Santa Anita will race on Thursday, April 30 as a makeup for weather-related cancellations earlier this year.

The track has canceled racing seven times since Dec. 26 because of inclement weather, and has held four makeup days, a Monday in late December and two Thursdays in January. Two makeup days are scheduled next month – April 2 and 30.

The April 2 program is the start of a four-day racing week that includes the Santa Anita Derby program on April 4. The current winter-spring meeting ends on April 5.

Geovanni Franco, who has won seven races at Santa Anita and Turf Paradise this year, is relocating to Lone Star Park in Texas next month.

Franco is currently riding at Turf Paradise in Phoenix where through Thursday, he had four wins this month. Franco is booked to ride four stakes at Turf Paradise on Saturday.

The Lone Star Park meeting begins on April 16. Franco said he plans to ride at Oaklawn Park and Sunland Park in early April. Later this year, Franco said he will ride the Thoroughbred meeting at Remington Park.

Cherokee Nation and Potente, two of trainer Bob Baffert’s expected contenders in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Santa Anita on Friday.

Cherokee Nation, who worked three furlongs in 38.20 seconds on March 14, gained national attention with a 10-length win in a maiden race at a mile on Feb. 27 in his sixth start. Cherokee Nation was timed in 1:34.50 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

Next, who dominated marathon dirt stakes in 2023-24, could be making a comeback.

Next, unraced since finishing last in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2024, worked three furlongs in 38.40 seconds on Feb. 28 at Turfway Park. Trainer Doug Cowans has been galloping the horse since but is likely to get him on a regular breeze schedule soon.

Astronomer, fourth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24 in his best result this year, is a candidate for the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 2, provided he can gain a berth in what is likely to be a popular race.

The purse of the Turf Classic, run at 1 1/8 miles, has been increased by $500,000 to $1.5 million. The race will have a maximum field of 14, a concern for Simon Callaghan, who trains Astronomer for Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor.

Thought Process, an easy winner of the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 28, will not start in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on March 28, trainer Phil D’Amato said on Thursday.

D’Amato said the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on May 25 is the main goal this spring for the 4-year-old filly. D’Amato said Thought Process could start in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on turf for fillies and mares on April 25.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have a division of his 100-horse stable at Churchill Downs this spring.

Baffert is expected to have widespread participation in lucrative stakes during the week of the May 2 Kentucky Derby and have runners at the remainder of the Churchill Downs spring-summer meeting, which runs through June 28.