SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph said he couldn’t have been happier with the way Ny Traffic worked here Friday in his final serious drill before the Kentucky Derby. The Haskell runner-up went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, completing his final three-eighths in 35.26 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40 and easing up after seven-eighths in 1:26.58.

David Cohen was aboard for the work, although Paco Lopez has the mount in the Derby.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After knocking off the undisputed leader of the filly and mare handicap division, Midnight Bisou, earlier this month in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, Vexatious will now set her sights on the division’s No. 2 when she ships to Churchill Downs for a rematch with Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 La Troienne next Friday.

Trainer Jack Sisterson made that decision shortly after watching Vexatious breeze an easy half-mile in 52.97 seconds under the cover of darkness shortly after the main track opened at 5:30 a.m. here on Friday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Amid the highly unusual circumstances that have come to characterize this entire year, Churchill Downs on Tuesday will open its September meet with the 146th Kentucky Derby culminating the first week.

The Tuesday opener begins a 14-day split meet. Racing will be conducted for five straight days, ending with the Derby on Saturday, before Kentucky Downs in south-central Kentucky hosts a six-day meet from Sept. 7-16. Churchill then will run the last nine days of its meet from Sept. 17-27.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher worked a trio of 3-year-olds Friday at Saratoga with Money Moves still seeming to be the one he would run in the Derby if he runs one at all.

Since he has no qualifying points, Money Moves would need 19 or fewer other horses to be entered in the Derby to make it into the field. On Friday, he worked five furlongs with You’re to Blame in 1:00.14, getting his last quarter in 24.13 with a strong gallop out of 1:12.99, 1:26.09, and a mile in 1:40.34, indicative of a pre-Derby type of work for Pletcher.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With the remnants of Hurricane Laura expected to douse this region later in the day, a handful of contenders for Kentucky Derby 146 led by Art Collector were out for their final pre-race workouts Friday morning at Churchill Downs amid humid but dry conditions.

Shortly before trainer Brad Cox sent his 2018 Kentucky Oaks winner and divisional champion Monomoy Girl out for a breeze on Friday morning, he sent out the two fillies who will be attempting to follow in her footsteps, as his Kentucky Oaks duo of Bonny South and Shedaresthedevil turned in their final works ahead of next Friday’s filly classic.

LOUISVILLE ,Ky. – One of the many equine stars set to race here Derby weekend is Monomoy Girl, the 2018 Kentucky Oaks winner who has finished first in all but one of her 13 starts. The 5-year-old mare was among the Friday workers at Churchill, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.20 with regular rider Florent Geroux up.

“Fantastic work,” said trainer Brad Cox. “I’m very, very pleased with the way she has trained out of the Ruffian,” which Monomoy Girl won on July 11 at Belmont Park with a career-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure. “I’m really looking forward to running her next Friday.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Runhappy Travers runner-up Caracaro was removed from consideration for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 after pulling up bad following a workout Friday morning at Saratoga.

Trainer Gustavo Delgado said exercise rider J.J. Delgado told him the horse took a bad step after completing a six-furlong workout in 1:12.31 over the main track.

Delgado followed the horse back to the barn and didn’t like what he saw.

“I don’t like the ligament,” Delgado said.

Arlington International Racecourse on Thursday received approval to begin accommodating 300 spectators on race days beginning Sept. 3.

Patrons attending the track will be confined to outdoor areas and required to wear a mask, except when seated and consuming food or beverage. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and no one under 18 will be allowed into the track. Ticket sales begin Tuesday, Sept. 1.

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.