HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Merit Man bounced back from his hard-luck setback in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint to open his 3-year-old campaign with a game and well deserved three-quarter-length decision over the 50-1 City of Weston in Tuesday’s $100,000 Spectacular Bid at Gulfstream Park.

Merit Man suffered his only loss in four career starts when beaten a nose by Hightail in the Juvenile Sprint, but looked much sharper training up to the Spectacular Bid than he did his 2-year-old finale.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Rajiv Maragh will be out a minimum of two weeks due to injuries suffered in a spill at Aqueduct on Monday.

According to agent Matt Muzikar, Maragh was diagnosed with a slight fracture of his T-3 vertebrae which is behind the rib cage and up around the shoulder blades. While he was released from North Shore University Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, doctors would not clear him to ride when racing resumes at Aqueduct on Friday.

“They want to re-evaluate him in two weeks,” Muzikar said.

Ed Wachtel, a longtime owner and breeder in New York, died Monday after battling stomach cancer. He was 81.

Wachtel began owning horses in 1973 under the name Exeter Stable before changing to the moniker Wachtel Stable. His best horses were Claramount, the 1989 New York-bred horse of the year who developed into a terrific stallion, and stakes winners including Stalwart Member, Smokin Mel, Bit of Puddin, Penny’s Reshoot, Dashboard Drummer, Sinclara, and Square Cut.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer John Toscano Jr. ended 2012 winning a stakes race. He began 2013 on suspension.

Toscano on Tuesday began serving a 20-day suspension for the finding of the drug hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, in the post race samples of Blazing Arches, who finished fourth in the fifth race at Belmont Park on Sept. 20, 2012. Blazing Arches was disqualified by the stewards and ruled unplaced in the order of finish.

Toscano, who also was fined $1,000, had the suspension reduced from 30 days to 20 for waiving his right of appeal.

PHOENIX – Az Ridge continued to show his versatility regarding trip and surface as the 3-year-old son of Toccet captured Monday’s $35,000 Luke Kruytbosch at Turf Paradise.

Owned by the Sawyer Cattle Company and trained by Dan McFarlane, Az Ridge came into the race already a stakes winner sprinting on dirt, stakes placed routing on turf, and stakes placed routing on dirt.

Last month, on Louisiana Champions Day, the filly Sittin At the Bar stole the thunder, capturing the Lassie in more impressive - not to mention far faster – fashion than the Juvenile. But on Monday, in two divisions of the Louisiana Futurity, roles were reversed, with Sunbean’s victory in the colts and geldings division of the Futurity outshining Sittin At the Bar’s more workmanlike win in the fillies division.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tweebster, a past stakes-class runner, was euthanized because of his injuries suffered when racing for a $12,500 claiming price Sunday at Santa Anita, and on Monday, his trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, took the unusual step of issuing a statement through Santa Anita about the horse, the result, he said, of an outcry in social media.

Coming off a romping victory in the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap in his latest start, Called to Serve was heavily favored Monday in the $125,000 Broad Brush Stakes at Laurel Park.

The 3-year-old gelding did not disappoint, pulling away late under Joel Rosario and returning $3 to his many backers.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Michael Matz may not have a Union Rags in his barn this winter, but he still has some talented runners to showcase during the Gulfstream meet, including Hard Not To Like, runner-up in the Grade 1 Ashland at 3 who’ll make her 4-year-old debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Marshua’s River on the turf.

Owned by the Hillsbrook Farm of Garland Williamson, Hard Not To Like has been idle since finishing sixth following an unlucky start in the Kentucky Oaks. She began her career with trainer Gail Cox and was turned over to Matz after returning from surgery this fall.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With two solid sprint races under his belt, Vyjack will try to prove himself around two turns when he runs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.