Roddy Valente lives within 20 miles of Saratoga Race Course, and calls the Spa meet "six weeks of Christmas." As the owner and breeder of the undefeated Bustin Stones, Valente is hoping Santa Claus can deliver him a victory in Saturday's Grade 2 Vanderbilt Handicap.

The complexion of Thursday's Grade 2, $150,000 Sanford Stakes changed dramatically Wednesday morning when race favorite Notonthesamepage developed a temperature that will force him to scratch from the race.

Grade 1-winning sprinter Fabulous Strike will be forced to miss Saturday's Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap after injuring his left front foot Tuesday morning, trainer Todd Beattie said.

The Del Mar meeting began in earnest on Wednesday for Zenyatta, the leading older female in the nation. Unbeaten in six starts, Zenyatta had her first exercise over the track's Polytrack surface on Wednesday, preparing for a start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap on Aug. 2.

Thirteen horses from England, Ireland, France, and Italy still have one of Arlington's three big Million Day races in mind at this date, with five of those running this weekend in make-or-break preps.

Todd Pletcher will try to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational for a third straight year with a colt that consistently runs second - Atoned. "He's been a bit of a bridesmaid," the trainer said.

Trainer Mike Puype is hoping the consistent El Manuel shows up like he always does in Thursday's seventh race at Del Mar, an optional $100,000 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.