Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will institute a new trainer bonus program during the meet that opens Dec. 9, the track announced Wednesday. The bonus is a collaboration between the track and the Arkansas Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.  

The “Stay Until May” bonus will pay trainers between $200 to $250 for every “non-stakes starter” that fails to run first, second, or third. In order to be eligible for the bonus, trainers must start at least two horses during the final 14 dates of the season, with one of those during the final nine dates.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Florida Derby winner White Abarrio looked like his old self at Saratoga on Sunday, posting the fastest of 106 half-mile works on the tab that morning while cruising the distance in 46.31 seconds under jockey Tyler Gaffalione and paving the way for a possible start in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing.

White Abarrio is looking to rebound from a disastrous effort in the Grade 1 Haskell when eased to the wire by Joel Rosario 34 lengths behind the winner, Cyberknife.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Shug McGaughey reported that Kathleen O., idle since her fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, is back in training at Churchill Downs and about ready to get back on the work tab shortly. She also is expected to return to McGaughey’s barn when he ships back to Belmont Park sometime next week.

“I just wanted to turn her out for a while” after the Oaks, McGaughey said. “She’s up to a couple of two-minute licks, she went a half in 57 and change at Churchill the other day, and I plan to bring her into Belmont as soon as we get back there.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A field of eight was entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, including four from the barn of Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher entered Suburban winner Dynamic One, 2021 Cigar Mile winner Americanrevolution, recent allowance winner Keepemeinmind, and Suburban third-place finisher Untreated in the 1 1/4-mile race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – D. Wayne Lukas turns 87 years old on Friday, but the Hall of Fame trainer hopes to extend the celebration throughout the Labor Day weekend.

Lukas hopes to put the bow on what has been a successful summer in Saratoga – his first time here in three years – where he will have runners in three graded stakes over the weekend, including one in both Grade 1 stakes for 2-year-olds that bring the curtain down on the 154th Saratoga season.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Cup is coming to Del Mar.

Erik Johnson, the veteran defenseman of the Colorado Avalanche, has decided that Del Mar will play a significant part of his day with the Stanley Cup, an honor each player and coach is afforded during the summer after winning hockey’s top prize.

Johnson’s day is Saturday, when the Pacific Classic highlights a blockbuster day of racing here. Also on the card is the Del Mar Derby, a race in which Mackinnon, a colt Johnson co-owns and who is named for his teammate, center Nathan MacKinnon, is scheduled to compete.

Gerald Melancon, a journeyman rider with more than 5,000 wins, was arrested on Aug. 26 and faces a charge of “unnatural stimulation of horses” after allegedly being suspected of possessing a buzzer, according to The Paulick Report. 

Melancon, 55, was released on $20,000 bond, according to the website. He was arrested after stewards at Evangeline Downs reported their suspicions to the St. Landry Parish sheriff’s office. 

DEL MAR, Calif. – Express Train will make his first start in four months when he takes on Flightline and Country Grammer in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar, a schedule not by design, but by necessity.

Express Train was intended for the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 30, but dissatisfaction with the way Express Train was performing in the morning caused his trainer, John Shirreffs, to pass, even skipping a work that weekend.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Flightline, who on Saturday will attempt to stretch his perfect record to 5 for 5 while negotiating two turns and 1 1/4 miles for the first time, was installed the prohibitive 1-5 favorite against five opponents when the field was drawn late Tuesday afternoon for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Flightline drew well in the six-horse field, landing post 5, with his primary rivals, Country Grammer and Royal Ship, inside of him.

Multiple graded stakes winner Plainsman has been retired from racing and will stand at stud next season, owner John Ed Anthony said Tuesday. 

Plainsman is a 7-year-old son of Flatter who earned more than $1.4 million. He was the favorite in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup in his most recent start Aug. 19 at Remington Park and finished a distant sixth to winner Rated R Superstar.

“We were intending to retire him at the end of this year, but he told us he was tired of doing what he was doing,” Anthony said of Plainsman. “The last race there was uncharacteristic.”