ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - For the first time since 1996 the Breeders' Cup Sprint will be decided without a full field following the withdrawals of pre-entrants D'wildcat and My Cousin Matt on Monday.

Barring any further declarations, a field of 13 will contest the 2002 Sprint. Originally 16 horses were pre-entered for the race. Gygistar was the first to drop out last Friday due to a hoof injury.

Trainer Bob Hess made the decision not to ship D'wildcat to Chicago on Monday morning after his horse spiked a temperature the previous day.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - There were times earlier this year that trainer Jim Toner wondered if Blazing Fury would ever return to the form of his fourth-place finish in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont Park.

Blazing Fury finished fifth in the Manhattan Handicap in his 2002 debut in June, which was followed a month later by a seventh in the United Nations Handicap.

"About July, I wasn't sure," Toner said. "I thought we blew the Breeders' Cup."

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Kazzia, one of the leading hopefuls for the Filly and Mare Turf, was forced out of training Sunday and Monday by an abscess in her foot, an injury that will cost the filly her final Breeders' Cup work but not, her connections hope, a place in the race.

As with every Breeders' Cup race, a handful of final workouts were posted by BC Mile candidates Monday while their trainers made final arrangements for impending travel to Chicago.

Foremost among the Mile workers Monday were Beat Hollow and Aldebaran, the Bobby Frankel duo who are among the contenders for the $1 million race. Both colts worked on the dirt at Belmont Park, with Aldebaran going five furlongs in 1:01.42 while in company with BC Turf prospect Denon. Beat Hollow worked a half-mile in 48.96 seconds.

ARCADIA, Calif. - In his last workout before the final start of his career, speedball War Emblem became a stretch-runner.

War Emblem went slow early and fast late in a seven-furlong work Saturday at Santa Anita, where the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner is preparing for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Arlington International.

While the work by War Emblem was uneventful, a work scheduled for Saturday at Hollywood Park for Momentum was canceled because of an injury that will prevent him from running in the Breeders' Cup.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Three of the fillies scheduled to run in next Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff completed their serious training for the race with workouts on Saturday morning.

The three - Mandy's Gold, Summer Colony, and Take Charge Lady - are training at different tracks and are scheduled to arrive here at Arlington Park in upcoming days.

Mandy's Gold, who is based at Delaware Park, worked an easy half-mile in 51.40 seconds. Her trainer, Michael Gorham, said he prefers to give Mandy's Gold an easy breeze just prior to her races.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Perhaps it was fate or serendipity that brought Came Home, Medaglia d'Oro, and War Emblem to their summit meeting in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park. They have been intertwined all year, first as part of the Triple Crown chase in the spring and now in the quest for championships in the fall. But their similarities run far deeper.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - It was business as usual at Arlington Park during training hours on Friday, but not for Breeders' Cup hopefuls, the majority of whom will not arrive on the grounds until early next week.

Unlike in previous years, most trainers have decided to put the finishing touches on their Breeders' Cup runners at home. With the Breeders' Cup just one week away, only 12 of the 104 horses pre-entered in the eight Breeders' Cup races are currently stabled at Arlington Park.

For all the success Bob and Beverly Lewis have enjoyed in the Triple Crown, they've endured as much frustration in the Breeders' Cup.

True, the Lewises owned one-third of Timber Country, the 1994 Juvenile winner. But as for horses they have owned themselves, "The Breeders' Cup certainly hasn't shined on us," Bob Lewis said this week from Southern California.

As a rule, trainer Richard Mandella believes asking a 2-year-old to run nine furlongs this early in his career is a mistake. But, due to the configuration of Arlington Park, this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (and Juvenile Fillies) will be run at nine furlongs, rather than the traditional 1 1/16 miles.

And that may be a good thing for Mandella's Listen Indy, a son of A.P. Indy out of the Manila mare Escoute. Though Listen Indy will enter the Juvenile with only one win from four starts, he has improved significantly since being stretched out around two turns.