Masochistic, the flashy winner of three consecutive races in 2014 and the runner-up in the Los Alamitos Mile last September, will start as the favorite in a second-level, $62,500 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs Saturday.

Trainer A.C. Avila said his goal is to have Masochistic ready for the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day, May 2. The 5-year-old Masochistic was diagnosed with a quarter crack last fall, which has healed, Avila said.

“Now, he’s 100 percent,” Avila said. “I’d like to get him fit and go for the Churchill Downs Stakes.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Texas Red, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November, will remain at a Northern California farm until March 7 while recovering from an abscess in a foot, trainer Keith Desormeaux said on Thursday.

Desormeaux had planned to bring Texas Red to Santa Anita this weekend. Desormeaux said he has opted for an additional week for further recuperation and to continue a program of swimming Texas Red at the farm.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Temperatures remained in the low 20s, and it was another gray morning Thursday in New York. At least a forecast for a dusting of snow failed to materialize.

One sign, perhaps, that spring is not a myth was the presence of a pair of multiple Grade 1 winners on the Belmont Park training track Thursday morning.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Noble Moon, the winner of the Grade 2 Jerome in 2014, worked three furlongs in 37.85 seconds Thursday, his second breeze of the year. He has not run since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile last Nov. 29.

Trainer Leah Gyarmati is pleased with the progress Noble Moon is making and said she would look to run him in a second-level allowance race when he is ready.

AUBURN, Wash. – Emerald Downs put the finishing touches on its stakes schedule this week, and it’s a virtual carbon copy of the one from 2014, with 29 stakes races valued at $1.62 million, up from $1.61 million a year ago.

The highlight of the 70-day meeting, which opens April 18, is the $200,000 Longacres Mile, a Grade 3 event for older horses. As usual, a trio of $50,000 stakes will serve as steppingstones to the Mile: The Governor’s Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs May 17, the Budweiser Handicap at one mile June 15, and the Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1 1/16 miles July 19.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Bold Conquest, who was fourth in Sunday's Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in his first start since October, is being pointed for the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 14, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday. Bold Conquest will attempt to give his owner-trainer team of Ackerley Brothers Farm and Asmussen their second Rebel win together, following Snuck In in 2000.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Bayerd, the winner of the $255,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in December who finished an uncharacteristic eighth in the Southwest Stakes on Sunday at Oaklawn, will cut back in distance for his next start, said trainer Steve Asmussen. He said the horse is being pointed for the $100,000 Gazebo for 3-year-olds at six furlongs March 21 at Oaklawn.

Bayerd is a two-time winner at the distance, in a maiden special weight at Saratoga and the Kip Deville at Remington.

Daredevil was assigned post 1 for his much-awaited seasonal debut in the $200,000 Swale Stakes, one of three graded stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

One of the handful of Kentucky Derby prospects trained by Todd Pletcher, Daredevil will be making his first start since finishing last of 11 as the 5-2 second choice in the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The colt will be ridden by Javier Castellano when facing six others in the seven-furlong Swale.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mr. Z is being pointed for the Louisiana Derby, with Corey Nakatani to have the mount, said trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Nakatani rode the horse for the first time Sunday, when Mr. Z finished a close third in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes.

The Grade 2, $750,000 Louisiana Derby is a 1 1/8-mile race at Fair Grounds on March 28. The winner will earn 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

Sensitively won her debut in a maiden race by 9 1/4 lengths Feb. 21 and could go for a stakes in her second start this spring, according to trainer Phil D’Amato.

Sensitively earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for her victory, in which she raced near the front and pulled clear through the stretch. The win was not a surprise to D’Amato, who trains Sensitively for owner-breeder John Liviakis.