Liaison is not the typical offspring of Indian Charlie, says someone who should know, Bob Baffert, who trained Indian Charlie and now has Liaison. And while that might not have made Liaison the most precocious of runners, it may serve him well in the long run. And the runs for Liaison are going to get longer in the next few months.

Prospective will attempt to continue his run through Tampa Bay Downs’s trio of Kentucky Derby preps when he tries to add Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes to his impressive victory in the seven-furlong Pasco three weeks earlier.

Prospective tops a field of 11 3-year-olds entered in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Sam F. Davis, which serves as the final major prep for the track’s marquee event, the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 10.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Six years ago, Bernardini used the Grade 3 Withers Stakes as a springboard to success in the Preakness. Saturday, one of Bernardini’s sons hopes to use the same race as a way to get into the Kentucky Derby.

Cracked heels are usually a problem in January, what with the cold weather, dry skin, and a natural shyness about regular exfoliation. Then there’s Garrett Gomez and Robby Albarado, who took the problem to extremes.

Last year, on the second day of 2011, Albarado was tossed on the way to the track at Fair Grounds and landed right heel-first on a concrete curb along the fence line of the pathway leading from the paddock. Two weeks later he had surgery to repair the fracture, which was serious enough to require a plate and screws.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Isn’t He Clever ran himself out of New Mexico.

When the colt won the $104,200 Riley Allison Futurity over 6 1/2 furlongs by 11 3/4 lengths at Sunland Park on Dec. 30, owners Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Henry Dominguez decided to try for a loftier goal – Saturday’s $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Grade 2 Lewis Stakes over 1 1/16 miles will be Isn’t He Clever’s first start around two turns and provide a stern test for a gelding who has won 3 of 4 starts.

Coming off a three-win day last Saturday, the Kiaran McLaughlin stable hopes to keep the good times rolling this weekend when it sends out Count Fleet Stakes winner Alpha as the probable favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.

On Monday, Alpha turned in his one and only workout between starts, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.02 over Belmont Park’s training track. It was the fastest of 14 recorded moves at the distance.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Though he may no longer be undefeated, Hansen, the recently crowned 2-year-old champion of 2011, remains on the Triple Crown trail with a likely next start coming in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 26.

Trainer Mike Maker said Monday that, despite stumbling at the start, Hansen came out of his second-place finish to Algorithms in Sunday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Holy Bull in good shape.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – A veteran of Triple Crown delight and disappointment, trainer Todd Pletcher knows as rosy as things look right now for his 3-year-olds, they can get thorny in a hurry.

That’s why even as loaded as Pletcher appears to be for this year’s Kentucky Derby, he is doing his best to temper his enthusiasm.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ever So Lucky, who made everybody’s Kentucky Derby watch list immediately after his sensational maiden win last fall at Churchill Downs, will launch his 3-year-old campaign in the seven-furlong Hutcheson on Feb. 11, trainer Jonathan Sheppard confirmed Monday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Eclipse Award winner Hansen may have been the center of attention, but it was Algorithms who stole the show in Sunday’s $400,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park, cruising to an easy five-length victory over the reigning 2-year-old champion in the first major local prep on the Kentucky Derby trail.