A couple days after the 3-year-old filly Total aced her stakes debut, winning the Jan. 1 Letellier Memorial by more than six lengths, her trainer, Al Stall, remarked on how unexceptional Total's morning workouts generally appeared. That changed last Saturday. In her major breeze for the Feb. 10 Silverbulletday Stakes, Total finally put up a glittering work time, five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, the fastest of 51 works at the distance that morning.

ALBANY, Calif. - To the victors go the laughs, bragging rights, and stories.

So Dan Jelladian could laugh about the so-called lack of respect that Bwana Bull, who won Sunday's California Derby, received in Las Vegas last week.

Jelladian, a part owner of Bwana Bull, said the colt was 250-1 in Kentucky Derby futures betting at a Strip casino, but that when he attempted to bet $4,000, he was rebuffed.

"I could have made a million dollars," he said.

Russell Baze, the world's winningest jockey, is expected to miss one week after suffering an undisplaced cracked left seventh rib in a four-horse spill Sunday.

The accident happened one race before Baze was to ride Bwana Bull in the California Derby, and prevented him from riding the horse, who won.

American Ivy fractured a cannon bone and fell near the three-eighths pole, causing a chain reaction. She fell into Kendrick's Patsy, who then caused Baze's mount, Ivy League Genius, to fall. Claire Simoff also fell over American Ivy, who had to be euthanized on the track.

The undefeated Hard Spun will remain at his Oaklawn Park base for the track's series of stakes for 3-year-olds, beginning with the $250,000 Southwest on Feb. 19.

"Right now, we're planning on the whole campaign right here," said Larry Jones, who trains Hard Spun for Rick Porter.

Hard Spun won the Grade 3, $100,000 Lecomte at Fair Grounds in his two-turn debut last out and had been considered for the Grade 3, $300,000 Risen Star there Feb. 10. By staying home, he will not have to make the 10-hour van ride to New Orleans from Hot Springs, Ark., said Jones.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Overly Tempting is unbeaten in two starts. Naughtylilhottie, a former maiden claimer, ran a game second earlier this month, her first start in 16 months.

The two promising 4-year-old fillies meet for the first time in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Wednesday. Their identical styles of racing near the front will dictate the outcome of the race, which has a $50,000 purse.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While his more accomplished older females spent the first part of the winter in Southern California, trainer Tom Bush appeared to have added depth to his barn with the acquisition of A True Pussycat.

In her first start for Bush, A True Pussycat won the Get Lucky, an overnight stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 4. Wednesday, A True Pussycat finds herself in a similar spot when she meets five rivals in the $65,000 Lady on the Run Stakes at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It doesn't take a genius to figure out who is the horse to beat in Wednesday's feature race at Gulfstream Park, or to figure out why his main rival ran so poorly last time.

Einstein, a Grade 1 winner over this turf course one year ago, returns from an 8 1/2-month layoff in the seventh race, a $51,500 allowance at one mile on grass. He has turned in a strong series of works for his return, with three of his last five drills the best of the morning.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Shortly after winning the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf with Lava Man at Santa Anita on Saturday, co-owners Steve Kenly and Jason Wood said they were determined to make the $1omillion Santa Anita Handicap on March 3 the next goal for the 6-year-old gelding.

Both cited the desire to make Lava Man a rare repeat winner of the Big Cap as a reason to point for the richest race of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Premium Tap, who finished third behind Horse of the Year Invasor in the Breeders' Cup Classic, may now have to wait until the Dubai World Cup on March 31 to get a rematch with the champ instead of in Saturday's Grade 1 Donn Handicap as originally planned.

Trainer John Kimmel said that Premium Tap would likely pass the Donn in lieu of the 1 1/2-mile Kings Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 16.

ARCADIA, Calif. - From the time Pussycat Doll left the paddock before Sunday’s $250,000 Santa Monica Handicap until she arrived in the winner’s circle, trainer Bob Baffert’s confidence never wavered.

Baffert raved about Pussycat Doll’s condition before the race, and then watched her get a perfect trip under jockey Garrett Gomez.

“I had a feeling she had them over the barrel,” Baffert said. “She’s s very good mare.”