ETOBICOKE, Ontario – No local horses emerged from last Sunday’s Woodbine Mile program as legitimate contenders for the Breeders’ Cup.

But, Woodbine’s first potential Breeders’ Cup representative stepped up to the plate here last Saturday when Northern Passion captured the Natalma Stakes for trainer Mark Casse.

The Natalma, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies, not only offered Grade 3 status and a purse of $200,000 but was part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In challenge series and earned Northern Passion a fees-paid berth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

MIAMI – The formula is tried and true. Capture the opening two legs of the Florida Stallion Stakes, skip the prep for the final leg, toss in a stamina-enhancing one-mile work during the six weeks between races, and then the complete a sweep of the series by winning the 1 1/16-mile finale on the Festival of the Sun card.

Jockey Julian Pimentel reached 1,000 wins for his career by scoring aboard  Pet Me Pet Me ($5.60) in Monday’s ninth race at Delaware Park.

Pimentel, 30, who rides primarily in Maryland, where he is the leading jockey at the current Laurel Park meet, was riding at Delaware because Laurel does not race on Mondays.

Coming off an authoritative allowance win at Saratoga, To Honor and Serve will return to stakes company in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing.

A field of nine was entered Monday for the Pennsylvania Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race restricted to 3-year-olds. Ruler On Ice, the Belmont Stakes winner, was installed as a lukewarm 5-2 morning-line favorite. But given his last performance - an 8 1/4-length allowance win at Saratoga - it wouldn’t be surprising if To Honor and Serve goes off the post-time favorite.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Theyskens’ Theory, second to Winter Memories in Saturday’s Grade 1 Garden City Stakes, will remain in the United States and continue her career under the tutelage of trainer Shug McGaughey.

Theyskens’ Theory is owned by Andrew Rosen, who has a few horses with McGaughey, including Arnell, a 4-year-old half-brother to Theysken’s Theory who is for $35,000 claiming on Friday.

McGaughey also has Fashion’s Flight, a 2-year-old filly who finished second as a 2-5 favorite in a maiden turf race on Sunday.

Havre de Grace, who beat males in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga, went five furlongs in 1:01.80 Monday morning at Delaware Park in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $350,000 Beldame Invitational at Belmont on Oct. 1.

“We just threw an anchor out behind her,” trainer Larry Jones joked when asked how he was able to get Havre de Grace to go that slow. “Everything’s good – she went good. We ain’t got to do much with her really, all we got to do is dilly-dally.”

Havre de Grace will have one more breeze next week before the Beldame.

Julien Leparoux also was in the winner’s circle following Sunday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Canadian as he guided Never Retreat to her second straight win over 1 1/8 miles on he Woodbine turf course.

Never Retreat, based in Chicago with trainer Chris Block but saddled on Sunday by assistant trainer Drew Coontz, had won the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on July 10 but then finished seventh in Arlington’s Grade 1 Beverly D. over 1 3/16 miles of yielding going on Aug. 18.

Wigmore Hall, the Northern Dancer winner, was scheduled to return to England on Tuesday evening and currently is scheduled to make his next start there Oct. 15 in Ascot’s Group 1 Champion Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile turf race worth more than $2 million.

While Wigmore Hall had never raced beyond 1 3/16 miles, the 4-year-old colt came with solid International credentials and rallied up the inside to score under jockey Jamie Spencer.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The presence of Uncle Mo and Jackson Bend will dominate the discussion of the Grade 2, $200,000 Kelso Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 1, but lurking in the weeds will be Jersey Town, who upset last year’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile at 34-1.

Monday, Jersey Town continued preparations for his Kelso start by working five furlongs in 1:00.67 over the Belmont main track. Jersey Town did go his first quarter in 23.80 seconds, and finished in 36.87 while being shut down immediately after the wire by jockey Cornelio Velasquez.

Courageous Cat, sent off at even money for the Woodbine Mile, couldn’t withstand Turallure’s charge but held on to finish second in a wild finish.

“It looked like a pretty good race,” said trainer Bill Mott. “It might have been better if there was a little more pace in front of him. He wound up on the lead for a long time.”

Courageous Cat was on his way back to Saratoga on Monday, along with stablemate Al Khali, and the Breeders’ Cup Mile is still on his agenda.