The first graded stakes races for California juveniles of 2022 are next week at Del Mar as the meet reaches the halfway mark. Nominations closed for the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 13 and Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds on Aug. 14. The Graduation Stakes for Cal-bred 2-year-olds is Aug. 12; the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for female turf runners is Aug. 13. Below are short previews.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Malathaat, last year’s 3-year-old filly champion, and Nest, arguably the leader of this year’s 3-year-old filly division, made intriguing workmates Friday morning at Saratoga as both prepare for upcoming stakes engagements later in the meet.

Malathaat, with John Velazquez up, and Nest, with Amelia Green aboard, went a half-mile together in 49.57 seconds over the main track and went out five furlongs in 1:02.34, six furlongs in 1:15.07, and seven furlongs in 1:29.42.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Katerina Vassilieva already had a hectic life when Rondure blossomed into a Queen’s Plate contender, which has made it even busier while putting her in the racing spotlight for the second time in her 11-year training career.

Vassilieva was on the 2014 Kentucky Derby trail with Big Bazinga, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass. Big Bazinga didn’t make the Derby, but Vassilieva said she learned a lot on the road to Churchill Downs.

The 3-year-old colt Conagher is a likely starter Aug. 27 in the Grade 1, $500,000 Allen Jerkens Stakes over seven furlongs on dirt following his sharp win Monday at Colonial Downs in the Housebuster Overnight Handicap.  

The 2-year-old colt Sharp Aza Tack has speed to spare, as he showed winning his career debut, a Santa Anita turf sprint, and the July 30 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park. In both races, Sharp Aza Tack set or contested a fast pace, though quick splits had no effect on him in the Tyro, which he won by more than seven lengths with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.  

The 3-year-old filly Shahama is headed back to Grade 1 competition after winning the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks on July 31.  

Shahama will make her next start in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing, trainer Todd Pletcher said in a text message Wednesday. Pletcher also trains Nest, the leader of the 3-year-old filly dirt-route division after airing in the Coaching Club American Oaks and finishing second in the Belmont Stakes and in the Kentucky Oaks. 

War At Sea, the winner of three consecutive races including the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in June, will miss Sunday’s Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar because of a bruised foot.

Trainer Ron Ellis said the bruise was detected after War At Sea worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 on turf last Sunday. War At Sea stumbled as he was being pulled up after the exercise.

“He stumbled just a little bit,” Ellis said. “We X-rayed him and he’s fine. He is a little tender in one part of his foot.

After a hard-fought win in his 2022 debut in June, Give Me the Lute continues his campaign in turf sprints in an $86,000 allowance race at Del Mar on Friday.

Give Me the Lute won his first start of 2022 in the Albany Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Golden Gate Fields, leading throughout to prevail by a neck against a talented field of eight Northern California rivals.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs will run the Arlington Million and Beverly D. on a special Aug. 13 program, but has canceled two other graded turf stakes because of continuing troubles with its new turf course. Dirt racing will fill out the balance of the 11-race card, which in recent days had come under serious consideration of being transferred to another venue.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Matareya, undefeated in four starts this year including the Grade 1 Acorn, and Hot Peppers, a winner of five of six starts this year, head the field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes at seven furlongs.

The Test and the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational, for 3-year-olds going 1 3/16 miles on turf, head the undercard stakes on a 12-race program topped by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes for older males on dirt.