OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Kendrick Carmouche probably could have started riding in New York earlier than he did. He just wanted to make sure that when he arrived, he was going to succeed.

Judging by the first-year results, Carmouche timed his arrival in New York just right, as he finished 2015 with 110 wins from 807 mounts at New York Racing Association tracks, good enough for eighth place in the standings.

“Did I meet my expectations? I think I went way past them,” Carmouche said Monday. “I always think small before I think big. I think you have better success that way.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – When California Chrome starts in Saturday’s $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, his first race in more than nine months, he will be 11 weeks from his first major goal of the year, the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 26.

The second principal goal is 10 months away – the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. If all goes as planned, California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year after wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will win both and retire to stud in Kentucky as Horse of the Year.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – The highlights of Wednesday’s nine-race card are Race 2, a first-level optional $75,000 claimer for 3-year-olds at a mile and 40 yards, and Race 6, a third-level optional $62,500 claimer for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita next Saturday will be the first start for 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome since a second in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last March.

His job was made easier on Sunday when Dortmund and Imperative were taken out of consideration in favor of other races.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Michael Wrona will begin a three-week span as track announcer at Santa Anita on Thursday, replacing Frank Mirahmadi ,who will take Wrona’s place at Golden Gate Fields.

Mirahmadi and Wrona are working as the main announcers at Santa Anita during the winter-spring meeting, which runs through April 10. They are two finalists to be the full-time replacement for Trevor Denman, who announced in December that he will no longer call races at Santa Anita.

Denman remains the track announcer at Del Mar in the summer and fall.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Flamboyant, Forever Darling, and San Onofre, the winners of graded stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, are scheduled to run in stakes from late January to early March, their trainers said on Sunday.

Flamboyant ($94.20) scored the upset of the day with a neck win in the $201,500 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The win will lead to a start in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 6, trainer Paddy Gallagher said.

“He shouldn’t have any problem with that,” Gallagher said of the distance.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sea of Erin turned in one of the more impressive efforts of the week here, rating in midpack before drawing off to win a $20,600 maiden special weight race by three lengths on the turf here Saturday. Ridden by leading jockey Antonio Gallardo, he paid $5.80 as the favorite in a field of nine and stopped the clock for 1 1/16 miles in 1:38.79.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Mongolian Saturday isn’t coming to Tampa Bay Downs after all, after the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner missed a scheduled workout Sunday due to body soreness, according to Santiago Aragon, assistant to trainer Enebish Ganbat.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though La Verdad still is scheduled to be bred to Medaglia d’Oro in 2016, she is likely to race once or twice more before then.

On a busy Saturday morning at Belmont Park, La Verdad worked five furlongs in 1:00.86 over the training track, her first workout since she finished sixth against the boys in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct on Nov. 26. Trainer Linda Rice said one race that could be on La Verdad’s agenda is the $300,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 13.

ARCADIA, Calif. – California Chrome stayed in the Santa Anita stable area during normal training hours Saturday morning.

When he finally went to the track at 11:45 a.m. for his final workout before the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 9, California Chrome was ready. He worked six furlongs in 1:10.04, quicker than expected.

Trainer Art Sherman and his son and assistant, Alan, thought California Chrome would go in a time closer to 1:12. At the start of the workout, jockey Victor Espinoza said California Chrome was traveling so well that a quick workout was inevitable.