“He loves his work and he does it effortlessly,” said McLaughlin, who trains the horse for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stable. “He’s very fit and he puts a lot into his gallops, so we decided he didn’t need to work every week.”
 

Michael and Doreen Tabor’s Circular Quay has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of eight 3-year-olds for the 94th running of the $600,000 Grade II Louisiana Derby Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Hard Spun, the multiple stakes winner who suffered his first loss in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, probably will skip the Rebel Stakes (G3) there on March 17 and instead target the Lane’s End Stakes (G2) a week later at Turfway Park.

Sweetnorthernsaint, last year’s Kentucky Derby (gr. I) favorite and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) runner-up, may travel to the Dubai at the end of this month for the $1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) on March 31. The 4-year-old son of Sweetsouthernsaint breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 handily at Laurel Park under the watchful eye of trainer Michael Trombetta, then posed for photos that will be included with his shipping papers should his connections decide to send him halfway around the world for the one-mile event.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out ‘live’ contenders in all four of Saturday's stakes at Gulfstream Park. That includes the $225,000 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. II) when he saddles Marie and Aaron Jones’ undefeated 4-year-old Half Ours with John Velazquez aboard.

Making his first start under new ownership, TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Thor's Echo finished sixth to fellow American-bred Terrific Challenge in the March 1 Mahab Al Shimaal (UAE-III) at Nad al Sheba. Terrific Challenge and Thor's Echo were both purchased privately by Sheikh Mohammed's eldest son, Sheikh Rashid at the end of last year.