ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Keith Desormeaux has big hopes for 2016. It is the only way to go forward. The events of the last two years command high expectations.

Desormeaux won the first Grade 1 race and the first seven-figure race of his career when Texas Red won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in 2014. Last year, his stable had record single-season earnings of $3,834,257, ranking 34th in the nation.

Three of the principal runners from 2015 – Exaggerator, Swipe, and Texas Red – are the core of what could be another milestone season this year.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nyquist, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2015, was pronounced ready for the start of his 3-year-old season in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 15 after a five-furlong workout in 59.38 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs will be the first start for Nyquist since he clinched the division championship with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

ARCADIA, Calif. -  Flamboyant remained perfect in two starts at the winter-spring meeting with a win in Saturday’s $201,380 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita, his first career win at 1 1/4 miles.

The 5-year-old is likely to try a new distance when he attempts to stretch his winning streak to three races in the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf on March 13. Flamboyant was sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf last August, the longest start of his 19-race career.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $500,690 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday was as much a prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 26 as it was a prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 12.

Hoppertunity and Donworth, who finished first and third, are candidates for the Dubai World Cup, their trainers said. Imperative, beaten a nose by Hoppertunity after a troubled trip, will run in the Big Cap, trainer Richard Baltas said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Songbird was so far in front in the last furlong of the $300,345 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday that she was practically galloping on the lead.

The champion 2-year-old filly of 2015, Songbird extended her unbeaten record to five races with an easy win by 6 1/2 lengths in the one-mile race. The margin could easily have been measured in double-digits if jockey Mike Smith had urged Songbird in any capacity in the final furlong.

“It’s quite amazing that she can do that,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Sunday morning.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Options abound for Mor Spirit, who scored his second straight stakes victory on Saturday in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita. He will have either one or two more preps before the May 7 Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Bob Baffert.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Reservations might be needed to get into this year’s Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn.

A large contingent of locals and Collected from the barn of Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert are among those anticipated for the 1 1/16-mile race on Feb. 15. Entries will be taken Friday, Feb. 12, and the number of starters will be capped at 14.

“I do expect a large field,” said Pat Pope, racing secretary at Oaklawn. “People are targeting this race.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015, is likely to have few rivals when he makes his 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs Feb. 15.

Nyquist has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Oct. 31. His rivals in the Grade 2 San Vicente are likely to include Exaggerator, who won the Delta Downs Jackpot in Louisiana last November; Denman’s Call, a maiden-race winner in his debut Jan. 9; and Rockin Bayou, a game second in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 3.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder, the three-time champion, is making steady progress in daily gallops toward her first workout of the year.

Trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday that Beholder returned to training in recent weeks “bigger and stronger.” Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Beholder, 6, was the champion older female of 2015.

ARCADIA, Calif. – When Danzing Candy drew away from eight rivals to win a first-level optional $80,000 claimer at a mile at Santa Anita on Thursday, trainer Cliff Sise took a moment to admire the performance.

“He’s got the stride of a good horse,” Sise said.

Danzing Candy’s record matches Sise’s belief. Danzing Candy has won 2 of 3 starts and is unbeaten at the current meeting. Owned by Ted Aroney’s Halo Farms and Diane and Jim Bashor, Danzing Candy beat maidens in a seven-furlong race Dec. 26, the opening day of the winter-spring meeting.