Texas Bling, who, with nine Kentucky Derby eligibility points, could have nearly made the field for the race run Saturday, is being freshened, according to trainer Danele Durham.

Texas Bling earned his points during the Oaklawn season for finishing second to Will Take Charge in the $150,000 Smarty Jones in January and fourth to that same rival in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel in March. He is based at Lone Star Park.

“He’s in light training,” Durham said. “We had considered the Texas Stallion Stakes, but we’re going to freshen him.”

Startin Something prompted the quick early pace while three wide early and rallied into the stretch to win the $50,000 Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial at Thistledown on Friday afternoon.

Chosen as Ohio’s top handicap mare and Ohio-accredited female in 2012, Startin Something ($3.80) was under mild urging in the stretch under jockey Deshawn Parker to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Pacesetting Isadella settled for second under Megan Fadlovich, 2 1/4 lengths in front of I'm Kiddin in third.

Trained by Tim Hamm, Startin Something ran the six furlongs over a fast track in 1.12.02.

The Louisiana-based Gantry, who was second in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland in his last start April 13, is being freshened, according to trainer Ron Faucheux. The horse is based at the Evangeline Downs Training Center near Lafayette, La.

“That last race took a lot out of him,” Faucheux said. “We’re not going to rush him. We’ll give him a little time and freshen him up. We don’t have any targets at this point.”

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Wilkinson won for the first time since last June in an optional claimer on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park on Thursday.

The victory did not leave trainer Jeff Mullins overanxious to start the two-time stakes winner in a stakes later this month.

Wilkinson won the Grade 2 American Handicap in his California debut last May, in a 44-1 upset, but will not start in the $150,000 American Handicap on May 25. Mullins said he would prefer to wait for the more prestigious $300,000 Shoemaker Mile on June 29.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Mike Stidham, Arlington’s third-leading trainer by wins and earnings in 2012, is set up for another solid meeting this year, but his stable star, Willcox Inn, will be leaving Stidham’s string here to start in the $300,000 Dixie Stakes on May 18, Preakness Day at Pimlico.

Willcox Inn has won only once since July, and that came in an allowance race, but he has held his own with some of the best grass horses in North America.

Donoharm, a two-time stakes winner during the Oaklawn meet who finished an uncharacteristic sixth in the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile last month at Lone Star Park, is getting a 60-day vacation, trainer Bret Calhoun said. The horse will be freshened at the North Texas operation of Diamond D Ranch.

Donoharm won five consecutive races from October to February, when he captured the $100,000 Essex at Oaklawn, defeating San Pablo. Also during his streak, Donoharm won the $75,000 Fifth Season at Oaklawn in January and the $70,000 Sam’s Town at Delta Downs in November.

Alternation will not defend his title in the May 17 Pimlico Special, as his connections have had to lighten up on his training. Alternation has been diagnosed with inflammation in his stifle region following his eighth-place finish in last month’s Grade 2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap and is jogging at Churchill Downs.

“He went to the clinic, and we did a bone scan,” said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains Alternation for Pin Oak Stable.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It took Take Charge Indy more than a year to get back to the winner’s circle, but he did so in spectacular fashion Friday at Churchill Downs with a dazzling, six-length victory against eight older rivals in the Grade 2, $339,900 Alysheba Stakes.

With Rosie Napravnik aboard, Take Charge Indy ($7.60) stalked the early pace of longshot Right to Vote through a moderate early pace, then turned on the jets and rocketed away en route to the one-sided victory in the 1 1/16-mile, main-track race. He was timed in 1:41.47 on the fast track.

A climate of uncertainty surrounds Sunday’s opening of the 2013 Assiniboia Downs meeting, with the racetrack in the midst of court action against the provincial government and the province having slashed the racetrack’s projected funding in its recent budget.

The Manitoba Jockey Club owns and operates Assiniboia Downs, which is on 130 acres within the grounds of Red River Exhibition Park, which is owned by the Red River Exhibition Association.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A foot bruise that knocked Teddy’s Promise out of the B. Thoughtful Stakes one week ago is history. California’s top female sprinter will return to action Sunday in the $70,000 Time To Leave Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Expectations for Teddy’s Promise in the five-furlong stakes are the same as they would have been April 27 in the B. Thoughtful.

“I just think she’s the best horse in the race,” trainer Ron Ellis said.