ETOBICOKE, Ontario – While Pender Harbour likely will race for the final time in the Grade 3, $150,000 Valedictory Stakes on Sunday, the Woodbine meet’s closing day, his 2-year-old full brother, Mike, is on track to make his debut on the same day.

Trainer John LeBlanc Jr. said Mike would be entered in an Ontario-sired maiden special weight race over seven furlongs on Polytrack that is in the condition book for Sunday. LeBlanc said a five-furlong race slated for Friday’s card is a little too short for Mike.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With the Woodbine meet set to close this weekend, future stars could emerge with three 2-year-old stakes on tap, including the $150,000 Ontario Lassie and the $125,000 Kingarvie on Saturday and the $125,000 Display Stakes on Sunday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown will send out two juvenile colts – Gift Box and Flexibility – in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Remsen at 1 1/8 miles here.

Gift Box, a son of Twirling Candy, defeated Matt King Coal by a nose in an off-the-turf race at Belmont on Oct. 3 in his second start. Matt King Coal returned to win a maiden race and earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 96. Flexibility, a New York-bred son of Bluegrass Cat, defeated statebreds in his Oct. 10 debut and finished second to Mohaymen in the Grade 2 Nashua on Nov. 4.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice said that Matt King Coal, a 5 3/4-length maiden winner at Belmont on Oct. 29, will skip graded stakes opportunities this weekend and point for the Grade 3, $200,000 Jerome over Aqueduct’s inner track Jan. 2.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After toying with, but ultimately rejecting, the idea of adding blinkers to Tonalist’s equipment for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, trainer Christophe Clement said he will put blinkers on Tonalist for Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

John Velazquez will ride Tonalist in the Cigar Mile.

“Just because going a mile, I think you need to help him a little,” Clement said Monday at Belmont Park. “Just to help Johnny give him a touch more cruising speed.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ami’s Mesa emerged as an early contender for next season’s Woodbine Oaks with a strong closing kick to capture Saturday’s $144,900 Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine. Trainer Josie Carroll said Sunday she had no firm plans for the filly’s next start but added that Ami’s Mesa likely will continue her training in Florida after the Woodbine meet concludes this Sunday.

“She’ll be heading down to Florida,” she said. “She’s only had two races. She’ll kick on.”

MIAMI – Racing lost a dedicated owner and an even better friend this month with the sudden death of Barbara Smollin, 73.

Smollin was best known for having owned and bred three-time Grade 1 winner Sir Bear along with her husband, Dr. Al Smollin. Sir Bear began his career under a $50,000 claiming tag at Gulfstream Park during the winter of 1996 and raced for eight seasons before retiring in 2003. His biggest victories included the 1998 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, the 1999 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, and the 2001 Gulfstream Park Handicap, all Grade 1 wins.

MIAMI – Weekend Hideaway, who ran the best race of his life to capture the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park last January, found Gulfstream Park West to his liking as well, snapping a seven-race losing streak with a convincing 6 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s featured race, which was moved from the turf to a sloppy main track due to heavy rain.

Trainer Phil Serpe handicapped both the weather and his horse quite well, entering Weekend Hideaway for the main track only in the five-furlong dash with rain in the forecast over the weekend.

DEL MAR, Calif. – A full field is expected for the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch Stakes for older females at one mile on turf, which is the biggest of two stakes Sunday, closing day of the meeting.

Trainer Chad Brown is sending Olorda for the race, while Bill Mott has Filimbi, Jimmy Toner ships Recepta, and Christophe Clement is bringing both Hard Not to Like and Stellar Path.

DEL MAR, Calif. – If there is safety in numbers, trainer Chad Brown is trying to make himself awfully safe in the Hollywood Derby.

On Monday, Brown sent four runners – Fundamental, March, Money Multiplier, and Offering Plan – to Del Mar for the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby, the featured race here Saturday.

The Hollywood Derby is expected to be topped by Om, who won the Del Mar Derby during the summer at the same 1 1/8-mile distance, then followed up with a victory Oct. 24 in the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita.