Groupie Doll, the leading candidate for a 2012 Eclipse Award in the filly-mare sprint decision, continues to progress toward a comeback from a minor hock injury. The 4-year-old filly had her third workout since returning to training when she breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Thursday morning at her home track, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Groupie Doll is doing so well that Buff Bradley, who trains Groupie Doll for himself and his father, Fred, is contemplating two prep races instead of one leading up to the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita.

DEL MAR, Calif. – So far, winning has come easily for Winding Way, the unbeaten 3-year-old filly who makes her stakes debut in Sunday’s $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar.

She won her debut by 4 3/4 lengths in a maiden race over six furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 10 and followed with a victory in an optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs by 7 1/4 lengths here on July 21.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Group 1-winning German runner Scalo, who recently took up residence at Woodbine, will likely be favored in Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Sky Classic Stakes. The 10-furlong turf event has also lured the versatile champion Pender Harbour, along with full brothers Hotep and Eye of the Leopard, both trained by Malcolm Pierce.

FORT ERIE, Ontario – At age 24, Terry Husbands is an up-and-coming rider and one of the best at Fort Erie.

Husbands currently is leading the Fort Erie riding colony with 45 wins, three more than Kirk Johnson. Johnson and Husbands have been bandying back and forth for the lead for months and neither seems to be able to open a gap on his adversary. The Fort Erie meet continues through Oct. 30.

“It would be nice to win the riding title,” said Husbands, “but I am not consumed on that thought. Rather, I just want to keep getting better at what I do and keep winning races.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Silver Max, the favorite for the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes on Saturday, cut an impressive figure galloping aggressively around the Polytrack surface at Arlington Park on a beautiful Friday morning.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar is expected to make a retroactive purse increase later this year because of higher handle in the first four weeks of the meeting, chief financial officer Mike Ernst said on Thursday.

Through Wednesday, the 21st day of the 37-day meeting, ontrack handle had increased 12 percent compared to 2011. All-sources handle, including nationwide simulcasting and account wagering sources, had improved by 5.2 percent.

Pj Chick in Black made a statement during Ruidoso Downs’s trials for the Grade 1, $2.4 million All American Futurity on Thursday, when she darted to a 5 3/4-length win in race 24 and established the fastest qualifying time for the Sept. 3 finale. Pj Chick in Black covered 440 yards in 21.08 seconds, a time that led all 253 horses vying for the 10 available spots in the All American. The race features the richest purse available to Quarter Horses.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A new style has made a new horse out of Lubash.

Formerly a front-runner - a style employed to win a New York Stallion Stakes here two years ago - Lubash showed a completely new dimension Thursday, rallying from last to win the $150,000 West Point Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths at Saratoga. The longshot Minnie Punt got second by a head over 4-5 favorite Compliance Officer.

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DEL MAR, Calif. - Fueled by nationwide interest generated by massive carryovers, Wednesday’s 50-cent pick five and $2 pick six produced massive pools with payoffs of $474 and $16,329 in the popular bets.

The all-sources handle of $12,949,289 for the eight-race card was a record for a Wednesday program at Del Mar that was not the opening day or closing day of the meeting, track officials said.

Wednesday’s 50-cent pick five, covering the first five races, had its first-ever carryover at Del Mar, $362,503, from last Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - In his 15th career start, Shrug may have found his career niche with a win in Wednesday’s $93,600 Green Flash Handicap – racing in turf sprints.

Trainer Carla Gaines said on Thursday that Shrug could start in races on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course this fall when racing shifts to that venue in late September.

“I’ve kind of always wanted to try Shrug down the hill,” Gaines said. “It never really worked out. We tried him a mile on turf and it didn’t work out. I can’t say that was a complete study of him on the turf.”