MIAMI − The $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap in July is the only Grade 1 race on the Calder stakes schedule. Eight locally based fillies and mares will try to earn their way into the Princess Rooney here with a big performance in the U Can Do It Handicap, one of four stakes to be decided on Saturday’s Summit of Speed Preview card.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There isn’t much separating the upper echelon of Ontario-sired 3-year-olds at Woodbine, and Quarterback seems to have as good a chance as any in Saturday’s $125,000 Bold Ruckus Stakes, a six-furlong turf event for such runners.

Trainer Kevin Attard pointed out that Quarterback checked in fourth amongst a logjam finish in the Frost King Stakes in November. The first and 10th horses were separated by a mere 3 1/4 lengths in that seven-furlong sprint.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The $100,000 Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park on Saturday is a two-turn audition for Coil, the promising colt trained by Bob Baffert. A win in his first start around two turns could lead to appearances in the major 3-year-old stakes later this summer.

Coil won his 3-year-old debut in an optional claimer over six furlongs on May 6, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over stablemate Smash in the quick time of 1:09.16. The Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap is run over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and is a prep for the $150,000 Swaps Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on July 9.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When his career arc wasn’t soaring as high as he expected, Jesus Castanon would discuss his concerns with his wife, Rolanda Simpson.

AUBURN, Wash. − Praise a Native and Rainier Missile headline the feature race Saturday at Emerald Downs, a $15,000 claimer for 3-year-olds who have never won twice. It will go as race 9 on an 11-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Also on tap is a simulcast of the Belmont Stakes shortly after 3:30.

Four of the five horses in the Emerald feature have won at the current meeting, and the fifth horse, Rainier Missile, won at Turf Paradise in April.

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ELMONT, N.Y. – When the connections of the California-based 3-year-old filly Turbulent Descent opted to concentrate on one-turn races, Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Acorn at Belmont Park was one of their primary objectives.

One filly with a perfect record in four starts over Delaware Park’s main track and another who projects as the lone speed in a small field pose potential problems for odds-on favorite Havre de Grace in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Obeah Stakes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tom Proctor said he thinks Graham Motion and Animal Kingdom probably will get the best of Dale Romans and Shackleford in the 143rd Belmont Stakes on Saturday in New York.

ELMONT, N. Y. – The similarities between Proviso, the high-class Grade 1 grass mare of 2010, and Aviate are striking. This is great news for Aviate, and less-than-great news for the eight lining up against her in the Grade 1, $400,000 Foxwoods Just a Game Stakes at a mile on the Widener turf course on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Michelle Nihei believes Prince Will I Am loves performing on the big stage in New York. As far as turf races go on this circuit, few races, if any, are bigger than Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Prince Will I Am figures to be the second choice behind the multiple Eclipse Award champion and 2009 Manhattan winner Gio Ponti in the Manhattan, one of five undercard events on the 13-race Belmont Stakes Day program.