Midnight Bisou worked five furlongs in 1:00.20, second-fastest of 52 works at the distance Sunday morning at Fair Grounds and remains on track to start Feb. 29 in the $20 million Saudi Cup. The champion older female of 2019 has been breezing steadily here in New Orleans since December, the only hiccup whatsover in her Saudi Cup preparation a period of very wet weather that led to a 10-day gap between works. 

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sole Volante could run back in the Tampa Bay Derby after breaking through as Kentucky Derby candidate Saturday in winning the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Twenty-three horses were entered Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes – and so there will be two Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes next Saturday at Fair Grounds.

A purse hike to $1 million for the New York Stakes, and the first stakes for 2-year-olds mandated to be run Lasix-free are among the changes to the Belmont Park 2020 stakes schedule released Saturday by the New York Racing Association.

NYRA will offer 58 stakes worth $18.65 million during the 51-Belmont spring/summer meet, which runs April 24 through July 12.

Hofburg will make his first start in seven months in the Mineshaft Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds, trainer Bill Mott said.

Hofburg, now 5, was one of the better 3-year-olds of his generation but didn’t start between October 2018 and July 2019. He won his comeback race last summer at Saratoga but hasn’t started since.

“He just wasn’t moving well, so we backed off him again, gave him time, brought him back,” Mott said. “He’s doing well again now.”

Though he was held in high regard by his connections from the start, By My Standards required four races to win a maiden race, but after doing so last Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds, he went on to capture the Louisiana Derby. By My Standards was training encouragingly for the Kentucky Derby but went into the race nursing a foot problem, had trouble in the running, finished 12th, and wound up getting the rest of the year off.

Trainer Bill Mott confirmed Friday he’s sending the 3-year-old colt Modernist from New York to Fair Grounds to start Feb. 15 in the Risen Star Stakes.

Mott was asked if Modernist bore any similarities to Country House, who finished second in the 2019 Risen Star before going on to become Mott’s first Kentucky Derby winner, awarded the victory when Churchill Downs stewards disqualified Maximum Security.

“Look at their past performances,” Mott replied.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas could jump on the Kentucky Derby trail next week with American Butterfly. He said Friday the horse is being considered for the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn.

American Butterfly was second by a head in a highly rated allowance here Feb. 2. He rallied up the rail and earned his best career Beyer Figure, an 83.

“The eyeball test was the best, too,” Lukas said.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The strong quality of horse trainer Brad Cox has in place at the young Oaklawn Park meet has lifted the stable to five quick wins heading into the card Friday.

Next week, the barn is taking it up notch.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gold Street, the winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, and fellow stakes winners Shoplifted and Silver Prospector were all out for works Wednesday at Oaklawn. The trio is trained by Steve Asmussen, who has said all are likely to run back in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest here Feb. 17.