SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Essential Quality and Keepmeinmind, separated by a half-length when finishing 1-2 in the Jim Dandy Stakes, returned to the work tab Saturday morning at Saratoga. To hear their respective trainers tell it, the hard race both had three weeks ago only served to propel their 3-year-olds forward as they prepare for their rematch in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 28.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Multiple stakes winner Gufo stepped up his preparations for a start in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes when he worked five furlongs in 1:02.19 Friday over the Oklahoma turf course.

With Joel Rosario up, Gufo started two lengths behind Sitting Pretty, tracked that one through an opening quarter in 26.94 seconds, tipped outside in upper stretch, and finished to the wire on even terms and went a furlong past the wire where the work was timed. It was his third work since July 31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The stewards handed jockey Junior Alvarado a three-day careless riding suspension for his ride aboard runner-up Annex in the Grade 2 National Museum and Hall of Fame Stakes.

Annex in midstretch came in on Original, who under Luis Saez took up and was pulled up and did not finish the race. The stewards looked at the incident, but decided not to take action in part because it didn’t affect the parimutuel outcome of the race.

Alvarado, who did not appeal, will serve the days Wednesday through Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rocketry, a multiple track-record holder at marathon distances and earner of $811,577, has been retired, his owner, Centennial Farms Inc., announced Thursday in a press release.

Rocketry, a 7-year-old son of Hard Spun, finished a well-beaten fourth in the Birdstone Stakes on Aug. 5, his third double-digit-length defeat this year.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s not a comeback. It’s a cameo.

David Flores, who won 3,609 races as a jockey in a career that began in 1984, will ride his first horse in a year Sunday when he climbs aboard John’s Protege in the first race at Saratoga. John’s Protege is trained by Wesley Ward, for whom Flores has been exercising horses on and off for several years, including the last two meets at Saratoga.

“I can’t help myself,” Flores, 53, said between sets Friday morning at Saratoga. “I’ve been working all these horses, I see them win, where’s mine?”

Umberto Rispoli was given a four-day suspension by Del Mar stewards on Thursday for his ride on Sword Zorro in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 8, a decision the jockey intends to appeal, according to his agent, Scotty McClellan.

Sword Zorro was disqualified from first to third for causing interference in the final furlong. Rispoli was suspended from Thursday through Aug. 22. The penalty would not prevent Rispoli from riding the seven graded stakes at Del Mar from Aug. 21-23 because they are designated races and are exempt from routine suspension.

Soaring Sky was scheduled to arrive at Del Mar from Ireland this weekend for a start in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 21, new trainer John Sadler said.

Soaring Sky, owned by Yuesheng Zhang, will make his last start for trainer Jessica Harrington in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf. Soaring Sky has not started in a group stakes in Europe, but should have no trouble with the distance of the Del Mar Oaks.

In his stakes debut, Tripoli rallied wide to finish a half-length behind winner Express Train in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 17 at Del Mar. The narrow second-place finish has led owners Pete and Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler to plan a start for Tripoli in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 21.

The $1 million Pacific Classic is a race they are quite familiar with. Hronis and Sadler won the Pacific Classic in 2018 with Accelerate and the following year with Higher Power.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It has been tough sledding the past couple of years at Hastings, which is operated by Great Canadian Gaming Corp.

A large portion of the purse money in British Columbia comes from slots at Hastings and Elements Casino, the Standardbred track also operated by Great Canadian. When COVID-19 hit, both casinos were shut down, and it wasn’t until recently that they reopened.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 162nd running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate is just one week away on Aug. 22, and a large field is expected for the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, even with Weyburn skipping the race for other opportunities in the United States.

Heading into the final weekend of works for the contenders, a full gate of 17 horses is possible for the Queen’s Plate. If more than 17 horses enter the Queen’s Plate, horses with the highest career earnings will be given preference.