SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Departing has never raced at Saratoga, his trainer, Al Stall, believes the grand-looking 4-year-old colt really thrives up here. It was hard to argue that point Friday morning after Departing worked a strong five furlongs in 1:00.02 over the main track.

Departing is preparing for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Whitney Handicap here Aug. 2.

“He loves New York,” Stall said. “I noticed that last year. He didn’t run here, but he ran well training here. I’m dying to run him in New York.”

AUBURN, Wash. – Trackattacker is fast – he set an Emerald Downs track record in his career debut – but how fast is he, exactly? An answer should be forthcoming Sunday, when Trackattacker makes his second start against five rivals in the $50,000 Emerald Express for 2-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The larger-than-usual crowd gathering at the Oklahoma training track shortly before 10 a.m. on Friday could mean only one thing: Wise Dan was about to turn in his first work since arriving here from Kentucky one week ago.

The two-time defending Horse of the Year did not disappoint his fans, breezing an easy half-mile in 49.10 seconds before galloping out strongly into and around the turn, pulling up six furlongs in 1:14.53 with regular exercise rider Damien Rock aboard.

Owner-breeder Brereton Jones and trainer Larry Jones have developed some top 3-year-olds together. Next Sunday, they will try to get the consistent and improving Albano a Grade 1 win in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Thursday’s opening day at Del Mar drew an ontrack crowd of 42,021, a decline of 2.3 percent over the 43,030 that attended the 2013 opening day.

It was the second consecutive year of decline, the first time that has occurred since 1995 and 1996, but the 10th consecutive year of an opening-day crowd of greater than 40,000. The 2012 opening day attracted an all-time record of 47,339.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Friday’s second day of the Del Mar meeting will feature a pick six carryover of $106,931.

A sequence of upset winners on Thursday’s opening day, notably Passing Game ($62.80) in the ninth race, clinched the carryover.
Friday’s pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 4 p.m., Pacific.

As of Thursday morning, there were no early scratches for Friday.

There are plenty of horses to study. The pick six races have fields of 12, 9, 8, 10, 9 and 12.

DEL MAR, Calif. – They came from all over the world for opening day at Del Mar, none perhaps farther than jockey Tiago Pereira and trainer A.C. Avila.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When the connections of Untapable decided to face males in the $1 million Haskell Invitational, My Miss Sophia, runner-up to Untapable in the Kentucky Oaks, figured to inherit the role of favorite for the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.

Only thing is, My Miss Sophia was not entered Thursday for Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Not surprisingly, none of the four $32,000 Hall of Fame stakes races scheduled at Hastings for Saturday and Sunday filled. With B.C. Cup Day coming up, it was a good idea to try to have races for non-British Columbia-bred stakes horses, but with the condition that seven horses had to be entered to make the race go, they were probably doomed from the start.

Trainer Marty Wolfson says he has no intention of rushing his sensational debut winner Atreides back following his 5 1/4-length debut win last Saturday, for which he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. The performance was one of the best turned in by a first-time starter at Gulfstream Park, winter or summer, in quite some time.