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.

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.”