LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The final night card of the year at Churchill is set for Saturday when four stakes, all for 3-year-olds, anchor an 11-race program that starts at 6 p.m.

The Grade 3 Dogwood is the only graded event among the foursome. Last Leaf, already a four-time stakes winner this year and owned by the Monarch Stables of Frank Bertolino, was among the fillies expected for the seven-furlong race. Eddie Kenneally has assumed her training from Ron Spatz, for whom Last Leaf captured three Gulfstream Park stakes and the Aug. 14 Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park in her latest start.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Damon’s Mound exited the first defeat of his career in fine shape, with “any option on the table,” owner-breeder Cliff Love said in the aftermath of the Girvin colt finishing a tired sixth behind the victorious Curly Jack in the Iroquois Stakes here Saturday.

Damon’s Mound, trained by Michelle Lovell, was sensational in his first two wins. In the Iroquois, he and favored Echo Again led to the top of the stretch before both folded up, with Echo Again fading to seventh.

CYPRESS, Calif. - The Chosen Vron was a two-time winner in Grade 3 stakes as a 3-year-old in 2021, but he is unlikely to be tried in those sort of races in coming months.

After The Chosen Vron won Saturday’s $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes for California-bred milers at Los Alamitos, trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac said the statebred division has greater appeal.

“The main thing is to keep him around as long as we can,” Kruljac said in the winner’s circle. “I don’t think we’ll try anything graded anytime soon.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Nest, who won both the Grade 1 Alabama and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga this summer, returned to the work tab Saturday morning, breezing an easy half-mile in 50.45 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

Nest, the clear leader of the 3-year-old filly division, worked outside of Al’s Rocket. They went their opening quarter in 24.60 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.29.

Jessica Pyfer, the champion apprentice jockey of 2021 who has struggled to gain mounts this year, plans to start working as an in-house television commentator at Santa Anita this fall while continuing to ride.

“I still love riding and the horses I’m riding and the people I ride for,” she said. “I don’t want to quit, but I’m looking at other options.

“It’s been a hard time since losing my bug. I want to learn different aspects of the industry.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred 2-year-old filly Maple Leaf Mel, who won the Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga 16 days after winning her maiden, will be given off the remainder of the year and point to a 3-year-old campaign in 2023, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said Friday.

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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Leave No Trace, winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sept. 4 at Saratoga, will make her start in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette on Oct. 2 at Aqueduct, trainer Phil Serpe said Friday.

Serpe said Leave No Trace remained in Saratoga following her 14-1 upset victory in the Spinaway. She will work there Sunday and then ship to Belmont on Monday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Back from stakes tries at Kentucky Downs, the Christophe Clement-trained pair of Gufo and Big Invasion will have different plans for the remainder of 2022.

Gufo, beaten a nose by Red Knight in the $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct on Oct. 8. Big Invasion, who had a six-race winning streak snapped when he finished third in the Franklin-Simpson, will be put away from the remainder of the year and point to a 4-year-old campaign in 2023, Clement said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment announced on Friday that its board of directors has appointed longtime horse racing industry executive Hugh Mitchell as chair, effective immediately.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Fingal’s Cave, the undefeated New York-bred 3-year-old filly, could make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 24, trainer David Donk said Friday.

Donk said he planned to work Fingal’s Cave at Belmont over the weekend and would enter the filly in the Cotillion on Monday. That will give Donk ample time to study the field and see if he wants to take a swing.