HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Forte, the early favorite for the May 6 Kentucky Derby, had his first breeze since winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes when he went an easy half-mile Friday in 50.72 seconds with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard at Palm Beach Downs.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was very happy with how Forte has fared since his 4 1/2-length triumph at Gulfstream Park in the March 4 Fountain of Youth, which marked his first start since the colt clinched a divisional Eclipse Award by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in early November.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ask Ruben Sierra if he’s the retired major-league baseball player who hit 306 home runs, and he’ll break into a broad smile.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Antonio Sano sent out Simplification to finish fourth in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, and he is hoping to be back in Louisville on the first Saturday in May again this year. Sano has two potential Derby starters in Congruent and Il Miracolo, both of whom worked five furlongs here Friday in preparation for respective upcoming starts in the Jeff Ruby Stakes March 25 at Turfway and the Florida Derby on April 1 at Gulfstream.

Ag Bullet, a stakes winner unbeaten in two starts this year, was held out of Saturday’s $100,000 China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita in favor of the $300,000 Bourbonette Stakes at Turfway Park on March 25.

Trained by George Papaprodromou for Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran, Ag Bullet will have her first start on a synthetic track in the Bourbonette. The race is for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Papaprodromou said the result of the Bourbonette will determine whether Ag Bullet is considered for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - For 17 days last August, Maple Leaf Mel distinguished herself as the top New York-bred 2-year-old filly in training.

Then she was gone.

Seven months later, Maple Leaf Mel is nearing her return to the races, which is expected to come in the $100,000 East View Stakes at Aqueduct on March 24. The East View, restricted to New York-bred fillies, is run at six furlongs.