ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Irish Mission probably punched her ticket to the $1 million Queen’s Plate with a determined score under Alex Solis in Sunday’s $500,400 Woodbine Oaks.

Irish Mission pressed a slow pace on the outside in the nine-furlong route, and then hit the front at the sixteenth pole before holding off the closers to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:50.50.

Mario Gutierrez was named to ride five horses on Friday at Belmont Park, the day before he will attempt to complete racing’s first Triple Crown in 34 years on I’ll Have Another in the Belmont Stakes. The mounts represent the first time Gutierrez will ride races on the uniquely configured 1 1/2-mile oval at Belmont.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Lil Kiara stormed home to pull a 7-1 upset Sunday in the $60,000 Open Mind Stakes for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares at Monmouth Park. Lil Kiara got up by a nose over Emily Allstar with Salad Girl third.

The victory gave jockey Carlos Marquez Jr. a sweep of the statebred stakes over the weekend. He scored with The Hunk on Saturday in the John J. Reilly Handicap.

While The Hunk was a front-running winner, Lil Kiara came from way back get this victory.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 21-1 shot River Rush graduated in style while lowering the nine-furlong Polytrack record in Sunday’s $151,200 Plate Trial Stakes, a prep for the June 24 Queen’s Plate.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dene Court ($8.50) repelled several challengers while racing on the inside under Patrick Husbands, and prevailed by a neck here Sunday in the $116,000 Alywow Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

“She’s all class,” said Husbands after Dene Court had made a successful turf debut for trainer Mark Casse and owner Eugene Melnyk over 6 1/2 furlongs.

Blue Heart closed to finish second, a head before Sky Dreamer and Man Stuff, who dead-heated for third. Casse also saddled Sky Dreamer.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Jockey Javier Castellano was walking Dullahan back to trainer Dale Romans's barn after having just worked the third-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Derby a half-mile Sunday morning at Belmont Park when he stopped briefly to ask the gap attendant how fast he’d gone.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Kettle Corn could only finish second by 7 1/4 lengths to Game On Dude in Saturday’s Grade 2 Californian Stakes, but trainer John Sadler wants a rematch in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 7.

Before anyone rushes to grab a cold towel for Sadler’s forehead, it should be noted that the Gold Cup is a handicap run over 1 1/4 miles, conditions that should suit Kettle Corn.

LINCOLN, Neb. - Jockey Armando Martinez suffered severe facial injuries and two other riders were transported to local hospitals after a horrific five-horse spill during the running of the fifth race at Lincoln Race Course Saturday afternoon.

ELKTON, Md. - As John Velazquez galloped a strong Union Rags through the stretch of the near-empty Fair Hill training center dirt track Sunday morning, he thought to himself ‘Oh my God, what is this thing?’ ”

About a minute later he found out. Sitting on Union Rags for the first time, Velazquez guided the powerhouse 3-year-old through a five-furlong workout that Daily Racing Form timed in 58.50 seconds. Michael Matz, the trainer of Union Rags, caught him in 59 seconds. Matz was aboard a stable pony on the far turn.

 ALTOONA, Iowa - Well within himself, Alsvid drew away from seven 3-year-old opponents to take Saturday evening's $60,000 Prairie Mile by 5 1/4 lengths.

Based here in Chris Hartman's stable and owned by Black Hawk Stable, Alsvid seized the initiative in the opening quarter-mile under Chris Landeros. He controlled the proceedings thereafter while covering the mile in 1:38.52.