Texas Bling on Wednesday put in his penultimate work for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13, going five furlongs in 1:01.60. Trainer Danele Durham said his final prep would come Tuesday, with plans for a three-furlong blowout at Oaklawn.

Texas Bling worked under jockey Calvin Borel, with Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton carrying him through fractions of 12.80 seconds for the opening eighth of a mile, 25.20 for the first quarter, and 38.40 for three furlongs. Hamilton had the horse’s final quarter in 23.20 and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.40.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The California Horse Racing Board has lifted a ban on the use of feed products made by Purina Mills at its Turlock, Calif. plant. The ban was instituted after the company’s products resulted in 48 positive tests statewide for the banned medication zilpaterol last month.

According to a statement released by the racing board on Wednesday, Purina executives have given assurances that their feed no longer contains zilpaterol, which is used to build mass in livestock. The racing board reported that independent testing at UC-Davis found no zilpaterol in samples.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Santa Anita Derby is the richest of five stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program, and one of four graded stakes.

Beholder, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, will be heavily favored to win the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles. Trained by Richard Mandella, Beholder’s biggest threat could be stablemate Spellbound, who makes her stakes debut.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After recording consecutive Grade 2 stakes victories in Southern California, Sahara Sky has shipped cross-country seeking Grade 1 glory in Saturday’s $400,000 Carter Handicap, one of four undercard stakes on the 12-race Wood Memorial program.

Sahara Sky, trained and owned in part by Jerry Hollendorfer, drew post 4 and is the 120-pound starting highweight in a field of seven that includes Discreet Dancer, Fort Loudon, Brigand, and Saturday’s Charm.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Taptowne was a powerful allowance winner last month at Oaklawn, and on the strength of his score over graded stakes winners Sabercat and Win Willy, he is a candidate for the Grade  2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 13.

“Our intention is to run him in the race here,” trainer Tim Glyshaw said Wednesday. “We’ve pretty much extinguished his allowance conditions.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tiz a Minister earned a start in Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Derby when he closed from last of eight in the final half-mile of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 9 to finish a competitive third.

That performance has left owner Stephen Young of nearby Monrovia, Calif., in an unusual position – starting his first horse in a Grade 1, and in California’s top race for 3-year-olds.

“This is big time,” he said.

[SANTA ANITA DERBY: Get PPs, watch Saturday's full card live]

Racing fans accustomed to visiting Keeneland as a seasonal rite of passage this April will find their travel to and from the track affected by a major Kentucky Transportation Cabinet resurfacing project on U.S. 60 (Versailles Road) scheduled to last until Oct. 31.

Work began in February on a 6.4-mile section of U.S. 60 starting at New Circle Road in Lexington, just east of Keeneland, and ending at the Blue Grass Parkway connection in Woodford County near Versailles. Most of the six-lane segment of U.S. 60 that runs past both of

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As if any meet at Keeneland has ever been found wanting for added oomph, here’s a little something extra for the 2013 spring meet: Wise Dan will make his first start since being named the 2012 Horse of the Year, a coup indeed for a track the popular gelding has always called home and where an uncommon enthusiasm for racing reigns regardless of who might be running.

The owner of Assiniboia Downs, the Manitoba Jockey Club, is suing the provincial government, and a judicial review is scheduled to begin April 26.

The province contributes as much as $10 million annually to Assiniboia Downs, and the MJC claims the province could withdraw as much as 50 percent of those subsidies in its April 16 budget and remove the 140 video lottery terminals from the racetrack. Such a move would bankrupt the MJC and pave the way for a takeover by the Red River Exhibition Association, which is looking to take over the racetrack property, valued at $70 million.

Jerry Hissam, the agent who represented jockey Calvin Borel through three Kentucky Derby wins and a Horse of the Year campaign with Rachel Alexandra, said on Wednesday that he has retired. Hissam, 68, has been battling an infection in his pancreas since January, and said he has lost 71 pounds.

“I’m improving, but I’m still stuck at home,” he said Wednesday. “I’m retired.”