ARCADIA, Calif. – Eblouissante, a half-sister to Zenyatta, is bound for a graded stakes in March after winning an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Thursday to remain unbeaten in two starts.

Friday, trainer John Shirreffs said that Eblouissante, 4, will be considered for the $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes, a Grade 1 for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles here March 16. The race could lead to a start in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 12.

“The Santa Margarita is the one that we’ll look at,” Shirreffs said.

Leading Kentucky Oaks candidate Pure Fun returned to trainer Ken McPeek’s stable in Florida this past week after a freshening, and he said she could launch her 3-year-old season in the Grade 3, $150,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn on March 9. McPeek also has a division at Oaklawn.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Jeff Runco has been very selective over the years when it comes to shipping to New York from his West Virginia base for a stakes race.

While his success rate hasn’t been great – he is just 1 for 7 – his horses have usually run well, with four of the seven finishing in the top three.

Monday, Runco will ship up In the Fairway to run in the $75,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct. The Jimmy Winkfield, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, is the featured event on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day card.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Officer Alex will run Monday in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park, and he has more than just a few things in common with the race’s namesake. Officer Alex is a Pennsylvania-bred, like Smarty Jones. He also is wintering at Oaklawn, won the Pennsylvania Nursery as a 2-year-old, and his regular rider is Stewart Elliott.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – After an easy couple of months since his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, Fort Larned got back to serious work on Friday morning at the Palm Meadows training center here, and if his first drill of 2013 is any indication, he is coming back just as good as he left in 2012.

Fort Larned breezed an easy half-mile in 48.40 seconds, without being asked at all, then impressed further with his gallop-out. According to head clocker Bryan Walls, Fort Larned went out five furlongs in 1:00.80, and continued out six furlongs in 1:14.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In three sprint starts on dirt last year, Flying Bird never finished closer than 5 1/2 lengths of the winner, and his Beyer Speed Figures declined with each race. Then he was put on the grass, and sent two turns. The transformation was immediate.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There were as many as four options the connections of the New York-bred Brigand were considering for his next start, but ultimately they settled on Sunday’s $75,000 Turnofthecentury Stakes going one mile at Aqueduct.

Entered in Saturday’s $75,000 Evening Attire Stakes here against open company at 1 1/16 miles, Brigand was to scratch and run in this one-mile race restricted to New York-breds. Brigand also was under consideration for Monday’s Native Dancer at Laurel and next Thursday’s Billy Redcoat Stakes, a six-furlong New York-bred race at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Joe Talamo had three wins on Thursday to move into second in the standings with 12 wins, three behind leader Rafael Bejarano.

Talamo won the second on Derekson ($8.20), the fourth on the aptly named Warren’s Joe T. ($90.60), and the sixth on Kir ($35.40).

Thursday, Kevin Krigger had a career-best day at Santa Anita, winning three races – the first on Donato ($6.40), the third on Sweetrayofsunshine ($7.80), and the fifth on There Is No Limit ($7.40). Through Thursday, he was tied for sixth at the meeting with seven wins.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Notwithstanding sharp form, Book Review and More Chocolate seem to be up against it Sunday in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

After all, Book Review is a late-running sprinter trying two turns, and More Chocolate is a turf specialist trying dirt. Beat the favorite Lady of Fifty? What, are they kidding?

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Sam’s Bliss and Cheery are both on the verge of becoming stakes winners and figure to vie for favoritism Sunday when they meet in the $60,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park. The six-furlong race for fillies and mares is the second half of a stakes double. The $60,000 Dixie Belle for 3-year-old fillies has been brought back for Sunday’s card after having been canceled due to poor weather Jan. 12.