ARCADIA, Calif. – The numbers tell the story about the rapid development of Teddy’s Promise.

Four months ago, Teddy’s Promise ended a five-race losing streak with a win in an optional claimer at the Santa Anita Autumn meeting. When Teddy’s Promise starts as the favorite in Saturday’s $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old filly can win her fourth consecutive race, and second straight Grade 1.

“It’s been great,” trainer Ron Ellis said. “It’s unusual to see things going so well.”

It may not be Affirmed and Alydar, but Sourdough Sam and Shudacudawudya have a nice rivalry going, and they renew it Saturday in the $50,000 Albany Stakes over the Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields.

The two 5-year-olds have met three times and have run one-two in each race, including in the Oakland Stakes last October.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Caracortado was scheduled to be withdrawn from Saturday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita because of a tender foot, trainer Mike Machowsky said on Friday.

Caracortado’s absence would leave the turf sprint for California-breds with just five expected starters.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – What a difference a year makes.

Musical Romance went to post in almost total anonymity, at odds of 62-1, in the 2011 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint. On Saturday, Musical Romance enters the same race not only as the likely favorite but also the reigning Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint champion and newly elected Eclipse Award champion.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher-trained horses figure prominently in both stakes on Saturday’s 10-race card at Aqueduct, as Katy Now and Love and Pride loom the main speed of the Affectionately, and Heart Butte defends his title in a redrawn Evening Attire that was snowed out last Saturday.

The winner of the last sprint stakes at Turfway Park wasn’t even nominated to the next one, but the runner-up and beaten favorite have returned in what shapes up as an interesting renewal of the $50,000 Forego Stakes on Saturday at the northern Kentucky track.

Uneasy lies the crown atop the head of Killer Graces, who ascended to the throne with her victory in the Hollywood Starlet last month.

That win made Killer Graces the West’s top-ranked female among the 3-year-old class of 2012, but when she makes her first start of the new year on Saturday, in the Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes, she will have to prove that she is as effective at Santa Anita as she was at Hollywood Park, where she won three times and finished second twice in five starts last year.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Though technically Awesome Feather is dropping from a Grade 1 race to a restricted stakes, trainer Chad Brown knows that Saturday’s $300,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park is no easy spot.

Awesome Feather will put her 8-for-8 record on the line against the improving Tiz the Argument, the defending Distaff winner Sweet Repent, and the consistent Delightful Mary in the Distaff, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles over the main track.

PHOENIX – In the last month and a half, Saratoga Boot has won at a mile on the Turf Paradise main track and posted a 14-1 upset in the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile on the turf here on Jan. 14. He looks to expand his résumé with a sprint victory in Saturday’s $35,000 Swift. The 5 1/2-furlong main-track event drew a field of eight, and is a key prep for the meet’s marquee event, the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup on Feb. 18.

Maryland-based colts Costas Fiftieth and The Camden Comet have run some powerful races out of state, combining for three victories by a collective margin of 22 3/4 lengths. Saturday, the two colts will get to strut their stuff at their home track of Laurel Park while stepping up to stakes company for the $100,000 Dancing Count.

The six-furlong Dancing Count, the first stakes of the winter meet at Laurel, drew an evenly matched field of seven 3-year-olds.