NEW ORLEANS - A better trip made all the difference for Strike Impact, and the gelding raced to a one-length victory over late-running Hotep in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Handicap on Saturday at the Fair Grounds.

Strike Impact ran in tight traffic along the inside in his previous start Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs and finished sixth. But in the Diliberto, jockey Shaun Bridgmohan put him in a comfortable, stalking position behind pacesetter Workin for Hops until the horses turned into the stretch.

The filly Onepointhreekarats did not begin her racing career until February of her 4-year-old season and needed four starts before she finally won her maiden on turf. Since focusing on dirt routes this fall, however, Onepointhreekarats has been flawless.

Stepping up to stakes company for the first time, Onepointhreekarats collected her third straight victory in Saturday’s $104,250 Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes for fillies and mares at Laurel Park.

At odds of 1-5, Daisy Devine was supposed to go out and whip up on the four horses that raced against her Saturday at Fair Grounds in the $72,000 Blushing K.D. Handicap. She did not disappoint.

Shrugging off early mild pressure from hopeless longshot Necessary Luxury, Daisy Devine was in a race with herself for most of the Blushing  K.D. She led by one length after a half-mile in 49.42 seconds and by 3 1/2 lengths after six furlongs in 1:13.80, and even there, Daisy Devine had not yet begun to really run.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After taking on Grade 1 competition in each of his last three starts, Fast Falcon will receive some major class relief when closing out his 3-year-old campaign by dropping into optional claiming company in Thursday’s $54,500, 1 1/16-mile feature at Gulfstream Park.

Next Saturday’s Grade 3 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park appears to be shaping up as a wide-open race, especially with Bahamian Squall, impressive winner of the Sunshine State Stakes here earlier this month, passing the spot to await the Sunshine Millions Sprint on Jan. 19.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.– Santa Claus is coming to town on Tuesday. Groupie Doll, who may be as popular among racing fans these days as Jolly Saint Nick, will get here five days later.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – On Tuesday, brothers Richard and Tony Dutrow will have a little Christmas revelry in New York as they usually do with their families.

On Thursday, the brothers will renew their racetrack rivalry at Aqueduct when Hard Life, trained by Richard, squares off against Twice the Lady, trained by Tony, in a $71,000 second-level allowance/optional claiming feature at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A graded stakes-caliber field will assemble at second-level allowance prices when Havant, Ciao Bella, and Janicellaine square off for a bargain $57,500 purse in Wednesday’s main event at Gulfstream Park. The attractive headliner is scheduled to be decided at 1 7/16 miles on the turf.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Christmas came early for trainer Neil Drysdale, who had owner Barry Schwartz move The Lumber Guy to his barn for winter racing at Santa Anita following his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He gets to play with that present Wednesday, when The Lumber Guy heads an outstanding field of 10 in the Grade 1, $300,000 Malibu Stakes, highlight of the terrific opening-day card at Santa Anita.

By the time he gets home each evening, after a full day of riding morning workouts and afternoon races, jockey Edwin Maldonado is not quite done racing around.

His 3-year-old daughter often wants a piggyback ride.

“She’ll tell me, ‘Daddy, I want to get on your back,’ ” Maldonado said.

“I tell her I’m tired. It’s hard to say no.”

These days, it is easy for Maldonado to say yes. Everything he tries has succeeded.