HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Life Is Good began his final work for his role as the favorite in the $12 million Dubai World Cup early Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. And while there was no truth to the rumor he was still galloping out later that afternoon, even trainer Todd Pletcher was at a loss for superlatives to describe how well his star has done since his eye-catching victory in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational here earlier this winter.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite having to cancel six cards this winter, the New York Racing Association does not plan to add any racing days over the final two weeks of March. Instead, the NYRA will add races to already scheduled cards.

For example, there will be 10 races on Friday, including three that had been carded for last Saturday. Racing officials hope to run 10 races on Saturday and Sunday as well.

March has typically been a difficult month to fill races at Aqueduct, which is why since 2017 the race week in March has been shortened to three days.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Ben Colebrook thought the $100,000 Correction looked like the ideal spot to bring Club Car back off a four-month layoff only to have Mother Nature intervene. While the Correction, lost when last Saturday’s card was canceled due to weather, has been rescheduled for this Saturday, there is some concern whether the race will go.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred 3-year-old filly Yo Cuz, who has won two stakes since losing her career debut, worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.81 seconds Monday morning over the Belmont Park training track. She is preparing for a start in the $100,000 East View Stakes on March 27.

Though Yo Cuz has won both the Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes and the Maddie May in front-running fashion, on Monday she started her work three lengths behind stablemate Curlin’s Wisdom and finished about three in front, getting her last quarter in 24.00.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Morello, the undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on March 5, returned to the work tab Monday morning at Belmont Park, cruising an easy half-mile in 52.55 seconds over the training track. Morello is preparing for a start in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 9 at Aqueduct.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A mere three weeks between races has become something of a rarity for a Kentucky Derby prospect, but trainer Kenny McPeek intends to forge ahead with his revised plan anyway.

It wasn’t long after Rattle N Roll finished sixth in his 3-year-old debut, the March 5 Fountain of Youth here at Gulfstream Park, that McPeek said the colt will wheel back in three weeks in the Louisiana Derby on March 26 at Fair Grounds.

Champion filly Echo Zulu will make her 3-year-old debut March 26 in the Fair Grounds Oaks after working to her connections’ satisfaction on Monday at Fair Grounds.

Echo Zulu was officially timed in 1:00.20 for a five-furlong, in-company work. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Echo Zulu galloped out six furlongs in “1:13 and change” and seven furlongs in a little over 1:26.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – All-sources handle on the 12-race Festival Day card on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs was a track record $20,778,222, crushing the former the record of $15.2 million, set last year on Festival Day. Nearly $3.7 million was bet on the Tampa Derby, a one-race record. Helping the Tampa cause was the fact both Aqueduct and Laurel Park canceled racing Saturday because of poor weather.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – When Chad Brown sent out the one-two finishers in both the Grade 2 Endeavour and Grade 3 Florida Oaks on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, he padded his incredible record at the 2021-22 Tampa meet.

Brown begins this week with 17 wins and 7 seconds from just 36 starters at Tampa this winter, a batting average of .470 that would be a cool .500 if he hadn’t also had the runner-up in both of those stakes. Bleecker Street (94 Beyer), now unbeaten in five career starts, won the Endeavour over Rocky Sky. Dolce Zel (76 Beyer) won the Florida Oaks over Spicer.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Brian Lynch was in his usual good mood Monday morning, and why wouldn’t he be? The trainer had heard all the talk about Classic Causeway not being fast enough, even after the colt’s victory on Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby, and decided to wave it off.

“I’ve never done this,” Lynch said about having a serious Kentucky Derby prospect so late in the game, “and I’m going to keep enjoying it.”