Trainer Bill Delia was not a happy camper before the Grade 3 All American at Golden Gate Fields on Monday when Minister Vivendi, who would run last as the longest shot on the board, arrived in the paddock without his usual nasal strip. As the horses went on the track for the post parade, Delia was on the phone with the stewards vociferously voicing his displeasure.

“This horse is owned by Dana Rocheford and means the world to her,” Delia said after the race. “She bought the nasal strips wanting to put them on him, and we’ve been using them all along.

Impending back surgery kept trainer Dave Kassen from witnessing firsthand Nikki’s Sandcastle’s win Saturday in the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup, but Kassen watched with pleasure from Kentucky as the 7-year-old Nikki’s Sandcastle scored his second graded stakes victory.

The New York-bred Marriedtothemusic has been sensational on dirt, running first or second in 10 of 11 career starts, including a victory in the Affirmed Stakes last time out. But he might be about to change surfaces.

Since there was no race on this weekend’s New York Showcase card that fit Marriedtothemusic, trainer Linda Rice worked him on turf Monday, and he seemed to relish it, going five furlongs in 1:01 and moving over the ground well. He is now a candidate for the Grade 3, $300,000 Jaipur Stakes, run at six furlongs on turf on the June 7 Belmont Stakes card.

While the connections of Intense Holiday announced the retirement of that stakes-winning 3-year-old on Tuesday due to a fractured foreleg, they may have already found his replacement for some of the summer’s important stakes in that division.

Tiz Dark, who, like Intense Holiday, is owned by Starlight Stable, won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 6 3/4 lengths Sunday at Belmont, just four hours after Intense Holiday was injured during a workout.

ELMONT, N.Y. – It should be worth the wait.

Though traditionalists were upset with the New York Racing Association’s decision to move the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap from Memorial Day to the June 7 Belmont Stakes card, the race is expected to draw a strong – and potentially large – field.

ELMONT, N.Y. – As a former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, trainer Todd Pletcher has tremendous respect for what he’s accomplished in Thoroughbred racing. So, when Pletcher passed Lukas on Monday as the North American-based trainer who has earned the most purse money, he put the accomplishment in its proper perspective.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – It’s that time of year – time for trainer Wesley Ward to dust off his ascot, tux, and tails and get ready for a trip to England for the Royal Ascot meeting.

Ward is the only American trainer to have won a Royal Ascot race, and he added to his groundbreaking pair of victories there in 2009 when No Nay Never won the Norfolk Stakes last June.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Medal Count, second in the Blue Grass and eighth in the Kentucky Derby, will run in the Belmont Stakes, trainer Dale Romans confirmed Tuesday afternoon. Robby Albarado will ride.

The decision to run was made Tuesday afternoon at a meeting between Romans and B. Wayne Hughes, owner of Spendthrift Farm, which owns Medal Count.

“He’s been training so well since the Derby,” Romans said. “He’s a Triple Crown horse, he should run in a Triple Crown race.”

ARCADIA, Calif. - Quick Casablanca, second in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes here last Saturday, will be considered for the $200,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap over about 1 3/4 miles on turf June 29.

Quick Casablanca was the 8-5 favorite in the Whittingham, run over 1 1/4 miles on turf. He closed from last in a field of nine to finish a half-length behind race winner Fire With Fire.

“He couldn’t make up that much ground,” trainer Ron McAnally said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Kobe’s Back, a two-time stakes winner who was fourth in the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes on May 10, will make his next start in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes over seven furlongs for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park on June 7.

On Monday, Kobe’s Back worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Santa Anita.