OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Pat McKenna, a native of upstate New York, is the new director of communications and media relations for the New York Racing Association. McKenna, who began his role Tuesday, took over for John Durso Jr., who left the position in March to work for NBC in New York.

McKenna, 34, grew up in Loudonville, N.Y., about 30 miles south of Saratoga Springs. McKenna said he was a frequent visitor to Saratoga Race Course and was on hand to watch Triple Crown winner American Pharoah run in the Travers.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While his connections wait to see if there will be the necessary defections to make it into the Kentucky Derby field, Adventist worked a half-mile in 48.81 seconds Thursday over the Belmont Park training track.

Adventist, equipped with blinkers and working by himself, went his first quarter in 25.17 seconds and his second in 23.64. Trainer Leah Gyarmati, via two-way radio, instructed exercise rider Eduardo Azocar to let Adventist finish, and Azocar got after the colt a little bit.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With the New York Racing Association preparing to shut down the Aqueduct backstretch in early May, trainer Rudy Rodriguez was looking to send a string of horses to Parx for the summer.

But that track has been dealing with an equine herpesvirus quarantine that is prohibiting horses from shipping in or out until at least the middle of May.

As a result, Rodriguez might send a string to Maryland. The horses could be based at Pimlico – at least for May – where he plans to run several horses in stakes during Preakness week.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York Stallion Stakes are often met with a yawn, but Saturday’s $100,000 Park Avenue division for 3-year-old fillies is anything but a snoozer. Led by Frosty Margarita, Wonderment, and Behrnik’s Bank, the eight fillies entered in the 6 1/2-furlong race have combined to win eight stakes.

Beholder, the three-time champion, was pronounced “ready” for her 2016 debut next month after a seven-furlong workout in 1:25 at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Beholder is scheduled to have her first start of the year in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on May 8.

“We’re ready to go,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “She’ll get another long work and doesn’t need to do too much at this point.”

CYPRESS, Calif. – The lure of a seven-figure, Grade 1 race and the absence of the undefeated champion Songbird have put Mokat on course for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6.

Earlier this month, Mokat was made eligible for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies with a late nomination payment of $1,500. The fee was paid days after Mokat finished second to Songbird in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 9. Last weekend, Songbird was declared from the Kentucky Oaks because of illness.

MIAMI - Florida Derby runner-up Majesto will bid south Florida adieu and head on to Churchill Downs after breezing a mile in 1:44.41 on a warm and muggy Thursday morning at Gulfstream Park West.

With regular exercise rider J.J. Delgado aboard, Majesto broke off at the six-furlong pole, posted splits of 26.07, 50.62 and 1:15.98 to the wire, then continued around the clubhouse turn in what looked more like a gallop-out to complete the mile where he began at the top of the backstretch. He was under just light urging from the eighth pole to the finish line.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The defection of heavily favored Songbird from the $1 million Kentucky Oaks has swayed the connections of other 3-year-old fillies to reconsider their prior decisions to withdraw their horses from the race.

Cathryn Sophia is the most prominent of the fillies who will now point to the May 6 filly classic at Churchill Downs. After finishing third in the April 9 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, Cathryn Sophia was being diverted by trainer John Servis to the Grade 2, $200,000 Eight Belles, a seven-furlong race on the Oaks undercard.

A full field of 10, plus one also-eligible, has been entered for the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on Saturday. There are six stakes on the Classic undercard.

Donworth, trained by Doug O’Neill, is expected to rule a slight favorite in the $1.25 million Classic from post 4. But the Todd Pletcher-trained Stanford (post 7) and Page McKenney (post 9), a winner of five of his last six starts for trainer Mary Eppler, also are sure to take money.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Highland Sky, the runner-up in the Cutler Bay Stakes here in his seasonal debut, and Unbridled Daddy, a sharp allowance winner in his seasonal debut, top a field of nine 3-year-olds entered for Saturday’s $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes at a mile on the turf.

Highland Sky, trained by Barclay Tagg, finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last fall, beaten just 4 1/2 lengths. Unbridled Daddy was third to stablemate Azar in the With Anticipation at Saratoga last summer before running 10th in the Grade 3 Bourbon over yielding turf.