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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In recent years, trainers Kiaran McLaughlin and Tom Albertrani have won the Travers with horses from whom big things were expected.

Saturday, in the 144th Travers Stakes at Saratoga, McLaughlin and Albertrani are back in the race with horses that could be intriguing longshots in a field highlighted by Haskell winner Verrazano, Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, and Kentucky Derby winner Orb.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar officials are considering dividing the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 1, provided the race receives sufficient entries and that business continues to show improvement over last year.

Director of racing Tom Robbins said Wednesday that the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby would need at least 16 intended runners to be divided. Ten can start in each race.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Everything is going according to plan these days for Charlie Smith and his blue-collar runner String King. If you are the owner, breeder, and trainer of a horse who regularly takes down six-figure stakes events, that kind of order can be a wonderful thing.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Andallthatitmeans is going to be a very short price and should be tough to handle when he runs in the colts-and-geldings division of the CTHS Sales Stakes for 2-year-olds at Hastings on Friday.

The fillies division also will have a solid favorite, Architecture, but she might have her hands full with Elusive Lily, who appears primed to pull off a small upset.

Each race is worth $50,000 and covers 6 1/2 furlongs. Post time for the first of seven races is 7:15 p.m. Pacific.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Timing is everything in sports, and the timing of the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby for Broadway Empire last Saturday at Northlands Park worked out perfectly. A few hours later, and Broadway Empire wouldn’t have made the race. Luckily for his connections, he did, and his display of speed and stamina in winning the 1 3/8-mile race with Rico Walcott aboard was very impressive.

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SARATOGA, N.Y. – The $100,000 Chowder’s First Stakes for New York-bred sprinters would normally garner little attention on a card that is highlighted by a race like the Grade 1 Ballerina.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – The longer, the better, it seems for the turf filly Topic. Winless in five races at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, she finally broke through with a victory against maidens going 1 3/16 miles, then stretched out to 1 1/4 miles and was a good third last time out in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Betfair Hollywood Park.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When No Nay Never won the Prix Morny at Deauville in France last Sunday, it gave trainer Wesley Ward the first Group 1 victory of his 22-year training career.

He hopes it’s the start of a trend.

Ward will seek his first North American Grade 1 victory Friday at Saratoga when Judy the Beauty, a three-time runner-up in Grade 1 races, starts in the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Seawatch, who went on a tear during the spring and early summer, returns from a short layoff in the first race Friday at Woodbine. The 1 1/8-mile starter allowance is limited to horses who competed with a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2012-13.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – The large field expected for Sunday’s $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar may work in favor of a proven closer such as Jeranimo.