In his historic career, Ochoa has won such races as the $2.4  million All American Futurity in 2011, and the $903,774 Rainbow Derby and $2.2 million All American Derby in 2012, all at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico.

But it was Ochoa’s performance in his California debut in Sunday’s $150,000 Los Alamitos Championship that left veteran trainer Sleepy Gilbreath and jockey Roy Baldillez amazed.

“That was one of his best races,” Baldillez said of the 4-year-old gelding. “He left there running. He ran a full race and the time was pretty fast.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – In the spring of 2011, Mission Approved – who had been claimed in the spring of 2010 for $35,000 – returned from an 11-month layoff to upset defending turf champion Gio Ponti in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park.

A horse that wins the 2014 Kentucky Derby following victories in the Tampa Bay Derby and Sam F. Davis Stakes will be awarded a bonus of $1 million by Tampa Bay Downs, the track announced on Wednesday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Malcolm Pierce continued his banner season here last Saturday, sending out Dance Again and Smartyfly to finish first and second in the $150,000 Carotene Stakes. Dance Again, a homebred for Sam-Son Farm, became a stakes winner in the Carotene, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies, and gave Pierce his sixth stakes win of the meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bajan, winner of last Sunday’s Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, is likely to miss the Breeders’ Cup, trainer Simon Callaghan said Wednesday.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Ronald and Jerry Frankel, Bajan was considered for the $2 million BC Juvenile Fillies over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, but instead will start a week later in the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes over seven furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis could roll the dice and take his amazing former claimer Ribo Bobo to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. After all, the gelded son of Louis Quatorze has won all eight of his starts this season, at distances ranging from 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 furlongs, including Monmouth Park’s Icecapade Stakes late this summer.

Secret Circle may have earned a start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 2 with an emphatic comeback win in an optional claimer Monday.

Unraced since finishing second to Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby in April 2012, Secret Circle won the six-furlong race by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:07.98.

“When they’re off that long, sometimes you forget how good they are,” trainer Bob Baffert said in the winner’s circle.

Game On Dude on Tuesday turned up the intensity of his preparation for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov.  2 when working a sharp six furlongs in company at Santa Anita.

Game On Dude was given an official time of 1:12.20 for six furlongs, and his trainer, Bob Baffert, had him going out seven furlongs in “1:25 and change.” He will have two more works prior to the Classic, in which he is expected to be favored.

“Everything went great,” Baffert said. “He was sharp. He’s on schedule.”

The additional distance Que Deseo picks up in Thursday night’s eighth race at Remington Park should be a boon for the half-brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Wasted Tears. He goes in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance that has a $50,000 claiming option. The race is one of two intriguing offerings on the eve of Friday night’s $1 million Oklahoma Classics program at Remington. In the fifth Thursday night, multiple stakes winner Stachys takes on 3-year-olds Texas Bling and Steelman Run.