ALBANY, Calif. – Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer once used a baseball metaphor to explain why he entered a horse in a seemingly tough stakes race: “You can’t hit a home run, if you don’t go up to bat.”

ARCADIA, Calif. - The 2010 stakes winner Celestic Night, claimed for $80,000 on March 10, is being considered for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9, trainer Mike Mitchell said Sunday.

Mitchell admits that Celestic Night will be a longshot in the Santa Anita Derby, run over 1 1/8 miles, but was encouraged by the colt’s six-furlong workout in 1:13.60 at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

“I’ve always had distance in mind with him,” Mitchell said. “If he continues to do well and gives me another good work, we’ll run.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After going 4 for 4 over Aqueduct’s inner track this winter, the New York-bred Inherit the Gold will attempt to transfer that form to the main track when he makes his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Excelsior Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With three major contenders having turned in their final major Florida Derby preps on Sunday, the outsiders Bowman’s Causeway and Arch Traveler worked on Monday for Sunday’s $1 million race.

Bowman’s Causeway breezed an easy half-mile in 49.34 seconds at Gulfstream Park, and Arch Traveler went five-eighths in 1:01.30 up the turnpike at the Palm Meadows training center.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The switch from Aqueduct’s inner oval to the main track is more a symbolism than realism that a significant change is going to come. The truth is, with New York’s high-powered outfits extending their winter stays in south Florida – and many stopping over in Keeneland on their way back – the real improvement in the quality of the product won’t take place until Belmont opens April 29.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – With the meeting moving into its final six weeks, the trainers’ race is basically a two-stable affair, with Jamie Ness holding a 10-race edge over Gerald Bennett. Ness has won or shared the training title the last four seasons, and he tied with Kathleen O’Connell for leading trainer last season.

Through Sunday’s program, Ness had saddled 44 winners, while Bennett had sent out 34 winners. On Friday, Bennett posted a training triple, but Ness came right back Saturday with a double.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The landscape of racing on the south Florida circuit could change dramatically this year, if owner Frank Calabrese follows through with his current plan to move his summer base of operation to Calder beginning with the opening of the 2011 meet on April 25.

Calabrese said Sunday he’s planning to send 60 horses to Calder when the meet opens next month, the majority with his main trainer, Nick Canani. Calabrese is the leading owner at the Gulfstream Park meeting, with Canani second in the trainer standings behind only Todd Pletcher.

Twice the Appeal, who won his maiden for a claiming price of $30,000, put himself in the Kentucky Derby picture Sunday, when he pulled off a 25-1 upset in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby. He won by 1 1/2 lengths over Astrology, while it was another head back in third to Ruler On Ice.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Arienza, the daughter of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, remained undefeated in two career starts Sunday when she won her two-turn debut in an allowance race at Oaklawn Park.

Arienza ($3) broke well and easily moved to the lead in the one-mile race, showing the way through fractions of 23.72 seconds for the opening quarter and 48.05 for the half-mile. She proceeded to cover the distance on a track rated sloppy in 1:38.05.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sunday’s pick six at Santa Anita paid $16,819 on a day when only one favorite was successful during those races.

There were 28 winning tickets.

The winners of the pick-six races were Burj Dubai ($9), Church Camp ($14.60), The Whammer ($9), Great Hot ($9), Camp Victory ($7.80), and Ribald ($6). Ribald was the only winning favorite, though Burj Dubai, The Whammer, Great Hot, and Camp Victory were the second choices in their races.

The bet began with a carryover of $101,743 from Saturday. Bettors added $691,113 to the pool Sunday.