MIAMI – The collective sigh of relief heard when entries were drawn for Saturday’s Summit of Speed card came from the connections of the nine fillies in the Grade 3 Azalea Stakes, once they learned trainer Ralph Ziadie had opted to keep the leader of the local division, R Free Roll, against males in the Grade 3 Carry Back.

Running against colts and geldings is nothing new for R Free Roll, who dominated males by 6 3/4 lengths in the Unbridled Stakes on June 8. She also captured her first-level allowance condition against males at 2.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher unleashed a pair of good-looking 2-year-olds this week at Belmont Park, with Yes Liz, a daughter of Yes It’s True, winning a five-furlong maiden race Wednesday by 3 3/4 lengths and All in Blue, a son of More Than Ready, winning a five-furlong maiden race by 6 1/4 lengths Thursday.

AUBURN, Wash. – After a pair of very sharp efforts in sprints, Rezar will try to stretch his speed around two turns Saturday in the feature race at Emerald Downs, a $17,500 claimer for older horses at one mile. It’s the eighth of nine races on a program that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Trainer Craig Dollase is a nose away from having two Hollywood Gold Cup wins in this young century.

Dollase won the race in 2010 with Awesome Gem, who is now a stable pony, and missed narrowly when Sky Jack edged the Dollase-trained Momentum in 2002.

“The race has been good to us,” Dollase said.

The 42-year-old trainer has a chance for another Gold Cup win Saturday with the outsider Oilisblackgold.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Akkadian, a 5-year-old gelding who was ninth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar last summer, died of a suspected heart attack after a workout here on Wednesday, trainer Julio Canani said on Thursday.

Canani said that Akkadian had just finished a workout when he was stricken.

“He crossed the wire, he started shaking, and he died,” Canani said. “The doctor said he had a heart attack.”

Owned by Gary Broad, Akkadian won 4 of 17 starts and $217,772. He was sixth in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March, his most recent race.

ELMONT, N.Y. – After getting away with an easy lead in winning the Grade 2 Sands Point on Memorial Day, Discreet Marq survived a tough pace battle up front en route to an impressive victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Eventail Stakes for New York-bred fillies at Belmont Park.

Under Jose Lezcano, Discreet Marq battled Roses for Romney through a quarter-mile of 22.88 seconds, a half-mile in 45.32, and six furlongs in 1:09.15, yet still had enough left to draw clear and win by 6 1/4 lengths. She ran 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:41.02 and returned $4.70 as the 6-5 favorite.

MIAMI – Stanley Gold sounded more like a horseplayer than a trainer who will send out two of the leading contenders when talking about Saturday’s $350,000, Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder.

“This is one deep, solid field, probably one of the best I’ve seen around here,” Gold said. “There certainly is nobody who looks like a standout, like the horse we have to beat. It’s a great race from a spectator’s standpoint and with a strong field like this, they should get Grade 1 status for the race next year.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – A rematch between Close Hatches and Dreaming of Julia, the first two finishers in the Grade 1 Mother Goose here June 22, will not happen in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 20.

Trainer Bill Mott said Close Hatches would not run in the Coaching Club because she recently developed a fever that cost her some training time.

“We’re not going to press to make the Coaching Club,” Mott said.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – After a fruitless trip to Dubai, Little Mike returns to action Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations at Monmouth Park.

New Jersey’s premier grass race, the U.N. drew a field of eight for the 60th edition of the 1 3/8-mile stakes that originated at Atlantic City Race Course.

This will be the first U.S. start this season for Little Mike, a monster on the turf last year with Grade 1 wins in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, the Arlington Million, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Schiaparelli has been a brilliant turf sprinter since her career began in spring 2011. Whether she can be equally as effective over a mile will be better known in Saturday’s $150,000 Royal Heroine Stakes on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park.

“It’s the only question,” trainer Mike Puype said. “It’s a graded race, and it’s worth a shot.”