Steve Landers Racing’s Night Ops pulls clear in the slop to win the March 14 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Undefeated Nadal withstood fast early fractions and a late bid from 82-1 longshot Excession to narrowly take the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds over a sloppy racetrack March 14 at Oaklawn Park.

Churchill Downs will delay the reopening of its stable areas until March 31 due to public health concerns regarding COVID-19, the Louisville track announced March 14.

Prior Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winners, Somelikeithotbrown and Blended Citizen were the headliners of the $140,700 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at Turfway Park, but it was defending champion Nun the Less that proved the show-stealer.

Bo Hirsch’s lightly raced homebred Ce Ce jumped from allowance winner to grade 1 winner and turned back a classy rival in Hard Not to Love in the $400,000 Beholder Mile (G1) March 14 at Santa Anita Park.

Sally’s Curlin rallied from last on the turn into the homestretch to roll to an eye-catching 2 3/4-length victory in the March 14 $150,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

With two auctions stricken from the calendar and the continued uncertainty of a virus that has no expiration date, consignors have had to retool their strategies even as the OBS March Sale is set to take place March 17-18 in Ocala, Fla.

The British Horseracing Authority stressed there is no change to its position “to continue with business as usual” until an official change of government policy regarding the coronavirus is formally announced.

Turf Paradise is ending its season immediately due to COVID-19, and to assist Arizona in slowing the spread of the illness.

Enforceable, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and second in the first division of the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), was made the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) March 21.

Churchill Downs stated: “This is not a decision we take lightly and we expect to have an update about the Kentucky Derby and additional information on our upcoming Spring Meet in the coming week.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of safety, Woodbine Entertainment will close Woodbine Mohawk Park and Woodbine Racetrack to the general public for a minimum of two weeks.

A bold decision to bring Con Te Partiro out of retirement after she failed to get in foal during last year’s southern hemisphere breeding season in Australia paid off handsomely March 14 when she landed the Coolmore Classic (G1) at Rosehill.

While Fasig-Tipton and The Stronach Group canceled The Gulfstream Sale in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training will go on as scheduled.

Some of the country’s leading horseplayers and fans say that if racing wants to have any hope of growing the sport, it needs an overhaul of the current regulatory system that’s supposed to protect participants and bettors.

While Fasig-Tipton and The Stronach Group canceled The Gulfstream Sale in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training will go on as scheduled.

A speedy daughter of 2019 leading first-crop sire American Pharoah zipped a quarter-mile in :20 2/5 to lead the March 13 second under tack show workouts in preparation for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Colonial Downs, racing this summer from July 23 through Aug. 29, has released its schedule for its 18-day meet, during which it projects to distribute $500,000 in purses daily.  

The Stronach Group announced March 13 that Bill Badgett, former general manager of Gulfstream Park, will rejoin the company effective immediately in the capacity of executive director of Florida racing operations. 

Capsules and entries for Saturday’s graded stakes.