ELMONT, N.Y. – A five-furlong workout timed in 1:03.97 isn’t normally anything to get excited about. But Effinex was visually impressive in his Friday morning workout, his first since his victory in the Grade 3 Excelsior on April 25.

Effinex is training toward the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational at Belmont on the undercard of the June 6 Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – At a farm one day to look at horses for a prospective client, Wesley Ward fell in love with a filly owned by someone he had never trained for.

When put in touch with the owner, Michael Dubb, Ward inquired about possibly training the Artie Schiller 2-year-old filly, feeling she might have what it takes to run at Royal Ascot.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Moreno, the winner of the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 18, will start in the $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita on May 30, trainer Eric Guillot said on Friday.

Guillot said he is planning a summer campaign in California for Moreno, who has won 4 of 26 starts and earned $2,926,940 for Southern Equine Racing Stable. The $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27 is an early-summer goal.

“I think I’ll stay here and be a contender,” he said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Decked Out will have her stakes debut in the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on June 21 after an impressive win in her debut in a maiden race Thursday.

Decked Out ($7.20) closed from the back of the field along the rail to win by 3 1/2 lengths, finishing 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.59 seconds.

“That will get you dreaming,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said while leaving the winner’s circle.

Decked Out was ridden by Keith’s brother Kent, who described the winner as having an “incredible stride.”

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – According to jockey Ryan Pacheco, Quatre Cat came out of her 8 1/2-length romp in the $50,000 Ross McLeod Stakes last Sunday in excellent shape.

He should know. Pacheco is not only her rider, but, unheard of in this day and age, he also is her groom.

Pacheco said the arrangement has led to a strong bond between horse and jockey. Apparently, it all came to fruition in an impressive performance in the 6 1/2-furlong McLeod, in which Quatre Cat dominated the race while posting a fast final time of 1:16.88.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder, the two-time champion who was to miss Saturday’s $300,000 Vanity Stakes at Santa Anita because of a fever, might have a summer campaign in Southern California.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Queen’s Plate winter-book favorite Ami’s Flatter has not raced since finishing third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28 and likely will make his next start in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine next Saturday, trainer Josie Carroll said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dale Romans has his stakes contingent preparing for the next round of battle after a somewhat disappointing Kentucky Derby weekend that was salvaged by a Grade 1 victory for the stable.

A triumph by Molly Morgan in the Grade 1 La Troienne on the Kentucky Oaks undercard helped take some of the sting out of a fifth-place finish by Birdatthewire in the Oaks, a seventh by Keen Ice in the Derby, and defeats for five other Romans runners in stakes during the two-day extravaganza.

ELMONT, N.Y. – After a minor foot issue forced him to scratch Palace Malice from the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes last weekend, trainer Todd Pletcher was scrambling to find a back-up plan to get the horse ready for next month’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

Sunday’s $100,000 Diablo Stakes at six furlongs at Belmont Park became Plan B, but it did not come up easy.

Palace Malice was one of eight horses entered Friday for Sunday’s Diablo Stakes, including Grade 1 winner Palace and the multiple Grade 3 winner Clearly Now.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Commissioner, the runner-up in last year’s Belmont Stakes and the winner of the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream on March 28, will make his next start in the $300,000 Pimlico Special, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Meanwhile, Race Day, the winner of the Razorback and Oaklawn Park handicaps in his last two starts, will be aimed at either the Met Mile or the Stephen Foster, Pletcher said.

Lynch on the grounds

Brian Lynch has brought in the first six of what will eventually be 30 horses to Belmont Park.