Trainer Keith Desormeaux reported Tuesday that he was informed that the ankle surgery performed the previous day on Ive Struck a Nerve “went about as well as can be expected. The colt came out of it just great and is standing and doing just fine.”

Ive Struck a Nerve suffered a fractured sesamoid in his left front ankle during a Saturday workout at Fair Grounds. Surgery that involved the insertion of one screw was performed in Lexington, Ky., at the Rood and Riddle equine hospital by Dr. Larry Bramlage, the noted equine surgeon.

Horses at Laurel Park in Maryland have been suffering catastrophic injuries this year at a greater rate than the well-publicized series of breakdowns at Aqueduct’s inner-track meeting in 2011-12, according to state racing officials.

2015 Racing Dates

 May 1 - December 9

Post Times

1:10 p.m. ET (May - October: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday)

12:15 p.m. ET (November-December: Monday-Friday)

Special Post Times

Wed., Sept. 9 - 1:10 p.m. ET

Wed., Oct. 14 - 1:10 p.m. ET

Sat., Oct. 31 - TBD

Handicapping Information

ARCADIA, Calif. – The decision by the connections of My Miss Aurelia to leave Santa Anita for the Azeri Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park has further reduced the field for that day’s Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes here at Santa Anita.

The Santa Margarita now could have as few as five runners, headed by Joyful Victory, who was scheduled to make her second trip to California in less than six months.

John Velazquez is a man in demand these days. He is the regular rider for Verrazano, the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, and was being sought for mounts in several locales on March 30, when the Dubai World Cup is run in the United Arab Emirates the same day as the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, both $1 million preps for the May 4 Derby.

With all that from which to choose, Velazquez will remain in South Florida that day for the Florida Derby in order to ride Orb, the Fountain of Youth winner, his agent, Angel Cordero Jr., said Tuesday.

Some horses get the winter off to recover from injuries or ailments, but in the case of Treasured Up, her time off was “pure vacation,” said trainer Al Stall Jr.

“The filly went straight from Keeneland to Spendthrift Farm and got 60-plus days of R and R,” said Stall.

Though retired as a trainer, Greg Gilchrist is still involved in horse racing.

Gilchrist, who trained Eclipse Award winner Lost in the Fog, picked out Camilla Urso winner Hidinginplainsight for the Blinkers On Racing Stable, paying $80,000 for her in a 2-year-old sale at Timonium, Md., in 2011.

Gilchrist said he liked the filly based on her looks, stride, and breeding.

“She didn’t have the fastest work,” Gilchrist said.

Gallant Son, Bailouttheminister, Hudson Landing, Control Seeker – what is this, a late edition to the Golden Gate Fields stakes schedule?

In fact, it’s one of Golden Gate Fields’ special conditioned allowance races that give stakes-quality runners a chance to prep for upcoming stakes.

The six-furlong race drew the four aforementioned stakes winners plus Handsome Harvey Jr., who despite being only a maiden and starter allowance winner has had a big impact on the race. He was the crucial fifth horse entered, which allowed the race to go.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Five-furlong turf races have been a staple throughout the winter at Gulfstream Park, with speed horses ruling the roost more often than not in these blink-and-they’re-over grass dashes.

Not surprisingly, there is plenty of speed signed on for Thursday’s $54,500 allowance feature, carded at five-eighths of a mile on grass for lower-level optional claimers. The field includes the front-running types Starship Wildcat, Drunken Love and The Chill Zone.

ARCADIA, Calif. - My Miss Aurelia will make her first start of the year on Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday morning.

My Miss Aurelia also had been under consideration for the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita, also to be run Saturday. The Azeri requires My Miss Aurelia to carry 119 pounds over 1 1/16 miles. In the Santa Margarita, My Miss Aurelia would have carried 123 pounds over 1 1/8 miles.

“It is the right spot to start her year,” Asmussen said.