Trainer Jeff Bonde has been waiting for Saturday’s $50,000 Robert Dupret Derby at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.

The 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds gives Bonde a chance to give his multiple-stakes-winning sprinter Road Ready his first opportunity to compete in a route and to run on grass.

Road Ready has never raced longer than seven furlongs, but he is out of an Unbridled mare, which Bonde believes gives the colt support to get the distance.

“We believe he’ll be capable of routing,” said Bonde.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Hotep finished a respectable fourth when making his turf debut and his first start in almost nine months in the seven-furlong Ontario Jockey Club here July 13. On Saturday, Hotep will be stretching out to 1 1/8 miles on the grass for the With Approval, which like the Ontario Jockey Club is restricted to Ontario-foaled 3-year-olds and upward.

“He needed that last race; he got a little tired,” said Mark Frostad, who trains the homebred 4-year-old for Sam-Son Farm. “I think he ran pretty well on the turf, and he’s had three good works since then.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Paso Doble proved again here Wednesday evening that it’s possible to teach an older horse new tricks as he closed from just off the pace for a going-away 1 1/2-length victory in the $125,000 Shepperton Stakes.

The 5-year-old gelding, owned by Centennial Farm (Niagara), had generally raced on or very close to the front end through his first three campaigns before Casse took over this season.

“Maybe he’s just got wiser as he’s gotten older,” said Casse, with tongue in cheek.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Chiloquin led throughout Wednesday’s $100,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar to give trainer Scott Hansen his first stakes win in more than eight years.

Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Chiloquin ($10.80) led throughout the seven-furlong Real Good Deal Stakes for statebreds, holding off a sustained threat from Luckarack to win by a half-length. Bench Points, the 1-2 favorite, finished third in the field of six, a length behind Chiloquin, who was timed in 1:22.45.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Paso Doble danced his way into the winner’s circle on Wednesday night at Woodbine after a flawless performance in the $125,000 Shepperton Stakes.

Paso Doble ($4.60) stalked in third on the outside in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint before inheriting the lead from pacemaker Daniel Be Good late on the turn. He maintained command throughout the stretch, and got home on top by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:15.75. Race for Gold edged out Arepeatee for second in the six-horse field of Ontario-sired runners.

The penalties keep piling up for jockey Faith Schorr at Thistledown.

After receiving a $1,000 fine on Monday for standing up before the finish line and costing her mount a victory in the seventh race last Friday, the Thistledown stewards released two more rulings here Wednesday that will keep Schorr on the sidelines for 74 days.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It took until the end of the 17th day of the meet, but jockey Alan Garcia finally got his first winner at Saratoga this summer when he guided Obviously Tuesday to a neck victory in Wednesday's final race.

Garcia, 25, had gone winless with his first 40 mounts at Saratoga and was 0 for 53 overall dating back to July 8, when he won an allowance race at Belmont Park on Bank Merger.

Garcia won the 2008 Saratoga riding title with 39 wins and finished second to Ramon Dominguez in 2009 when he rode a personal-best 40 wins.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Some 97 tickets swept all six races in the pick six on Wednesday at Saratoga, with each ticket worth $9,109.

Five out of six paid $110.

A total of $1,174,157 in fresh money was bet into the pick six on Wednesday, fueled by a two-day carryover of $232,356 after no one hit the wager on Sunday or Monday. Tuesday is a dark day at Saratoga.

There will be a guaranteed pool of $100,000 on Thursday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Victor Espinoza is donating his share of purse earnings this week to the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation, an organization that provides assistance to backstretch workers.

Espinoza, who through Sunday was tied for seventh in the jockey standings with eight wins at the meeting, had four mounts on Wednesday and Thursday and five on Friday, including Strawberry Tart in the $85,000 Daisycutter Handicap.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Blind Luck worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 at Del Mar on Wednesday, but trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said he has to finalize plans about where the champion 3-year-old filly will start on Aug. 28.

The options are the $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes for fillies and mares at Saratoga or the $1 million Pacific Classic against males at Del Mar. Both races are over 1 1/4 miles. Blind Luck has never run against males.

“There are pros and cons to either race,” Hollendorfer said. “This is not an easy race here.”