LEXINGTON, Ky. – Reigning Eclipse Award champion turf female Uni was winless in 2020 as she came to Keeneland, where she sizzled a mile in a course-record 1:32.87 while winning last year’s Grade 1 First Lady Stakes. Although the time for her one-length victory in Saturday’s renewal was well off her own mark – she finished in 1:34.90 – Uni did put herself back in the win column on a course she adores and is prepared to move ahead to a defense of her win in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ivar is by a Japanese-bred stallion, was born in Brazil, and spent the early part of his career racing in Argentina, where he was a multiple Group 1 winner. But he didn’t have far to travel to get home after winning his first U.S. Grade 1 on Saturday. After cooling out from his victory in the Shadwell Turf Mile on Saturday evening, Ivar vanned straight back to his base at The Thoroughbred Center on the northeast side of Lexington, just more than 20 minutes from Keeneland.

On Sunday morning, trainer Paulo Lobo reported that the colt was doing “very well.”

Jockeys Victor Espinoza, Heriberto Figueroa, and Juan Hernandez were fined $100 each by Santa Anita stewards over the weekend for violations of new whip regulations put in place by the California Horse Racing Board at the beginning of the month.

The new rules limit riders to six underhanded strikes in a race. Riders cannot use the whip more than twice in succession before pausing to give a horse a chance to respond to urging.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Cupid’s Claws was claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar on Sept. 5 and won the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles on dirt at Santa Anita in his next start on Sept. 27.

The recent win has left the large partnership that owns the 5-year-old gelding and trainer Craig Dollase planning a start in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at 1 5/8 miles on dirt at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

The race was formerly known as the Marathon Stakes and holds appeal because it’s “13 furlongs for $200,000,” Dollase said. “Why not?

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita will run turf sprints on a newly constructed backstretch chute as early as opening day of the winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26, senior vice-president Nate Newby said Sunday.

Grass was installed on the chute in the final days of September and has shown growth through a recent stretch of warm weather, Newby said. Track superintendent Dennis Moore has supervised installation of the new course.

“Dennis said things were on schedule or ahead of schedule,” Newby said.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Run Snappy could start in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 15 after winning his first start on dirt at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Run Snappy led throughout a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs, drawing clear by 4 3/4 lengths. The colt is by the heavily promoted stallion Runhappy and races for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.

At the Del Mar summer meeting, Run Snappy was fifth and sixth in maiden special weight races at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mo Forza won his second consecutive graded stakes in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita, confirming his status as the leading domestic contender for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

The City of Hope Mile was arguably Mo Forza’s best race, a victory by 1 3/4 lengths in a quick 1:32.09. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 106. The time could have been quicker and the margin wider had jockey Flavien Prat urged Mo Forza in the final strides.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Could Mighty Heart’s own stablemate, Belichick, be his main competition when the one-eyed wonder tries to sweep the Canadian Triple Crown in the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes? We shall see.

Trainer Josie Carroll said Queen’s Plate winner Mighty Heart exited his Sept. 29 Prince of Wales Stakes score on the Fort Erie dirt in good order and is on target for the Breeders’, a 1 1/2-mile turf event at Woodbine on Oct. 24.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown said he would more likely choose the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile over the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Complexity, the 2 1/4-length victor of Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso Handicap.

Brown said he is not concerned about running Complexity two turns in the Dirt Mile, which will be held Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The only previous time Complexity raced around two turns was in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, in which he finished 10th. Brown noted that Complexity came out of the race with sore shins.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Christophe Clement said he will wait a week or 10 days before deciding whether to point Gufo to the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7 or wait for a race like the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 28.