Unbeaten 1-2 favorite Almostgone Rocket was long gone in the stretch of Thursday’s Jersey Girl S., one of a trio of dirt stakes on opening day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.

Drum Roll Please asserted his superiority in the final furlong of the $145,500 Jerome S. at Aqueduct on Saturday, winning the one-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby series test by 3 3/4 lengths under Javier Castellano.

Saturday’s Pegasus Preview Day at Gulfstream Park included preps for turf performers with designs on the Jan. 27 blockbuster card.

The Canadian International (G1) resumed from a one-year hiatus on Sunday, and Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby provided a sense of continuity at Woodbine.

After the running of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at a yielding Aqueduct, persistent rain washed the Belmont Turf Sprint and Jockey Club Derby off the turf. The surface switch materially altered their character.

Saturday’s United Nations (G1) appeared to be an opportunity for lightly-raced contenders to raise their profiles in the turf division. Instead, eight-year-old stalwart Therapist was the one to score a new career high.