Another year, another layoff winner in the Gallant Bloom Handicap for Steve Asmussen, as Cluster of Stars returned from an absence of better than five months to lead the Grade 2 sprint at Belmont Park from start to finish, emulating what former stablemate Dust and Diamonds did off a two-month absence a year ago.

BENSALEM, Pa. - Coming to the quarter pole of Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx, jockey Paco Lopez, aboard 30-1 shot City of Weston, was looking for a way to get outside into the clear.

“My plan was the outside but I didn’t have a choice, so I had to come through on the rail,” Lopez said.

The 4-year-old filly Geeky Gorgeous made a good impression on jockey Joe Bravo and owner-trainer Daniel Lopez when she pulled a 14-1 upset seven weeks ago in the six-furlong Regret.

Saturday, Bravo passed up the opportunity to ride in richer races out of town to retain the mount on Geeky Gorgeous in the New Jersey Breeders’ Handicap at Monmouth Park. Lopez showed his confidence by sending Geeky Gorgeous to challenge male sprinters.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sky Girl came through for new connections and for the many horseplayers who backed her down to odds-on favoritism when posting a hard-earned, 1 1/2-length victory Saturday in a scratch-laden 38th running of the Grade 3, $110,000 Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Corey Lanerie, Sky Girl came through a rail opening before finally getting the best of Irish Lute to prevail in the seven-furlong race. Elusive Fate was another neck back in a field of six 3-year-old fillies.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With four of the seven starters in Saturday’s $100,000 Musical Romance Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Marty Wolfson felt pretty confident he would win the race. However, even Wolfson seemed a bit surprised that it was My Pal Chrisy – not Grade 1 winner Starship Truffles – who ended up in the winner’s circle after rallying to a two-length decision over Appealing Stella in the 6 1/2-furlong overnight stakes for fillies and mares.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Favored Leigh Court notched her third straight stakes in front-running style Saturday at Woodbine in the $128,250 La Lorgnette.

Leigh Court ($5.80) set honest fractions in the driving rain in the 1 1/16-mile route and then drew off in the lane to prevail by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:43.32. Overheard finished a clear second, and second choice Spring in the Air was a flat third in the six-horse field of 3-year-old fillies.

Gary Boulanger rode Leigh Court for Melnyk Racing Stable and trainer Josie Carroll.

Fusaichiswonderful was supposed to run Saturday in either the Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs or the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks. A minor injury that Fusaichiswonderful sustained while in her stall Friday, however, caused trainer Tevis McCauley to scratch her from both races and devise an alternate plan that also involves a trip to West Virginia.

Last fall, Mucho Macho Man was a late arrival at Santa Anita before finishing a game second to Fort Larned in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Blame that travel disruption on Hurricane Sandy.

This year, gruesome weather is unlikely to interfere with Mucho Macho Man’s preparation for the BC Classic on Nov. 2. Mucho Macho Man was sent West earlier this month and will have a local prep in the $250,000 Awesome Again Stakes over 1 1/8 miles next Saturday.

Few bettors realized a potent trainer that was in play last Thursday when the 3-year-old filly Just Got In made her first start off a $30,000 claim by Maryland-based trainer Mary Eppler on behalf of Triple Tree Stables. Switching from dirt to turf in an allowance, Just Got In paid $115 to win at Delaware Park.

For those who missed that opportunity, there may be another in Monday’s $50,000 feature at Parx Racing.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – To little surprise, the standout 3-year-old Mylute is finished for the year and is being rested for several months until being brought back for a winter campaign as a 4-year-old.

Mylute ran second in the Louisiana Derby, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, and third in the Preakness before finishing eighth, beaten nearly 20 lengths, in his final start this year, the July 27 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.