SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Even before it began, Kelly Breen’s Saratoga meet got off to a rocky start.

Breen had to scratch Mr. Hall’s Opus from Friday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies after she had a 103 temperature when Breen arrived at his Saratoga barn Thursday morning.

“It’s frustrating right now,” Breen said later Thursday morning as he was driving back to his other summer base, Monmouth Park. “Maybe she can make the next one if she only misses a couple of days.”

Ochoa, last year’s champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse, has never been beaten at 440 yards and will seek his fourth win at the distance Saturday in the Grade 1, $903,774 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs.

The purse for this year’s race is a record, surpassing the previous high of $899,523 in 2011. Saturday’s field of 10 also includes champion Feature Mr Bojangles; Heritage Place Derby winner Priceless Feature, who is looking for his fourth straight win; and fastest qualifier Feature Mr Who.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Graham Motion will be well represented in the two Mid-Atlantic turf derbys for 3-year-olds on Saturday.

Motion sends out Lucky Chappy in the $600,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs and Howe Great in the $60,000 Jersey Derby.

While both are strong contenders in their respective races, Howe Great looks like a standout in the feature event at Monmouth Park.

Howe Great has never run a poor race on grass.

AUBURN, Wash. – It has been a long dry spell for Couldabenthewhisky, now more than 14 months removed from his last victory. But after a strong effort in his most recent outing, he will merit a long look from handicappers Sunday when he starts in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald Downs.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The winning streak stands at six races, all graded stakes, dating back to May 2011.

Acclamation has been unbeatable in California for more than a year, the reason he won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding older male of 2011.

Now 6, Acclamation is expected to add to that list when he starts as a heavy favorite in Saturday’s $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar.

Bill Mott was not at all surprised when his Royal Delta was beaten by Awesome Maria in the Grade 3 Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February.

The Hall of Fame trainer has greater expectations Saturday when Royal Delta squares off against Awesome Maria and five others in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park.

[DELAWARE HANDICAP: Get PPs and watch the full card live]

DEL MAR, Calif. – Hard to Resist ran so well on turf at Del Mar in 2011 that an attempt to repeat the performance has been a goal this summer.

Trainer Peter Eurton could have started Hard to Resist in the Royal Heroine Stakes at Hollywood Park earlier this month but has opted for Saturday’s $85,000 Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar.

“She seems to run well fresh and she seems to love Del Mar,” Eurton said.

Heavy showers and lightning forced Delaware Park to cancel its live card Thursday after just two races were run.

Live racing is scheduled to resume Saturday with a card highlighted by the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap. First post  time is  1:15 p.m. Eastern.

A filly who has been facing Grade 1 and Grade 2 females in her two most recent starts may be the most formidable threat to obvious favorite Willy Beamin in Saturday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

Wildcat’s Smile, who proved she could compete with males when she won last fall’s $260,000 New York Breeders’ Futurity, looks like a viable alternative to Willy Beamin, who brings a four-race winning streak into the 1 1/16-mile derby. As a filly, Wildcat’s Smile will get in with 10 pounds fewer than Willy Beamin, the co-highweight at 124 pounds.

With Trinniberg and Fort Loudon off to Saratoga for the summer, the best 3-year-olds remaining on the grounds at Calder will square off in Saturday’s $75,000 El Kaiser Stakes.

The mile and 70-yard El Kaiser is one of three stakes on Saturday’s 12-race program that also includes the $75,000 Three Ring for 3-year-old fillies and the $55,000 Primal for older horses going 1 1/16 miles over the main track.