MIAMI – The Calder stakes program was dealt a severe blow by the American Graded Stakes Committee earlier this week when the track lost Grade 3 status for four of its races in 2011, including the tradition-rich Tropical Park Derby, to be run on New Year’s Day. The Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-olds has served as not only the first derby and first Kentucky Derby prep in the United States each year, but also the first graded stakes race of any kind each year since it became a Grade 2 event in 1983.

If Sweetsouthernmoon runs to his second-place finish in the Thanksgiving Handicap, there’s little doubt he’ll win race 8 Monday at Fair Grounds, a six-furlong starter allowance also open to $32,000 claimers. Would that race 9, which shares top billing with race 8 on Monday’s card, were similarly clear.

Ucan’tcme, a 2-year-old colt that owner-breeder William Hartwell called the best prospect he has had in his nearly 40 years raising horses, died suddenly on Nov. 23, just one day after he was entered in last Saturday’s $75,000 Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx Racing.

A son of Bowman’s Band bred in Pennsylvania by Hartwell and his wife, Frances, Ucan’tcme was a victim of ulcerative colitis, according to William Hartwell.

Scott Lake was out to dinner with friends last weekend when the subject of his closing in on 5,000 career wins came up.

"Some people don't win 500 races in their career," Lake recalled one of his friends saying. "There are only five guys in front of you - think of the guys that are behind you."

Like a lot of teenagers, 17-year-old apprentice jockey Marcelino Pedroza watches plenty of television – just not strictly the shows typically popular with youths.

Horse racing channels are his favorites, where he might watch one of his uncles, jockey Martin Pedroza, ride on the West Coast, or another uncle, jockey Cornelio Velasquez, compete in New York. From watching them in action, as well as other riders, his goal is to incorporate some of their techniques and strategies into his own racing riding.

Quindici Man found himself at a pace disadvantage right from the start in his last race, but it does not appear that will be the case on Sunday when he meets front-runners Jardim, Soul Warrior, and Imco Spirit in the $200,000 Zia Park Distance Championship.

The 1 1/8-mile handicap is one of three stakes on the card at Zia, the Hobbs, N.M. track that closes out its meet on Tuesday. The $120,000 Eddy County for 2-year-olds bred in New Mexico drew European shipper Coeur, while Noconi is the horse to beat in the Grade 1, $150,000 Quarter Horse Championship.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The circumstances surrounding Big Tiz’s third-place finish in the Sharp Cat Stakes at Hollywood Park on Nov. 7 have left trainer Mark Glatt anxious to try the filly in a more difficult race – the $300,000 Hollywood Starlet Stakes next Saturday.

In the Sharp Cat, Big Tiz finished 4 3/4 lengths behind May Day Rose, another candidate for the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes, but Glatt said that Big Tiz had difficulty breathing in the race.

MIAMI – The stable area at Palm Meadows was relatively quiet on Friday morning with a number of barns still empty and awaiting the arrival of the northern-based horses who will participate at this winter’s Gulfstream Park session.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – His voice bellowed to a crowd that was largely looking past him and toward a 1,200-pound horse standing to his side.

“Okay, who’s next?” Steve Willard called out as a middle-aged couple stepped forward.

“Great,” Willard said. “Just stand right here.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Preachintothedevil had given his connections every indication he was a turf horse, his 7 1/4-length debut win over Aqueduct’s main track a month ago perhaps suggests otherwise. His connections hope to continue to be proven wrong when Preachintothedevil jumps up in class in Sunday’s $65,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-bred juveniles.

The Damon Runyon shares billing on Sunday’s nine-race card at Aqueduct with the $65,000 East View Stakes for statebred juvenile fillies. Both races will be run at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.