MIAMI – Trainer Ron Gaffney has already transformed Rule Number Six from a useful allowance and starter allowance horse as a 3-year-old in 2012 into a stakes winner this season. Gaffney, a transplanted New Englander, is hoping that metamorphosis will continue Saturday when Rule Number Six puts his three-race winning streak on the line in the $75,000 Memorial Day Handicap at Calder.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The three-week drought between six-figure races at Churchill Downs will end Saturday when the Grade 3, $100,000 Louisville Handicap kicks off the holiday weekend.

A field of nine older horses was entered Wednesday for the Louisville, a 1 1/2-mile turf race in which Dark Cove, Ioya Bigtime, and Atigun figure as the favorites.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Trainer Jack Van Berg spent Preakness Day at Louisiana Downs, which was fitting as Van Berg’s two Preakness winners, Gate Dancer in 1984 and Alysheba in 1987, each also won this track’s premier event, the Super Derby.

In addition to his Super Derby successes, Van Berg was a major force in the overnight ranks here at Louisiana Downs. He sent sizeable strings here in the 80’s and early 90’s, annually finishing in the top 10 in the trainer standings.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The good news is Declan’s Warrior ($3) won Wednesday’s $85,000 Gygistar Stakes at Belmont Park. The bad news is he had to run harder – and faster – than his connections had hoped, especially with the plan being to run back in 17 days.

Declan’s Warrior, under Jose Lezcano, rallied from fourth in a five-horse field and ran down Tenango in the final strides to win the Gygistar by a neck. His final time of 1:20.85 for seven furlongs was just .68 seconds off the track record of 1:20.17 set by Left Bank in the 2002 Tom Fool Handicap.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Canadian Triple Crown nominees Honorable Guest and County Lineman will both negotiate a mile and a sixteenth for the first time Friday at Woodbine against older Ontario-sired opposition in the $56,000 allowance feature.

Honorable Guest finished either first or second in his seven 2-year-old outings, although he was demoted to fifth by disqualification in the Colin Stakes.

Contention runs deep in an $8,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up that will serve as the feature race at Northlands Park on Friday. The six-furlong sprint drew nine horses and goes as the seventh race on an eight-race card that begins at 6 p.m. Mountain.

Tango Tango looks like a major player in his first start at Northlands. Acting on behalf of Kirk and Mitch Sutherland, trainer Rick Wise claimed him for $3,000 out of a win at Turf Paradise April 16. Tango Tango stalked a quick pace before drawing off to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tony Dutrow wasn’t necessarily on board when his owners, on the eve of entry day, decided to run their New York-bred Giant Finish in the Kentucky Derby.

“My clients wish to race and obviously I’m going to honor their decision,” Dutrow said at the time.

Dutrow said he was admittedly surprised when Giant Finish beat half the field in finishing 10th in the Run for the Roses.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Coffee Clique was back on Polytrack last Sunday at Woodbine and ran her local record to 2 for 2 with a four-length victory in the Grade 3, $156,300 Selene Stakes.

Luis Contreras notched his second stakes win of the meeting. He had guided Coffee Clique to victory here in her debut last December and was in the irons when the filly breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 last Wednesday.

ALTOONA, Iowa – With the highlight of this meet, the Iowa Festival of Racing, just more than a month away, Prairie Meadows cranks up its stakes calendar Friday evening with a pair of six-furlong sprints, the $60,000 Prairie Rose and the $60,000 Prairie Express.

The five fillies and mares in the Prairie Rose will be trying to establish their credentials for the $100,000 Saylorville on June 28. The Prairie Rose drew the Illinois-bred Missjeanlouise, the locally based Kentucky-bred Lulu Wong, and a trio of top Arkansas-breds, All About Allie, Believe Me, and Jan’s Perfect Star.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tom Amoss has been a man on the go. Late last week, the trainer traveled from Louisville to Baton Rouge to Baltimore, and by Tuesday night, there he was in some other spot, greeting two of his horses in the winner’s circle at Indiana Downs in the Indianapolis suburb of Shelbyville.