Ruby’s Big Band is based at Canterbury Park with trainer Charlie Smith but has shown a particular fondness for the Assiniboia Downs oval, scoring in six of eight appearances through her first two campaigns.

On Saturday, Ruby’s Big Band will be moving into the older filly and mare ranks when she faces seven rivals in the $25,000 La Verendrye, a six-furlong stakes that is the first for the division at the meeting.

Ruby’s Big Band, owned by Terry Propps, has been busy this season, starting seven times and winning allowance races at Sam Houston and Canterbury.

Two horses who ran extremely well in their first starts at Monmouth Park, one early this meet and the other last summer, figure prominently in a pair of $75,000 stakes for 3-year-old sprinters Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. − Both times that Travelin Man has drawn inside posts, he has failed to win despite being a strong favorite. He will try to end that streak Saturday, when he breaks from the rail as the likely favorite in the Grade 2, $250,000 Woody Stephens Stakes, part of the Belmont Stakes undercard at Belmont Park.

A mere length separated the first three finishers in the Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness eve, which adds to the appeal of a rematch involving R Holiday Mood, Strike the Moon, and Bold Affair in Saturday’s $200,000 Jostle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Parx Racing.

Based on Beyer Speed Figures, however, recent maiden winner Ms. Crusen’ or former maiden-claimer Amylimehouse could play the spoiler’s role in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

Whether Manicero runs Saturday at Calder will be the key question in the $75,000 Unbridled Stakes, one of four stakes to be decided on Saturday’s Summit of Speed Preview card.

The Unbridled is one of 12 races on the program, which also includes the U Can Do It Handicap, Leave Me Alone Stakes, and Ponche Handicap. Each stakes will be decided at six furlongs and is a prep for a graded stakes on the July 9 Summit of Speed card. The Unbridled serves as a prep for the Grade 2 Carry Back.

Giant Ryan will try for his fourth straight win when he makes his Calder debut in the $75,000 Ponche Handicap, one of four stakes to be run on Saturday's Summit of Speed Preview card. 

The Ponche is one of 12 races on the program, which also includes the U Can Do It Handicap, Leave Me Alone Stakes, and Unbridled Stakes. Each stakes will be decided at six furlongs and is a prep for a graded stakes on the July 9 Summit of Speed card. The Ponche serves as a prep for the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap.

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Acclamation is never more comfortable than racing near the front of a marathon turf stakes at Hollywood Park.

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.