NEW ORLEANS – When the owner Maggi Moss shelled out $40,000 to claim a horse named Delaunay last May 12 at Churchill Downs, her trainer Tom Amoss felt he was at least getting a solid animal. Delaunay has developed into something more than that. In the best race of his life, Delaunay comfortably turned back a bid from defending champion Gantry and won the $100,000 Thanksgiving Handicap by 2 1/2 lengths before an estimated crowd of 8,500 on a gorgeous opening day at Fair Grounds.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Afleeting Lady opened an unassailable lead turning for home before coasting to victory Thursday in what probably was her career finale in the 97th running of the Grade 2, $162,450 Falls City Handicap, the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature at Churchill.

Kya One, evidently, needed just one test drive to get the hang of American racing. The 4-year-old French import turned in a professional performance and wore down Naples Bay to win the Grade 3, $100,000 My Charmer Handicap on Thursday at Calder Race Course.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While Todd Pletcher’s away, owner Mike Repole will play . . . trainer.

Given the green light by Pletcher to give instructions to Javier Castellano on how to ride Caixa Eletronica in Thursday’s Fall Highweight at Aqueduct, Repole told Castellano to keep the late-running 7-year-old closer to the pace than he is accustomed.

Startin Something was installed at the 1-2 morning-line favorite and in all likelihood will be 1-9 when the gate opens in the $50,000 Bobbie Bricker Memorial at Beulah Park on Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Tim Hamm, Startin Something is by far the most accomplished older Ohio-accredited filly or mare in the seven-horse field, having earned nearly $350,000. The remaining six fillies and mares in the field have less than $275,000 in earnings combined.

NEW ORLEANS - Sometime over the summer, a light clicked on for the 3-year-old filly Drama Drama, and a horse that needed nine tries to win even a maiden race suddenly became something significantly better. Since finally clearing the maiden ranks in July at Ellis Park, Drama Drama has come home a close third behind the good filly Leading Astray in the Hatoof Stakes at Arlington, an explosive winner of a first-level allowance at Kentucky Downs, and a more-than-respectable third in the Grade 2 Raven Run, a one-turn Polytrack stakes at Keeneland.

Bold Affair made it look easy, conquering a field of seven-Maryland bred fillies and mares in the $100,000 Geisha at Laurel Park Thursday afternoon.

Jockey Abel Castellano Jr. had the 4-year-old Bold Affair on the lead while under a tight hold early in the one-mile event. Castellano kept her within herself to upper stretch and the outcome was not in doubt from that point on. Bold Affair was kept to task late to hold the margin to four lengths at the wire. Catch a Thief chased the winner to no avail to run second, three-quarters of length in front of Plum in third.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Of the four graded stakes offered at Aqueduct on Saturday, the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen for juveniles appears the most challenging from a handicapping standpoint.

Ten 2-year-olds – eight of whom have just a maiden win to their credit – will try to stretch out in distance and give their connections hope they have a Kentucky Derby horse in their barn. In fact, the Remsen is a qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby, offering points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. − Rising Legend arrived in California a month ago with the hope of running in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita, but he landed on the also-eligible list for that race and did not draw in. His local debut was delayed until Saturday, when he runs in the Grade 3, $100,000 Generous Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, and his new connections are hoping the wait was worth it.

Trainer Anthony Dutrow looks to be holding a pair of aces when he sends out the uncoupled entry of Thicker Than Water and Disco Barbie in the $125,000 Gin Talking at Laurel Park on Saturday.

Thicker Than Water and Disco Barbie are two of only three 2-year-old fillies to post a Beyer Speed Figure above 70 in the field for the seven-furlong race that attracted 10 entrants.