SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Firenze Fire came up on the short end of a thrilling seven-furlong battle with Mind Control by a head in the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont on July 4.

While Mind Control will wait for the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 28, Firenze Fire will run back in a salty renewal of Saturday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.

The Vanderbilt, run at six furlongs, drew a nine-horse field including reigning sprint champion Whitmore and Grade 1 winner Mischevious Alex.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cross Border, who is 5 for 6 over Saratoga’s turf course, will be back on his favorite surface for Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes.

Cross Border actually finished second in last year’s Bowling Green, but was elevated to first after the stewards ruled Sadler’s Joy had caused interference in the stretch. Cross Border’s Saratoga win streak came to an end in last year’s Sword Dancer when he finished second to Channel Maker, who is back in this field.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The goals are bigger the second half of the year for Essential Quality than Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, but trainer Brad Cox believes his Belmont Stakes winner is ready to pick up where he left off eight weeks ago.

Essential Quality, who outlasted Hot Rod Charlie in a stirring stretch duel to win the Belmont on June 5, was one of six 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Jim Dandy, the local stepping-stone at Saratoga to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 28.

John Shear, a paddock captain who began working at Santa Anita in 1961, has retired. Shear is 100.

A native of England, Shear was a fixture at Santa Anita, where he worked to ensure the safety of horses as they entered the paddock. Shear made national news in 2011 when he sustained injuries by distracting a loose horse who was rapidly approaching a crowd that included a small child.

Stilleto Boy, purchased for $420,000 earlier this month following a win in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, could have his California debut in the Grade 3 Shared Belief Stakes on Aug. 29 at Del Mar.

Stilleto Boy was bought by Steve Moger at the Fasig-Tipton July horses of racing age sale on July 12 and sent to trainer Ed Moger, his brother, later that week. Last Sunday, Stilleto Boy worked a half-mile in 51.20 seconds at Del Mar, which Ed Moger described as “nice and comfortable.”

Trainer Mark Glatt could have as many as three runners in Saturday’s Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar. Glatt said Wednesday that he plans to start the Grade 1 winners Collusion Illusion and Dr. Schivel and the multiple stakes winner Law Abidin Citizen in the $300,000 Crosby Stakes at six furlongs.

Chantal Sutherland is enjoying a rejuvenated riding career. Best known for her feats in Southern California and her native Canada, Sutherland rode four winners Saturday at Gulfstream and is now well ensconced in the top 10 at the spring-summer meet in both wins (30) and earnings ($891,487).

Sutherland capped her big day by winning the $75,000 Monroe on Key Biscayne, who rallied from well back to win the off-the-turf race by a neck. The four-win day is one shy of her personal record of five, set on Aug. 9, 2008, at Woodbine. Sutherland has won four in a day on multiple occasions.

Jockey Sasha Risenhoover, who has ranked as one of the top female jockeys in Texas, plans to ride at Remington Park when the Oklahoma City meet opens Aug. 20, said her new agent, Bill Castle. Currently, Risenhoover has riding engagements at Louisiana Downs and Prairie Meadows.

“I look forward to the opportunity to work with her,” Castle said. “She rides a very smart race.”

Gulfstream Park will host a mandatory forceout of its popular Rainbow 6 wager on Saturday, when the opening legs in the Florida Sire Stakes will anchor a card expected to be run amid dry conditions.

The driver whose tractor damaged the inner rail on the Ellis main track Friday during a routine resurfacing later died from the medical emergency that caused the accident.

Ellis released a statement Tuesday that said Dorris “Heavy” Watson, a member of the track maintenance staff for nearly a quarter-century, subsequently died at a local hospital. The press release said Watson began his tenure at Ellis in 1997 and “was a constant and beloved presence, particularly on the backside track area. ‘Heavy’ will be missed by all of us that were blessed to know him.”