DEL MAR, Calif. – Balnikhov, who won the first stakes of his career in Friday’s $104,000 Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar, is unlikely to race again until the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3.

Trainer Phil D’Amato stressed before the Oceanside Stakes that Balnikhov needs time between races and said Saturday that the six-week gap to the $300,000 Del Mar Derby will be beneficial.

“He likes to run fresh,” D’Amato said. “We can give him some time to his next race.”

The Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf is the track’s leading race of the summer meeting for 3-year-olds.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Looks were slightly deceptive during Flightline’s five-furlong workout Saturday at Del Mar.

Shortly after 6:30 a.m., Flightline was guided by exercise rider Juan Leyva down the backstretch where he began a five-furlong workout at the half-mile pole. It seemed as if Flightline was merely galloping through the opening furlong, but was timed in that segment of the exercise in 12.80 seconds.

DEL MAR, Calif. -- A limited sell-out crowd of 21,680 contributed to an opening-day record all-sources handle of $23,556,047 on Friday’s inaugural program of the Del Mar summer meeting.

The all-sources handle figure, which includes ontrack, simulcast, and account wagering sources, surpassed the previous record of $21.3 million set in 2021.

Winning tickets in the 50-cent late pick five Friday at Gulfstream Park were worth $7,060.65 after $645,877 in new money was bet into a rare carryover.

A 30-1 winner, Thrilling Baby, in the opening leg of a sequence that spanned races 5-9, was followed by winners at odds of 2-1, 4-5, 7-1, and 5-2. The winning numbers were 6-2-7-5-12.

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DEL MAR, Calif. - In the summer of 2021, Peter Miller led all trainers at Del Mar with 26 wins, the third time in the last four years he won the title. To continue that success, a strong opening weekend from Friday through Sunday is vital.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Royal Ship, a two-time stakes winner in the last 16 months, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 30, a key prep to the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 3.

Trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday he is also considering the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 31, but was leaning toward the $300,000 San Diego at 1 1/16 miles.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It came a year later than anticipated, but Up to the Mark proved worth the wait when he won his career debut by 4 1/4 lengths Thursday at Saratoga.

Up to the Mark, a son of Not This Time, rallied three wide on the turn and drew away from a field of maidens impressively, covering six furlongs in 1:10.87 and earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. The race was run over a sealed, sloppy track.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Life Is Good and Americanrevolution, two of a deep roster of older dirt horses in Pletcher’s barn, both worked Friday morning at Saratoga.

Life Is Good, recent winner of the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:02.06 by himself over the main track. He got his final quarter in 24.00 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.14, seven furlongs in 1:27.71 and a mile in 1:40.89.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wit, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, could make his next start on grass after he breezed a sharp half-mile in 47.67 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course Friday morning.

With, a 3-year-old son of Practical Joke, worked inside of the 5-year-old mare Scotish Star. Wit got his final three furlongs in 35.07 seconds and galloped out a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.03 and six furlongs in 1:12.87.

“Looked to me like he took to the grass great,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “So, it opens up some options.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The connections of Bella Sofia were planning to go easy with the 4-year-old filly this year, with designs of having a fresh horse for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November.

But with Bella Sofia continuing to do so well and with field size in the female sprint stakes in New York continuing to come up light, it’s virtually impossible to leave her in the barn.