SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As Gov. Andrew Cuomo puts the finishing touches on a state takeover of the New York Racing Association, a poised Ellen McClain is gearing up for what she believes will be a successful Saratoga meet, her first – and some suggest last – as the organization’s president and chief operating officer.

Two days before Friday’s opening of Saratoga’s 144th meet – a 40-day meet that runs through Labor Day – McClain spoke about the upcoming Saratoga meet and her future in the wake of a published report that stated she will be fired in seven weeks.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ian Wilkes already knows what it’s like to win big races at Saratoga. The Australian-born Wilkes served as Carl Nafzger’s assistant when Street Sense captured both the Jim Dandy and Travers here in 2007, and two years later earned the first Grade 1 victory of his own training career with Capt. Candyman Can’s triumph in the King’s Bishop.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The last time a graded stakes was run for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga, trainer Tony Dutrow was in the winner’s circle following Grace Hall’s victory in last September’s Grade 1 Spinaway.

The feature on Friday’s 10-race opening day card at Saratoga is the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes for juvenile fillies, and Dutrow is feeling confident that So Many Ways can help him pick up where he left off.

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AUBURN, Wash. – Hudson Landing, winner of the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile in April, is among the horses being pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 19 at Emerald Downs.

Trainer Blaine Wright said he will start Hudson Landing on Sunday in the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald, an opportunity to see if the horse’s recent sharp form can translate to a dirt surface. Hudson Landing has raced on grass and synthetic surfaces for most of his career, and Sunday’s start would be his first on dirt since a runner-up effort in a maiden race at Gulfstream Park in 2010.

American Act, one of the best 3-year-old sprinters on the Southern California circuit, will miss the Del Mar meet, trainer Jack Carava said.

“He’s turned out,” Carava said. “He just started training poorly. He wasn’t training sharply. We decided to kick him out for a couple of months.
“There’s nothing major wrong with him. We did a nuclear scan, and nothing showed up. But he always trained with a lot of energy, and then he didn’t seem to want to do it. He’ll come back after Del Mar.”

Trainer Jeff Bonde had a rough finish to the Hollywood Park meeting.

Last Saturday, Bonde had contenders in three major stakes, but no success. Amarish was sixth in the Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile, the same position that Izzy Rules finished in the Grade 2 A Gleam Handicap. Unusual Way finished eighth in the Landaluce Stakes after setting the early pace.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jackson Bend served notice he’d be a force to be reckoned with in the sprint division a year ago with his rail-skimming, 2 1/2-length victory in the James Marvin Stakes. On Friday, Jackson Bend will attempt to defend his title and regain his standing as one of the country’s elite sprinters when topping a field of seven entered in the $100,000 James Marvin, a race elevated to Grade 3 status for the first time this summer.

Jon Arnett, who has won multiple training titles in New Mexico and Colorado, is expanding the reach of his stable. He plans to have a 35-horse division at Remington Park in Oklahoma City for the first time this fall, and if the stable performs well he would like to test the waters at Oaklawn Park.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Zo Impressive will attempt to continue her rise up the ranks of the 3-year-old filly division when she takes on just five rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Silver Max will put his five-race win streak on the line Saturday night when going postward as a solid favorite in the Grade  2, $600,000 Virginia Derby, the annual showcase race at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va.

Silver Max, with Robby Albarado to ride, will break from post 7 when facing eight other 3-year-olds in the Virginia Derby, which goes at 1 1/4 miles on the expansive turf course at Colonial. Silver Max has never raced farther than 1 1/16 miles.