OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though La Verdad still is scheduled to be bred to Medaglia d’Oro in 2016, she is likely to race once or twice more before then.

On a busy Saturday morning at Belmont Park, La Verdad worked five furlongs in 1:00.86 over the training track, her first workout since she finished sixth against the boys in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct on Nov. 26. Trainer Linda Rice said one race that could be on La Verdad’s agenda is the $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 13.

ARCADIA, Calif. – California Chrome stayed in the Santa Anita stable area during normal training hours Saturday morning.

When he finally went to the track at 11:45 a.m. for his final workout before the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 9, California Chrome was ready. He worked six furlongs in 1:10.04, quicker than expected.

Trainer Art Sherman and his son and assistant, Alan, thought California Chrome would go in a time closer to 1:12. At the start of the workout, jockey Victor Espinoza said California Chrome was traveling so well that a quick workout was inevitable.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Chad Brown was the leading trainer on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2015 in both wins (131) and purse money ($12,766,542). Todd Pletcher, the leading trainer in North American earnings each year since 2010, was second in both categories in 2015 with 123 wins and $12,086,440 in purses.

It was the first time Brown led either category for a year on this circuit.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Empire Dreams and Saratoga Snacks certainly won’t mind seeing fellow New York-bred Effinex head out of the country for a possible start in the Dubai World Cup.

The $100,000 Haynesfield on Feb. 13 would be the next logical step for either horse following their one-two finish Thursday in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes. Empire Dreams, who won the Robb by a head, is likely to get a break, according to Terry Finley, head of the West Point Thoroughbreds partnership that owns the gelding.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After initially saying that Financial Modeling could make his next start in New York, trainer Chad Brown altered course and transferred the 5-year-old son of Street Sense to south Florida, where he will target the Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream on Feb. 6.

Financial Modeling won the $100,000 Queens County Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths over Tommy Macho – also Donn-bound – at Aqueduct on Dec. 19. He earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure in his stakes debut.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There is a change of plans in the works for Effinex – and a drastic change at that.

Initially slated to spend the winter in New York with an expected return to the races in the Stymie Stakes on March 13 at Aqueduct, Effinex soon will depart for south Florida to begin preparations for a possible start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 26.

“I’m giving it serious consideration,” said Russell Cohen, racing manager for his family’s Tri-Bone Stable, which owns Effinex.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Itsaknockout, idle since finishing ninth in the 2015 Kentucky Derby, made a triumphant return here Thursday, drawing off to an easy 4 3/4-length victory over the Grade 1-placed Elnaawi under high-priced optional-claiming conditions going 1 1/16 miles. Itsaknockout, who won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here last year following the disqualification of Upstart, was confidently guided to victory by regular rider Luis Saez. Itsaknockout received a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Songbird, the undefeated winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31, worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds at Santa Anita on Friday.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Songbird is on schedule to make her 2016 debut in the $300,000 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile here Feb. 6. Songbird was turned out at a Kentucky farm for a month after the BC Juvenile Fillies and rejoined Hollendorfer’s stable in early December.

ARCADIA, Calif. – California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, galloped about 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita on Friday while preparing for the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 9.

California Chrome has not raced since finishing second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup last March and has not raced at Santa Anita since finishing second in the $590,000 San Antonio Stakes last February.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Iron Rob beat maidens at Los Alamitos in December and will race against winners for the first time in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Sunday. The optional claimer could lead to a start in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs here Feb. 15, trainer George Papaprodromou said on Friday.

“That’s our next step,” he said. “We’ll keep him short for now.”