Art Collector, who figures as the second or third wagering choice behind Tiz the Law in the Derby, was back on familiar ground Thursday when galloping a mile during the designated training period reserved for Derby and Oaks horses. The colt arrived Wednesday from the nearby Skylight training center, trainer Tommy Drury’s main base.

Brian Hernandez Jr., the colt’s regular jockey, was aboard for the gallop because regular exercise rider James Lopez was unavailable due to coronavirus-related protocols.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It took until Day 29, but four trainers each got their first win of the Saratoga meet on Wednesday.

The most noteworthy victory was for trainer Mark Casse, who broke a 0-for-31 drought at the meet when Jack and Noah went gate to wire to win the $85,000 Mahony Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths. Prior to that, Casse had nine second-place finishes at the meet, five of those in stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – She’s a Julie, a two-time Grade 1 winner, will seek a repeat victory in the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

On Thursday, She’s a Julie put in a strong five-furlong workout in 59.19 seconds over the Saratoga main track. Under Ricardo Santana Jr., She’s a Julie went her opening three furlongs in 35.56, came home in 23.63, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.94 and seven-eighths in 1:27.63.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If you’ve watched a Fox Sports broadcast of the races from Saratoga Race Course this summer, you’ve undoubtedly seen the commercial promoting a $100,000 bonus offered by James McIngvale to the owners of a 2-year-old by his stallion Runhappy should the horse win a maiden race at select meets, including Saratoga.

On Saturday, there is a legitimate chance that bonus may have to be paid out for the first time.

The two-time stakes winner Big Sweep will have her turf debut in an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies in the seventh race at Del Mar on Saturday.

The one-mile race might as well be a minor stakes. Aside from Big Sweep, five of the other seven fillies have run in stakes.

Attorney Brenda Davis has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board and consultant Wendy Mitchell, who joined the board in the summer of 2019, has been reappointed, according to a statement released earlier this week by the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Davis, 65, resides in Sacramento and has had a law firm there since 2007.

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Trainer Luis Mendez admits that Dr. Schivel is a better colt than Mendez is an exercise rider.

Monday, Mendez worked Dr. Schivel a half-mile in 48.60 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7.

“I had hoped for 49 and change and he did 48 and change,” Mendez said. “I don’t have a good clock in my mind.

“He covers more ground than you think.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Sid Attard has won a number of big races at Woodbine in his career, including the Grade 1 Atto Mile with Numerous Times in 2001 and the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes with Interpol in 2015. The one race that has eluded Attard so far is the Queen’s Plate, but the Canadian Hall of Fame trainer is back on the trail this year with contenders Dotted Line and Olliemyboy.

Monmouth Park in New Jersey will ask state racing regulators to approve nine additional live racing dates this year, the track said on Wednesday.

The dates will all be added in October  -- on Oct. 3-4; on the next three Wednesdays and Saturdays; and on Monday, Oct. 12, which is Columbus Day. The Preakness Stakes, which this year is the last leg of the Triple Crown due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, is scheduled for Oct. 3.

Tonalist’s Shape will be making a notable equipment change Friday night, when she takes on Hopeful Growth and Wicked Whisper in the Grade 3, $200,000 Charles Town Oaks.

The race is one of seven stakes on a card led by the Grade 2, $600,000 Charles Town Classic. It’s the first time the West Virginia track has run two graded races on one program, according to a press release. The dates of both races had to be moved earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.