The Ocala Breeders' Sale's June sale of 2-year-olds in training, which ended Wednesday, pretty much followed the scenario of every other Florida 2-year-old sale this year. The average of $18,412 for 249 sold was down a hair from last year's average of $18,691, and the median price of $9,500 was down a fraction from last year's $9,700. The only major June sale change from last year was the buy-back rate, which climbed from roughly 25 percent last year to about 33 percent this year.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - This story may sound familiar.

Jerry and Barbara Dutton and partner Vladimir Popovich own a promising 2-year-old filly that catches the eye of the Team Valor syndicate. A private deal is completed, and the filly excels for her new owners and trainer, Jenine Sahadi.

Those were the circumstances three years ago when Golden Ballet changed hands. She eventually won five stakes races for Team Valor and partners.

This year, all of the participants have taken the same role with Bronze Route, a half-sister to Golden Ballet.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., has purchased an interest in Grade 1 winner Sky Mesa and will stand the Pulpit colt when he retires from racing.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The classics are over, and the tedious heat of summer is settling on the sport. But don't switch over to the Golf Channel, because Sky Mesa, the secret weapon of the 3-year-old crop of 2003, is about to be unleashed.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $270,000 Cherokee Run filly bought by Arosa Farms was the top seller at the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June auction of juveniles and horses of racing age. The auction concluded Wednesday with a slight gain in gross and slight declines in average and median prices.

A $270,000 Cherokee Run filly proved to be the bright spot at Tuesday's opening session for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age in Florida. After an opening day that saw declines across the board, selling continued at the final session Wednesday, where the session leader at 5 p.m. was a $150,000 Runaway Groom-Tippecanoe Creek colt from Paul Sharp, agent. Buzz Chace, agent, bought the colt, a half-brother to Hutcheson Stakes winner Lion Tamer.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Multiple Grade 1 winner Lido Palace, who was reitred in early May, will enter stud in 2004 at Lambholm South in Reddick, Fla. The 6-year-old Chilean-bred horse will stand his initial season for $8,500.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It may be time for trainer John Sadler to open a wing at his Hollywood Park stable just for the foals of Beverly Z.

Last week, when High Z, a 2-year-old, arrived from Galway Downs, Sadler added his fourth foal out of Beverly Z to his stable. All are owned by John Barr's Oakcrest Stable.

The rest of the team is made up of 5-year-old Waingarth, 4-year-old Zee Best, and 3-year-old Madam General.

"This is the first time I've ever had four at the track at the same time by the same mare," Sadler said.

Maryland's 2003 freshman sires, one of the largest such groups in recent memory, have launched their careers quickly. Four first-year stallions have had a winner since May 1, and two rank among the top 20 freshmen sires in the nation.

Leading the earnings list is perhaps the least-known of the group, Rubiyat. A son of champion sprinter Rubiano, Rubiyat has only eight foals in his first crop, but he hit big with his first runner.

Next Sunday's Queen's Plate is the most important race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds, and Langfuhr is the sire of the two favorites. His sons Wando and Mobil have dominated the local 3-year-olds in the prep races leading up to the 1 1/4-mile Plate, and one of them figures to win the 144th edition of North America's oldest continuously run race.

The colts, both owned by Langfuhr's owner and breeder, Gus Schickedanz, are from the stallion's second North American crop.