HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – McCraken, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club and unbeaten in three starts at age 2, moved closer to his 3-year-old debut with a five-furlong work in 1:00.45 on Wednesday morning at Palm Meadows.

The time was the best of the morning among 10 at the distance.

Ian Wilkes, the trainer of McCraken, said he wants to have three races for McCraken this spring prior to the Kentucky Derby on May 6. The first of those three is scheduled to be the $250,000 Sam Davis Stakes on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tom Durkin has been to Gulfstream Park many times before, only in a different role. As arguably the greatest race-caller to ever look through a pair of binoculars, he called three runnings of the Breeders’ Cup (1989, 1992, and 1999) at Gulfstream and also was the regular announcer here for five years (1995-99).

Durkin will return Saturday as a part-owner in Breaking Lucky, one of the 12 starters in the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus Cup. Durkin is one of seven partners in an ownership group assembled by West Point Throughbreds.

Emerald Downs will run 30 stakes worth $1,685,000 in purses during its 2017 racing season, which runs from April 8 through Sept. 17.

Most of the stakes are scheduled in the latter half of the 70-day meet, with 13 stakes in August, including the 82nd running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Sunday, Aug. 13. The Longacres Mile tops a four-stakes card that includes the $65,000 Emerald Distaff for fillies and mares and a pair of $25,000 sprints, the Pete Pedersen Memorial and the King County.

Emerald Downs has announced it will offer $475,000 in incentives for horsemen during its upcoming 70-day meet, which runs April 8 through Sept. 17.

The incentives include:

* A trainer participation program, which includes an early-bird move-in bonus from February-May; reduced start-up costs (first eight bags of bedding per stall provided); and lower fees on both dorm rentals and mechanical hot-walkers. Also, trainers can recover a portion of their stall costs based on a stall efficiency factor and conservation of utilities.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bavaro, a winner sprinting in both of his starts, finalized preparations for his two-turn debut when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.69 over the Belmont Park training track Sunday. Bavaro is scheduled to start in Saturday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards.

Gary Sciacca, who trains Bavaro for Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, said Bavaro is showing signs of maturing in the morning.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mo Town, the Grade 2 Remsen winner, is ahead of schedule in his training for his 3-year-old debut, which trainer Tony Dutrow said is still likely to be in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham at Aqueduct on March 4. However, Dutrow said Sunday that he will keep an eye on other races around that same time, such as the Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 25 and the Fountain of Youth on March 4 at Gulfstream Park.

“He’s probably going to end up in the Gotham,” said Dutrow, who mentioned the Gotham the day after the Remsen as Mo Town’s likely 3-year-old debut.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As a longtime exercise rider for trainer Todd Pletcher, Antonio Arriaga has gotten to work with some extremely talented horses. As a fledgling trainer, Arriaga can only hope to one day get those types of horses under his own shed row.

Arriaga, 39, has steadily wound down his career working for others and in 2016 ramped up the process of training on his own full time. Last year, he won five races from 33 starters, including going 3 for 3 at Saratoga.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The only reason California Chrome is running Saturday instead of already being at stud is that the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park will be the richest race in the world, with a $12 million purse. He could win a $7 million first prize.

The only reason California Chrome will head to Kentucky on Sunday morning is that the breeding season is about to commence, and mares have been booked, many of them owned by those involved in the current ownership group, California Chrome LLC, precluding any further starts.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Recent rain in Southern California has been a boost for Prize Exhibit, the winner of the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 16.

Prize Exhibit was fourth and fifth in stakes on firm turf in October and November. The course was rated “good” for the Megahertz Stakes. Prize Exhibit closed from sixth in a field of seven to win by 1 1/4 lengths, ending a 10-race losing streak.

“I think the turf softening has helped,” trainer Jim Cassidy said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Six Point Rack beat maidens in a one-mile race for California-breds at Santa Anita on Dec. 29 and will get an immediate test of ability and stamina in Saturday’s $250,000 California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

Six Point Rack, owned by breeders Larry and Marianne Williams and trained by Mike Puype, needed four races to beat maidens.

“He was getting better with each race,” Puype said. “It wasn’t a surprise he fired the other day. His lights just hadn’t turned on.

“The whole family starts to warm up as they start running.”