ARCADIA, Calif. – Talco, the winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in June, died last Monday while recovering from an operation to have a bone chip removed from a knee.

Trainer John Sadler said on Saturday that a necropsy is being conducted on Talco, who won 5 of 17 starts and earned $543,123.

“We were stunned,” Sadler said. “I still can’t believe it.”

Talco joined Sadler’s stable in the summer of 2014 when acquired privately by Pete and Kosta Hronis. In the second half of 2014, Talco finished third in the Del Mar Derby and Hollywood Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Smooth Roller, the winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, will have his first start outside of California in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31, a race jockey Tyler Baze wishes would arrive sooner.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “I think he’ll be competitive and he’ll be right there.”

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Smooth Roller worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds under Baze, the 4-year-old gelding’s first workout since the Awesome Again Stakes.

After finishing a respectable third Oct. 3 in the Grade 1 Frizette, She’s All Ready will return to New York-bred competition in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes here Oct. 24, said trainer Jim Ryerson.

She’s All Ready was very impressive while defeating New York-breds in two starts at Saratoga. Over a sloppy track in the Frizette, she set the pace into the stretch but gave way late to Nickname and Nemoralia.

Hot City Girl, the winner of the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks on Sept. 19, worked five furlongs in 1:01.10 on Friday over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland next Sunday.

Hot City Girl, under Taylor Rice, worked in company, breaking off from the half-mile pole and going in splits of 24.79 seconds for the quarter and 48.37 for the half-mile. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.53.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson will double down on this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint as he plans to run both Salutos Amigos and Stallwalkin’ Dude in the $1.5 million race Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Salutos Amigos and Stallwalkin’ Dude were a head apart when second and third behind Rock Fall in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park on Sept. 26. Afterward, Jacobson said he definitely was planning to send Salutos Amigos to the Breeders’ Cup, but he hedged on what he was going to do with Stallwalkin’ Dude. He has opted to give that 5-year-old gelding by City Place the chance to run.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Square Dancer is the clear favorite to win the Grade 3, $100,000 BC Premier’s Handicap at Hastings on Monday. Trained by Steve Henson, Square Dancer hasn’t lost in three starts at Hastings, and he overcame adversity to win the $100,000 Redekop Classic in his last start. However, another horse in Henson’s barn could be the sleeper in the 1 3/8-mile feature.

While Unbridled Forever will miss the Breeders’ Cup  Filly and Mare Sprint with a minor injury, owner and breeder Charles Fipke and trainer Dallas Stewart are looking to run her younger full sister in a supporting event on BC weekend.

ARCADIA, Calif. – While American Pharoah and Beholder were the major names working at Santa Anita on Friday morning, the unbeaten 2-year-old colt Nyquist stayed on course for his appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Keeneland with an easy half-mile work in 52 seconds for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“Just a little leg-stretcher,” O’Neill said. “He two-minute licked around there and came the last half-mile in 52 seconds. He looks fantastic.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Few horses in Breeders’ Cup history have won in more amazing fashion than Bobby’s Kitten. A Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred, Bobby’s Kitten passed 13 horses in the stretch run of the Turf Sprint last year at Santa Anita, giving the Ramseys their third BC winner.

Things haven’t gone so well for Bobby’s Kitten this year, but that won’t preclude the 4-year-old from defending his title Oct. 31 in the BC Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockeys James Graham and Corey Nakatani have been suspended for repeated violations of a new whip rule, according to rulings released by the Santa Anita board of stewards.

Graham was suspended for Sunday’s card after his fourth offense, which occurred aboard Texas Ryano, the winner of the $76,000 King Pellinore Stakes on turf Sept. 27.