HALLANDLAE BEACH, Fla. – Luna West, a 2-year-old filly by Gone Astray, won the first baby race of the spring meet here Thursday, beating the boys in wire-to-wire fashion under Joe Alonso.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The East Coast-based jockey Isaac Castillo made his Oaklawn debut on Thursday, finishing second in the opener aboard Beyond the Hype. Agent Dylan Fazio said that Castillo is set to ride at Oaklawn for the remainder of the meet, which runs through May 8.

Castillo will then return to Monmouth Park, where he finished second in the standings last year. Fazio said the jockey rode first call for Jerry Hollendorfer at Monmouth and that the trainer’s assistant Dan Ward encouraged Castillo to come to Oaklawn.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Burl McBride, a retired jockey who transitioned to a training career in the early 1980s, is a typical racetracker in that he’s always been quick to help a fellow horseman in need.

But the 72-year-old made an extraordinary move a few years ago, when he adopted a young member of the racing community.

His adopted son, Andrew, was by his side at Oaklawn Park last Saturday as McBride saddled I Feel the Need for a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy.

“He’s 12, but he’s a big 12,” McBride said. “He’s bigger than I am!”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Her World was gone last year before we really got to know her.

The filly debuted Aug. 7 in the $104,000 Tyro Stakes, a turf sprint at Monmouth, and beat males by six lengths winning in hand. She hasn’t raced since but is on a steady work pattern and is aimed at the $200,000 Limestone Stakes for 3-year-old fillies here April 23.

“I really always thought just watching her she was the best of all my 2-year-olds last year,” said trainer Wesley Ward, who had plenty of talented juveniles.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mystic Guide, winner of the 2021 Dubai World Cup but unraced since last July, continues to gallop steadily at Keeneland as his connections assess the next step in his career.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tucked away at the Thoroughbred Training Center off Paris Pike in rural northeastern Lexington are two of the better turf milers in North America.

Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., has added two live racing dates, both Sundays in September, to its meet scheduled for this year, the track announced on Wednesday after getting approval for the additions from the state racing commission.

The two new days are Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, which will now be closing day. The track was previously scheduled to close on Sept. 17. With the two additions, the 2022 meet will have 62 live racing dates.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The Grade 1 winner Search Results will make her 4-year-old debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap at seven furlongs here.

Search Results won the Grade 1 Acorn in June but has raced only once since, finishing third in the Grade 1 Test on Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Western River, who is a full brother to 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator, could make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on May 14 at Belmont Park, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said Sunday.

Western River was an impressive maiden special weight winner on the Arkansas Derby undercard last Saturday, when he closed from nearly 20 lengths off the pace for a 3 3/4-length victory. Western River covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.59 and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox ushered in the $5.4 million Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn Park with a bang last Saturday, winning both the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby with Cyberknife and the Grade 3, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile with Fulsome.

“That was huge with those two wins,” Cox said.