OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher learned first-hand what most die-hard New York horseplayers have known for a long time. Aqueduct in January is not so bad. Even when it’s 22 degrees outside.

“It’s nice,” Pletcher said.

Potosina has always shown flashes of talent, winning an overnight turf stakes in New York in just her third career start and earning a trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Lately, however, all Potosina has done is run into bad luck, getting eliminated at the start in each of her two most recent races.

In a small field of just five fillies and mares Saturday at Laurel Park, the 4-year-old Potosina avoided traffic trouble and roared from last to capture the $56,250 Nellie Morse Stakes.

Jockey Martin Garcia has resolved his immigration issues, is back in Southern California, and will resume riding on Thursday, his agent, Jim Pegram, said Saturday morning.

Garcia has not ridden since shortly after the Breeders’ Cup. According to Pegram, Garcia had a work visa that required him to return to his native Mexico, then reapply to work in the United States. That process took more than two months.

NEW ORLEANS – Trainer Steve Asmussen isn’t giving up on the 3-year-old colt Great Mills as a route horse, but as well as Great Mills ran winning a turf-sprint maiden race here Dec. 23, Asmussen saw no reason to pass up the featured sixth race on Monday at Fair Grounds.

The Monday feature is another grass sprint, an entry-level allowance for 3-year-olds that drew just six entries. One of them, Dos Lunas, is a filly tackling boys.

NEW ORLEANS – The second-to-last-place finishers in the Kentucky Derby the last two years, Awesome Act and Friesan Fire, have joined trainer Steve Asmussen’s stable in New Orleans after starting serious training for a 2011 debut at the Ocala, Fla.., division of Vinery Stables.

Both horses worked a moderate half-mile here Tuesday, Awesome Act in 50.80 seconds, Friesean Fire in 50.20.

“Just an easy half first time over the track,” said Asmussen.

With four wins to his credit since he belatedly began his racing career last July, the 5-year-old Tup Take’ Please holds a distinct advantage over his seven rivals in Tuesday night’s featured eighth race at Charles Town.

Harold Wyner, a smalltime trainer who got back into the game last season after a five-year absence, claimed four horses during 2010. Two that he paid $25,000 apiece to acquire went a collective 0 for 3 and another, a filly named Even Better who was grabbed for $15,000 a month ago, has yet to run back.

Those new acquisitions have yet to pay off, but Wyner cashed in handsomely when he put up $15,000 in October to take the colt Billy One Lite on behalf of Ted Hoover.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – “Can you get me the long range forecast for Florida Derby Day?”

That was a smiling Kiaran McLaughlin’s first comment in the winner’s circle after his 3-year-old prospect Soldat had skipped through the slop to a convincing 10 3/4-length victory over Cool Blue Red Hot and five other 3-year-olds in Friday’s nine-furlong allowance feature. The performance thrust Soldat, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up, right into the thick of any current discussion regarding potential Kentucky Derby candidates.

Laurel Park will raise purses for its overnight purses beginning Feb. 2, thanks to an influx of revenue from slot machines at Hollywood Casino Perryville and The Casino at Ocean Downs.

Under the revised purse structure, daily purses will increase an average of $26,000 daily to $186,000, a 16 percent rise from $160,000 at the beginning of the meet on Jan. 1.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Keeping Soul Candy at home for Saturday’s $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita is more appealing to trainer Paddy Gallagher than a road trip to Gulfstream Park for a lucrative race on the same day.

Soul Candy could have been on a plane to Florida this week for Saturday’s $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic on the main track, but a lack of experience on that surface, or any dirt track for that matter, and the gelding’s success on turf in recent months led Gallagher to remain at Santa Anita.