SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Preparations for the $1 million Travers Stakes picked up on Thursday, with two major contenders putting in workouts at Saratoga and the announcement of a significant jockey change on a West Coast-based contender.

Alpha, the Jim Dandy winner, and Street Life, the Curlin winner, each breezed on a steamy Thursday morning in Saratoga looking to beat the rain that is forecast for Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, John Velazquez will replace Corey Nakatani aboard Haskell runner-up Nonios in the Travers.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said he is eyeing the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 8 as the next start for Rousing Sermon, who was second in the Real Good Deal Stakes on Aug. 3.

That was his second start since finishing eighth in the Kentucky Derby. He finished fourth in the Swaps Stakes after the Kentucky Derby.

“He came out of his last race very well,” Hollendorfer said Thursday morning. “He’s been very consistent. We’ll look at the Super Derby and also consider the Pennsylvania Derby,” which is two weeks later at Parx Racing.

Acclamation, the defending champion in the Pacific Classic, turned in another sharp workout Thursday morning at Del Mar, when he went six furlongs on turf in 1:11.20, around orange cones, known as dogs.

Bud Johnston, who bred Acclamation and owns him in a partnership, reiterated that the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 26 at 1 1/4 miles on Polytrack remains his first choice, but he is keeping the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 25 as a backup plan.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Charlie Lopresti’s big three may be down to just one for the time being, but that one is the imposing Wise Dan, who will attempt to show he is a force to be reckoned with on either turf or dirt the remainder of the year when he returns to the grass for Saturday’s $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For as well as things have gone for trainer Todd Pletcher here this summer, he will enter the second half of the Saratoga season without a graded stakes victory, having gone winless with 12 starters in eight graded events.

DEL MAR, Calif. – After My Best Brother won a division of the Oceanside Stakes on opening day July 18 at Del Mar, trainer Julio Canani took a wait-and-see approach as to whether he would come back in the Grade 2, $150,000 La Jolla Handicap on Saturday, or simply await the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.

The wait is over, and Canani likes what he has seen.

“He’s eating good and everything,” Canani said. “He didn’t back up, so . . .”

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – It gets old seeing horses not yet into the prime of their career rushed off to retirement. That’s one way of doing things. And then there’s the Hooh Why way.

Hooh Why won the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes in April 2009 but more than three years later still is going strong. At age 6, she’s won 11 of 42 starts while earning more than $1 million. The mare has ventured to nine different racetracks from California to Florida to Canada, and even at this late stage of her career has made seven starts at five different venues already in 2012.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Sorrento Stakes winner Executiveprivilege came out of the race Wednesday in good shape and will seek to run her unbeaten streak to four in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies on Sept. 1, trainer Bob Baffert said Thursday morning.

“It was a nice race for her,” Baffert said. “We’ve been going easy with her down here.

“She got a lot out of it, so it will set her up for the Debutante.”

CINCINNATI – Ohio-bred horses take center stage Saturday at River Downs with a pair of $50,000 stakes. The Hoover will be contested at six furlongs for 2-year-old Ohio-registered horses, and the Vivacious will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the turf course for older fillies and mares.

AUBURN, Wash. – Champagneandcaviar and Exclusive Diva, first and second in the Kent Handicap last month, will try to turn back a talented invader from British Columbia on Saturday in the $65,000 Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs. The meeting’s traditional championship for 3-year-old fillies, the nine-furlong Oaks attracted eight entrants, with Exclusive Diva likely to start as a short-priced favorite.