HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mucho Macho Man, among the leading candidates for the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Jan. 30, took his first major step in that direction by working a bullet five furlongs in 59.01 seconds Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

In the spring of her 3-year-old season two years ago, Holdontoyourdream was good enough to finish third in the Grade 2 Comely in New York. As a lightly raced 3-year-old last year in Italy, where she won her first two career starts by a combined nine lengths, Marseria was regarded highly enough that Team Valor International purchased her and brought her to Saratoga for a minor turf stakes.

Neither horse has come close to fulfilling once high expectations, but both look intriguing while trying something different in Monday’s featured ninth race at Parx Racing.

MIAMI – Calder Race Course has responded to Gulfstream Park’s decision last week to apply to the Florida Division of Business and Professional Regulation for racing dates in December 2011 by announcing its intention to race year-round beginning in April and continuing through 2012. The December dates traditionally have belonged to Calder.

HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. - Black N Beauty became a fringe player on the Kentucky Derby trail when gliding away to a 2 1/2-length victory Friday in a first-level, one-turn-mile allowance, the first race of note among potential Derby contenders at the 79-day Gulfstream meet.

ARCADIA, Calif. – For much of Mother Ruth’s career, trainer Bob Baffert has sent her out of town, to Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Aqueduct, Lone Star, and Calder, desirous of keeping her on dirt. Now that Santa Anita has returned to a dirt surface, Mother Ruth can feel right at home.

Apriority punched his ticket into the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 29 after outgaming 9-5 favorite Groomedvictory to capture Thursday’s featured eighth race, a second-level optional $62,500 claimer.

“I thought he was beat down the stretch but he really dug in to hold off that other horse,” said trainer David Fawkes. “I absolutely loved seeing that.”

Apriority will now join his stablemate Wildcat Frankie in the Sunshine Sprint.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Stakes with $100,000 purses come in all degrees of difficulty, but it would be hard to find one much tougher or deeper than what Gulfstream Park will offer Sunday with the Grade 3 Marshua’s River.

ARCADIA, Calif. − One day after being named a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, Blind Luck moved a step closer to her 2011 debut by working a sharp seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Friday morning. What was more impressive, though, was the gallop out. The relentless mighty mite went out another seven furlongs, coming around to the furlong pole, before finally stopping.

“We think we have her ready. She should be plenty fit now,” Jerry Hollendorfer, her trainer and co-owner, said in what, seven days into the year, ranks as the understatement of 2011.

After lucking out with weather during November and most of December, Fair Grounds has hit one of its drawn-out off-the-grass periods. Races were rained off turf four of five days last week, and grass racing was canceled again Friday. But rain or shine, turf or dirt, Sunday’s first race should showcase a strong 3-year-old prospect.

OZONE PARK, N.Y._–When John Parisella decided to take a three-month hiatus from training, his assistant, William Younghans, was basically out of a job. Having had some previous experience training horses himself, Younghans opted to try and go back out on his own again.

His three children – sons Jack and William and daughter Kristine – lent him some money to claim a horse and Younghans went shopping. On Nov. 6, he claimed Close to the Vest for $10,000 from David Jacobson. Close to the Vest won by 6 1/4 lengths, running six furlongs in 1:09.93 while finishing in hand at the wire.