Los Alamitos officials will be prepared for a large crowd on Saturday for the first appearance by California Chrome in a race at the Orange County, Calif., track. Track general manager Brad McKinzie said he’s not sure how many people will come out to watch California Chrome run in the Winter Challenge, saying it could be from 6,000 to 16,000.

“I don’t have a clue,” he said.

“We’re staffing like we’ll fill the joint up.”

Arrogate, the winner of the Travers Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic in his two most recent starts, worked so well at Santa Anita on Tuesday that trainer Bob Baffert is considering starting him in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 1.

Arrogate worked five furlongs in 58.40 seconds, the fastest of 76 works at the distance.

“He looked awesome,” Baffert said. “He did it effortlessly. The race on the first might be an option.”

The New York Racing Association cut $375,000 in purse money – including eliminating one longstanding race – from the 2017 Aqueduct winter stakes schedule, which it released Wednesday. NYRA will offer 25 stakes worth $3.2 million from Jan. 1 through March 26, the end of the inner-track season.

Perfect Wife is one of several 2-year-olds who have trainer Ken McPeek looking forward to next season. She was a five-length winner of the $100,000 Trapeze on Sunday night at Remington Park and now has her sights set on the first major stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn.

McPeek said Monday that Perfect Wife is a candidate for the $125,000 Martha Washington at one mile Feb. 11. It’s the first stakes in Oaklawn’s route series for 3-year-old fillies that culminates with the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy.

Cool Arrow has stepped up his game with each race and is now in line for a graded test following his win Sunday night in the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.

Cool Arrow overcame post 12 to win the Springboard Mile by 3 1/2 lengths, earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 77. It was his second stakes win, following the $75,000 Kip Deville in September, also at Remington.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione got off to a slow start at Gulfstream Park, going winless from 28 mounts over the first six days of the session before coming to life by winning three races Sunday, including two for trainer Ralph Nicks.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup only six weeks away, Saturday’s Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday has been well spotted on the calendar to provide both a prep and a showcase for potential starters in the uniquely designed event.

Such an option is certainly not lost on trainer Todd Pletcher, who will send out two or three runners in the Harlan’s Holiday and has a fourth Pegasus candidate in the Grade 3-placed Neolithic, the favorite in Wednesday’s $43,000 allowance feature.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Joking, the Grade 1 Vosburgh winner, had a relapse of pneumonia and remains at an equine clinic in Southern California, according to owner-trainer Charlton Baker.

Joking initially got sick after shipping from New York to California for a planned start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 5. He was entered in the Breeders’ Cup but was scratched and sent to Chino Valley Equine Hospital in Chino Hills.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Junior Alvarado was scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be out of action for eight to 12 weeks.

Alvarado said he needs surgery to repair his left shoulder, which has sporadically popped out of its socket. Alvarado said an incident about two weeks ago exacerbated the problem, prompting doctors to suggest he have surgery soon.

“About two weeks ago, a horse stumbled and pulled my arm and damaged some tissue and ligaments around my shoulder,” Alvarado said Monday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Rajiv Maragh had determined where he was going to ride this winter well before last weekend, but his four-win Saturday at Aqueduct only reinforced his decision to stay in the Northeast for the season.

Maragh won four races from seven mounts, added another win on Sunday, and finished the opening week of Aqueduct’s inner-track meet with seven wins from 22 mounts. Only Jose Ortiz, who leads the nation in wins this year with 344, had more winners (8) during opening week.