Her most recent loss came with a ready-made excuse, but if Groupie Doll somehow gets beaten as she defends her title Monday evening in the Presque Isle Downs Masters, well, things might be a little harder to explain.

Trainer Buff Bradley said Saturday at his Churchill Downs base that he certainly hopes to avoid that discomfiting position. Bradley said he has been very satisfied with Groupie Doll as the 2012 female sprint champion prepared to make her second start of the year Monday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Masters for fillies and mares at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Admiral Kitten had his first breeze Saturday since his breakthrough victory in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes and will make his next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Jamaica on Oct. 5 at Belmont Park, trainer Mike Maker said.

The addition of Lasix and the switch from sprints to routes has turned Peter’s Project into one of the best young horses on the grounds at Finger Lakes this summer.

After losing his career debut and getting disqualified for slamming into another horse with about a quarter-mile remaining in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint, the 3-year-old Peter’s Project has won three races in a row, all routes, by 10 1/4 lengths or more. He looks to extend that streak in Tuesday’s featured eighth race at 1 1/16 miles in a field of allowance runners that includes 2012 New York Derby winner Fox Rules.

As a 3-year-old, Our Edge was talented enough to win a Grade 3 stakes by seven lengths, he led the Grade 1 Travers after a half-mile, and was in front through the first six furlongs of the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby. Those performances all came four years ago, however, and at age 7, Our Edge is just 1 for 12 over the past two seasons.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Riding the River tuned up for the Woodbine Mile here Saturday with a five-furlong breeze under rider Todd Kabel on the main track.

Slated to work in company in a scenario that went awry, Riding the River was given an official time of 1:03, which was disputed by his trainer and co-owner, Dave Cotey.

“His workmate, Honey Come Home, broke off way in front of him,” Cotey said. “He tracked her anyway and caught up to her.”

Honey Come Home also was given a time of 1:03 for the work, which took place during heavy rainfall.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Super Derby favorite Departing was out for some light exercise before dawn Saturday morning at Louisiana Downs. He is expected to start as the odds-on choice in the mile and an eighth race which has an approximate post time of 5:15 p.m. Central.

Departing, the winner of last month’s Grade 2 West Virginia Derby, came onto the track at 6:10 a.m., accompanied by a pony. The horses stood for a brief while before proceeding to jog a mile. Departing came off the track around 6:20.

POMONA, Calif. – Odds-on favorite Ondine became a stakes winner Friday at the Los Angeles County Fair, where she won the $50,000 Beverly J. Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length over Warren’s Veneda.

Friday was opening day of the Barretts at Fairplex meet, and form held in 100-degree heat. Favorites won three of the nine races, the pick six was hit to the tune of $16,905.80 for one ticketholder, and Ondine returned $3.60 for trainer Bob Baffert.

AUBURN, Wash. - While Stryker Phd has been one of the fastest horses at Emerald Downs in recent memory, posting Beyer Speed Figures of 96 and 97 in his past two starts, it's also true that the late-running 4-year-old has never won a race at his home track. A hard-luck second in four consecutive stakes appearances, Stryker Phd will try to kick down the door Sunday as the likely favorite in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – This past spring, trainer Jonas Gibson moved his stable back to his home track of Louisiana Downs for the first time since 2007. It’s been the right call for the barn.

Gibson, a 31-year-old from Benton, La., is enjoying arguably the best meet of his young career. He ranked fifth in the local standings through Thursday, with 23 wins from 82 starters. In addition, Gibson’s strike rate of 28 percent is one of the highest win percentages among trainers at Louisiana Downs. He is returning to this region after having raced at Delaware Park, among other tracks.

AUBURN, Wash. – While the race for horse-of-the-meeting honors at Emerald Downs has narrowed to two standout contenders – Herbie D, who captured his only two local starts in brilliant fashion, and the undefeated 3-year-old filly Stopshoppingdebbie – Chu and You could make a compelling case for consideration with a victory Sunday in the $50,000 Northwest Farms Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

The Northwest Farms is one of six $50,000 stakes on Washington Cup Day, all for statebreds, highlighted by the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic.