ARCADIA, Calif. – Tough Sunday might miss Saturday’s $250,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita because of a bruised foot diagnosed this week. Compared with what the colt went through in the first weeks of his life, the setback is almost meaningless.

Tough Sunday was born deaf and blind at owner and breeder Nick Alexander’s farm in Santa Ynez, Calif., in March 2012 after a complicated foaling in which his umbilical cord separated prematurely. The colt was deprived of oxygen for several minutes during foaling, Alexander said.

Tiznow R J will likely get another chance to move toward the Louisiana Derby and, if he continues developing, points beyond, in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 21.

The purse of the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship has been raised from $60,000 to $100,000 and will be the showcase race for older Thoroughbreds at the New Mexico track this summer.

Ruidoso Downs general manager Shaun Hubbard said on Tuesday that the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship will be run on Sept. 7, Labor Day, as part of a program that includes the $3 million-estimated All American Futurity for Quarter Horses.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainers Marcus Vitali and Larry Rivelli found themselves in similar situations after entries were drawn for Saturday’s program, both having cross-entered their best 3-year-olds in the Grade 2 Holy Bull and Grade 3 Hutcheson. The Holy Bull is at 1 1/16 miles, and the Hutcheson is at seven furlongs.

Vitali entered Bluegrass Singer, who is fresh off a victory in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes here Jan. 3. Rivelli entered Dom the Bomb, who closed out his 2-year-old campaign with two one-sided tallies against Illinois-bred competition.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nick Zito has run 25 horses in the Kentucky Derby since he had his first Derby starter 25 years ago. That’s an average of precisely one per year, and if Zito has his way, he’ll maintain that nice round number through this year.

Frammento, one of 10 3-year-olds entered in the Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, is the colt on whom Zito is pinning his 2015 Derby hopes, emerging prospects notwithstanding.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jon Court has the mount on Take Charge Brandi in the $100,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn on Jan. 31, trainer D. Wayn Lukas said Tuesday. The one-mile race will be the 3-year-old debut for Take Charge Brandi, who last Saturday was named champion 2-year-old filly of 2014. She became the 26th champion trained by Lukas, closing out her year with wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the Delta Downs Princess, and the Starlet at Los Alamitos.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Read the Mirage won Monday’s seventh race at Aqueduct just eight days after he won a $12,500 maiden-claiming race, also at Aqueduct.

Beginning Thursday, what Read the Mirage did won’t be permitted. At least for a while.

In response to 13 equine fatalities in the first 25 full cards (and two races of another program) over Aqueduct’s inner track, the New York Racing Association last Friday announced four new protocols it hopes will enhance safety. One of those protocols prohibits trainers from running a horse back within 14 days of its previous start.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Far Right’s win in the first 3-year-old prep on Oaklawn’s road to the Kentucky Derby delighted his trainer, Ron Moquett. Not only is he excited to have a promising horse in the barn, but the win in the $150,000 Smarty Jones on Monday came in Moquett’s home state of Arkansas.

“I’m the chief cheer-master of Oaklawn,” said Moquett, a 43-year-old native of Fort Smith. “I appreciate how many fans come out here, and I appreciate how many are educated, true horse lovers.”

Nothing appears to be amiss with Top Decile, who finished sixth as the even-money favorite in the Silverbulletday Stakes, or with West Coast Belle, who was fourth at odds of 2-1 in that race.

Top Decile, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up, broke from post 9 and was carried very wide on the first turn, but that trouble alone couldn’t totally explain her flat performance.

International Star was back at trainer Mike Maker’s barn in Florida looking no worse for the wear after successfully shipping to New Orleans, where he won the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte by 2 1/2 lengths Saturday at Fair Grounds.

International Star did all his major work for the Lecomte at Palm Meadows and Gulfstream Park before flying to Louisiana on Wednesday, galloping two days, winning the stakes Saturday, and flying back to Florida the next morning.