Not all that many years ago, the Louisiana-bred older-male turf division came down to two horses: if Coach Rags wasn’t winning a statebred-restricted turf stakes, then Mr. Sulu was. The situation has grown more complex, with a larger group of horses taking turns going to the winner’s circle.

Snuggs and Kisses successfully defended her title in Saturday’s $35,000 Kachina Handicap at Turf Paradise, and it couldn't have been easier.

Action Andy, ridden by 52-year-old jockey Jesse Garcia, rallied from slightly off the pace to win Saturday’s $60,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - An inch was as good as a mile for Heavenly Landing, who remained perfect on the grass when she rallied to nose out La Reined Lionel with Tapitsfly another head farther back in Saturday’s $100,000 Marshua’s River at Gulfstream Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Now that the calendar has turned to 2012, the West Coast’s 3-year-olds need to prove that they can stretch out and progress on their way to the Santa Anita Derby, and possibly the Kentucky Derby. The one-mile distance of the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita was a testament to the path ahead, as Out of Bounds successfully stretched out in his stakes debut, while heavily favored Secret Circle, the unbeaten winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, failed to reproduce his best form in his first try around two turns.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Can a legitimate Kentucky Derby prospect bloom in New York during the winter?

On a spring-like afternoon that rivaled any Wood Memorial Day seen around here in years, Alpha looked like a legitimate Derby contender with a solid 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes over Aqueduct’s inner track. Stephanoatsee, a half-brother to 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, rallied to get second by a neck over Il Villano.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Turning for home in Saturday’s $100,000 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, it was already evident that Captivating Lass was going to run better than she had in her previous start. It just wasn’t clear if she was going to run good enough to win.

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s arsenal of 3-year-old talent includes Discreet Dancer, who won impressively for the second time in as many starts during the current Gulfstream Park meet when he dominated Saturday’s seventh race going a mile.

Discreet Dancer, who earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure in his debut, broke alertly and controlled the race throughout before drawing away to a 5 1/2-length decision over Neck ‘n Neck with Javier Castellano aboard.

A trio of potential Kentucky Derby trail candidates breezed at Gulfstream on Saturday, led by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Hansen, who went five furlongs in 1:00.40 shortly after the track opened at 5:45 a.m. Breaking three lengths behind stablemate Lonesome Street, Hansen posted splits of 24.60 and 36.60 seconds before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.40 while three lengths in front of his partner at the wire.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Aside from all the good-looking 3-year-old prospects trainer Todd Pletcher has already unleashed here during the opening month of the Gulfstream Park meet he also has two others waiting in the wings, Gemologist and Overdriven, who have combined to win all five of their starts.