Even with far fewer chances than their competitors, owner Maggi Moss and trainer Chris Richard were among the leaders in their respective categories heading into the final three-day stretch of the 12-day September meet at Churchill Downs, which ends Sunday.

Richard was a remarkable 5 for 6 during the first nine days here, all for Moss, while Moss was 5 for 7.

Richard had one entry in each of the last three days here, all for Moss, ending with Almost English in the fifth race Sunday. Moss had a total of five entries, with Tom Amoss the trainer of the other two.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wise Dan and Close Hatches are among the star horses expected to compete next weekend after Keeneland Race Course unveils its new dirt surface on Friday, opening day of its 17-day fall meet in Lexington, Ky.

Wise Dan, the reigning two-time Horse of the Year, will run in the richest race in track history, the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile on Saturday, while Close Hatches, the leader of the filly and mare handicap division, will be heavily favored Sunday in the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster.

The meet runs through Oct. 25.

ARCADIA, Calif. – For most owners and trainers, the graded stakes this weekend at Santa Anita are cause to learn whether their horses are good enough to start in a Breeders’ Cup race.

For trainer Dan Hendricks, there are more modest goals for Irish Surf, who starts in Sunday’s $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita. Hendricks said Friday he is unlikely to point Irish Surf for the $3 million BC Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, and will aim for a race the preceding day, the $200,000 Las Vegas Marathon Stakes over 1 3/4 miles on dirt.

CYPRESS, Calif. – Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, back home at Los Alamitos, galloped on Friday for the first time since his disappointing performance in the Pennsylvania Derby, and his trainer, Art Sherman, said all systems were go for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Just Call Kenny will run in the Grade 2, $500,000 Indiana Derby next Saturday, according to trainer Patrick McBurney. Paco Lopez will ride at Keeneland that day and then hustle to Indiana Downs for the evening card and his mount on Just Call Kenny.

Just Call Kenny made the lead at the quarter pole of the Grade 3 Smarty Jones in his last start before tiring to sixth.

“He dragged Paco to the lead way too soon in that race,” McBurney said. “We’ll try and make sure that doesn’t happen again.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Finality’s Charmer, who won the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity for trainer Craig MacPherson last Sunday, is done for the year. The only race left for the 2-year-old filly at Hastings is the $75,000 Fantasy on Oct. 13, and MacPherson thinks she probably isn’t ready to carry her substantial speed 1 1/16 miles just yet. The Fantasy and Ascot Graduation are part of the undercard that supports the Grade 3 Premier’s and Grade 3 Ballerina.

As quickly as Hardest Core burst into the national spotlight with his Arlington Million win, is as fast as he disappeared from it. A bright blip on the radar screen.

But not to worry, Hardest Core is doing just fine. Back on the van he went after the Million and 13 hours later he was in his stall at Runnymede Farm in Unionville, Pa. Trainer Eddie Graham has him galloping up hills and around various farms while making plans to use the free pass to the Breeders’ Cup Turf that Hardest Core earned in the Million.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Pat Jarvis is looking forward to running Lord Rosberg in the $75,000 Ascot Graduation for 2-year-olds on Canadian Thanksgiving, Oct. 13. The 1 1/16-mile Ascot is the only middle-distance race for 2-year-olds at Hastings, and it usually has a big impact on which horse is voted the local champion 2-year-old male. Jarvis won the 2013 Ascot with Neverabettercause, who was last year’s divisional champion in British Columbia.

Keeneland Racecourse will run for more than four full weeks in the fall of 2015 to accommodate the two-day Breeders’ Cup event, according to a proposed calendar distributed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in advance of a dates committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Shared Belief will have seven rivals when he attempts to stretch his unbeaten streak to seven races in Saturday’s $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Awesome Again Stakes is one of five Grade 1 races worth $300,000 on Saturday’s outstanding 11-race program. All five races are preps for Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and are part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering fees-paid berths for the winners to Breeders’ Cup races.