LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Somebody must’ve forgotten to tell trainer Fausto Gutierrez that top-level horses in America usually don’t wheel back in three weeks, at least not when the weather gets this warm.

Not that anyone should mind.

Six months ago, the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting began the day after Christmas without a paying audience amidst a pandemic that had a devastating grip on Southern California, filling hospitals beyond capacity. Essential employees and a small number of horse owners were among the few people to attend what should have been a huge opening day on Dec. 26, and they were allowed in only after they underwent a pre-admission temperature check.

A portion of the purse of the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last September was ordered redistributed by Santa Anita stewards on Saturday after runner-up Flagstaff showed the presence of the banned medication clodronic acid, a bisphosphonate.

Flagstaff earned $40,000, which has been ordered forfeited by owners Hronis Racing and Lane’s End Racing, trainer John Sadler and Victor Espinoza. Flagstaff is demoted to unplaced, according to the ruling.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Phil D’Amato, who led all trainers in wins at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that ended Sunday, reached a milestone with Acclimate’s victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at about 1 3/4 miles on turf.

D’Amato became only the third trainer in the race’s 83-year history to win three consecutive runnings, joining Buddy Hirsch (1952-54) and Charles Whittingham (1970-72 and 1983-87).

“It’s an honor,” D’Amato reflected Sunday morning in his backstretch office. “Growing up, it was one of my favorite races to watch.”

While he has not made a final decision as of yet, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday he is “leaning” toward running Grade 1 Acorn winner Search Results in the Grade 1 Test, a seven-furlong race at Saratoga on Aug. 7, rather than the Coaching Club American Oaks, a two-turn, 1 1/8-mile race at Saratoga on July 24.

Brown said he likes the additional time to the Test after Search Results ran a strong second to Malathaat in the Kentucky Oaks on April 30, then came back five weeks later to win the Grade 1 Acorn here June 5. Malathaat is pointing to the CCA Oaks.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Domestic Spending, the leader of the male turf division with two Grade 1 victories including a convincing score in the Manhattan two weeks ago, will make his next start in the Grade 1 $600,000 Mister D. Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, trainer Chad Brown confirmed Sunday.

The Mister D. is the race formerly known as the Arlington Million, a 1 1/4-mile race at Arlington Park that Brown has won four times, including in 2019 with Bricks and Mortar, who was voted Horse of the Year.

ELMONT, N.Y. – While trainer Chad Brown decides what to do next with Grade 1 Acorn winner Search Results, he plans to give unbeaten Always Carina her final work over the weekend in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes.

A daughter of Malibu Moon, Always Carina has impressed winning her first two starts, including a 9 3/4-length score in a one-mile allowance here on May 20.

She will make her stakes debut in the Mother Goose and is likely to meet four rivals in the 1 1/16-mile race.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Undefeated Grade 1 winners Happy Saver and Malathaat as well as the up-and-coming 3-year-old Following Sea all picked up the pace in their training Friday morning at Belmont Park as they prepare for upcoming stakes engagements. All three are trained by Todd Pletcher.

Trainer Howard Belvoir is confident but a bit nervous when it comes to Dutton making his first start as a 3-year-old in the $50,000 Auburn at Emerald Downs on Sunday. The six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds drew six horses, but all eyes will be on Dutton, who will try to remain undefeated following three brilliant races as a 2-year-old.

Independence Day will have a different meaning this year for horsemen stabled at Churchill Downs.

On that day, July 4, all trainers will be required to vacate the grounds at the Louisville track for eight weeks due to a decision by Churchill to completely remake its turf course, a $10 million project that Churchill calls “immense and extremely time-sensitive.” Crews are expected to work around the clock at the track to get the new grass in the ground as quickly as possible, and heavy machinery will be rumbling through the track’s backstretch day and night.