Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans has named Howard Withers its general manager of racing. Withers replaced Eric Halstrom, who unexpectedly resigned from a similar position earlier this month.

Withers, a 40-year industry veteran formerly employed by AmTote International and as an assistant general manager at Thistledown Racetrack in Ohio, was promoted from within the Fair Grounds management hierarchy. Until his appointment as general manager of racing, Withers served the as manager for the 11 off-track betting parlors Fair Grounds operates.

ARCADIA, Calf. – There are certain times of the racing calendar that are perennial. Every spring, there is wonder over which 2-year-olds have progressed into Kentucky Derby contenders, and which have already peaked. And every fall, after the merits of the current 3-year-old class have been debated and dissected, the answers are revealed as to whether the best of that crop can successfully compete against their elders.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lennon will try to stretch his speed out to seven furlongs Friday at Woodbine in the featured seventh race, a first-level allowance on the Polytrack.

Lennon has started four times for owner/trainer Kelly Callaghan. The 3-year-old was ridden on each occasion by her husband, Slade Callaghan.

Lennon was a prominent third when he debuted in a five-furlong dash Nov. 30. After a winter break, he led throughout a six-furlong maiden special on the grass May 26, when he put up an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

[bc_video_id:305513:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The distinct possibility of Fort Larned being the lone speed Saturday night in the inaugural Homecoming Classic at Churchill Downs presents a familiar quandary for the opposition.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Regal Conqueror turned plenty of heads in her Sept. 7 debut at Woodbine, moving quickly to take command and drawing off to a 7 1/2-length win in a six-furlong Ontario-sired maiden race.

On Saturday, Regal Conqueror will be coming back at the same distance when she makes her stakes debut against Ontario-sired fillies in the $125,000 Victorian Queen with the restricted stakes winners On Rainbow Bridge and Lexie Lou among her six opponents.

The biggest day at Tampa Bay Downs will get even bigger next winter with the addition of the Grade 3 Florida Oaks to the traditional Festival Day program, which features the meet’s marquee race, the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. The 2013-2014 Tampa Bay Downs meeting opens Dec. 4.

The 2014 Festival Day card, to be run on March 8, will now offer three graded stakes events topped by the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, which will again be one of the races in the Road to the Kentucky Derby point series. Verrazano remained undefeated with his easy victory in the 2013 Tampa Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The presence of a mare named Ultimate Class in the Friday feature at Churchill Downs came not by design but by way of necessity.

“There just haven’t been any other spots for her,” said Mike Tomlinson, who trains Ultimate Class for the Patricia’s Hope LLC of Chicago-area businessman Vinny Foglia. “The Arlington races weren’t filling, she wasn’t eligible for anything at Kentucky Downs, and they didn’t card any turf sprints here at Churchill this meet.”

Real Dingo, who is coming off a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Speed to Spare, will appreciate the substantially easier company when he runs in a $25,000 optional claimer that headlines an eight-race card Friday at Northlands Park. The 1 1/16-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up drew six horses and goes as the seventh race. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m. Mountain.

Primed for Passion will look for her fifth win in as many starts this year in the $100,000 HBPA Stakes for older fillies and mares Thursday evening at Presque Isle Downs. It is the final card of the 100-day Presque Isle meet, and the race will be run as the fifth of eight races.

The 3-year-old filly is trained by Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard, and all four of her wins this year have come at Presque Isle. After Sheppard took over her training, she won her maiden May 13 and then an entry-level allowance race June 23. On July 30, she won a second-level allowance.

Departing’s list of challengers for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sunday is starting to swell. Cameo Appearance is probable for the 1 1/8-mile race, trainer Wayne Catalano said Tuesday, while Carve and Texas Bling also have been confirmed by their connections to be part of a projected field of eight. Entries will be taken Thursday.