OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Venti Valentine, runner-up in December’s Grade 2 Demoiselle, is back in New York for Saturday’s $250,000 Busher Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The Busher offers its top four finishers qualifying points to the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (50-20-10-5).

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There were not enough entries to fill the $125,000 Heavenly Prize Stakes for filles and mares scheduled for Saturday. The race was to be brought back for Sunday with entries retaken on Thursday.

It is possible the race could draw a few horses scheduled to run in Sunday’s $100,000 Biogio’s Rose Stakes, meaning that race wouldn’t be run.

If you have a stakes-quality older female turf sprinter, Fair Grounds is the place to be. The track hosts five races in the division during its 80-day meet.

Elle Z ran in four of them and won her third stakes of the Fair Grounds season with an easy tally Tuesday in the Mardi Gras Stakes.

Elle Z finished second by a head in the Pan Zareta on Dec. 4, skipped the Richard Scherer Memorial, won the Nelson Menard Memorial by five lengths, won the Fred Aime Memorial by a nose over Change of Control, and was 1 1/4 lengths best in the Mardi Gras, which she also won in 2021.

The fabulous filly Echo Zulu is ramping up the pace of her training as she approaches the first start of her 3-year-old season.

Echo Zulu won all four of her 2021 starts at age 2, capping her campaign with a 5 1/4-length romp in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, her third Grade 1 victory following wins in the Spinaway at Saratoga and the Frizette at Belmont.

Danjer, the world champion Quarter Horse of 2021, could launch his season in the Grade 1 Leo on April 30 at Remington Park.

Trainer Dean Frey told track publicity the race was a goal for the horse. Last year, Danjer was second by a nose in the Leo before winning the Grade 1 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship.

Remington was to open a 50-date Quarter Horse meet Thursday. The season will run through May 28.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn on Saturday recognized John Ed Anthony as its all-time leading owner following his 12th-race victory with Rolling Fork. Oaklawn listed the win as the 270th for the owner in 50 years of racing at Oaklawn.

Anthony came back Sunday and won the Oaklawn feature with The Mary Rose, an Arkansas-bred who defeated open-company fillies and mares routing with a Beyer Speed Figure of 93. She’s ticketed for an Arkansas-bred stakes later in the meet, said trainer John Ortiz, who also saddled Rolling Fork.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Call Me Jamal looked like Jamal Adams at his best when he took down a rival on a clear lead to win a Saturday allowance at Oaklawn Park.

Now, the 3-year-old is set to test his division’s best.

Trainer Michael Puhich said Tuesday that Call Me Jamal will likely make his next start in either the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on April 2 at Oaklawn or the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass on April 9 at Keeneland.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr., who entered this week with a 41-37 lead over perennial leading trainer Todd Pletcher atop the 2021-22 championship meet standings, is looking for a big run in the Fountain of Youth on Saturday from A. P.’s Secret, a last-out allowance winner making his stakes debut. Joseph already has White Abarrio, winner of the Holy Bull, as a Derby contender.

“This is a big step up, and he’s going to have to prove himself,” Joseph said of A. P.’s Secret. “But we think he’s a colt with a lot of class and we’re confident he’s going to run a big race.”

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Horses on the Kentucky Derby trail typically need to overcome a hurdle or two. A few colts set to run Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park are fair examples.

Rattle N Roll, trained by Kenny McPeek, and the Dale Romans duo of Howling Time and Giant Game already have experienced minor physical setbacks on the Derby trail, but all are healed up and looking to put their best hooves forward in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Messier, the No. 1-ranked male 3-year-old in North America by Daily Racing Form, heads the 100 nominees for this year’s Canadian Triple Crown put out by Woodbine. 

Messier has won 3 of 5 starts, all in Southern California, under the guidance of trainer Bob Baffert. Named after hockey great Mark Messier, the son of Empire Maker was a 15-length winner of the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 6 at Santa Anita, when he earned a whopping 103 Beyer Speed Figure.