SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The way he ended last year and began this season, Imagining appeared poised to successfully fill the shoes of departed stablemates Point of Entry and Boisterous in trainer Shug McGaughey’s shed row.

Imagining took a step backward, however, in the Grade 1 Manhattan two months ago when he finished sixth behind Real Solution. Imagining has shown the ability to rebound from a bad effort with a good one, and he will look to do that again in Sunday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, the biggest race of the summer for 3-year-old fillies, will be run Saturday, but it will be lacking the division leader, Untapable.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Serious, a former $5,000 claimer who suffered sesamoid injuries in a turf sprint July 31 at Del Mar, was euthanized Thursday because of complications from the injury, according to California equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur.

An effort was made to save Serious in the weeks following her injury, but the filly’s condition deteriorated in recent days. She is the fifth horse to be euthanized as a result of injuries sustained in turf races since the meeting began July 17.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Twice in a week, trainer Bob Hess Jr. has won stakes that disrupted racing plans for early September.

When Merit Man won Wednesday’s $94,540 Green Flash Handicap on the Polytrack synthetic surface, he earned $56,100, making him no longer eligible for the $90,000 Pirate’s Bounty Stakes over six furlongs on the closing-day program Sept. 3.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Even when he has lost, Adelaide has run well, and if Adelaide runs his race Saturday at Arlington, he looks unlikely to lose the Grade 1, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes.

Adelaide has won twice in Ireland, finished second in France and England, and most pertinently to the Secretariat, was second July 5 in the $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational. There, Adelaide took the lead in midstretch but was run down and beaten a neck by Mr Speaker, a likely starter in the Travers Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Ontology, the former stakes horse who was vanned off after being promoted to first in a $20,000 claiming race Wednesday, was being treated at trainer Kristin Mulhall’s stable for sesamoid and suspensory injuries Thursday.

Mulhall said Thursday that Ontology will not undergo surgery and that “he’ll survive the injury.”

“The thing you have to worry about is founder,” she said. “So far, so good. He’s eating, and he’s comfortable.”

Mulhall said she claimed the 3-year-old Ontology as a stallion prospect on behalf of owner Farrohk Moshar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Madame Cactus was a tired filly after she finished last of six in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita last December. The clues surfaced last fall in the weeks between her win in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland in October and the La Brea.

“After the Raven Run, she didn’t train that well,” trainer Peter Eurton said. “She ran badly, and we backed off and gave her a freshening.”

The Los Alamitos September Thoroughbred meeting will have a $775,000 stakes program of eight races equivalent in value to the 12 stakes offered at the meeting it replaces, the Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif.

The Los Alamitos meeting, which runs Sept. 5-21, is highlighted by the $200,000 Los Alamitos Mile for 3-year-olds and up Sept. 6. The race was tentatively scheduled for Sept. 20 but pushed forward at the request of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, according to Los Alamitos general manager Brad McKinzie.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The pick six paid $380,667 to two ticketholders at Del Mar on Wednesday on a program in which two favorites and the longest shot in a turf race were among the winners.

The day began with a pick-six carryover of $171,914 from Sunday. Bettors added $1,039,193 on Wednesday.

The winning tickets were purchased in Ontario, Canada, and Las Vegas, track officials said.

Consolation tickets with five winners paid $1,124.

Southern California trainer Mike Machowsky has never run a horse at Arlington Park, but that will change Saturday, when he saddles Big Kick as the likely front-runner and a major contender in the American St. Leger.

“From what everyone tells us about Arlington, I’m really looking forward to being there,” said Machowsky.