LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Garrett Gomez is named to ride one horse Saturday at Churchill Downs “and might feel well enough” to fulfill the mount, according to Ron Anderson, agent for the star jockey.

Gomez, who has been sidelined since winning the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill on Nov. 6 aboard Blame, was scheduled to see Dr. Dan Capen, his orthopedic specialist, again Thursday in Los Angeles to determine whether he can return earlier than had been projected. Anderson said earlier this week that Gomez was targeting Nov. 28 as a return date.

Four of the top five finishers from last month’s $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic, including 57-1 winner Sea Rescue, are back at the same 1 1/8-mile distance for Saturday night’s $50,000 A Huevo Stakes at Charles Town.

The stakes for West Virginia-breds poses two key questions for handicappers. Can Sea Rescue, who made up 11 lengths in the last three furlongs to nip Colonel J W by a head, duplicate that performance? And is Russell Road, fourth as the 1-10 favorite in the Classic, no longer the best West Virginia-bred in training?

The millionaire Bold Chieftain, who was to begin his stallion career at Applebite Farms, will return to trainer Bill Morey Jr.’s barn at Golden Gate Fields after Morey was informed that the farm is closing down. No decision has yet been made on whether to race the 7-year-old or try to stand him at stud.

“All our options are open for him,” said Morey of Bold Chieftain, whom he bred and owned in partnership with Dwaine Hall, Kenneth Robinson and the late Ernest Langbein.

Jockey Joe Crispin equaled his track record for victories by capturing seven races on the nine-race card at Portland Meadows Wednesday, including both stakes on the card. It was his third seven-win day at Portland Meadows.

Crispin won with all three starters saddled by leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who also won four races Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields. Crispin won the Dennis Dodge Memorial aboard the Hollendorfer-trained El Gaucho, and guided Bijou Barrister to a 5 1/2-length victory in the Mt. Hood Stakes.

ALBANY, Calif. – Leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and leading rider Russell Baze each scored four victories Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields.
The pair teamed up to win the first three races on the card with Sachariste ($2.80), Sky Brite Miss ($2.80) and Bimbo Magic ($3.80). The $1 pick three paid $5.30.
Hollendorfer, who also won three races Wednesday at Portland Meadows, won the fifth race with Seismic Speed ($5.60, ridden by Leslie Mawing) and ran third with Nepobedimiy in the seventh, which Baze won aboard the Bill Morey Jr.-trained Kingman Kid ($6.40).

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Euro Platinum, the longest shot in the seven-horse field, nailed favored Barracks Road on the wire to take the $150,800 Jammed Lovely Stakes Wednesday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
Barracks Road tracked pacemaker Platinum Exchange while running very wide on the backstretch of the seven-furlong event, as Euro Platinum assumed a stalking position under Jono Jones.
Barracks Road seemed headed for victory after hitting the front early in the stretch, but Euro Platinum closed widest in the final furlong and won by a nose in 1:22.94.

A Z Warrior, a 2-year-old filly whom Baffert trains for Zayat, returned to racetrack training earlier this week following a last-place finish in the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 5.

Baffert said that A Z Warrior emerged from her 12th-place finish in the Juvenile Fillies with a bruised foot, which he said was only a temporary setback.

“I just started her back a few days ago,” he said. “I’ll know in a week if I’ll run her in the Starlet.”

The Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet is run over 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies on Dec. 11.

INGLEWOOD, Calif.– Late Cuddle may not be ready for a major stakes such as the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park on Nov. 26.
With two wins in her first three starts in this country, the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred Late Cuddle has shown ample promise, but trainer Jerry Hollendorfer figures the Grade 1 Matriarch is too tough an assignment.
Instead, he is running her in Friday’s first race at Hollywood Park, a $48,000 allowance race over a mile on turf, and she will likely be favored to win.

Blue Laser’s connections passed on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and targeted Saturday’s Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot. The move is looking like a good one on paper as the horse was made the 3-1 morning-line favorite when entries for the 1 1/16-mile stakes were drawn Wednesday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A field of seven entered Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Discovery Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race that is the last open graded stakes of the season for 3-year-olds in New York.