HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Americanus earned himself an opportunity to compete in one of the upcoming Kentucky Derby preps after winning a loaded first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs Saturday.

Americanus slipped up the rail under jockey Javier Castellano to register a one-length victory over debut winner Violent City, with the highly regarded pair of Silver Ratio and Cost Basis also in his wake. The win was the second in four starts for Americanus, a son of War Front who posted a career-high 82 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Two local jockeys with ties to three horses currently considered major players on the Kentucky Derby trail will be sidelined indefinitely after sustaining injuries in two separate riding mishaps occurring less than 24 hours apart here last week.

Even with the surprise news Monday that dual-champion Covfefe had been retired, trainer Brad Cox’s outfit is absolutely loaded for the first part of the 2020 racing season. Cox has a bunch of good horses already on the go, and his roster is only getting deeper with 2018 champion 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl penciled in for a breeze this weekend, Grade 1-class turf mare Juliet Foxtrot also set for her first work of the year, and Owendale, who could be a top handicap horse this year, back under tack at a Kentucky farm.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Green Light Go is in but Structor will be out when entries are drawn early Wednesday afternoon for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Monday he intends to run his Grade 2 winner Green Light Go in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, but the much-anticipated 3-year-old and main-track debut for the undefeated Chad Brown-trainee Structor will have to wait another day.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Roy H, the champion sprinter of 2017 and 2018, has advanced to galloping on a daily basis at the San Luis Rey Training Center in an attempt at a comeback, trainer Peter Miller said on Sunday.

Roy H has not raced since a win in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita in January 2019. An 8-year-old gelding, Roy H was sent to Dubai for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen last March, but developed a foot abscess and was forced to miss the race.

“He’s galloped a few days and looking strong,” Miller said. “The foot is as good as it’s been in a year.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – A little luck was all Keeper Ofthe Stars needed for a career-defining win in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

In her last three starts, trainer Jonathan Wong watched in frustration as Keeper Ofthe Stars raced on the rail, between rivals at pivotal points in a race, and even on the lead, never finishing better than second.

With a clear trip and a wide rally, Keeper Ofthe Stars won the $202,000 Buena Vista Stakes for the most prestigious and richest win of her 14-race career.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred Ice Princess will try to earn her way into the Kentucky Oaks when she runs next in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gazelle Stakes here on April 4.

Ice Princess tuned up for the Gazelle with a 2 1/2-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Maddie May Stakes at Aqueduct. She covered the one-turn mile in 1:39.70 and earned a career-best 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Mr. Buff are resisting the temptation to go big-game hunting for now and will likely target the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct on April 4, trainer John Kimmel said.

Though the Haynesfield was run as a one-turn mile, Mr. Buff is 6 for 6 in 1 1/8-mile races run around two turns at Aqueduct, the configuration of the Excelsior. The six weeks between races would enable Mr. Buff to recover from Saturday’s fast race, for which he earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure, and give him his best opportunity at his first graded score.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Four years ago, the maiden Laoban finished second in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct but ultimately was on the outside looking in when it came to the Kentucky Derby, failing to draw into the race from the also-eligible list.

Trainer Eric Guillot said he sat around Churchill Downs all week long waiting for a scratch that never came. Guillot ultimately ran Laoban in the Preakness where he finished sixth. Later that summer, Laoban won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

If it had not been for the exploits of champion Runhappy, owner Mallory Greiner and her husband, trainer Chris Richard, would not have had the life-changing horse Underpressure.

Underpressure, who has chance to pass $700,000 in career earnings in Saturday night’s $70,000 Owner Appreciation Cup at his base of Delta Downs, was a private purchase at 2 from Runhappy’s owner, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale.