DEL MAR, Calif. − After winning three of her last four starts in sprints, Sugarinthemorning makes her career debut around two turns in Sunday’s $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

The one-mile Torrey Pines Stakes could present the quick Sugarinthemorning with an ideal scenario − a small field without a clear front-runner.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – The best Minnesota-breds in training will square off Sunday at Canterbury Park in the 18th Minnesota Festival of Champions. Eight Thoroughbred stakes worth a total of $345,000 will be contested.

DEL MAR, Calif. – War Chant was good enough in the spring of his 3-year-old year to win the San Rafael Stakes and finish second in the Santa Anita Derby, earning him a start in the Kentucky Derby. But it was on the turf where War Chant shined best, winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Now, his son Midnight Interlude is trying to follow the same story arc. He won the Santa Anita Derby earlier this year, then ran unsuccessfully in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Since then, though, Midnight Interlude has moved to the turf, and has shown plenty of promise on that surface.

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OCEANPORT, N.J. – Yummy With Butter bids for a second straight Grade 3 victory at Monmouth Park when he faces seven rivals Sunday in the $100,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes on the turf.

John Shear, the popular 90-year-old paddock guard who bravely threw himself in front of a loose horse to protect a small girl at Santa Anita earlier this year, will be honored by Santa Anita on Oct. 1 with a race named in his honor.

Appropriately called the “John Shear Hero Purse,” the race will include a winner’s circle ceremony in which Shear will be recognized for his actions in the March 12 incident. Shear also will be profiled this Sunday night on HRTV’s “Inside Information” show, which airs at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. The profile will include video of the incident.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The nominations for the Sept. 18 Woodbine Mile were released Friday, and there is no question about who tops the list for this year’s running.

The connections of Courageous Cat, who is coming off a game win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on July 2, have announced their intentions of using the Woodbine Mile as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

You might say Mark Guidry is rounding back into form. The comeback for the 52-year-old jockey has started with a modest 1-for-20 mark, but Guidry is hoping to improve on that record before too long.

“I actually think it’s going pretty good,” said Guidry, who ended a retirement of nearly four years when he returned to the saddle with two mounts Aug. 12 at Arlington Park. Since then, Guidry has ridden exclusively at Ellis Park in western Kentucky, with his lone victory coming on Aug. 27 in a $5,000 claiming race aboard Don’tcallmechris.

MIAMI – A $75,000 stakes at Calder rarely catches the attention of anybody outside the local area, especially over Labor Day weekend. But the Whippleton Handicap will have the eyes of the racing world focused, if only briefly, on south Florida shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday when the reigning sprint champion, Big Drama, emerges from hibernation to make his much anticipated comeback in the 6 1/2-furlong overnight stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has entered a plea of not guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence stemming from his arrest the evening of July 20, opening day at Del Mar.

According to the Associated Press, Smith entered his plea on Thursday via his attorney at the courthouse business office in downtown San Diego. Because the case is a misdemeanor, Smith was not required to be present. He has been free since posting bail of $2,500 in the early morning hours of July 21.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The scrappy Celtic Conviction will clash with unbeaten Queen Street Beach Sunday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes, a one-mile turf route for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

The Mike Doyle-trained Celtic Conviction, who captured the 2010 Cup and Saucer Stakes, has been competitive against some quality opposition this year. He dug in late to finish a close second to favored Clement Rock in the open Toronto Cup Stakes July 16.