INGLEWOOD, Calif. – As the year unfolds and her win streak grows, so have the lofty ambitions for the top female turf sprinter in California.

Mizdirection should win her fifth straight Sunday at Hollywood Park in a little $70,000 turf sprint for fillies and mares. The Great Lady M. appears to be easy pickings, as do the two races she will target thereafter.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Compliance Officer gets a chance to complete his own personal Grand Slam of sorts when he makes his seasonal debut in Sunday’s $125,000 Kingston Stakes for New York-breds going one mile at Belmont Park.

Last year, Compliance Officer won the West Point, Ashley T. Cole, and Mohawk – three of the four traditional turf races restricted to New York-breds en route to being named champion New York-bred turf male. Perhaps the only reason he didn’t win the Kingston is because he wasn’t in it.

AUBURN, Wash. – Upon further review, Noosa Beach did not drive off a career cliff when he finished fourth last Sunday in the Governor’s Handicap at Emerald Downs. The two-time Washington horse of the year simply had a bad day, mostly through no fault of his own.

The jockey was new, the trip was poor, and the winner, the aptly named Winning Machine, was on top of his game, running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13.97 to earn a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – There were varying levels of comebacks in effect when the 2011 champion Acclamation worked a mile on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park on Friday morning.

Acclamation, champion older male of 2011, is nearing his first start of 2012 in the $250,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on turf June 9. Acclamation was entered for the Inglewood Handicap in April, but was scratched when trainer Don Warren expressed concerned about the horse’s soundness.

Tests revealed no problems, allowing Acclamation to return to serious training earlier this month.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer David Donk wants a do-over. After being forced to miss an overnight stakes with Hessonite due to a foot bruise, Donk ran his New York-bred filly in the Grade 2 Beaugay here May 5.

It proved disastrous as she raced too close to the pace and faded to last, beaten nearly 10 lengths, in her first start in 6 1/2 months.

“If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn’t have run there, but that was yesterday,” Donk said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs will boost overnuight purses by 10 percent, effective Monday, officials at the track announced Friday.

The increase is attributable to higher-than-expected all-sources wagering on Kentucky Derby weekend, when a total of $226.9 million was bet on Kentucky Oaks and Derby Days, May 4-5. That total was up nearly 12 percent from 2011.

I’ll Have Another will be forced to make a subtle, but perhaps significant, equipment change when he tries to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner in the 144th Belmont Stakes on June 9, not because his connections want to, but because they are being required to do so by Belmont Park stewards.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Terri Pompay feared the worst when Zero Rate Policy hit the dirt while setting the pace in the Decathlon Stakes, the opening day feature at Monmouth Park.

One moment, the 4-year-old Zero Rate Policy, who took the Rumson Stakes here last summer, was leading the way as the 2-1 favorite. In the next instant, he was on the ground, triggering a four-horse pileup.

As she ran onto the track toward the chaos on the far turn, Pompay braced for disaster.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Apart will add blinkers Monday when he starts as part of an eight-horse field for the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. Entries for the 1 1/16-mile race were taken Friday. The handicap is the richest offering of the meet at Lone Star Park.

[bc_video_id:252865:]ELMONT, N.Y. – It must be a competitive event when a horse who has won five straight races and what is equal to the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure among the contenders could be the longest shot in the field.

Such is the case in Monday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap, which drew a solid six-horse field, including four Grade 1 winners – Caleb’s Posse, Jackson Bend, Shackleford, and To Honor Serve – as well as Caixa Eletronica, winner of the $1 million Charles Town Classic in his last start.