Art Wilson, who chronicled Southern California horse racing since the mid-1980s, died on Sunday of heart failure, his brother Ed told Santa Anita publicity.

Wilson, who lived near Victorville, Calif., was 71.

Wilson wrote for the Southern California News Group, a group of papers and websites that includes the Los Angeles Daily News, Orange County Register and Pasadena Star-News. Wilson filed a report as recently as last week on the late Toby Keith, and attended Santa Anita races on assignment earlier this month.

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke won for the first time since Oct. 1 aboard English Danger in Sunday’s first race at Santa Anita, five weeks after he returned from a three-month self-imposed hiatus.

Last October, Van Dyke, 29, left racing to deal with personal issues and his mental approach to the sport. He resumed working horses in early January and had his first mount of the year on Jan. 14.

“It’s nice to get a win,” Van Dyke said. “The connections make it extra special.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Muth, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 6 in his 3-year-old debut, was held out of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park next Saturday after trainer Bob Baffert said he was unsatisfied with the colt’s workout at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Muth worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, but the exercise occurred at a time when morning training was disrupted after the stakes winner Big Switch was pulled up in the stretch with a fatal injury.

“He’s not going to Arkansas,” Baffert said of Muth. “He didn’t get a proper work.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Halina’s Forte, winner of Saturday’s Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct, left New York Sunday to return to Kentucky where she will most likely make her next start, trainer Phil Bauer said.

What’s less determined is at what distance Halina’s Forte will run next. Options include the Grade 1, $600,000 Ashland on April 5 at 1 1/16 miles or the Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont at seven furlongs on April 7. Both races are at Keeneland.

Pacesetting Track Phantom could not hold off hard charging Sierra Leone on Saturday at Fair Grounds in the Risen Star Stakes, but next month in the Louisiana Derby he won’t have to.

While Track Phantom is a likely runner in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 23, Sierra Leone will be pointed to the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes on April 6 at Keeneland, trainer Chad Brown confirmed Sunday. Brown had said before the Risen Star that his intention was to use the Fair Grounds race and the Blue Grass as Sierra Leone’s path to the Kentucky Derby.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Timberlake will be part of a field of 13 when he makes his first start since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Entries for the 1 1/16-mile race were drawn Sunday. It anchors a 12-race card that will have a special first post of noon Central.