The city of Arcadia granted Santa Anita construction permits on Thursday to start the conversion of its existing synthetic main track to a dirt surface this fall, track president George Haines told the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday.

After the racing board meeting, Haines said Santa Anita is close to a decision on what material will be used for the new track, having tested dirt samples from California, Mississippi, Tennessee and Argentina.

“My inclination is it will be locally sourced material,” he said.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Rene Douglas did a little research on Anthony Stephen before that Trinidad native guided a horse Douglas co-owns, Golden Moka, to victory in the $500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie back in July, and became a fast fan of the rider.

“I saw some of his races on YouTube and he impressed me,” said Douglas, who was forced to retire from the saddle because of injuries. “He had a good hand on horses. He has patience and he finishes with horses.

“He can ride, believe me.”

Fair Grounds will close out its 10-date Quarter Horse meet on Saturday with a stakes double, led by the $40,000 Fair Grounds Challenge. The winner of the 440-yard race will qualify for the Grade 1, $350,000 Challenge Championship. It is one of six major stakes to be held at Fair Grounds on Nov. 19 as part of the $1.1 million Challenge Championships program. The traveling series of stakes will be making its first appearance in New Orleans.

Miranda Diane will make her first start on grass in the $50,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint and her exceptional speed could serve her well at the race’s five-furlong distance. She will be taking on a competitive group of male rivals, including Flatland Fever, a winner of five of his last six starts, and Laidbacklynny, the race’s defending champ.

Paddy O’Prado, with three consecutive graded stakes wins to his credit, right now is the best 3-year-old turf horse in the country. Interactif and Workin for Hops, however, aren’t far behind.

Interactif and Workin for Hops, both of whom have finished second to Paddy O’Prado within the last two months and have a Grade 2 victory on their resumes, meet for the first time in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Kent Breeders’ Cup at Delaware Park.

Hidden Recipe will be making his first start at Retama Park in Saturday night’s $100,000 Texas Stallion Stakes for 2-year-olds, but he is quite familiar with the San Antonio-area facility.

“He trained all winter long on that racetrack, so I feel like that will be an advantage,” said Jack Bruner, who trains Hidden Recipe for Tom Durant.

POMONA, Calif. – Dance to My Tune will try to win for the first time in nearly three years Saturday when she starts favored in the Las Madrinas Handicap, the first of two $50,000 stakes at Fairplex Park.

Losing streak? No problem. Only five fillies and mares entered the Las Madrinas (race 3), and Dance to My Tune enters the 1 1/16-mile race as the class of the field.

ELMONT, N.Y. – If you throw out Qualia’s last race, she certainly fits with the other eight fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park.

Rose Catherine puts her undefeated mark in turf sprints on the line Saturday against four opponents – including stablemate West Ocean – in the $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap at Parx Racing, formerly known as Philadelphia Park.

The Turf Amazon, run at five furlongs, is the supporting feature on a 12-race card that features the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Though six were entered for the Turf Amazon, trainer Bret Calhoun said Thursday that Dubai Majesty, beaten a neck in this race last year, will scratch to run in the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

As well as First Dude has run against some of the best 3-year-olds of his generation, he is still in search of his second career victory. Perhaps it will come in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, formerly Philadelphia Park.

Based on his second-place finish in the Preakness, and third-place finishes in the Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational, and Travers, First Dude will likely go off favored in the Pennsylvania Derby, the marquee event of a 12-race card that begins at 12:05 p.m. Eastern and includes the $200,000 Turf Amazon for female sprinters.