HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Pearl Turn, who gave Will Van Meter his first win as a trainer when she captured an allowance March 14 at Oaklawn, also could be his first graded stakes starter. On Monday, Van Meter was debating whether to run Pearl Turn in the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap on Friday.

Van Meter, 30, is an Army veteran who holds a degree in equine business administration from the University of Louisville. He also is the son of Dr. Tom Van Meter, a veterinarian and prominent owner and consignor who co-bred 2005 Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Plans are being made to send Sugar Shock, the winner of Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park, to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks, trainer Doug Anderson said Monday. Sugar Shock was a half-length winner of the Fantasy, wiring the field from her rail post and earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sahara Sky finished second in last year’s Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct and returned to New York to win the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer hopes the same pattern holds true after Sahara Sky finished second to Dads Caps in Saturday’s Carter. Hollendorfer said Monday that Sahara Sky will return for the Met Mile on June 7 at Belmont Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Princess of Sylmar was one of four horses trainer Todd Pletcher ran in last year’s Kentucky Oaks. This year, Pletcher looks to have three contenders for the $1 million Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

On Monday, Pletcher shipped Gazelle one-two finishers My Miss Sophia and Got Lucky to Louisville where they will be joined in a few weeks by In Tune, winner of the Gulfstream Oaks on March 29.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Princess of Sylmar laid out a blueprint of the schedule they would like to keep this year for their 4-year-old filly, who made a successful return to the races Sunday with a 3 1/2-length victory in the Cat Cay Stakes at Aqueduct.

The schedule includes the $1 million Ogden Phipps on June 7 at Belmont Park, the $750,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on July 12, the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga in August, and the Grade 1 Beldame on Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Todd Pletcher confirmed Monday that he will have three starters in the Blue Grass Stakes as he tries to increase his numbers for the Kentucky Derby.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes, the annual spring meet highlight at Keeneland, is expected to have a full field of 14 for its 90th running Saturday. Entries will be drawn Wednesday morning at a media breakfast that will be televised live on TVG from 11:30 a.m. to noon Eastern.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – When Sneaking Uponyou powered away from the field through the stretch en route to a smashing 6 1/4-length victory in the Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn and Suites Sprint Stakes, it put an exclamation point on the 12th Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs on a Saturday program that saw locally based runners take four of the six $75,000 stakes for Florida-breds.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Tapiture breezed for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Monday, going a half-mile in 50.80 seconds in the second set of workers at Oaklawn Park. He is one of the favorites for the mile and an eighth race that closes out the meet Saturday.

The track Monday was rated sloppy, and was sealed. It was a clear but damp morning, and temperatures were in the high 40s.

GRAND ISLAND,Neb. -  Leading rider Jake Olesiak was at it again Sunday at Fonner Park as he posted a six-win day for the second time this season.

Olesiak has dominated the jockey colony this year, and with 10 racing days left in the meeting owns a commanding lead with 55 wins through 21 days of racing. Mike Ziegler is second in the standings with 28 and Olesiak's older brother Jordan has 22 to hold third.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Game On Dude is on schedule for a start in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 19 after working six furlongs in 1:13 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Game On Dude won the Santa Anita Handicap on March 8 for a record third time in his most recent start. Mike Smith rode Game On Dude in the Santa Anita Handicap and was aboard for Sunday’s workout.

“I haven’t worked him a lot,” said Smith, Game On Dude’s rider since December 2012. “I’ve been on him six, seven,  or eight times, and that was the best he worked. It felt like he was flying.”