OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Ramon Dominguez said he felt “better than expected” after returning to the saddle Friday at Aqueduct for the first time since suffering a separated collarbone in a spill here on March 18.

Dominguez rode two horses, finishing fourth aboard Cooper River in the second and second on Rebellious Chic in the seventh.

In the second, Dominguez utilized his left-handed whip three times and then switched and went right-handed four times.

Najjaar, a two-time winner at the meet eyeing the Arkansas Derby, worked five furlongs in company Friday morning at Oaklawn. He went in 1:00 under jockey Calvin Borel, with Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton carrying him through fractions of 12.20 for the opening eighth of a mile, 24.40 for the first quarter, 36.60 for three-furlongs, and galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.20.

Najjaar, who was sixth last out in the Grade 2, $500,000 Rebel, races for Shadwell Stable and is trained by Dan Peitz.

Ron the Greek, the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in his last start March 3, is being seriously considered for a start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 14, said his trainer, Bill Mott.

“We’re leaning in that direction,” he said Thursday. “We’ll peek at the weights, and breeze him, and see if all is good to go.”

Mott said the timing of the race is appealing for Ron the Greek.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Salt Water Cowboy gave trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. his 2,000th career victory by winning Friday’s fourth race at Gulfstream Park. Salt Water Cowboy ($8) is owned by Plesa’s wife, Laurie, and the Trilogy Stables.

Plesa, a 62-year-old native of Seattle, has won the 1997 Gulfstream Park training title as well as four Tropical at Calder crowns during his career. His best horses have included Three Ring, winner of the Grade 1 Acorn in 1999, Gotcha Gold, Best of the Rest, J J’sdream, Tekken and B.B. Best.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of It’s Tricky are leaning toward running their multiple Grade 1 winning filly in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff at Aqueduct as opposed to Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn.

Regardless of where she starts, It’s Tricky on Friday signaled her readiness with a sharp half-mile breeze in 48.32 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

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The Grade 2, $110,000 Sunland Park Championship Challenge is the first half of a rich stakes double for Quarter Horses at the New Mexico track on Sunday. The card also includes the $251,358 New Mexican Spring Futurity.

The Sunland Park Championship Challenge goes as the third race. Its winner will earn an automatic berth into the Grade 1, $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship to be held at Prairie Meadows on Oct. 27. A field of 10 is set to go in the Sunland Park qualifier, the starters having been determined through trial races on March 20.

Trainer Bob Baffert will have a busy weekend in Arkansas on April 13-14.

Baffert said he will start Mamma Kimbo and Jemima’s Pearl in the $300,000 Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Friday, the same day that 2011 Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty makes her 2012 debut in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap. The Apple Blossom is expected to draw 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.

Next Saturday, Baffert starts Bodemeister and Secret Circle in the $1 million Arkansas Derby.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The opening of the Keeneland spring meet went very smoothly, especially if your name is Wesley Ward. The 44-year-old trainer was smiling broadly after the first two races of the meet, which he swept into a $2 daily double worth $17.80 after Skylander and Gentlemans Code reported home easy winners over the neatly groomed Polytrack.

“Undefeated,” proclaimed Ward.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Joe Talamo did not have to wait long for the 1,000th win of his career on Thursday.

Last Sunday, he won three races to reach 999 wins. With no racing from Monday through Wednesday, Talamo had four chances on Thursday.

After finishing third in Thursday’s third race with Lady Fairbanks, Talamo, 22, hit the milestone with an easy win aboard Splendid Fortune in the fourth race. The victory came five years and nine months after Talamo won his first race at Louisiana Downs in the summer of 2006.