DEL MAR, Calif. – There’s a little less laughter in the world. Ken Church, the former jockey who used his knowledge of racing and his engaging personality to work in media relations in Southern California for three decades, died Monday in Reno, Nev., where he had retired more than 20 years ago.

Saratoga Racecourse will have a refurbished main track that is expected to drain better than the old one when the meet kicks off its 40-day run Thursday.

While the New York Racing Association was installing a new safety rail at Saratoga, much like those in place at Aqueduct and Belmont Park, it also undertook the massive project of replacing an old, worn-out drainage system on the main track.

Last summer, Jeremiah Englehart won nine races with 2-year-olds at Saratoga, equaling his three previous meets combined in that category. He’s hoping for similar success at the 2020 meet that begins Thursday.

Englehart has several high-priced purchases he hopes to debut at this meet, topped by After the Party (Into Mischief), a $750,000 yearling purchase at last September’s Keeneland auction.

“She’s supposed to be pretty nice,” Englehart said. “I haven’t really tested her out, this next week or two we’re going to ask her to do a little bit more.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y – Tap It to Win was back on the work tab Monday for the first time since his fifth-place effort in the Belmont Stakes 23 days ago, breezing an easy half-mile in 48.00 over the main track at Saratoga.

Jose Ortiz is heating up at just the right time.

After a slow first half of 2020 due to a wrist injury and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ortiz will head into Saratoga – where he has won three of the last four riding titles – on a roll. At Belmont Park, which ended its 25-day meet Sunday, Ortiz won 14 races from his last 40 mounts to finish with 32 victories, two shy of his brother Irad, who won the meet title.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though the 3-year-old Creed was impressive in two victories at the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, trainer Shug McGaughey does not plan to rush him into the big events such as the Travers or Kentucky Derby.

McGaughey said his summer target is more likely to be the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy, which has been scheduled for Sept. 5 at Saratoga.

“I want to give him a little separation from his last race,” McGaughey said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown’s long-term goal with Dunbar Road is the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. What path he chooses to get here there remains an open question.

Brown was impressed with Dunbar Road’s three-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park.

“Although it wasn’t the strongest field, I thought it was one of her best races the way she ran and really galloped under the wire with plenty in the tank,” Brown said. “This filly has continued to move forward.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Led by champion Midnight Bisou, trainer Steve Asmussen had at least a trio of horses he plans to run in Grade 1 races at Saratoga put in workouts Monday over Saratoga’s main track.

Midnight Bisou, looking to repeat in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 1, worked five furlongs in 1:01.22, going in company with Tenfold, the 2018 Jim Dandy and 2019 Pimlico Special winner. Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch caught the team in splits of 24.63 seconds and 36.23 seconds.

ELMONT, N.Y. – All-sources handle at Belmont Park was $386,654,955 for the 25-day meet that concluded Sunday. The average daily handle was $15,466,198, an increase of 41.6 percent from the daily average of $10,917,736 for the 48-day spring/summer meet of 2019.

The Belmont meet, which followed an 80-day shutdown of racing on this circuit, was held without fans or owners being allowed ontrack due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meet, which was scheduled for 51 days beginning April 24, didn’t start until June 3.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Uncle Chuck has bounced out of his Los Alamitos Derby win in good order and is preparing for his crucial next race, which will determine whether he goes on to the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

He’s 2 for 2, and now will run in either the Shared Belief Stakes on Aug. 1 at Del Mar or, more likely, the Travers Stakes on Aug. 8 at Saratoga as a final prep for the Derby.