The veteran geldings Kate’s Main Man and Wings of War are expected to vie for favoritism in the $75,000 Cyclones Handicap at Prairie Meadows on Saturday night. The pair could find themselves in a battle for early control in the 1 1/16-mile race for Iowa-breds.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The requirement that all horses in the Belmont Stakes reside in a detention barn for 72 hours before the race has angered a number of trainers in the race who say that those staffing the barn lack necessary horse sense and that the atmosphere is not conducive to horses performing at their optimum.

Cell Line Forever, a smart winner of her local bow, will be looking to come right back in the $30,000 La Verendrye at Assinibioa Downs on Saturday.

The six-furlong La Verendrye attracted a field of nine fillies and mares.

Cell Line Forever, a 5-year-old who came to Winnipeg off a series of solid turf efforts at Turf Paradise, rallied from just off the pace to prevail in the 5 1/2-furlong allowance prep for the La Verendrye on May 19.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Boisterous had a big year in 2011, concluding the campaign with victories in the Grade 2 Red Smith and Grade 3 Knickerbocker. Trainer Shug McGaughey is confident the improving Boisterous is capable of having an even better season in 2012.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Enough of the suspense. Racing fans will be feeling plenty of it all day Saturday.

By running the nominal Saturday feature early on the card, Churchill Downs is partly deferring, no doubt, to its Triple Crown partner, Belmont Park, and the momentous event that will take place about 6:42 p.m. Eastern, when I’ll Have Another makes his bid to become the 12th winner of the Triple Crown.

Saturday’s opening race on the Belmont Stakes Day card at Emerald Downs marks the return to action of a pair of 3-year-old fillies who performed in stakes last year.

Forty Something will make her first start since scoring an odds-on victory in the Janet Wineberg at Portland Meadows last Dec. 11. Wild Chica finished second in the Diane Kem at Emerald Downs last September and hasn’t raced since November.

Both will have their work cut out for them in a six-furlong $12,500 claimer for 3-year-old fillies who have never won two races. Five were entered.

ALBANY, Calif. – Last month, Stoney Fleece came up from Southern California to win the open-company Alcatraz Stakes for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields. He comes back up on Saturday for what should be a softer spot when he faces California-bred 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Silky Sullivan.

The Silky Sullivan is at one mile on turf, while the Alcatraz was at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Sporting a 4-inch gash on his left temple, but in good humor over what was a scary situation, trainer D. Wayne Lukas was back at work Wednesday morning at Belmont Park, a little more than 12 hours after his stakes-winning sprinter Hamazing Destiny reared up and struck the trainer in the head.

“The good news is I got a date with the head nurse and sold both doctors a horse,” Lukas said.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Manny Azpurua will be the first to admit his Ravelo’s Boy is a decided outsider in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. But then again, Azpurua has always relished the idea of being the underdog and flying well below the radar whether at home or when venturing out of south Florida.

“I know I’m the black sheep in here,” said Azpurua. “But I’m always the black sheep when I leave Calder, and my horses have always been right there in graded races up north.”

Roddy Valente has owned dozens of horses over the years, but one that grew close to his heart was the hard-knocking claimer Callmetony.

On Tuesday, Valente claimed Callemetony for the fourth – and final time – and subsequently retired him. The 11-year-old gelding by Runaway Groom will retire to Akindale Farm, a rehabilitation, rescue, and retirement facility, in Pawling, N.Y.