ARCADIA, Calif. – Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, is unlikely to start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 8 because of ongoing concern over a grabbed quarter.

Shared Belief has not worked since Jan. 3 and did not work as scheduled at Santa Anita on Friday. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said that Shared Belief does not have a scheduled workout in coming days.

“We’re not satisfied with the progress of the foot,” said Hollendorfer, who described the foot as slow to heal. “You have to proceed day by day.”

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Four years ago, trainer Butch Reid won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes with Afleet Again, who upset four rivals at odds of 24-1.

Next Saturday, when the Withers is run for the 134th time, Reid will try to win it again with Honorable Judge, a full brother to Afleet Again.

“I don’t know if lightning can strike twice or not, but we’ll give it a try,” Reid said.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will attempt to walk the fine line of winning a Grade 2 stakes while leaving something in the tank for more important goals when he sends out his top Kentucky Derby prospect, Cairo Prince, against 10 rivals in a stellar renewal of the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is the first of three major Derby preps at Gulfstream Park this season and anchors an 11-race program that also includes the Grade 2 Forward Gal for 3-year-old fillies.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rick Violette currently has two top 3-year-old prospects in training at Palm Meadows, Financial Mogul and the undefeated Samraat, and for the time being has plotted different courses for the pair in hopes of achieving the same goal – getting into this year’s Kentucky Derby.

[Holy Bull Stakes: Get PPs, watch Saturday's card live]

ARCADIA, Calif. – The unbeaten 3-year-old stakes winners Midnight Hawk and Indianapolis are being pointed to graded stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday.

Midnight Hawk, winner of the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Jan. 11, is tentatively scheduled to run in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis over 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 8.

Also scheduled for the Lewis is newly minted 2-year-old male champion Shared Belief.

“I think he’ll run there,” Baffert said. “I’ll know a week before, but that’s an option.”

Exit Stage Left made it three stakes victories in three career starts with a half-length win in the 1 1/16-mile California Derby last Saturday and has shown continued improvement. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Russell Baze stressed the gameness and competitiveness of the Noonmark colt.

“He’s a tough, little dude,” said Baze, who knows the colt well and was comfortable letting him run on the front end in the California Derby.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tanzanite Cat, Walt, and Coastline, who finished 1-2-3 in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Monday, are all being pointed to the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest on Feb. 17, their trainers said Tuesday. The 1 1/16-mile race is the second 3-year-old prep on the local road to the Arkansas Derby.

The series was off to a rousing start Monday, when Tanzanite Cat and Walt traded the lead early in the one-mile Smarty Jones and then battled into the stretch. Tanzanite Cat prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths in his first start against winners, and first at two turns.

HALLANDALE BEACH,Fla. –The post position draw for Saturday’s Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park elicited mixed reactions from the connections of several of the leading contenders set to compete in the first major 3-year-old test of the meet, including likely favorite Cairo Prince and the undefeated Coup de Grace.

$150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes; 1 mile; Oaklawn Park; Jan. 20
(10 Kentucky Derby eligibility points to the winner, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth.)

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tanzanite Cat was one of the more promising 3-year-olds brought to town by Oaklawn Park leading trainer Cody Autrey for the new season, and the horse proved his quality Monday, winning his stakes debut in the $150,000 Smarty Jones.