Three horses entered in Saturday’s Mineshaft Handicap, including 2011 Louisiana Derby winner Pants On Fire, have been withdrawn from the race, Fair Grounds stakes coordinator Scott Jones confirmed. Pants On Fire was to have shipped to New Orleans from Florida on Wednesday, but won’t be making the trip.

Trainer Kelly Breen didn’t immediately respond to a phone message asking why Pants On Fire, who was to have made his 2012 debut, was out of the race.

Also coming out of the Mineshaft is California-based Gladding and another Florida horse, Cool Blue Red Hot.

While Larry Jones’s 3-year-olds all worked after the break on Monday at Fair Grounds, 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace was out as soon as the track opened at 6 a.m. to put in her most serious drill of 2012. Havre de Grace had her first five-furlong breeze of the year, working in a bullet 59.80 seconds.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – After sweeping both divisions of the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Monday, trainer Bob Baffert said he will be back for the track’s Grade 2, $500,000 Rebel on March 17. The question is with whom?

The atmosphere around the Larry Jones barn on Tuesday morning at Fair Grounds was decidedly more calm than the morning previous, and that was not just because everyone had wandered off to watch Zulu and Rex, the major Mardi Gras Day parades, roll down into the French Quarter. Monday was a major work day in the Jones barn, with all three of his 3-year-olds intended for Saturday stakes races in action, making Tuesday a quieter walk day for many of the horses.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Timing is the key to riding City to City, the winner of Monday’s Grade 2 Buena Vista Handicap for fillies and mares on turf. The longer a rider is able to wait before asking City to City for her best effort, the better chance she has of winning.

In the Buena Vista, race strategy worked in favor of City to City, who was ridden for the first time by jockey Corey Nakatani. City to City ($19) was fifth of 11 on the backstretch and rallied through the final quarter-mile to win by a head over a fast-closing Up In Time.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Gladding, the winner of the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes in 2010, will make his next start in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 3, trainer John Sadler said on Monday.

Gladding is entered for Saturday’s $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds, but Sadler said the 5-year-old gelding will remain in California. Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Gladding has not started since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.

Stephanie’s Kitten hasn’t run since closing her sensational 2-year-old campaign with a game victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. But if her five-furlong work over the turf here Sunday is any indication, she’s in for an even bigger year at 3.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ever So Lucky was back on the work tab Tuesday for the first time since being scratched from the Hutcheson Stakes on Feb. 11, breezing a sharp five furlongs from the half-mile to the mile pole in 1:00.64 shortly after the second renovation break.

With Mario Madrid aboard, Ever So Lucky broke off a couple of lengths behind stablemate Deciding and then rolled past his target at midstretch, hitting the wire in 48.76 seconds and shading 12 seconds for his final furlong without urging around the turn.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Factor, who rebounded from a disappointing fall campaign to win the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in December, will challenge sprint champion Amazombie in Saturday’s $200,000 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed The Factor’s participation on Tuesday after the 4-year-old colt worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds at Hollywood Park, the fourth-fastest of 22 recorded works at the distance.

Even though Baffert’s main string is based at Santa Anita, The Factor has been part of the Hollywood Park division for much of his career.

The first order of business in handicapping grass races at Fair Grounds usually doesn’t involve class, pace, or speed figures. It’s weather. The fickle nature of the New Orleans winter can scuttle the plans of horsemen and horseplayers, and it remains to be seen whether that scenario will unfold Thursday when the richest of nine races is run.