SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Tom’s Ready, the winner of the Grade 2 Woody Stephens who finished ninth in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop, could make his next start in the Grade 2 Kelso at Belmont on Oct. 8, trainer Dallas Stewart said. The Kelso is a one-turn mile and could be a stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Stewart said the King’s Bishop was a throw-out race in his mind.

“Scrap it,” Stewart said. “Pace was so slow, he was way, way wide, and he got caught up [in traffic] at the eighth pole. It was one thing after another.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Comfort, the runner-up to Frosted in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 6, will prep for the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup by running in next Saturday’s $100,000 Seattle Slew Stakes at Belmont Park, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Pletcher opted to skip Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward and point to the Jockey Club Gold Cup but thought the Seattle Slew, run at 1 1/16 miles, would be a good bridge to the Gold Cup on Oct. 8.

“He likes Belmont,” Pletcher said. “It might be easier to get a race over the track rather than train all the  way up to the Gold Cup.”

DEL MAR, Calif. – Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist worked one mile in 1:41.80 on Saturday at San Luis Rey Downs, his second drill since moving to that training facility one month ago. Exercise rider Jonny Garcia was up.

“He looks fantastic. His weight is great,” said trainer Doug O’Neill. “He got a good blow over the track. It’s got a great cushion. I’m very happy with how he’s done here. We’re headed the right way.”

DEL MAR, Calif. – The champions California Chrome and Stellar Wind are not scheduled to race in September. They probably could be ready to run on a moment’s notice judging from the enthusiasm of their trainers on Saturday.

California Chrome and Stellar Wind are set to run in Grade 1 races worth $300,000 at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 – California Chrome in the Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles and Stellar Wind in the Zenyatta Stakes at
1 1/16 miles.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – D. Wayne Lukas marked his 81st birthday on Friday. The Hall of Fame trainer hopes to celebrate the occasion by winning his seventh Hopeful Stakes on Monday, when he sends out Royal Copy in the Grade 1 closing-day fixture at Saratoga.

As usual, Lukas was atop his stable pony early Friday morning. When someone greeted him with a “happy birthday,” Lukas said, “I’m trying to keep that quiet.”

The undefeated Quarter Horse champion Jess Good Candy, who won last year’s All American Futurity, could make one more start this year to conclude his career, trainer Clinton Crawford said Friday. Jess Good Candy is set to enter stud at the Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Okla., in 2017.

Jess Good Candy won the Ruidoso Derby this year at Ruidoso, but despite dominating his trial for the All American Derby, he did not qualify for the finale. He has spent the summer in New Mexico.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has chosen the veterinarian Patricia Hogan as the first recipient of its newly created EquiStar Award for her dedication and outstanding work on behalf of New York’s retired racehorses.

The EquiStar Award recognizes individuals or organizations that enrich the New York Thoroughbred industry through their compassion, hard work, and generosity.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Whereas the training title is basically decided heading into the final weekend of the meet, there is still some suspense in the jockeys’ race, with brothers Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. as well as Javier Castellano still in contention.

Thanks to a four-win afternoon Thursday, Jose Ortiz entered the final four days of the meet with a 54-48 lead over his brother. Castellano had 46 wins.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Effinex, who skipped Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward, worked four furlongs in 50.44 seconds over the Oklahoma training track Friday as he begins preparations for the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 8 at Belmont Park.

In his first work since running fourth in the Whitney, Effinex went his opening quarter in 25.95 seconds and his last quarter in 24.49, and he galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.20.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Anthony Bonomo’s Brooklyn Boyz Stable and his wife Mary Ellen’s MEB Stable have merged operations with Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable and his wife Teresa Viola’s stable. As a result, several horses have been transferred from Dominick Schettino and will be split between trainers Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown.