Gantry, who was a powerful addition to the Fair Grounds sprint ranks following his 2011 private purchase out of New York, has been retired, according to trainer Ron Faucheux. Plans for the popular and personable 8-year-old gelding are being determined. Gantry won seven stakes for the Louisiana-based operation of Brittlyn Stable.

As someone who grew up in the sport, Shea Stuart has a respect for the commitment it takes to operate a racing stable, and as such, he waited for the right opportunity to launch his training career. That came last spring, when Stuart signed on as a private trainer for Danny Keene. The partnership has been a hit this year at Sam Houston Race Park, Lone Star Park, and now Remington Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Race plans for the Saturday stakes winners Dressed in Hermes and Stays in Vegas were uncertain as of Sunday morning, while plans were more defined for Mirage, who finished a troubled second to Stays in Vegas in the $101,500 Surfer Girl Stakes on turf at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Macher has only a minor stakes win to show for his 2015 campaign, but owners Tom Mansor and Brendan Bakir and trainer Richard Baltas hope to run the 5-year-old gelding Oct. 31 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

On Sunday, Big Macher worked six furlongs in 1:12.40, moving closer to a trip to Kentucky. He won his last start, the restricted Pirate’s Bounty Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 7.

Big Macher worked in company with stablemate Little Jerry. Baltas timed Big Macher galloping out seven furlongs in “1:25 and change.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – When Beat of The Drum won an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita on Friday, the victory was considered a milestone – the first horse from mainland China to win in the United States.

Owned by the China Horse Club, Beat of The Drum ($13.20) won Friday’s race in her fourth start in this country. An Irish-bred 5-year-old mare, Beat of The Drum began her career in England and raced twice in China in 2013 and 2014, where she was a stakes winner. She joined trainer Leonard Powell’s stable in the spring.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Talco, the winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in June, died last Monday while recovering from an operation to have a bone chip removed from a knee.

Trainer John Sadler said on Saturday that a necropsy is being conducted on Talco, who won 5 of 17 starts and earned $543,123.

“We were stunned,” Sadler said. “I still can’t believe it.”

Talco joined Sadler’s stable in the summer of 2014 when acquired privately by Pete and Kosta Hronis. In the second half of 2014, Talco finished third in the Del Mar Derby and Hollywood Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Smooth Roller, the winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, will have his first start outside of California in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31, a race jockey Tyler Baze wishes would arrive sooner.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “I think he’ll be competitive and he’ll be right there.”

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Smooth Roller worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds under Baze, the 4-year-old gelding’s first workout since the Awesome Again Stakes.

After finishing a respectable third Oct. 3 in the Grade 1 Frizette, She’s All Ready will return to New York-bred competition in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes here Oct. 24, said trainer Jim Ryerson.

She’s All Ready was very impressive while defeating New York-breds in two starts at Saratoga. Over a sloppy track in the Frizette, she set the pace into the stretch but gave way late to Nickname and Nemoralia.

Hot City Girl, the winner of the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks on Sept. 19, worked five furlongs in 1:01.10 on Friday over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland next Sunday.

Hot City Girl, under Taylor Rice, worked in company, breaking off from the half-mile pole and going in splits of 24.79 seconds for the quarter and 48.37 for the half-mile. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.53.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson will double down on this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint as he plans to run both Salutos Amigos and Stallwalkin’ Dude in the $1.5 million race Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Salutos Amigos and Stallwalkin’ Dude were a head apart when second and third behind Rock Fall in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park on Sept. 26. Afterward, Jacobson said he definitely was planning to send Salutos Amigos to the Breeders’ Cup, but he hedged on what he was going to do with Stallwalkin’ Dude. He has opted to give that 5-year-old gelding by City Place the chance to run.