HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Calvin Borel became the 26th jockey in North American racing history to win 5,000 races when he guided Hezunusal to a four-length victory in Thursday’s sixth race at Oaklawn Park.

Borel, 47, is a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby who last month was named one of 10 finalists on the 2013 ballot for the Hall of Fame. He also was the regular rider on 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Borel regularly winters in Arkansas, and in February 2005 registered the 4,000th win of his career at Oaklawn.

Midnightlowdown will seek his fourth straight win Saturday when he starts as the 123-pound highweight in the $85,000 Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap at Sunland Park. The 4 1/2-furlong race is restricted to 3-year-olds and up who were bred in New Mexico. It drew a field of 10.

If a horse ever was due for a stakes win, it is Mr. Bandini’s Band. He has brought home checks in eight of the nine stakes he has run in and gets another shot Saturday night in the $75,000 Pelican at Delta Downs.

The Pelican is a 7 1/2-furlong race that will be run around two turns and is restricted to 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana. Others set to start include Hero Force, winner of the $125,000 Premiere Night Prince at Delta, and Desert Ransom, winner of last year’s $50,000 Minstrel at Louisiana Downs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Donoharm will be taking on the toughest group of horses he has ever faced on Saturday when he attempts to win his sixth straight race in the Grade 3, $150,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park. The field of 10 for the 1 1/16-mile race includes Alternation, a millionaire making his first start since October, and Atigun, who ran third in last year’s Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Marathon. San Pablo, a six-time stakes winner, is in from Gulfstream for trainer Todd Pletcher while Cyber Secret adds further depth to the cast with his 2-for-2 record this meet at Oaklawn.

Trainer Richard Mandella is pointing Jimmy Creed to the $150,000 Potrero Grande Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs April 6.

Jimmy Creed has not started since winning the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in December due to illness. The Potrero Grande could lead to a start in the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap over a mile at Belmont Park on May 27.

The Met Mile could be in the plans for Sahara Sky, the winner of the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes on Feb. 23.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Less than a week after closing as the 6-1 favorite in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, Flashy Gray will get her first shot at points for the race when she makes both her stakes and two-turn debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Clawback seem to have found the cure for Derby fever: common sense.

Though they admittedly toyed with the idea of stretching Clawback out in distance in last week’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, trainer Rick Violette and his owners Seth Klarman and Bill Lawrence ultimately passed and opted for Saturday’s $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Like a couple of hawks, Flashback and Goldencents have circled their prey for months at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The success this year of the 3-year-old filly Sarach is reflective of trainer Richard Mandella’s season at Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting: The results are well ahead of expectations.

Through Wednesday, Mandella had 11 wins from 34 starters since the meeting began Dec. 26. Sarach has won twice – a maiden race and an allowance race. She makes her stakes debut in Saturday’s $75,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf.

Owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, Sarach is a top contender in a strong field of 12.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Fort Larned has spent the last four months vacationing in south Florida. Now it’s finally time for the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner to get back to work.

Fort Larned begins his 2013 campaign, one that will be designed to get him back to Santa Anita to defend his title in the BC Classic, in Saturday’s $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap. The Grade 2 race will be decided at one mile and drew a field of six that also includes top contenders Fort Loudon, Swagger Jack, and Discreet Dancer. Outsiders Gourmet Dinner and Decaf Again complete the lineup.