HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Dublin, who has not raced since finishing fifth in last year’s Preakness Stakes, is on pace to make his return to the races in March, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. He is part of a strong contingent of older horses that Lukas has on hand at Oaklawn Park, where he is tied atop the trainer standings two weeks into the meet.

“Dublin’s doing well,” Lukas said. “We’re going to let him dictate his schedule, but he’s on a regular work pattern. He’ll be going out this next weekend to five-eighths. I’d say he’d be ready early March.”

When Eagle Putt ran a creditable fourth in her recent return to the races, it was with 10 workouts behind her. Jeff Thornbury is among those who believe the one race might be worth more than all those works stacked together.

“Nothing is more beneficial than having a race,” said Thornbury, who trains Eagle Putt for Woodview Farm.

West Coast Hawk and First Down Illusion won the first two futurities at Los Alamitos in 2010 – the Kindergarten in May and Ed Burke Million in June. They spent the rest of the year trying to duplicate those performances, with limited results.

West Coast Hawk lost his next two starts, in October and November. First Down Illusion won a minor stakes in July but lost his final four starts of the year, ending with a third in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity trials in November.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The excitement that followed Makoma’s maiden race win at Hollywood Park in October was diminished to an extent by a fifth-place finish in her debut against winners in December.

Nearly two months later, Makoma makes her third career start in an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Friday. Trainer John Shirreffs remains enthusiastic about the filly’s potential.

“She’s filled out a little bit, and I like the way she’s coming into the race,” Shirreffs said.

Hawthorne Race Course received permission from the Illinois Racing Board on Tuesday to reduce the purse of the Grade 3 Illinois Derby from $500,000 to $250,000. The racing board also approved Hawthorne’s request to postpone the Grade 3, $200,000 Sixty Sails until sometime during the track’s fall meet, and to eliminate four Sundays from the Hawthorne race dates the board had approved last fall.

The Jockeys’ Guild and the Washington Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association have reached an agreement that will raise losing mount fees by $10 each. Under the accord, losing mount fees at Emerald Downs this year will now range from $55 to $115, instead of $45 to $105. . . .

It’s possible the one-two finishers from Saturday’s Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes for 3-year-olds won’t be back to contest the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 19 at Fair Grounds, but Lecomte last-place finisher Justin Phillip has been lightly penciled in for the race despite a disappointing performance Saturday.

Wilkinson won the Lecomte by a head over Pants On Fire, who set a slow pace (48.94 seconds to the half-mile) on a moderate-to-quick playing surface but could not hold the winner. Wilkinson’s one mile, 40-yard time produced a Beyer speed figure of 77.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With a last name like Baze, it would seem safe to assume that Michael Baze was always headed toward a career as a jockey. But that was not necessarily the case for the rider whose second cousin, Russell Baze, is the all-time winningest jockey in North America; whose first cousin, Tyler Baze, is a mainstay in Southern California; and whose uncle and aunt, Gary and Vicky Baze, are veteran riders.

“I might have been the only one not to grow up around horses,” said Michael Baze, 23. “My best friend and I were going to be Marines.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Ramon Dominguez appears poised for a big afternoon Thursday as he rides contenders in every race, including six morning-line favorites.

One of the favorites he doesn’t ride is Hot Danger, the 2-1 choice over six rivals in race 8, a $41,000 first-level allowance for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies at a mile and 70 yards.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Yankee Passion will launch what could be a very productive 3-year-old season in Thursday’s eighth race at Oaklawn Park.

“We’re pretty high on him,” said his trainer, Larry Jones.

Yankee Passion heads a field of eight 3-year-olds in the $50,000 optional claiming sprint that carries first-level allowance conditions. Others in the six-furlong race include Philippe, a half-brother to Grade 2 winner T.D. Vance, and Mastman, a romping winner against Illinois-bred maidens at Hawthorne for trainer Jamie Ness.