LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Whenever Steve Asmussen has an uncoupled entry in a given race – which is fairly often, considering how many horses he trains – he uses a standard policy when asked to comment publicly on which horse has the best chance to win.

“Keep your job,” he said with a laugh. “Remember you send the bill to both clients.”

That diplomacy came to the fore when Asmussen was asked whether he could choose between Awesome Bet and Sabercat, his uncoupled pair in one of the Thursday co-features at Churchill.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mike Mitchell missed his stable’s biggest day of 2012.

When Camp Victory won the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 30, 2012, Mitchell was in a Southern California hospital, recovering from an operation for a brain tumor. He rooted home the winner in the company of his wife and two adult daughters, watching on a computer.

The happiest man at the Alameda County Fair last weekend was local Pleasanton trainer Jeff Bonde.

Bonde loves the fair and really loves winning in his hometown, and he had two impressive winners last weekend.

First-timer She’s a Tiger, a 2-year-old three-quarter-sister of multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Smiling Tiger, popped the gate, had a four-length lead after the opening quarter, and won a five-furlong maiden race by nine lengths Saturday in 57.49 seconds.

Hardest Core and Stormy Len, two lightly-raced 3-year-olds who have flashed some potential, oppose their elders in Thursday’s $77,000 allowance feature.

The preliminary allowance attracted six older runners, including a David Jacobson-trained entry of Ready to Taunt and Ea, both of whom have Javier Castellano named to ride. Ea would most likely be the one to run if rain forces a switch from 10 furlongs on the inner turf to nine furlongs on the main track.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse could have as many as four horses in the July 7 Queen’s Plate, with both Dynamic Sky and Spring in the Air considered definite starters and Jagger M and Kaigun on the fence as of Monday.

Dynamic Sky won the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial on June 9 and Spring in the Air finished second behind Queen’s Plate-bound Nipissing in the same day’s Woodbine Oaks.

Joel Rosario rode both horses, and Casse will give him his choice of the two for the $1 million Queen’s Plate, with Gary Boulanger set to inherit the other mount.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Conquest Stables LLC, the nom du course of owners Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell, has upped its ante considerably in trainer Mark Casse’s stable of late.

And after watching Conquest Two Step win impressively in his debut at Churchill Downs last Friday and Conquest Whiplash defeat males here in Saturday’s $153,000 Victoria Stakes, it would appear that good times are in store for the new partnership.

Saratoga Race Course will officially celebrate its 150th anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 3, the track’s operator, the New York Racing Association, announced Monday during a press conference designed to drum up publicity for the summer meet that starts July 19.

The 150th-anniversary celebration will take place on the same day as the Whitney Handicap. Buddy Valastro, a celebrity chef who is known as the “Cake Boss,” will present a cake to mark the anniversary during the day’s races, and all fans will receive a commemorative poster with each paid admission.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – A few weeks ago, Arlington bettors might have taken Warbird or Night Patrol to the bank in the featured sixth race Wednesday. The simple reason: Wayne Catalano trains those horses, and for most of May and early June, Catalano won with about one out of every two of his Arlington runners, of which there were plenty.

After going unhit Saturday and Sunday, a two-day, $248,140 pick-six carryover awaits bettors Wednesday at Belmont Park, with a nine-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Lion Cavern, an overnight stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Six older sprinters entered the Lion Cavern, carded as race 8 and thus the next-to-last leg of a pick six that gets under way with race 4 at 2:38 p.m. Eastern.

A pair of $85,000 stakes for 3-year-old Indiana-breds highlight the card at Indiana Downs on Wednesday evening. Both events are scheduled for a mile on turf.