LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Uncle Mo, the unbeaten divisional champion scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut Saturday in the Timely Writer Stakes at Gulfstream Park, was a lukewarm favorite at the close of business Friday, the first of three days of betting into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - An assistant starter at Oaklawn Park sustained a head injury while attempting to load a horse for the start of Friday's eighth race. He was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph's Mercy Health Center in Hot Springs, Ark., according to Rolly Hoyt, a spokesman for Oaklawn. He was listed in stable condition Friday evening.

Hoyt said that the assistant starter, Ben Ewing, was momentarily unconscious after being injured, but regained consciousness before being loaded into the ambulance. Ewing, 55, is the father of Oaklawn outrider Chisum Ewing.

Fair Grounds announced purse increases for several stakes to be contested closing weekend of the ongoing meet, most notably a $100,000 hike in the Fair Grounds Oaks. The Grade 2 Oaks on March 26 was bumped from $400,000 to $500,000.

The other major race affected by the purse increase was the Mervin Muniz, which was raised from $350,000 to $400,000. The Muniz had been a $500,000 race before mid-meet purse cuts last season reduced it to $300,000.

Fluke, the winner of the Frank Kilroe Mile, is likely to start in the $300,000 Maker’s Mark Mile on turf at Keeneland on April 15, trainer Humberto Ascanio said.

Fluke won the Kilroe Mile by a head over Caracortado, another contender for the Maker’s Mark Mile. Fluke has won two stakes this year, including the Grade 3 Thunder Road Handicap on turf in February for owner Patricia Bozano.

“Right now, the Maker’s Mark Mile is the plan,” Ascanio said. “We’ll see how he trains. If everything is fine, he can go.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Uncle Brent, a 3-year-old who ran the fastest six furlongs of the Oaklawn Park meet when he won his debut in February, will make his first start at two turns Sunday in the 10th race. The entry-level allowance at a mile is one of two high-end offerings on the card. Sebastian County heads the ninth, a $50,000 optional claiming race at the same distance. The field also includes Cryptolight, an earner of more than $500,000.

Ball Four, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Grand Slam, has been retired from racing and on Friday was sent by van to Old Friends, a retirement facility in Lexington, Ky.

Ball Four, now 10, had gone from multiple graded stakes winner to low-level winner, winning for $4,000 at Penn National in February. Ball Four was entered in a $5,000 claimer at Penn National on March 4, but scratched with the idea of running at Aqueduct.

Rescind the Trade came out of his last-place finish in the Whirlaway Stakes with a foot problem, according to trainer Rick Violette, but the 3-year-old returned to the work tab earlier in the week. On Wednesday, Rescind the Trade breezed four furlongs in 49.88 seconds over Belmont’s training track.

Rescind the Trade won his first two starts in New York before shipping to south Florida, where he didn’t appear to acclimate well to the warmer weather. He returned to New York for the Whirlaway, where he set the pace before fading. He was beaten 10 3/4 lengths by Toby’s Corner.

Preachintothedevil, another New York-bred 3-year-old, has seemingly recovered from a foot bruise that forced him to scratch out of the Grade 3 Gotham on March 5 and is now being considered for the Grade 3, $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral on March 26 at Turfway Park, trainer Gary Contessa said.

“I want to continue on the Triple Crown trail with him, it makes a lot of sense,’’ Contessa said about the Spiral. “He’s got interesting action for the Polytrack; it’s an interesting spot to go to and it’s a lot of money.’’

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Eminent Tale and Tap Attack won races approximately 30 minutes apart on the Feb. 18 Aqueduct card. While Eminent Tale won a better race in a faster time, Tap Attack may be worth backing when the two meet in Sunday’s $60,000 Sweet Envoy Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Based on a solid 2-year-old campaign in Europe, the shipper Singapore Lilly will be among the favorites Sunday when she makes her U.S. debut in the $75,000 China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita.

Seven entered the mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, including Grade 3 La Habra winner Cambina, 5-for-9 Cathy’s Crunches, and lightly raced European invader Up In Time. If the China Doll was more than just a prep race for the Grade 2 Providencia on April 9, Singapore Lilly would be easy to endorse.