OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice could have chosen a $70,000 New York-bred allowance race here on Thursday in which to bring back her multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Palace. Instead, she chose Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Carter Handicap, spicing up what already was shaping up as a pretty interesting race.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Of all the people who knew, revered, and loved the late Allen Jerkens, nobody spent more time with the Chief on a daily basis over the past 18 1/2 years than longtime assistant Fernando Abreu.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bayern, unraced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic here in November, worked a sharp six furlongs in 1:12 under jockey Martin Garcia on Wednesday.

Bayern began 2 1/2 lengths behind stablemate Secretsatmidnight, caught the workmate at the eighth pole, and finished more than a length in front. Trainer Bob Baffert timed Bayern through the opening quarter-mile in 24.40 seconds, the final half-mile in 47.60, and galloping out seven furlongs in 1:24.80.

“That’s good,” Baffert said. “He’s coming.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Tiago Pereira was hospitalized briefly on Sunday after being involved in a spill.

Pereira was unseated from Only Josie Knows when the mare broke down severely. Pereira was scheduled to resume riding Thursday after taking a few mornings off, according to his agent, Joe Griffin.

Pereira, 38, is best known for winning the 2010 Dubai World Cup on Gloria de Campeao. He is tied for 14th in the standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with 15 wins.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Earlier this week, owners Chris Aulds and Peter Jeong and trainer Matt Chew were considering running Singing Kitty on Saturday in either the $150,000 Providencia Stakes on turf or the more prestigious $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks, a Grade 1 dirt race at 1 1/16 miles.

With two turf stakes wins this year, Singing Kitty will try a new challenge in the Santa Anita Oaks. A Tuesday evening conversation between Aulds and Chew clinched the plan, Chew said Wednesday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Chad Brown is very familiar with Keeneland, not only through his visits to the horse sales for his deep-pocketed clients but also in his work as an assistant to the late Bobby Frankel and with his own horses since he opened a public stable more than seven years ago.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wise Dan won’t be running at the Keeneland spring meet, but that’s been known for some time now. What came as somewhat unexpected and further disappointing news for racing fans is that champion Judy the Beauty won’t make the meet either.

“I just couldn’t get her ready in time,” said Wesley Ward, who owns and trains Judy the Beauty, the Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter of 2014. “It was a fierce winter, and we had to miss too much training with her.”

The first leg of the turf starter handicap series that was to begin Saturday at Pimlico has been pushed back a week because the turf course is not yet in racing condition.

The three-leg series for horses who have started for $5,000 claiming or less in 2014-15 will increase in distance from a mile to 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles. The purses are $25,000 in Round 1, $30,000 in Round 2, and $35,000 in the final round. There will be separate divisions for males and females.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Carpe Diem was assigned post 5 as the even-money morning-line favorite for the Blue Grass Stakes, the Keeneland showcase that will be run Saturday on its new date on the racing calendar.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Chuck C. Lopez is living the dream – as hard as he tries not to dream at all.

Lopez is the regular rider of El Kabeir, a multiple-stakes-winning 3-year-old who is one step – or more correctly, nine furlongs – away from making it to the Kentucky Derby. Lopez, 54, has never ridden in a Kentucky Derby, and if he were somehow to win it this year, he would match Bill Shoemaker as the oldest rider to accomplish the feat. Shoemaker was 54 when he won the 1986 Derby on Ferdinand.