Snug is sort of the Sham of the older Louisiana-bred ranks. He would arguably be his division’s leader were it not for Star Guitar, just as many believed Sham would have been the top 3-year-old back in 1973 had he not been part of the same crop as Secretariat.

Snug, 6, played runner-up to Star Guitar in the two richest Louisiana-bred stakes on the calendar last winter, the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic at Fair Grounds in December, and the $200,000 Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs in February.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Look out for Out Post in the $65,000 Fort Monmouth Stakes on Saturday. She could be sitting on a strong rebound effort in the 5 1/2-furlong turf dash for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.

The 5-year-old Out Post will be making her second start of the season following a disappointing return.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – How is it that Chris Block, one of the best-known trainers at Arlington, and a trainer whose Chicago starters always seem to take betting action, can be producing a positive return on investment in so many areas?

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Jockeys Joel Rosario and Mike Smith will ride in New York for Belmont Stakes weekend and then travel to England for the Royal Ascot meeting beginning June 14, they said Thursday.

Daring Reality was by far the longest shot on the board at 23-1 when she rallied to win the one-mile Wanda overnight stakes at Belmont Park in early May. She won’t be anywhere near that price, and might even go favored, against just four rivals in Saturday’s $75,000 Go for Wand Stakes at Delaware Park.

The Go for Wand, scheduled for a mile and 70 yards on the main track, is the local prep for the Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile race, on July 9.

AUBURN, Wash. -- Kids Kooler, one of the leading 2-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs last summer, is scheduled to make her 2011 debut Saturday in the featured eighth race, a first-level optional $25,000 claimer. The 10-race card begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

The connections of the three favorites for the Belmont Stakes – Animal Kingdom, Shackleford, and Nehro – expressed optimism and excitement with their respective horses while defending the overall quality of the 3-year-old crop when addressing the racing media during a national teleconference Thursday afternoon.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Oregon Lady takes a three-race win streak into her stakes debut Saturday at Woodbine in the $300,000 Nassau. She is one three Roger Attfield-trained runners in the Grade 2 turf route, along with champion Miss Keller and Mekong Melody.

Oregon Lady was just a promising maiden last spring, but she has turned the corner this year at age 4.

“She always looked like a real star, but I could never get her on any sort of program,” Attfield recalled. “She was a very backward, long, late-maturing filly. She’s doing really, really well now.”

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Caleb’s Posse ran in every 3-year-old stakes at Oaklawn Park this winter, winning the Smarty Jones and finishing second in the Rebel while not faring nearly as well in the Southwest and Arkansas Derby. That full dance card led trainer Donnie Von Hemel to back off a bit once the Oaklawn meet ended in mid-April.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Inglorious, who got back in the groove with an emphatic score in the 1 1/16-mile La Lorgnette here May 15, has been made the 5-2 morning-line choice for Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.

A field of nine was entered Thursday when the ceremonial draw for the Woodbine Oaks, the 1 1/8-mile race that is the premier test for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, took place at the WEGZ Stadium Bar in nearby Vaughan.

Inglorious, who is owned by Donna and Vern Dubinsky and is trained by Josie Carroll, drew the No. 3 post.