SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Althiqa and Summer Romance, the 1-2 finishers in Saturday’s Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga - as well as the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont Park six weeks ago - are expected to ship to trainer Charlie Appleby’s Newmarket yard on Tuesday, but a return to the U.S. in the fall is likely for both 4-year-old fillies.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Approximately 12 hours before he was to run his presumptive Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park, trainer Brad Cox was at Saratoga on Saturday morning to watch Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality put in a serious workout toward a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mystic Guide, who won the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March, will be sidelined at least for the remainder of 2021 after being diagnosed with a chip in his right knee that will require surgery, his connections announced Saturday morning.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The audience was restricted, but betting money flowed freely on Friday’s opening day of the Del Mar summer season.

All-sources handle, including satellite locations and account wagering nationwide, reached an opening day record of $21,339,643 for the 10-race program, well above the previous mark of $16.5 million set on opening day in 2016. All-sources handle on opening day last year was $15.02 million on a program held without an ontrack crowd because of the pandemic.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Luis Cardenas was transported to Albany Medical Center for evaluation after being thrown from his mount, Strong Moment, inside the final furlong of Friday’s last race at Saratoga. Strong Moment suffered a fracture to his left foreleg and had to be euthanized, according to the New York Racing Association.

Cardenas appeared to suffer injuries to his face, specifically around his left side, according to jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., one of several jockeys who rushed out to the Saratoga turf course following the race.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The quarantine of Barn 86 at Saratoga due to a confirmed case of equine herpesvirus from a horse stabled in that barn will prevent trainer Ken McPeek from running several prominent horses in upcoming stakes at Saratoga.

McPeek was planning to run Crazy Beautiful and Tabor Hall in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies; Swiss Skydiver, the Preakness and Alabama winner, in next Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes; and King Fury in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31.

Short fields abound in much of the American racing landscape, the same narrow equine population taking turns beating each other at race meets lacking the stock to support a vibrant product.

And then there is Monday’s opening day card at the 2021 Colonial Downs meeting.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Weyburn, the Grade 3 Gotham winner and runner-up to Mandaloun in the Pegasus Stakes on June 13 at Monmouth, worked five furlongs in 1:00.83 on Friday morning over the Saratoga main track, preparing for a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here July 31.

Working by himself, Weyburn went in splits of 12.65 seconds, 24.33, 35.43, and finished in 25.40 after hanging on his left lead until deep stretch.

SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y, – Vequist, who used her easy victory in the Grade 1 Spinaway here last summer to help her become the juvenile filly champion, is back on the local scene prepping for what trainer Butch Reid Jr. hopes will be a successful second half to her 3-year-old campaign.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Maxfield, among the leaders of the older male dirt division, stepped up preparations for a scheduled start in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes here on Aug. 7 by working four furlongs in 49.03 seconds on Friday morning over the Oklahoma training track.