OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Keith Desormeaux already has two Kentucky Derby prospects in My Boy Jack and Ayacara. On Saturday, he’ll hit the road to find out if he has a third candidate in Beautiful Shot, who makes his 2018 debut in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – WinStar Farm already is a partner in a handful of prospects for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, including Audible, Justify, Noble Indy, National Flag, and New York Central. Yet another WinStar colt could announce his presence on the Derby trail Saturday when Quip makes his 3-year-old debut as one of the longer shots in the Tampa Bay Derby, the annual showcase event at Tampa Bay Downs.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – While a handful of top jockeys will be flying in on a private charter Saturday morning from the Miami area for Tampa’s biggest day of the year – including John Velazquez, Jose Lezcano, Joel Rosario, Julien Leparoux, and both of the Ortiz brothers, Irad and Jose – Florent Geroux will join them from the opposite direction after riding Friday night at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Geroux has Quip in the Tampa Bay Derby, Lovely Bernadette in the Hillsborough, and commitments in the other three stakes.

Dona Bruja awaiting Jenny Wiley

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Triple Crown nominee Amy’s Challenge could burst onto the Kentucky Oaks scene Saturday. The undefeated multiple stakes winner will be making her two-turn debut in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn Park.

“She may improve when she runs two turns Saturday,” trainer Mac Robertson said. “She’s got a lot of talent.”

WHO’S HOT

Direct Dial, who ran a close third in last month’s $125,000 Gazebo at Oaklawn, is slated to make his next start in the $65,000 Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston, trainer Steve Asmussen said. The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds by nominated stallions runs on the final night of the meet, March 17.

Direct Dial won a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes in November at Retama Park. Earlier in his career, he ran second in the $150,000 Tremont at Belmont Park. Direct Dial races for his breeder, Will Farish.

Tough to Bee, dead-heat winner of last year’s Grade 1, $1 million Ruidoso Derby for Quarter Horses, will launch his 4-year-old season Friday night at Remington Park in the Grade 2, $50,000 Eastex. The Eastex is one of two stakes on the first card of the meet, which also includes the $65,000 Mighty Deck Three. The 50-date season runs through June 2.

The Eastex is the first start since October for Tough to Bee. He also won the $100,000 First Down Dash last year at Ruidoso over champion Imperial Eagle.

Hyper Piper will be looking for her third win of the Delta Downs meet on Friday night, when she starts as one of the top contenders in the $75,000 Owner Appreciation Distaff.

The mile race for fillies and mares who have started at the meet is one of two stakes on the penultimate card of the season. The other is the $80,000 Azalea, which is for 3-year-old fillies bred in Louisiana.

Remsen winner Catholic Boy, second in the Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 10 in the first of his two Kentucky Derby preps this year, will use the Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream Park as his final Derby prep, John Panagot, the racing manager for majority owner Robert LaPenta, said Tuesday.

"Timing-wise it's the best, and everybody on the team seems to agree," Panagot said.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – There was a barn fire Tuesday morning at Oaklawn, but it was contained to the dorm rooms and there were no injuries to humans or horses, according to track spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyt.

“All humans and horses are accounted for,” Hoyt said.

Hoyt said the fire was in the Swaps barn and it started about 5:45 a.m. Central. She said the local fire department responded, but also those in the stable area were quick to help.