HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Even though jockey Calvin Borel did not reach 5,000 career victories in his comeback Saturday at Oaklawn Park, the ontrack crowd of 21,292 was still treated to a show. Don’t Tell Sophia, ridden by Robby Albarado, drew out to a 6 1/2-length win in the $100,000 Bayakoa, her second straight blowout stakes win at the meet in a performance that stamps her as a leading local hope for the Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 12.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Great Hot is capable of occasional quirky behavior and game performances. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens learned of both in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita.

After Great Hot was what Stevens called “playful” in the post parade, she was all business in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares, the first time that Stevens has ridden the mare. Great Hot led throughout the Santa Maria, winning by a half-length over 11-10 favorite Book Review.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Swift Warrior stalked a soft pace for more than six furlongs, then rallied smartly down the middle of the Tampa Bay turf course to emerge from a four-horse photo with a half-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes.

Eleven months after finishing last in a $15,000 maiden claiming race at Turfway Park, Funnys Approval became a Grade 2 stakes winner Saturday when she recorded a front-running victory in the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at muddy Laurel Park.

 Sent to the front soon after the start by Jose Vargas, Funnys Approval turned back an upper stretch challenge from 6-5 favorite My Wandy’s Girl, holding that rival at bay to the wire to win by three-quarters of a length. Sent off at 21-1, Funnys Approval returned $45.80.

Horses trained by Dallas Stewart, even those that can run, rarely win their first start. Race by race, little by little, they start to put things together, figure stuff out.

Apprentice jockey Trevor McCarthy, son of former rider Michael McCarthy, won his first career stakes race Saturday when he guided Concealed Identity to a three-quarter length victory in the $104,250 John B. Campbell Handicap at Laurel.

 Concealed Identity and McCarthy had to withstand a claim of foul from Junior Alvarado, the rider of third-place finisher Norman Asbjornson, who got sandwiched between Concealed Identity and second-place finisher Service for Ten inside the sixteenth pole.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Starformer, whose career has taken off since being stretched out around three turns for the first time here last winter, posted her third Grade 3 victory and did it in style, parlaying a perfect trip into a 3 1/4-length victory over 14-1 Angegreen in Saturday’s $100,000 Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Starformer ran her record to 3 for 3 at 1 3/8 miles with her win in the Very One. She also captured the 1 1/2-mile Long Island Handicap in her 2012 finale at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though it was officially a stakes race, Joan’s Choice may actually have been facing softer company in Saturday’s $75,000 Moro than he had faced in his previous allowance races.

Joan’s Choice took advantage of the soft company and a softer pace to win the Moro Stakes by four lengths at Aqueduct. Isn’t He Perfect, the 6-5 favorite, finished second, four lengths in front of Ea. Keep Me Informed and Burned Bridges completed the order of finish.

Joan’s Choice was ridden by apprentice Jose Ortiz, who recorded his first career stakes win.

It took him a little while to get untracked over the sloppy footing, but once he did, Pants On Fire asserted his class to register an easy 5 1/4-length victory over Megamove in Friday’s $65,000 feature at Gulfstream Park.

Things have gotten to the point where handicappers see a race carded for turf at Fair Grounds and automatically assume it will be run on dirt. Because of persistent rain and a course that won’t properly dry, there has been one day of grass racing in February and just 10 grass races since the calendar flipped to 2013.