Good recent turf form is a scarce commodity in Saturday’s $75,000 Dahlia Stakes at Pimlico. Of the 11 fillies and mares entered in the one-mile turf race, five are coming off layoffs of more than 60 days and four others have been off for more than a month. The only two horses who have run within the past 30 days are both switching surfaces and have a combined total of just two lifetime starts on grass.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Malcolm Pierce finds himself in something of a rebuilding mode here this spring. But, with 40 stalls and horses for a variety of clients, Pierce figures to make his usual good showing at the 2011 meeting.

“Some of my good grass fillies have been retired,” said Pierce, noting that Points of Grace and Much Obliged have gone to the breeding shed. “Right now, I’ve got a lot of maidens but I’m a little lean in stakes horses. I’ll be looking for some of those maidens to pop up and show they’re good horses."

David Bailey, whose 27 years as a racing official included a long stint at Gulfstream Park, has been named the new race secretary at Penn National Race Course.

Bailey, 58, spent the last two years as assistant to Paul Jenkins, who retired on April 3. Prior to coming to Penn National in July 2009, Bailey was the racing secretary at Gulfstream from 2000 to 2007. He also worked as either the head racing secretary or assistant at Arlington Park and Hialeah Park.

One 3-year-old not entered for Saturday's Jerome at Aqueduct was J J’s Lucky Train, the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes winner who will be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on April 30.

Trainer Bill Anderson said he chose the Derby Trial over the Jerome because it gave him an extra week from the Bay Shore and was a week closer to the Woody Stephens at Belmont on June 11, a race that is his primary objective.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Four weeks after Quick Enough finished eighth of 16 in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, the 7-year-old gelding will be back in action in Saturday’s $125,000 Tiznow Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The journey to the other side of the world and a race there does not deter trainer Doug O’Neill from trying Quick Enough in the Tiznow, which is run over 7 1/2 furlongs and is part of the California Gold Rush Day for statebreds.

Manny Cruz is planning to move his tack to Kentucky at the conclusion of the current meet on Sunday. Cruz is a six-time Calder and Tropical at Calder riding champion and has been a mainstay at or near the top of the jockey standings at Calder for nearly a decade.

“I was going to stay and ride the opening week at Calder but those plans changed because my new agent at Churchill Downs wants me there by the 25th or 26th,” said Cruz, whose engagements in Kentucky will be handled by Steve Elzey.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Wonderlandbynight last raced in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at the Keeneland fall meet in October, but the class drop she takes Saturday into the Pretty Jenny Stakes for Illinois-breds may be offset by other factors such as fitness and health, trainer Mike Reavis said Wednesday.

The Pretty Jenny is one of six Illinois-bred stakes on tap here Saturday. The races all are listed as having a $100,000 purse, but actual prize money varies depending on the breeding particulars of the top finishers.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Three lightly raced fillies coming off promising 3-year-old seasons – Christine Daae, Cinco de Mayo Mio, and Bahama Bound – have picked Friday’s $71,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park to launch their 2011 campaigns.

Christine Daae and Bahama Bound both tried Grade 1 company last summer at Saratoga. Christine Daae has not started since finishing sixth in the Test while Bahama Bound was fourth in the Coaching Club America Oaks.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though he shipped Rattlesnake Bridge from south Florida to New York just prior to the April 9 Wood Memorial, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin always had Saturday’s Grade 2 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct as his primary objective.

The logic behind choosing the Jerome over the Wood was that it would come up a relatively easier spot, especially with Uncle Mo, last year’s 2-year-old champion, running in the Wood. But Saturday’s Jerome, with graded stakes winner Astrology leading the field of eight, came up a pretty salty race even without any Grade 1 winners.

Continuing a trend seen throughout the country this year of short fields in races for older, male dirt route horses, Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park drew only five when entries were taken Wednesday.

As expected, among the lineup are the Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Friesan Fire and Thiskyhasnolimit, whom will break alongside each other as uncoupled wagering interests in posts 4 and 5.