LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Buff Bradley’s main concern with Groupie Doll is a simple one.

“Sometimes horses don’t come back the same way they left the racetrack,” said Bradley. “I just want her back with that same fire.”

Groupie Doll, the filly-mare sprint champion of 2012, will make her long-awaited return to action Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Gardenia Stakes, the annual showcase race at Ellis Park in western Kentucky. Groupie Doll has not raced in more than eight months, and it has taken a lot of time and effort to get her back into racing shape.

OPELOUSAS, La. – Two of the Midwest’s higher-profile outfits are sending in raiding parties to Evangeline Downs on Saturday night with the prize being the meeting’s richest event, the $125,000 Evangeline Mile Handicap.

Steve Asmussen will be represented by starting highweight Sabercat at 118 pounds and Brethren, who was assigned 117 pounds by Evangeline racing secretary Coleman Lloyd.

Donald Roberson, a Delaware trainer who was suspended as of July 17 following a search of his barn, appeared before the Delaware Park stewards Tuesday for a hearing into the results of the search, according to Delaware officials and his legal counsel.

The stewards have yet to issue a ruling as a result of the hearing but are expected to do so by the end of the week, according to John Wayne, executive director of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission. Wayne declined to comment on details of the hearing.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dance for Cole, a hot horse from a live family, should be prominent Friday at Woodbine in the featured eighth race, an Ontario-sired allowance scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Dance for Cole wintered in south Florida with trainer Katerina Vassilieva, who sent him out to finish fourth in a maiden special weight race on grass at Gulfstream on March 22. He didn’t start again until June 9, when he faltered here in another open maiden special weight route on the lawn.

Chandlers Heart will be shooting for her fifth win at the Northlands Park meet when she runs in an $8,000 claiming race that will serve as Friday’s feature. The one-mile race for fillies and mares drew eight horses and goes as the seventh race.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Jeranimo might be the best-known horse in trainer Mike Pender’s barn, but it would be hard to top Tasty Treat as the most courageous. Tasty Treat, a 4-year-old filly, has worked her way back to the races after being seriously injured earlier this year. When she won an allowance race at Del Mar on July 18, “there were tears flowing,” Pender said.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Stratify will appreciate the class relief when he runs in a $25,000 claiming race that headlines a seven-race card Friday night at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew eight horses and goes as the fourth race. Post time for the first race is 7:15 p.m. Pacific.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It is not surprising that Lunarwarfare is here for Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special. It is somewhat surprising that he is here with his owner-breeder-trainer Michael Yates.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will be active in both upcoming graded turf stakes here, sending out Skyring against defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan in Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap and Optimizer against Boisterous in the Grade 1, $600,000 Sword Dancer Invitational on Aug. 17.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Though she hasn’t raced since January, Hard to Resist has been raring to go for a while, with trainer Pete Eurton desperately searching for a spot. He seems to have found an ideal one in the $85,000 seventh race Thursday at Del Mar, because there’s plenty of speed to set up Hard to Resist’s late run.