Jockey Anthony Lovato, for years one of the top riders in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, has his first mount since 2010 in the second race Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

Love Dare, twice victorious in allowance company and second in the Opelousas Stakes in her three starts this summer, should rule as the public’s choice when she takes on nine rivals in Saturday night’s Matron Stakes at Evangeline Downs. The headliner carries a $50,000 purse and will be run at a mile over the turf.

Silk Spinner has a chance to prove he’s the new boss of the Massachusetts-breds on Saturday when he makes his 2012 debut in the $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes at Suffolk Downs.

[bc_video_id:257618:]David Donk thought seriously about waiting to run Zultanite in the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga on Wednesday, but “those waters are pretty deep,” the 52-year-old trainer said.

Instead, Donk opted to ship Zultanite south to the Richmond, Va., area, where on Saturday night the filly will be the one to beat in the Grade 3, $150,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs.

Bridgetown returns to his favorite turf course Saturday, when he heads an eight-horse field set to contest 5 1/2 furlongs in the $100,000 Willard Straight, the first race on the 11-race card.

Bridgetown, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown, is 3 for 3 at Saratoga, winning one turf sprint a year here since 2009. Last August, he won the Troy Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths, but did not run for the remainder of the year.

Midnight Crooner and My Best Brother won divisions of the Oceanside Stakes on Wednesday’s opening day program and have the $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2 as a long-term goal.

Whether either of the colts starts in the next stakes for 3-year-old turf males, the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 11, is a decision that will be made in coming days, their owners said.

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.