ELMONT, N.Y. – It has been five years since trainer Neil Howard last started a horse at Belmont Park. But he returns here Saturday with Eagle, a top-flight contender in the Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap.

Eagle, a son of Candy Ride, is running back just three weeks after he finished second, a half-length behind Bradester, in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. Though the Suburban means running him back on short rest, Howard said the opportunity to run Eagle 1 1/4 miles “was appealing.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mokat, who was second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April and 13th in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6, has resumed training for a summer campaign geared toward turf races at Del Mar.

Trainer Richard Baltas said Mokat will be pointed for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf Aug. 20. Mokat was rested after the Kentucky Oaks and has responded well, Baltas said.

“I gave her 35 days off,” he said. “She was a little stiff behind. It looked like the rest helped her a lot.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita on June 4 is turning out to be a productive race.

The champions Beholder and Stellar Wind were first and second in the five-runner field. The two not in the top three won stakes at Santa Anita over the holiday weekend.

Lost Bus, who finished fourth in the Vanity, won Monday’s $98,000 Spring Fever Handicap for California-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs. Divina Comedia, who finished last in the Vanity, won the $79,190 Southern Truce Stakes at a mile last Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The promising 2-year-old Right Hand Man tries to end a stakes drought for trainer Jeff Bonde in Saturday’s $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile.

Bonde is winless in stakes since Distinctiv Passion won the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap at Santa Anita in May 2015. A win by Right Hand Man would boost Bonde’s stable days before he sends 25 horses to Del Mar for the track’s summer meeting, which begins July 15.

Bonde had seven stakes wins in Southern California in 2012, five in 2013, one in 2014, and two last year.

ELMONT, N.Y. – They may not be the very best horses in his arsenal, but trainer Aidan O’Brien looks to have a strong hand in both the Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks, the pair of Grade 1 turf events that highlight Saturday’s Stars and Stripes card at Belmont Park.

Jockeys Ricardo Santana Jr., 23, and Didiel Osorio, 22, grew up in the same house in their native Panama. Although not in blood, they consider themselves to be brothers. Both rode at the Churchill meet and will now head their separate ways for the next eight weeks or so.

Osorio, the leading rider last summer at Ellis Park, already is off to a very quick start at the western Kentucky track, having won four of the eight opening-day races last Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It’s difficult to say which feat is more extraordinary: winning Churchill Downs training titles 28 years apart or winning five stakes in less than 24 hours.

Mark Casse pulled off both last weekend.

“I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Casse said this week after traveling from Toronto to his home in Ocala, Fla. “I truly appreciate how fortunate we are. We train for exceptional people who’ve given us exceptional horses.”

The first round of invitations to the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational have been mailed out, according to Bob Kulina, the president of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park on behalf of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.

Kulina said he sent out 30 invitations. They went to virtually everyone he would want in the race, even Songbird, whose connections are not expected to accept.

“You make sure to invite everyone,” he said.

Kulina said that because the 3-year-old division is wide open this year, he expects a good-sized and competitive field.

Ben’s Cat began his 10-year-old season in style with two straight wins. But he was a little late to find his best stride in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup on June 4 at Penn National, and his rally fell 1 1/2 lengths short. Still, it was a pretty good try.

On Saturday, Ben’s Cat will face his toughest challenge of the year in the Grade 3, $200,000 Parx Dash. The 10-horse field includes Jaipur Stakes winner Pure Sensation, Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup winner Take Cover, Churchill Turf Sprint winner Rocket Heat, and the always-tough Power Alert.

The Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on Saturday is going to test Eighth Wonder on a number of levels. Not only will the $300,000 race be the toughest assignment of her career, but this will be the first time she has shipped from her home base of Parx Racing to run.

Eighth Wonder is talented but nervous, especially in the saddling paddock. She has crossed the finish line first in four of her five starts and was placed first in the Parx Oaks after Miss Inclusive was disqualified for a clenbuterol overage. Miss Inclusive also is entered in the Delaware Oaks.