SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher entered two fillies for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, but they weren’t necessarily the two whom many expected.

Pletcher entered Sweet Whiskey, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Acorn, and the speedy Red Velvet, the winner of the Jersey Girl Stakes two starts back at Belmont Park, in the seven-furlong Test. Pletcher did not enter My Miss Sophia, the runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks and the seventh-place finisher as the favorite in the Acorn.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Wax was added to the Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar on Tuesday in an effort to slow race and workout times, according to track superintendent Richard Tedesco.

Over the weekend, track records were set at four distances – five furlongs, one mile, 1 1/16 miles, and 1 1/8 miles.

Tuesday’s procedure was conducted along with a roto-tilling to a depth of four inches to loosen the top layer of material, Tedesco said.

“It was a light waxing,” he said. “I didn’t want a lot of stick. I wanted it a little slower. It was getting too fast.”

DEL MAR, Calif. – Eddie’s First, last of seven in the Los Alamitos Super Derby on July 5, will miss Friday’s $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes after bleeding from the lungs during exercise Tuesday, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Eddie’s First collapsed on the track after bleeding Tuesday and pinned exercise rider Amir Cedeno. Cedeno was hospitalized and remained under care Wednesday morning, awaiting an MRI.

O’Neill said he won’t know how long Eddie’s First will be sidelined until further tests are conducted.

Jockey Kirk LeBlanc underwent successful surgery Monday to repair a broken left arm and broken right thumb suffered when he was unseated from his mount in the seventh race July 23. Doctors used a plate and screws in LeBlanc’s arm and inserted pins into his thumb, according to close friend and fellow rider Gerard Melancon.

Churchill has released its condition book for the 12-day September meet, with purses approximately 20 percent lower than those offered during the inaugural September meet last year.

Churchill overpaid purses last September, leading to a purse cut at its fall meet. Subsequently, business slumped at the 2014 spring meet that ended June 29, with all-sources wagering down about 12 percent. Perhaps some of that was attributable to a horseplayers’ boycott stemming from Churchill raising its takeout.

After two difficult races, Tapiture bounced back to his best form last time out in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. On Saturday, he will shoot for the biggest victory of his career in the Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino.

Tapiture had six weeks to recharge between the Kentucky Derby and his Winn victory and has now had a seven-week break between the Winn and the West Virginia Derby.

“Giving him time between races seems to be working for him,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “We expect a big race from him this weekend.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Itsmyluckyday was among the early-season leaders of the 3-year-old division in 2013, and one of many highly regarded horses who didn’t run well over the sloppy Churchill Downs surface in the Kentucky Derby.

OPELOUSAS, La. – The summer in South Louisiana started out mildly enough, but lately, the mercury has climbed back to its balmy seasonal norms.

The same could be said for trainer Troy Hardy. After beginning the season with two wins from his first 20 starters, the Cecilia, La., native’s winning percentage has risen quicker than the temperatures. He is 9 for 24 since, including 7 of his last 11.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Even though the 2-year-old filly Desert Steel set a track record for five furlongs Sunday when defeating maidens, trainer Simon Callaghan said he would keep her in races for California-breds for now, rather than aim high against the likes of the highly regarded Luminance and Tara’s Tango in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

Instead, Callaghan said the $150,000 Generous Portion Stakes on Aug. 27 was the next intended start for Desert Steel.

DEL MAR, Calif. – After Fed Biz won the San Diego Handicap last Saturday at Del Mar – his third win in a Grade 2 stakes race – his trainer, Bob Baffert, said the next order of business was trying to get Fed Biz a Grade 1 win.

The 1 1/16-mile San Diego is often used as a prep for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, run this year on Aug. 24, but Baffert believes Fed Biz is more effective at seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, not the 1 1/4 miles of the Pacific Classic. So, Fed Biz is likely headed to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Forego at seven furlongs Aug. 30.