Horse Racing News on January 6, 2018

Trainer Ian Wilkes said he is expecting McCraken to arrive this week at Palm Meadows to begin preparing for a 4-year-old campaign that will focus primarily "on races of about a mile."

Ax Man, the dazzling winner of a maiden race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita last Monday, is likely to have his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 10.

Fifteen were entered Friday for the 74th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes, the featured event among six stakes on the Jan. 13 Road to the Derby Kickoff card.

The success of Gun Runner on the track in 2017 translated into Eclipse Award finalist recognition for he and many of those connected to him when the top three vote getters in all 17 divisions, both human and equine, were announced on Friday.