Trainer Andy Simoff sent Jumping the Gun back home for a well-deserved winter layoff on Tuesday, a break that will likely last six to seven weeks. The Delaware Park-based juvenile filly capped her 2025 campaign with a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on Saturday at Aqueduct.

Despite finishing 8 1/2 lengths behind the Todd Pletcher-trained filly Zany, Simoff said he was happy with Jumping the Gun’s effort in graded stakes company. In five career starts, including two stakes wins at Delaware, she has never finished worse than second.

Quint’s Brew, runner-up in the Grade 2 Carter and Grade 3 Westchester earlier this year, could make his long-awaited return later this month after a successful training stint at Delaware Park. Trainer Ned Allard remains cautious, but nominating him for the $100,000 Bender Memorial on Dec. 20 at Laurel Park could be a strong hint.

“There’s a couple spots, but I don’t even want to mention them,” Allard said. “I might take advantage of an allowance race just to get started back, but it’s going to be hard to resist the Maryland-bred race on the 20th.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park might be more than 120 years old, but its team has managed to give each passing meet a fresh feel. That will again be the case Friday when the Arkansas track launches a 64-date season that continues through May 2.

The changes start with a new racing format. Oaklawn will put on a holiday meet through Jan. 4. Then, after a three-week break, the track will return with a classic meet from Jan. 30 to May 2.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nobody was looking forward to the $125,000 Tropical Park Oaks here Saturday more than the Tampa Bay Downs-based trainer Gerald Bennett, whose Crafty Collector figured to be among the favorites in the final Florida stakes this season in which 3-year-old fillies get to race against their own age group.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As is the case every year, trainers Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown are watching several accomplished horses leave their barn for the breeding shed. As is the case, almost every year, there appear to be suitable replacements to fill the void.

Pletcher bid adieu to older males Fierceness, Locked, and Mindframe, who in 2025 alone combined to win four Grade 1 stakes.

The former claimer Bartholdy will be entered in the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 after recording an upset win in a tough 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Del Mar on Nov. 30. The $200,000 Pincay Stakes is run at 1 1 1/16 miles.

Bartholdy, claimed for $50,000 in August 2024, disputed the pace throughout the Nov. 30 race and won by 1 1/4 lengths. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

The performance convinced trainer and co-owner Steve Knapp to consider the Pincay Stakes.

Ag Bullet, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against males at Del Mar last month, is going on vacation this week with an undetermined future.

Trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday that the 5-year-old mare may be retired to be bred or could race next year. A decision is expected in the coming months.

Liberation and Cecilia Street, the first two finishers in Sunday’s $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos, are likely to have a rematch next month at Santa Anita. Their respective trainers, John Sadler and Leonard Powell, said on Monday that the $175,000 California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old statebred fillies at a mile on turf is a logical goal.

Liberation, a winner of 3 of 6 starts, has yet to start on turf, but Sadler said her pedigree “plus her action” are two reasons to give the surface a try. Liberation is by Omaha Beach out of Ponytail, by Lonhro.