OZONE PARK, N.Y. – James Hooper knew eventually that his top-flight New York-bred gelding Inherit the Gold would be facing better competition. He just didn’t think it was going to happen in Saturday’s $65,000 Kings Point Stakes for statebreds at Aqueduct.

In Yawanna Twist – who twice placed in graded stakes as a 3-year-old and who was beaten less than two lengths in the Preakness – Inherit the Gold faces his toughest opponent. Hooper, the part-owner, part-breeder and trainer of Inherit the Gold, welcomes the challenge.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With five of the nine fillies in Saturday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park listed in this weekend’s Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, the mile and a sixteenth race should offer some insight into the $1 million big dance to be run at Churchill Downs on May 6.

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The Tampa Bay Derby has produced short-term pain but long-term gain for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Since 2000, Pletcher has run eight horses in the Tampa Bay Derby, winning it in 2004 with Limehouse while running second six times and third once. His last four runners have been defeated by a neck, neck, neck, and nose.

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ARCADIA, Calif. – He has yet to run around two turns, or in a graded stakes race. He also has yet to lose. It’s gut-check time on Saturday at Santa Anita for Bench Points, who puts his perfect record on the line when he meets such marquee 3-year-olds as Comma to the Top and Jaycito in a compelling edition of the Grade 2, $250,000 San Felipe Stakes.

With some of his chief rivals cutting back from two turns, Wiredfortwotwenty appears to have a good chance to keep his win streak intact on Saturday in the $50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial at Sunland Park.

Wiredfortwotwenty will be seeking his fourth straight win. He comes into the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up off a 5 1/4-length romp in the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise on Feb. 19. Prior to that race. Wiredfortwentytwo won the $50,000 Budweiser at Sunland on Feb. 5 and a $25,000 optional claiming allowance at Sunland Dec. 29.

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ARCADIA, Calif. – This winter at Santa Anita has been a perfect season for Always a Princess.

Racing over a track that favored front-runners, she was the easy winner of the Grade 2 El Encino Stakes in January. A month later, she won the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes after setting a slow pace. Blind Luck, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, was second in both races.

The representatives of eight prospective lessees of Monmouth Park were on hand Thursday to submit $25,000 deposit checks in the hopes of becoming the new operator of the Oceanport, N.J., track.

First came At the Half, a foal of 1991 who won five of her first six starts, including a sweep of the Pocahontas and Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs. At the Half had multiple foals, but the only one who could run much was named Lu Ravi. Lu Ravi, a 1995 model, won 11 of 26 starts and finished second eight times while capturing multiple graded stakes, but she, too, has produced only one decent runner as a broodmare. That’s Ravi’s Song, who at 5 may be on the cusp of reaching her full potential.

The last time a two-turn filly-mare stakes was run at Turfway Park, La Gran Bailadora proved clearly best. A few things have changed in the four weeks since the Likely Exchange was run Feb. 12 at the Florence, Ky., track, most notably an influx of new faces to oppose the winner.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. − A race that wasn’t even on the schedule when the meeting opened will have the eyes of the racing world riveted on Gulfstream Park shortly before 4:30 p.m. Saturday, when reigning juvenile champion and Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo makes his 3-year-old debut in the $100,000 Timely Writer.