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Jockey David Egan, England’s champion apprentice of 2017, registered his first North American victory when Mohan Stable’s Bobby G galloped to a 5 ½-length win in Friday’s fourth race at Laurel Park. Making his 12th career start and first since being claimed for $5,000 off a 13 ½-length win Feb. 2 by trainer Jose Corrales, Bobby G ($8.20) ran about 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.42 over a fast main track in the $25,000 starter optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up.

Pope McLean’s Crestwood Farm has announced a new “Breed Risk Free” breeders’ incentive plan. “Breed Risk Free” rewards breeders by allowing contracted stud fees to be paid out of sales proceeds and waived entirely if the resultant yearling does not sell for $20,000 plus contract price.

Record prize money for horsemen will be distributed at Churchill Downs’ 145th Spring Meet thanks to early returns from state-of-the-art historical racing machines at Derby City Gaming. The first condition book, which covers the first half of the 38-day Spring Meet at the Louisville, Ky., track, was released Wednesday, and purses for the 189 offered races total $20.1 million – an unprecedented 46 percent increase from last spring’s $13.7 million. The daily average is $1,056,842 compared to $722,579 in 2018, or $106,243 per race versus $72,640.

As elusive as a snow leopard, as mythic as a unicorn, the colt that many consider the most promising and thrilling Kentucky Derby prospect, who disappeared after destroying competition last summer at two -years-old, Instagrand, has reappeared. After winning the August 11, 2018 running of the Grade 2 Best Pal S. at Del Mar, Instagrand went into hiding, with Jerry Hollendorfer, his trainer, being as closed-mouthed as usual about when he would next start, and his whereabouts. We may never know what transpired to make this stunning colt vanish so completely.

Trainer Kenny McPeek has joined the Water Hay Oats Alliance in support of the Horseracing Integrity Act, which would standardize medication rules in American racing by appointing an independent, non-governmental agency to oversee regulations, testing and enforcement and align the United States with international standards on race-day medication.

Ortiz Brothers Day at Gulfstream Park? Must’ve missed the memo. The Ortiz Brothers, however, did not, and demonstrated such a dominance of the day’s racing that it boggles the mind. In the first race, a maiden claimer, Jose Ortiz rode the winner, and Irad Ortiz, Jr., came in second. In the second, another claimer, it was Irad who won. In the third, another claimer, Jose won, with Irad coming in second. In the fourth, the brothers gave Jaramillo a chance to win, but came in second (Jose) and third (Irad).