ARCADIA, Calif. – While American Pharoah and Beholder were the major names working at Santa Anita on Friday morning, the unbeaten 2-year-old colt Nyquist stayed on course for his appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Keeneland with an easy half-mile work in 52 seconds for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“Just a little leg-stretcher,” O’Neill said. “He two-minute licked around there and came the last half-mile in 52 seconds. He looks fantastic.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Few horses in Breeders’ Cup history have won in more amazing fashion than Bobby’s Kitten. A Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred, Bobby’s Kitten passed 13 horses in the stretch run of the Turf Sprint last year at Santa Anita, giving the Ramseys their third BC winner.

Things haven’t gone so well for Bobby’s Kitten this year, but that won’t preclude the 4-year-old from defending his title Oct. 31 in the BC Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockeys James Graham and Corey Nakatani have been suspended for repeated violations of a new whip rule, according to rulings released by the Santa Anita board of stewards.

Graham was suspended for Sunday’s card after his fourth offense, which occurred aboard Texas Ryano, the winner of the $76,000 King Pellinore Stakes on turf Sept. 27.

ARCADIA, Calif. – American Pharoah and Beholder, the top two ante-post choices for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31, both worked just minutes apart Friday morning at Santa Anita, causing Richard Mandella, Beholder’s trainer, to remark, “We should have just worked them in company.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – El Kabeir, unraced since running third in the Wood Memorial in April, had his most serious workout since resuming training when he worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds over the Belmont main track Thursday.

El Kabeir started about eight lengths behind stablemate Picture Day and joined him by the wire before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

It was the fourth workout for El Kabeir since a foot injury knocked him out of the Kentucky Derby and prompted his connections to give him a lengthy vacation.

ELMONT, N.Y. – It’s not often you see a horse whose past performances include running lines from Hollywood Park before it became known as Betfair Hollywood Park and then closed.

Blingo, a lightly raced 6-year-old gelding who debuted four years ago at Hollywood Park, makes a return to the races off an 18-month layoff in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Cavorting can be pretty aggressive in her morning gallops, which is why trainer Kiaran McLaughlin doesn’t mind going a long time without working the multiple graded stakes-winning 3-year-old filly.

On Thursday, however, Cavorting got back to work in preparation for a start as the probable favorite in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, breezing four furlongs in 49.01 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

It was Cavorting’s first breeze since she won the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes by three lengths Sept. 6 at Saratoga.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The California Horse Racing Board has granted jockey Kent Desormeaux a stay of his $2,500 fine for being under the influence of alcohol while riding at Del Mar in late July.

Wednesday’s one-sentence decision from Chuck Winner, chairman of the racing board, was signed by executive director Rick Baedeker and allows Desormeaux to appeal the penalty, which was issued last Sunday by Santa Anita stewards Scott Chaney, Kim Sawyer, and Tom Ward.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The 2-year-old filly Mirage won her debut at Brighton Racecourse in England in a $7,600 maiden race at six furlongs in early June. She made quite an impression with that three-quarter-length victory.

Less than two weeks later, Mirage was purchased for approximately $592,000 at the Goffs London sale at Kensington Palace in London.

Nearly four months later, Mirage is ready for her stakes debut Saturday in the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita. Expectations are understandably high for owner Fitri Hay and trainer Simon Callaghan.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Gimme Da Lute, a winner of four consecutive stakes from early June to late August, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Thursday at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert said he does not have a race goal for Gimme Da Lute, who races for Jim Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Gimme Da Lute has won 6 of 9 starts and earned $627,560.

“There are a lot of options,” Baffert said.