weeks.

“It looked bad,” Bejarano said.

The incident left Bejarano with a sore knee that could have been worse, he said.

“The doctor, he told me it would be longer,” Bejarano said. “I went back to him after a week, and he couldn’t believe how improved I was. He said, ‘You’ll come back quickly.’ ”

ARCADIA, Calif.- Apparently not all stakes wins in these early months of the year will be a breeze for Unique Bella, who fought her way to a third consecutive victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Midnight Storm worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 at Santa Anita on Sunday in a scenario that could resemble the race strategy for his next start in Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

Midnight Storm worked alone, but two runners from another stable began workouts shortly before Midnight Storm. Through the workout, Midnight Storm raced a few lengths behind the other horses under exercise rider Jose Dominguez.

“The company was in front and he didn’t turn a hair,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He galloped-out well.”

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mastery, undefeated in three starts at 2 in 2016, will be favored against a growing field in his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Mastery has not raced since recording an impressive win in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 10. Owned by Cheyenne Stables, Mastery won his debut here in October and his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 19.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Arrogate, winner of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup, worked seven furlongs in 1:24 at Santa Anita on Sunday in preparation for the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 25.

Trainer Bob Baffert said after the workout that Arrogate will be sent to Dubai on March 13. The 4-year-old Arrogate will have an additional workout at Santa Anita next weekend before being shipped.

“One more good work and we’re off,” Baffert said.

J Boys Echo, the authoritative winner of Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, will “most likely” make his next start in the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, trainer Dale Romans said Sunday.

Trainer Chad Brown won three races on Saturday’s card at Gulfstream: Ticonderoga in the Palm Beach; Wake Forest in the Mac Diarmida; and first-time starter Timeline in a loaded maiden race.

He said Ticonderoga would make his next start in the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland on opening day April 8, and that his long-term goal was the Grade 1 Belmont Derby in July.

Brown said jockey Joel Rosario “gave him a beautiful ride.”

Wake Forest is being considered for the Pan American at Gulfstream on April 1, followed by the Man O’War at Belmont on May 13, Brown said.

The Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8 remains the intended target for Classic Empire, who is scheduled to go back to the track on Tuesday after having a potential workout aborted last Friday.

Classic Empire refused to work that morning, and minutes later at the barn was showing discomfort in his back, trainer Mark Casse said. An equine therapist was brought in to work on Classic Empire on Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday morning Classic Empire was frolicking in a round pen like the happiest horse in the world.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – The highly regarded McCraken, forced to miss this coming Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby because of some post-workout puffiness in an ankle, returned to the track to gallop Sunday morning here at the Palm Meadows training center. He missed just a handful of days of training.

“It was just minor,” trainer Ian Wilkes said of the hiccup. “I’m happy with him. It was better to back off now. If you push, you’re screwed. We just had to wait. I did what I thought was right.”