A pair of sprint stakes with Breeders’ Cup implications are the focus next weekend at Del Mar – the seven-furlong, Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes on Aug. 27, and the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares on Aug. 28.

Nominations were released this week for the $250,000 Pat O’Brien, a Win and You’re In for the BC Dirt Mile, and $150,000 Rancho Bernardo, a summer prep toward the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. Below are quick looks at Pat O’Brien and Rancho Bernardo nominations.

The undefeated colt Big City Lights and Forbidden Kingdom, the winner of two Grade 2 stakes earlier this year at Santa Anita, worked for upcoming stakes at Del Mar on Friday for trainer Richard Mandella.

She cost $240,000 as a yearling, has a millionaire half-sister, and is out of a dam who won two stakes.

Three Strands, a filly by Empire Maker, has several things in her favor in advance of her first start in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Saturday. From trainer Richard Mandella’s perspective, Three Strands has talent, but has something to prove when she breaks from post 8 in a field of nine.

“She’s trains good, not great,” he said. “We’re hoping the turf brings out a little bit more in her.”

There is one blemish on Cairo Memories’ career turf record in California - a ninth by 2 3/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar last November.

There is one blemish on Cairo Memories’ 2022 turf record – a fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at Belmont Park on July 9.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse was at Woodbine early Friday morning, pacing around like an expectant father awaiting word from his team at Saratoga about his star 2-year-old filly Wonder Wheel and her final serious work in preparation for the Grade 1 Spinaway here Sept. 4.

As things turned out, the wait was worth it.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Olympiad, who had a five-race win streak snapped when he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney, worked a half-mile in 48.96 seconds on Friday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup here Sept. 3.

Working in company with the 4-year-old filly Silver Strand, Olympiad went in splits of 12.89 and 24.78 and got his last quarter in 24.18 while finishing about a half-length in front of his workmate.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Letruska, the reigning champion older dirt female, was expected to arrive at Saratoga over the weekend after working a half-mile in 48 seconds Friday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign next Saturday.

Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols had Letruska in fractions of 12.40, 24.00, 48.00, and out five furlongs in 1:00.60 under jockey Geovanni Franco.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Watching Rich Strike blitz around Saratoga’s main track shortly after sunrise Friday, trainer Eric Reed looked down at his stopwatch, saw a ridiculous time on it and turned it off.

“I thought I messed up, I turned my watch off in the middle of the stretch,” Reed said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Less than 24 hours after being charged with obstruction of breathing in a case involving a female acquaintance, trainer Chad Brown was back at work Friday morning at Saratoga, overseeing the preparation of his vast stable for upcoming races.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Upsets by Golden Rocket ($68.50) and Sell Something ($54.50) in Thursday’s last two races triggered a pick-six carryover of $167,611 into Friday’s card.

Prior to those big prices, the sequence had been rather formful with winners including Clear the Deck ($7.30), Recognize ($6.80), Immortalization ($4.60), and Warrior Johny ($7.60).

The Friday pick six begins on race 5 (3:21 p.m. Eastern) and includes both the $135,000 Summer Colony Stakes for older females on dirt and the $150,000 Skidmore Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters on turf.