While Essential Quality, the leading 3-year-old in trainer Brad Cox's barn, had a quieter weekend after racing Feb. 27 in the Southwest, Mandaloun, the likely favorite March 20 in the Louisiana Derby, and Caddo River, who is aimed at the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, had serious workouts on March 6.

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday what was widely expected – that champion Essential Quality would have his final Kentucky Derby prep and second start of his 3-year-old season on April 3 at Keeneland in the Blue Grass Stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While Gotham Stakes winner Weyburn will most certainly be nominated to the Triple Crown and will likely make his next start in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3, trainer Jimmy Jerkens stopped short of saying he’s pointing the horse to the Kentucky Derby.

Jerkens mentioned the Belmont Stakes on June 5 as a Triple Crown race he might prefer for Weyburn, a son of Pioneerof the Nile.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Trainer Mark Casse said Helium emerged in good order from his 15-1 victory Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby and that the Ironicus colt is unlikely to race again prior to the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

Helium, making his first start in nearly five months and just his third overall, fended off a sustained run from Hidden Stash in remaining unbeaten for DJ Stable and Casse in the annual Tampa signature event.

Astute, the easy winner of the Dezi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar in November, faces an uncertain short-term schedule after emerging from a recent workout “stiff and sore,” trainer Richard Mandella said Friday.

Astute worked six furlongs in a rapid 1:11.60 on Feb. 28 at Santa Anita, but has not been in training this week, Mandella said.

“She had another little setback,” he said. “It’s no big deal. We had to back off for a week. We’re not going anywhere for a little while. We’re in limbo now.”

Next Shares blanked in 2020, losing all seven starts in lucrative stakes. There were three second- or third-place finishes in graded stakes during that season, a reflection Next Shares was just a cut below the best runners.

So far this year, Next Shares is winless in graded stakes at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Rudy Rodriguez resisted the temptation of entering Eagle Orb in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and is pointing the Jerome Stakes runner-up to the $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-breds on March 14.

“Hopefully, we can win a race with him and build his confidence a little bit and take it from there,” Rodriguez said.

Eagle Orb attempted two turns in the Withers and finished fifth, 10 1/4 lengths behind Risk Taking.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Brooklyn Strong, unraced since winning the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct on Dec. 5, is attempting to train up to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, trainer Danny Velazquez said this week.

Brooklyn Strong got sick and then missed significant training time due to poor track conditions at Parx, where he is based. Brooklyn Strong returned to the work tab on Feb. 26 with a three-furlong move in 36.89 seconds and was scheduled to work again over the weekend.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mind Control won two stakes at Aqueduct at age 3 and two more here at 4. So, it makes perfect sense that his connections are targeting Aqueduct for Mind Control’s 5-year-old debut.

Though based in South Florida for the winter, Mind Control is preparing for the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap here April 3. It will be Mind Control’s first start since he finished third in the Mr. Prospector Handicap on Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park.

“He runs well fresh, he’s 4 for 5 at Aqueduct, which is probably his favorite track,” trainer Gregg Sacco said Friday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park officials are on the verge of finalizing plans to install a Tapeta racetrack on what is now the outer section of the turf course, giving the track the option to run races over three different surfaces.