Horse Racing News by Steve Andersen

After a maiden win in April, and a second in the Grade 3 Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park in July, Champ Pegasus will start in Sunday's $200,000 Del Mar Handicap with a realistic chance of winning his first stakes

For Saturday's $250,000 Del Mar Mile, Scenic Blast will start again on turf and over a distance that equals the longest race of his 23-race career.

For the fourth time this year, Evening Jewel won a graded stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.

Zenyatta's next race will be at the track where she has been based through her illustrious career.

Awesome Gem can no longer be taken for granted in major stakes.

Evening Jewel was a restless filly at trainer Jim Cassidy's stable earlier this week, just days before Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.

A day after the California Horse Racing Board rejected the Oak Tree Racing Association's plan to race at Santa Anita this fall, officials with Oak Tree and Hollywood Park intensified the process of moving the meeting to Hollywood Park for the first time.

The California Horse Racing Board denied a request Thursday from the Oak Tree Racing Association to conduct an autumn meeting at Santa Anita.

Frank Stronach told a group of about 250 horsemen on Wednesday evening that Santa Anita will replace its existing Pro-Ride synthetic surface with a conventional dirt track after the conclusion of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting Oct. 31.

The Usual Q.T. was a few strides from reaching the wire in a six-furlong workout on the Polytrack surface at Del Mar when trainer Jim Cassidy rose from a seat in the grandstand and began walking toward the parking lot.