ARCADIA, Calif. – Steve Asmussen’s nationwide operation arrives in Southern California for an extended stay for the first time this month, coinciding with the start of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26.

It is the one region that Asmussen, 45, has yet to conquer. In earning the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding trainer in 2008 and 2009, Asmussen’s stable has thrived on such major circuits as New York and Kentucky, while maintaining a presence in Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, to name a few.

Winter doesn't officially arrive until Tuesday but there was little doubt the winter racing season is in full swing in south Florida after taking a look at the work tabs from Palm Meadows and Gulfstream Park on Friday. A total of 131 horses received timed workouts over both the main and turf tracks at Palm Meadows with another 84 working at Gulfstream.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Just after More Than a Reason got up to win last Saturday’s Grade 3 Queens County in his 60th career start, trainer Randi Persaud said perhaps it was time to give him a little break.

Break time’s over for the durable 5-year-old, who is back to make his 19th start of the year in Sunday’s $60,000 Forty Niner overnight stakes at one mile.

With his last-to-first upset at 19-1 in the Queens County still fresh in everyone’s mind, More Than a Reason will be a considerably shorter price as he breaks from the rail in a field of seven older males.

MIAMI – Since Big Drama’s triumphant return to south Florida last month following his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, trainer David Fawkes has targeted the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 29 for the speedster’s 2011 debut. But Big Drama has done so well over the past several weeks, those plans could change.

Squall Wilbud has established her class as a two-time stakes winner. Sunday, she will be out to prove herself over a route of ground. Squall Wilbud will be making her two-turn debut in the $120,000 Enchantress at Sunland Park.

The one-mile race is for 2-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico and it will share a card with the $120,000 Lou Wooten Handicap for Quarter Horses.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – For one start of his 18-race career, The Bat Signal has been owned and trained by someone other than Peter Mizioch and Eric Kruljac.

In July 2009, The Bat Signal was claimed from them for $50,000. Mizioch and Kruljac claimed the gelding back for $62,500 later that month. By any measure, the long-term relationship has been a success: The Bat Signal has won 7 of 18 starts and $201,524. It would not surprise Kruljac if The Bat Signal adds substantially to his prize winnings in Sunday’s $75,000 On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park.

This has been a good year for Clark Hanna, and it might even get a little bit better Sunday. Hanna will be saddling the newly acquired Quarter Given in the feature race at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, and the colt looks as if he could win straight off the bench, assuming the $47,000, first-level allowance remains on the turf.

“We’ll scratch him if it rains and they take it off the grass,” Hanna said.

Trainer Steve Margolis hopes Due Date can avoid the kind of traffic trouble in Saturday’s 11-horse Bonapaw Stakes that hindered him in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, but Margolis has less to be concerned about, trip-wise, with two other stakes horses Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Cheyann Belief looks like the favorite in the $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes, and has just six rivals there, while Street Storm is one of only six 2-year-old fillies in the $60,000 Letellier Stakes.

Gulfstream Park has reached a racing agreement with its horsemen that will expire halfway through the track’s upcoming meet, a representative of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association said on Thursday.

The unusual agreement will expire on Feb. 28, requiring horsemen and the track to negotiate an additional deal or extension while the meet is running, according to Kent Stirling, the executive director of the horsemen’s association. Owned by MI Developments, Gulfstream will open on Jan. 5 and close on April 24.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Endless Circle and Driven by Success, a pair of accomplished New York-breds who have gotten pretty familiar with each other, head Saturday’s 52nd running of the six-furlong Gravesend Stakes, one of eight sprints on the program.

This will be the third round in a budding rivalry between the sons of Precise End. Endless Circle defeated a 2-5 Driven by Success in a sloppy renewal of the John Morrissey at Saratoga; both rebounded from subpar performances in the Hudson Stakes to win their last starts.