The Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby will again anchor the Oaklawn Park stakes program for 2017, but the track has made a handful of upgrades to its 31-race stakes schedule that’s worth a track-record $8.2 million. Oaklawn will open Jan. 13 for a meet that runs through April 15.

The Arkansas Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, highlights a closing-day card of four stakes. The local preps start Jan. 16 with the $150,000 Smarty Jones. The Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest follows on Feb. 20, and the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel on March 18 again serves as the final stepping-stone to the Arkansas Derby.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – What trainer Keith Desormeaux was seeing in the flesh from his 3-year-old Exaggerator was not jibing with what he was seeing on the track.

So, the trainer called a major audible Wednesday, deciding to send his Preakness winner to Monmouth Park for Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational rather than running in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga or attempting to train up to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, also at Saratoga, on Aug. 27.

The stakes winner Above Fashion will be returning to the overnight ranks for the first time since September in Friday night’s fourth race at Evangeline Downs. She is part of a field of six fillies and mares set for an allowance over 5 1/2 furlongs.

Above Fashion was second in the $50,000 Cajun Miss Stakes in her last start April 8 at Evangeline. Blip ‘n Th Bye won the race, one start before finishing second in the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher opted to sit out the Belmont Sprint Championship with Anchor Down after the Metropolitan Mile runner-up drew the rail. Now, Pletcher is faced with a similar dilemma after Anchor Down again pulled post 1 for Saturday’s Grade 1 Vanderbilt.

“I guess I’ll talk to the owners and let them make that decision again,” said Pletcher, who trains Anchor Down for Alto Racing LLC.

Anchor Down has been a beaten favorite against allowance company when breaking from the inside post twice over the past year.

Hit It Once More earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for his runaway victory last Saturday in the $164,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes. The figure was by far a career best for Hit It Once More, a New York-bred son of Hard Spun whose previous top was an 87 earned two starts earlier while winning a statebred allowance race at Belmont Park.

Two course records were set over the firm Laurel Park turf last weekend.

Heiko went 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.47 over the Bowling Green layout in race 3 on Sunday, breaking the mark of 1:40.96 set by Relentless Ride on April 17. Heiko’s record came in a $7,500 starter race.

In Race 8, a first-level allowance, Coastal Sea was timed in 1:01.00 for 5 1/2 furlongs over the Bowling Green course, breaking the previous mark of 1:01.04 set by Whatsnottolike on Sept. 26, 2012.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The talented 3-year-old Stradivari underwent surgery Tuesday to repair the right front ankle he fractured during training here last week.

On Wednesday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher said doctors at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital here “were pleased late yesterday afternoon after the surgery and after recovery.”

“So far, so good,” Pletcher said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bill Mott often marks the occasion of his birthday with a trip to the Saratoga winner’s circle. Mott, who turns 63 on Friday, has won at least one race at Saratoga on his birthday in 15 of the last 20 years that racing was conducted on the day. In four of the last 24 years, the track was dark.

Mott, who went winless with his only starter last year on his birthday, sends out two runners Friday. Danny’s Rush runs in the fifth, a 2-year-old New York-bred maiden turf sprint. Daring Duchess runs in the eighth, a $35,000 claimer on turf.

The millionaire Sunbean will make a rare appearance on turf next month at Louisiana Downs. Trainer Ron Faucheux said Wednesday that Sunbean is being pointed for the $75,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic on Aug. 6. The 1 1/16-mile race is part of a program of seven stakes. The races will be drawn Saturday.

Sunbean has made just one start on grass, finishing fourth in the $60,000 Dixie Poker Ace on Feb. 27 at Fair Grounds. There are several reasons to give him another chance on grass, said Faucheux, including the fact that the horse is a son of turf specialist Brahms.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Flintshire, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day, will meet four rivals when he makes his second start for trainer Chad Brown in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Flintshire is using the Bowling Green as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational on Aug. 27, a race he won here last year when in the barn of Andre Fabre.