OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Rick Violette’s first inclination after watching Samraat outduel Uncle Sigh in a hard-fought running of the Grade 3 Withers Stakes on Feb. 1 was to give his undefeated 3-year-old some additional time between races and skip the Gotham.

But seeing how well Samraat has done in the last four weeks has convinced Violette not to wait, and on Monday Samraat was one of 11 horses – along with Uncle Sigh – entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. Like the Withers, the Gotham is run at 1 1/16 miles around two turns over the inner track.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Havana and No Nay Never completed preparations for Saturday’s much-anticipated matchup in the Swale Stakes with five-furlong works Sunday.

Havana, who will make his first start since suffering his only defeat when second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, worked in 1:00.90 at Palm Meadows. No Nay Never, undefeated in three starts at 2, with two of those victories coming in Europe, worked in 1:00.41 at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Who says you can’t teach an old horse new tricks?

Travelin Man enjoyed a pretty successful run racing exclusively on dirt at ages 3 through 5. But as a 6-year-old, it appears the multiple stakes winner has embarked on a second career as a turf sprinter in light of his impressive grass debut this winter at Gulfstream Park.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Speed and class are two of the most sought-after attributes in a Thoroughbred, and on Saturday, Our Double Play displayed both qualities in abundance when he ran his competition into submission and pulled away late in the $65,000 Super Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The pick six pool at Santa Anita is expected to surpass seven figures Thursday as bettors pursue a carryover of $198,609 from Sunday’s program.

The carryover was announced after Sweet Swap won the eighth race on the nine-race program.

The pool of new money Thursday is expected to be more than $1.5 million, and possibly much higher.

Thursday’s pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that does not have large fields. The pick six races have fields of 6, 7, 10, 6, 9, and 8 runners.

Intense Holiday wasted no time heading back to trainer Todd Pletcher’s base at the Palm Meadows Training Center in south Florida, leaving Fair Grounds on a Sunday-morning flight that departed well before dawn. By noon, the narrow winner of the Risen Star Stakes was bedded down in his regular stall, looking no worse for travel and racing, and Pletcher confirmed that Intense Holiday probably will be back at Fair Grounds for the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 29.

ARCADIA, Calif. – She’s a Tiger, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2013, worked three furlongs in 38 seconds Saturday, her first workout of the year.

“It was virtually a gallop,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “She did it pretty effortlessly.”

Bonde said a decision on She’s a Tiger’s first start of 2014 has yet to be made, but the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks over 1 1/16 miles on April 5 is a possibility.

“It depends on how she does between now and then,” Bonde said. “We need to get some more works in her.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – The presence of top older males Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 8 may limit the size of the field.

As of Sunday, a field of eight or nine was expected for the Big Cap, with a few trainers taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether they will have a runner.

Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge were separated by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here in November. Mucho Macho Man arrived in California from Florida on Sunday.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Jockey Jake Olesiak made the second day of Fonner Park's young season one to remember by scoring six winners on the 10-race card Saturday.

Olesiak matched his best riding day of 2013, having also won six races April 13 on his way to his first riding title here. He is the eighth rider to win six or more races on a single card at Fonner Park. Ken Shino and Perry Compton are the only two riders to better the six-win mark here. Shino tied a national record with eight wins on a card in 2000, and Compton scored a seven-win day the same year.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The top three finishers from the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday were all reported to be in good condition Sunday morning, but a potential rematch between Wildcat Red, General a Rod, and Top Billing in the Florida Derby on March 29 isn’t certain since only Wildcat Red is definitely intended for that race at this point.