WASHINGTON - Since "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" entrenched itself on the bestseller lists 24 weeks ago, racing fans have marveled at one aspect of the saga. Seabiscuit was so exciting and charismatic that he captured the interest of the public at large, drawing attention to horse racing from people who otherwise would have had no interest in the sport.

DEL MAR, Calif. - In "Faster," by Jackie Stewart, the former world champion grand prix driver tried to describe exactly what it felt like to take a turn at high speed in his Tyrell Ford:

"The fastest way to round a corner doesn't depend just on how late you brake but also on how early you take them off, so that the car is nice and gentle as it goes through. And also not just where you take the brakes off but how - you must feed them off gently, letting the car settle so that nothing is abrupt, so that its balance is preserved, its rhythms not addled."

DEL MAR, Calif. - If the Breeders' Cup were run tomorrow, or the World Thoroughbred Championships - either one - two guys named Bob would have the horses to beat in all five of the races run on the Belmont Park dirt, or sand. Either one.

There could be some confusion. Like, what happened to the Breeders' Cup? Doesn't the WTC have something to do with tennis? Are all great trainers named Bob? Hopefully, this will help.

Frankel, Robert J., was born July 9, 1941, when America was still innocent and his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., was a garden of earthly delights.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The forces of nature conspired to treat Saratoga to a perfect Saturday and this ancient racing grounds responded with an outstanding program, a record Travers Day attendance of 60,486, a record all-sources handle of $34,529,273, and a scintillating performance by the favored Point Given, who was never better. He beat a good horse, E Dubai, by 3 1/2 lengths, after E Dubai made an ideal early pace, and left the impression he is one of the best 3-year-olds of recent years.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Should Dale Baird, who has saddled more than 8,500 winners while training primarily at tracks in West Virginia, be elected to racing's Hall of Fame?

"Yes" says Jim Chehardy of Maynardsville, Tenn. in a recent letter. "Between 1971 and 1999 Baird was the nation's leading trainer in races won 15 times. He has had 300 winners a season a record eight times.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The final presentation at last Sunday's Jockey Club Round Table was a proposal to change the way that racetracks are taxed. The idea is that if tracks were taxed on their profits rather than their gross handle, they would be more likely to experiment with takeout reductions that might increase overall business and customer satisfaction.

It is a worthy and long overdue initiative, and it was heartening to hear that the National Thoroughbred Racing Association is offering funds to help tracks lobby for this change on a state-by-state basis.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There is an enormous sum at stake in connection with Saturday's 132nd running of the Travers that makes the $1 million purse look like small potatoes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Morning poured like a crisp Chablis, the sun high and bright in the heavens, horses dappled and shining as they pranced to the track with joy, while those who care for them reflected how lucky they are to be in Old Saratoga on a day of days.

TUCSON, Ariz. - Sunday's Jockey Club Round Table at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., featured a thrilling high-wire act. One of racing's good guys, Jim Gallagher, slipped into a pair of ballet slippers, was helped onto a thin cable, handed a long balancing pole, and eased out over the treacherous chasm of illegal medication with the warning, "Whatever you do, don't look down!"

WASHINGTON - Even in the era of full-card simulcasting, a horseplayer may have trouble finding a single track that offers attractive betting fare.