LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In 1984, Wesley Ward won the Eclipse Award as champion apprentice jockey. Now, a young rider coming up under his tutelage is hoping to match that achievement.

That apprentice is Christian Santiago Reyes, a 19-year-old native of Puerto Rico who is off to a blazing start in his riding career.

Through last weekend, Santiago Reyes - riding often for successful trainer Ward - had won with 7 of 30 mounts (23 percent). Six of those winners have come at Churchill Downs, placing him eighth in the standings, easily best among apprentices.

No need to focus on what might have been, when what actually is seems to be progressing so well. Yes, had things worked out a little differently, Giant Oak might be on the Triple Crown trail this very minute. But after a somewhat disappointing Fair Grounds campaign, and a second to Derby third-place finisher Musket Man in the Illinois Derby, Giant Oak was taken out of consideration for the classics to focus on a summer turf campaign. And from the look of his Arlington Park Polytrack work pattern, Giant Oak is coming up to the May 23 Arlington Classic in excellent shape.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Mythical Power was sprawled in his stall out sleeping on a recent morning, dreaming, perhaps, of what lies ahead after his smashing win in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Derby. The developing colt turned in a career performance in 1 1/16-mile race Saturday at Lone Star Park, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 101. What's in store for him next is to be determined, said his trainer, Bob Baffert, but it appears Mythical Power might be an exciting 3-year-old for the second half of 2009.

BALTIMORE - Trainer Gary Stute got some unsolicited advice Sunday night concerning his method for bringing Papa Clem up to the Preakness Stakes. But this was not some loudmouth railbird barking out his two cents. This was unsolicited, Hall of Famer kind of advice.

"Jack Van Berg called me, and asked why I was working Papa Clem," Stute said Monday morning. "He said he never worked anything between the Derby and the Preakness."

MIAMI - The Calder racetrack is widely recognized as being a little deeper and a little slower than most. Many local trainers believe that factor provides a distinct advantage when they prepare their horses to ship and run out of town.

A stewards' hearing for trainer Steve Asmussen concerning a horse in his care who tested positive for lidocaine in May 2008 was postponed on Tuesday after a key witness in the case was unable to travel to Lone Star Park for the hearing because of inclement weather. A new hearing date has yet to be set, but both sides were hoping to determine one as soon as Wednesday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - On Saturday, about an hour before Rachel Alexandra, the most heralded 3-year-old filly in the country, is scheduled to take on males in the Preakness, Seattle Smooth, arguably among the most underappreciated older females in training, will be running in the Grade 2 Shuvee at Belmont Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's Grade 3 Hendrie here at Woodbine was a success on two counts for trainer Josie Carroll.

Smart Surprise, a Kentucky-bred 5-year-old trained by Carroll, already had proven herself in open company but became a graded stakes winner as the 2-1 favorite in the $158,600 Hendrie, a 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares.

The Carroll-trained Authenicat, an Ontario-sired 4-year-old who had experienced almost all of her success in restricted races, was a good third at 12-1.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - More than four months into the year, there is no clarity in the older horse division in California.

The results of Saturday's Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap added to the mess when Ball Four, an 8-year-old gelding, won the third stakes of his career, upsetting the heavily favored and previously unbeaten Rail Trip. Ball Four ($34) led throughout the 1 1/16 miles under Joe Talamo and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Rail Trip, who was making his graded stakes debut and his sixth career start.

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist was a happy camper last week. He had entered his talented sprinter High Resolve in the $75,000 Raise Your Skirts Stakes for Saturday, and the timing was perfect as prep for the Grade 1, $350,000 Princess Rooney at the Summit of Speed at Calder on July 11.

Although High Resolve is based at Golden Gate, she had never run there. She still hasn't.

High Resolve was the only entrant in the Raise Your Skirts, and the race was canceled.