ELMONT, N.Y. – When last seen in North America, Bank Merger won the $250,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing, capping a brief, but successful, 3-year-old campaign for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Wesley Ward told owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey that the multiple derby-winning Pleasant Prince might need a start or two to get going this season.

A 4-year-old chestnut colt, Pleasant Prince certainly needed that first race, a seventh-place finish at Churchill Downs on May 21.

Ward expects forward progress Friday in the $54,000 third-level allowance with optional $50,000 claiming at Monmouth Park.

“I think he’s going to run better,” Ward said. “He’s kind of a big, heavy horse. Hopefully, it will be a lot better than his initial performance.”

Pocket Patch will try a synthetic surface for the first time in his career when he starts as the morning-line favorite for the $75,000 Leematt at Presque Isle Downs on Friday evening.

It’s one down and one to go for Star Guitar this summer.

The two-time reigning Louisiana-bred horse of the year captured his third straight Louisiana Showcase Classic last Saturday night at Evangeline Downs against fellow statebreds and now has his sights set on the Evangeline Mile on Aug. 13. Star Guitar has won the last two editions of the Mile, which is for open company. His victory last Saturday ran his local record to a perfect 5 for 5.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Molinaro Remarks lit up the tote board like a Christmas tree when he won his turf debut, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him strike again in Friday’s Woodbine headliner, a 10-furlong first-level allowance for Ontario-sired horses.

Molinaro Remarks was beaten in double digits in his first four races, all in Ontario-sired maiden special company on the Polytrack. He was let go at 40-1 when he moved to the turf for 1 1/16-mile maiden route June 15, and rewarded his few backers with a gate-to-wire victory under an enterprising ride from Steve Bahen.

ALTOONA, Iowa – Friday night’s Iowa Stallion Futurity at Prairie Meadows gives the 10 juveniles in the field, all maidens, a shot at some big money. The 5 1/2-furlong race offers added money of $60,000, and with its complicated scheme of bonuses and incentives, the race could end up being worth six figures.

The field comprises six unraced runners and the four who have made just one start each. Two of the entrants are fillies. All of them are locally based, with the exception of Lone Star shipper Kip’s Mescalero, trained by Bret Calhoun.

Freaky, the 2009 World Champion, won for the first time at Los Alamitos since January in Sunday’s $25,000 Independence Day Handicap, a race that may be better remembered for how roughly it was run that the stature of the winner.

All six runners in the 300-yard race encountered significant trouble. Freaky was bumped twice at the start, but overcame those incidents to win by a neck over Pappyscoronalilbro, who lugged toward the rail in deep stretch or might have finished closer.

Crafty Critter will try and start another winning streak when she drops into a $15,000 claiming race at Northlands Park Friday. The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew seven horses, and Crafty Critter figures to be one of the favorites along with Recounted and Chatahoochie.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Barbara Heads is hoping for some semblance of an honest pace in a first-level $35,000 optional claiming race that will serve as Friday’s feature at Hastings. Heads has entered Grade 3 winners Trick of the North and Majesticality, who are both deep closers.

The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses and goes as race 7 on the eight-race card. Due to a B.C. Lions football game Friday evening, post time for the first race has been moved to 3:20 p.m.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse is sitting in what his become his customary position atop the Woodbine standings, with a healthy lead in both races won and money won heading into Friday’s 60th card of the 167-day Woodbine meeting. But Casse has never been one to stand pat, and will be looking to expand his horizons with an allocation of 22 stalls for the Saratoga session, which begins on July 22.

Casse is no stranger to Saratoga but will be having his largest presence there since making Woodbine his primary base of operations back in 1998.