LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs racing officials said Tuesday they have been informed by trainer Todd Pletcher that Commissioner and Protonico will represent his stable a week from Saturday in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap.

Meanwhile, trainer Bob Baffert left behind Hoppertunity and Cat Burglar at Churchill Downs as his likely starters for the $500,000 Foster, which will anchor a Downs After Dark card here June 13. Baffert had considered Bayern for the 1 1/8-mile Foster but opted instead for the Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard this Saturday.

Amelia’s Wild Ride, who defeated Ben’s Cat by a nose in the $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Penn National on Saturday night, will now likely be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Parx Dash on July 11, according to trainer Ramon Preciado.

Preciado pointed out that the 4-year-old Amelia’s Wild Ride had been invited to the $300,000 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park this Saturday, but he was not inclined to bring him back that quickly.

Penn Gaming’s strategy of putting on huge stakes days at its Mid-Atlantic tracks of Penn National and Charles Town is paying off, as Penn National set two handle records last Saturday on Penn Mile Night.

The Penn National racetrack side of the racino was very crowded that evening, and the casino side also appeared to be doing brisk business.

Trainer Jose Corrales said Bodhisattva, whom he owns and trains, came out of his last-place finish in the Preakness Stakes none the worse for wear and is being pointed to the $500,000 Ohio Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race at ThistleDown on June 20.

Corrales, a 55-year-old native of Panama, was based at Beulah Park in Ohio in 2010-11 before owner Frank Stronach sent him to Maryland with a string of horses to train.

The Rainbow 6 carryover at Pimlico Race Course has reached $244,804, and a closing-day mandatory payout on Saturday is looking more and more possible with only three days left in the meet.

Pimlico races Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before Maryland racing takes a summer hiatus until Laurel Park reopens Aug. 1.

The 10-cent Rainbow 6 has carried over for 12 straight cards at Pimlico. It was last hit May 9.

OPELOUSAS, La. - Three of the five stakes that were lost last Saturday when heavy rains washed out the Evangeline Turf Sprint program have been rescheduled for this Saturday, according to Evangeline director of racing Chris Warren.

Entries for the $100,000 Evangeline Mile, the $70,000 Lafayette for 3-year-old Louisiana-breds, and the Acadiana for 3-year-old Louisiana-bred fillies will be taken Tuesday. All three races are scheduled for the main track.

Warren that all those who nominated are eligible to enter the stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – As of noon Monday, there were still just more than 19,000 general admission tickets available for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. But even if they are not all sold by Saturday, no tickets will be sold at the track on that day, the New York Racing Association announced over the weekend.

Tickets may still be purchased through Ticketmaster on Saturday, provided the event has not sold out.

“If you don’t have a ticket, don’t come to Belmont Park on June 6,” said NYRA spokesman John Durso Jr., who encouraged fans to buy their tickets beforehand.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Long-awaited and much-needed rain hit the New York area Sunday night, creating wet, messy racetracks that curtailed most serious training at Belmont Park Monday morning with two notable exceptions.

Untapable, last year’s Kentucky Oaks winner and champion 3-year-old filly, and Shook Up, the runner-up in this year’s Kentucky Oaks, put in easy breezes over a sealed, sloppy training track in preparation for Grade 1 stakes this Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Bob Baffert said Bayern had to “really show him something” in his work on Monday at Churchill Downs to earn a spot in Saturday’s Met Mile at Belmont Park. And, sure enough, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic champion did just that.

Working in company with stablemate Cat Burglar, Bayern breezed five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 59.38. He began a half-length in front of Cat Burglar nearest the rail and finishing well clear on the turn. He then extended his advantage, galloping out six furlongs around the bend in 1:13.03 with Martin Garcia aboard.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Shaman Ghost, winner of the Grade 3 Marine Stakes on May 16, will skip the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes on June 14 and instead train up to the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 5, trainer Brian Lynch said.

With his win in the Marine, Shaman Ghost has now reeled off three straight victories, and Lynch said he is pleased with the Ghostzapper colt’s form heading into the Queen’s Plate.

“Moving forward is good for him,” he said. “It’s nice to be heading into the big races with him in form.”