ELMONT, N.Y. – After getting away with an easy lead in winning the Grade 2 Sands Point on Memorial Day, Discreet Marq survived a tough pace battle up front en route to an impressive victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Eventail Stakes for New York-bred fillies at Belmont Park.

Under Jose Lezcano, Discreet Marq battled Roses for Romney through a quarter-mile of 22.88 seconds, a half-mile in 45.32, and six furlongs in 1:09.15, yet still had enough left to draw clear and win by 6 1/4 lengths. She ran 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:41.02 and returned $4.70 as the 6-5 favorite.

MIAMI – Stanley Gold sounded more like a horseplayer than a trainer who will send out two of the leading contenders when talking about Saturday’s $350,000, Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder.

“This is one deep, solid field, probably one of the best I’ve seen around here,” Gold said. “There certainly is nobody who looks like a standout, like the horse we have to beat. It’s a great race from a spectator’s standpoint and with a strong field like this, they should get Grade 1 status for the race next year.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – A rematch between Close Hatches and Dreaming of Julia, the first two finishers in the Grade 1 Mother Goose here June 22, will not happen in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 20.

Trainer Bill Mott said Close Hatches would not run in the Coaching Club because she recently developed a fever that cost her some training time.

“We’re not going to press to make the Coaching Club,” Mott said.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – After a fruitless trip to Dubai, Little Mike returns to action Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations at Monmouth Park.

New Jersey’s premier grass race, the U.N. drew a field of eight for the 60th edition of the 1 3/8-mile stakes that originated at Atlantic City Race Course.

This will be the first U.S. start this season for Little Mike, a monster on the turf last year with Grade 1 wins in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, the Arlington Million, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Schiaparelli has been a brilliant turf sprinter since her career began in spring 2011. Whether she can be equally as effective over a mile will be better known in Saturday’s $150,000 Royal Heroine Stakes on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park.

“It’s the only question,” trainer Mike Puype said. “It’s a graded race, and it’s worth a shot.”

MIAMI – Trainer Wesley Ward’s frustrating quest to win a Grade 1 race should finally end Saturday afternoon at Calder, where Judy the Beauty tops a full field of 12 fillies and mares in the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Since the partnership began last December, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and Game On Dude are unbeaten in four stakes.

The win streak includes such prestigious races as the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March and such lucrative races as the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia in April. Game On Dude won the Charles Town Classic by a half-length over California rival Clubhouse Ride.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Trainer Bret Calhoun will attack the Stars of Texas Day program at Lone Star Park on Saturday. He has eight runners in the four restricted stakes that close out the meet, led by the reigning Texas-bred horse of the year, Coyote Legend, in the $50,000 Assault. The program also features the $50,000 Valor Farm, and a pair of $100,000 divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity for total stakes purses of $300,000.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Thoroughbreds 8 and 9 years old are like humans in their early to mid-30’s. It’s an age well past peak-performance level, and horses that old still on the racetrack usually are stable ponies or blue-collar claimers. This is even truer of sprinters: Speed often is the first thing to go.

ELMONT, N.Y. – With the top 3-year-olds from the Triple Crown season still on hiatus, Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park affords six late developers the opportunity to win a graded event.

Battier, who began his career in a maiden $25,000 claimer at Parx Racing last fall, is the only stakes winner in the Dwyer field, having won the restricted Fit to Fight Stakes at Aqueduct in April. After that race, a majority interest in the Tale of the Cat colt was purchased by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and the horse was turned over to trainer Todd Pletcher.