ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Europeans can send all the horses they want. The deserving favorite in the Filly and Mare Turf is an American-based horse.

The Irish-bred Golden Apples has been in this country for more than 15 months now, and last Saturday she did nothing to discourage the notion she is the best female turf horse in the country, winning the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon by a length over Voodoo Dancer. Banks Hill, defending champion in the Filly and Mare turf, finished third, beaten four lengths.

The connections of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Johannesburg, are gearing up a full arsenal for an attempt at a second consecutive Juvenile victory.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said Wednesday that he would pre-enter as many as five 2-year-olds for the $1 million Juvenile to be run on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park. How many actually make the field will be determined by a committee of racing secretaries if more than the maximum 14 horses are pre-entered on Tuesday. All of O'Brien's horses are owned by Michael Tabor, some in partnership with John and Susan Magnier.

Storm Flag Flying became the sixth filly in the last 14 years to sweep Belmont Park's Matron and Frizette stakes. Only two of the previous five have come back to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

But, on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park, Storm Flag Flying will be heavily favored to join Meadow Star and Flanders on that list when she figures to go off the shortest-priced favorite of the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championship races.

As of Wednesday, there were only seven confirmed runners for the Juvenile Fillies, with five more under consideration.

It was ladies' day in the sprint division last Saturday as Xtra Heat and Kalookan Queen beat males in the final two major preps for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Xtra Heat drew off to a three-length victory over Day Trader in the Phoenix Breeeders' Cup Stakes at Keeneland, while Kalookan Queen defeated Crafty C.T. and Swept Overboard in the Grade 1 Ancient Title Handicap at Santa Anita.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The connections of Lido Palace will not pay the $800,000 supplemental fee to make him eligible for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 26, saying the risk is not worth the reward while calling on the Breeders' Cup to change its supplemental policy.

NEW YORK - Whether committed to memory, scribbled in a program, or keyed into a computer, trip notes are collected by every horseplayer. Here are some of mine, broken down by track, compiled over a huge Breeders' Cup prep weekend.

Belmont Park

ARCADIA, Calif. - Siberland, one of the top 2-year-olds in California this summer, will miss the Breeders' Cup and the California Cup because of a recent illness.

The winner of the I'm Smokin Stakes for statebreds by 6 1/2 lengths at Del Mar on Sept. 9, Siberland was being considered for two stakes last weekend at Santa Anita but is now likely to be out until late fall or early winter, trainer Kevin Lewis said.

The $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile is Oct. 26 at Arlington Park. The $125,000 California Cup Juvenile is a week later at Santa Anita.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Volponi, who returned to dirt racing with a solid second-place finish in last Friday's Meadowlands Cup, will be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Classic, trainer Phil Johnson said Monday.

"He's a mile-and-a-quarter horse, and I am thinking seriously about it,' Johnson said.

Johnson said he might also pre-enter Volponi for one of the two turf races - the $1 million Mile or the $2 million Turf - though he wasn't sure which one. Under Breeders' Cup rules, a horse may only be pre-entered in a maximum of two races.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - As track president Nick Nicholson exited the Keeneland paddock before the Shadwell Mile, he marveled at the sights before him. On a postcard-perfect Sunday afternoon, with throngs of appreciative fans in attendance, Nicholson wanted time to stand still.

"I wish I could take this, bottle it, and get it out to the rest of the racing industry," he said. "What a day."

ARCADIA, Calif. - He has yet to win a race all year. He's finished second three times in those six starts, but has not won. And yet because of the wide-open nature of this year's Breeders' Cup Classic, Momentum looms as a solid, legitimate contender, a position he could enhance if he gets a long-overdue victory in Sunday's Grade 2, $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.