INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A year ago on June 29, trainer Mike Mitchell was undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. Winning a Grade 1 race on the one-year anniversary of that date was a lot better, obviously.

Obviously, utilizing his usual front-running style, and his penchant to keep on going, scored the first Grade 1 win of his career on Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park in the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile, an emotional victory for everyone connected to Mitchell.

“A year ago was his surgery,” said his wife, Denise. “It’s kind of a big deal.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Black Hornet ($6.50) buzzed to the lead on the turn and never looked back to take the $150,000 Achievement Stakes for 3-year-olds at Woodbine on Saturday.

Black Hornet tracked the rapid Click through an opening quarter-mile in 21.90 seconds, and then took control before getting the half in a sizzling 44.49 seconds. He kicked clear in the stretch to score comfortably by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:09.46 for the six furlongs.

Justin Stein rode Black Hornet for Winview Racing Stable and trainer Pat Parente.

Saint Arthur went right to the front and never looked back in Saturday’s $50,000 Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes, wiring the six-furlong sprint for New York-bred 3-year-olds by two lengths.

Saint Arthur ($4.10), the favorite in the field of six, built a 3 1/2-length lead under jockey Jamie Rodriquez after a quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds and a half-mile in 46.31. He increased his lead to five lengths at the top of the stretch and had more than enough left to hold off second choice Tequila Hero, who rallied from fifth place under Jeremias Flores to be the runner-up.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Saturday’s $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, the richest race of the Betfair Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting, drew just nine nominations.

There were six probable starters as of Saturday, a group led by defending champion Game On Dude. The winner of three stakes this year, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March, Game On Dude will be a heavy favorite in the Gold Cup, which is run at 1 1/4 miles on the synthetic main track.

One sees it regularly. Race after race, a horse takes strangely heavy betting action, going off at odds far below fair value. Race after race, the horse lets down its mysterious legion of backers. The money finally goes elsewhere – and that’s the day the horse finally breaks out.

Independence Day arrives two days early at Mountaineer Park with a pair of $75,000 turf stakes.

Since the track is dark Wednesday and Thursday, the holiday celebration is set for Tuesday night, with a nine-race card starting at 7.

It kicks off with a bang, with the one-mile stakes occupying the first two races on the program: the Independence Day followed by the Firecracker for fillies and mares. Both proved popular at the entry box, with full fields of 12 for both and several more sitting on the also-eligible lists.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Bluegrass Pride will try to establish himself as the leader of the local 3-year-old division when he runs in the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap at Hastings on Monday.

The 1 1/16-mile Loseth drew eight horses and is part of a stakes-rich Canada Day card that includes the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors’ for 3-year-olds and up, the $50,000 Supernaturel for 3-year-old fillies, and the $50,000 Monashee for fillies and mares.

Zippy Request looks like the one to catch in a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares that will serve as the Canada Day feature at Northlands Park on Monday. The six-furlong sprint goes as race 7 on the eight-race card, which begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.

Trained by Rod Cone, Zippy Request was running above her conditions when she set an honest pace before tiring to finish fourth in a second-level allowance race going 6 1/2 furlongs June 22. She should appreciate the easier company and the slightly shorter distance Monday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Alpha Bettor defeated the leading older Polytrack routers at Woodbine on May 12 in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes. He will test his skills over 1 1/4 miles on the Canada Day holiday Monday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Dominion Day Stakes.

Alpha Bettor had been idle for six months when he won the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse over Delegation and James Street. At 13-1, he was the second-longest price in the five-horse field.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Shrug will be looking for his third stakes win in his fourth start at the meet when he runs in the $50,000 Lieutenant Governors’ at Hastings on Monday. The Canada Day feature for 3-year-olds and up drew six horses and headlines a 10-race card that includes the Monashee for fillies and mares, the Chris Loseth for 3-year-olds, and the Supernaturel for 3-year-old fillies. All four races are worth $50,000 and will be contested over 1 1/16 miles.