OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Anchor Down has plenty of early speed, his connections haven’t liked it when he’s drawn the rail post position. Anchor Down is winless in three starts breaking from the rail, and back in July he was scratched from the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship after drawing the inside post.

Naturally, trainer Todd Pletcher was not thrilled to learn Wednesday that Anchor Down drew the rail in a field of 10 entered for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

The Louisiana-bred 3-year-old Trust Factor impressed many onlookers with a sharp two-length victory Sunday in a statebred-restricted, first-level turf allowance.

“He impressed me, too,” said trainer Mike Maker.

But Maker said the lightly raced son of Paddy O’Prado would make his next start in a second-level, Louisiana-bred grass race rather than stepping up in class to try the $100,000 Champions Day Turf next month.

“We’ll go for the allowance race first and see how he does,” Maker said.

No trainer had a better two-day Fair Grounds opening week than Al Stall, who sent out three winners and two second-place horses from six starters last Saturday and Sunday.

Stall won on Saturday with Louisiana-bred first-time starter Philly and on Sunday swept the card’s last two races with Seaside Candy, who looked good in winning the Si Cima Stakes for Louisiana-bred dirt-route females, and with another Louisiana-bred first-time starter, Sharp Henny.

“Let me tell you, Pam had these suckers ready to roll,” Stall said, referring to his longtime assistant Pam Fitzgerald.

The Lecomte is the first 2017 Fair Grounds stakes race for open 3-year-olds on dirt, and it would not be unfair to look at the featured eighth race Friday at Fair Grounds as the first local step toward the Lecomte.

The six-furlong race for 2-year-olds is open to first-level allowance horses or $50,000 claimers, and its winner will likely be pointed for a stakes race of some sort, be it the Jan. 21 Lecomte or something not so distant.

Cajun Delta Dawn, the runner-up to Shane's Girlfriend in last Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess in Vinton, La., has returned home to Gulfstream Park with plans for her next start to be determined, trainer David Fawkes said. Fawkes said discussions are being held with owner Curtis Mikkelsen.

"She came back home in great order,” said Fawkes, who had planned to send Cajun Delta Dawn back to the track either Wednesday or Thursday.

If there’s one rooting interest Texas and Oklahoma have in common, it might be Ivan Fallunovalot.

The reigning Texas-bred Horse of the Year who is based at Remington Park in Oklahoma City swept into Maryland last weekend and won the Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.  

Ivan Fallunovalot returned to his Remington base from Laurel Park on Monday night, said trainer Tom Howard. The horse won his fourth consecutive race in the De Francis, his final start of the year.

“Ivan came out of the race real good,” said Howard, who trains the horse for Lewis Matthews Jr.

MIAMI – With just three days left in the Gulfstream Park West meet, Edgard Zayas has all but sewn up the jockey title, holding a 44-31 advantage over Luca Panici heading into Friday’s card. The battle for second place also includes Tyler Gaffalione and Emisael Jaramillo, who are tied with 28 victories.

Antonio Sano will successfully defend his Gulfstream Park West training title. He holds a 19-14 lead over Todd Pletcher entering Friday’s races, with Pletcher having entered only two horses on closing weekend.

MIAMI – After tossing around the idea of sending Strike Charmer out to California for the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar on Dec. 4, trainer Mark Hennig decided to keep the Grade 2 winner closer to home and in a much softer spot, Saturday’s Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap at Gulfstream Park West.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Bobby Abu Dhabi, a 2-year-old son of Macho Uno who was a sharp debut winner against maidens last Saturday at Del Mar, will be considered for the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Los Alamitos on Dec. 10.

“If not, he’ll run in an allowance race and we’ll go through his conditions,” trainer Peter Miller said.

“We’ve always thought a lot of him since we bought him.”

Bobby Abu Dhabi was purchased as a 2-year-old in training at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. sale in April for $335,000 by the Rockingham Ranch of Gary Hartunian.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Peter Miller claimed an old friend on Friday, bringing the popular 9-year-old gelding Nextdoorneighbor back to his barn for $12,500 after losing him for $8,000 in the horse’s prior start.