INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The good sprinter Orientatious is easy to like when she returns Thursday from an 11-month layoff with fast works and the highest speed figures in the second-level allowance for fillies and mares.

But there are two sides to a story, sometimes more. Enter the skeptics.

Orientatious is easy to wager against Thursday. Unraced since July, she will not have worked in 15 days and trains on dirt at Santa Anita but will race on synthetic at Betfair Hollywood Park. Finally, 6 1/2 furlongs is beyond her established ability.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainers Roger Attfield and Mike Keogh, both separately and together, have been down the Queen’s Plate road many times.

Attfield has been represented by a total of 34 starters in 25 editions of the Queen’s Plate, beginning with his victory with Norcliffe in 1976. His eight Queen’s Plate victories put him in a tie for the lead with Harry Giddings Jr., whose winning years ranged from 1911 to 1942.

Keogh started working as an assistant to Attfield in 1986 before going out on his own as a private trainer for owner/breeder Gustav Schickedanz in 1993.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Bob Tiller-trained entry of Where Oh Where and Hoof Ain’t It will be a short price if they both run Thursday at Woodbine in the featured second race, a five-furlong, Ontario-sired allowance for nonwinners of two.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Dropping in class and shortening up in distance could be the ingredients for a bounce-back effort from Preach Tome Daddy when she faces 10 fillies and mares in Thursday’s $72,000 feature at Belmont Park.

The first-level allowance race is scheduled for seven furlongs on the Widener Turf course. Last out, Preach Tome Daddy finished fifth in the Grade 2 Sands Point at 1 1/16 miles.

In the Sands Point, Preach Tome Daddy found herself on the lead under Julien Leparoux through the early fractions, something trainer John Kimmel was not expecting.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The probable field for Sunday’s Queen’s Plate was back to 14 on Tuesday with the defection of Prince Raphael, who was injured during a workout over the main track here last Sunday.

“He came out of breeze great, but we found a problem on Monday,” said Debbie England, who trains Prince Raphael for owners Oslen and Cristina Belle and Doug Reddington.

England did not specify either the nature of the injury nor how long Prince Raphael would be off but did say no surgery would be required.

“We need a little more information,” she said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Just eight programs remain at the 39-day spring meet at Churchill Downs, meaning it’s time to fish or cut bait for the handful of men who still have designs on the training title.

Dale Romans held a tenuous lead atop the standings entering Thursday action with 13 wins, followed closely by Steve Asmussen and Tom Amoss with 12 and four others with 10 – Bret Calhoun, Brad Cox, Dane Kobiskie, and Mike Maker.

Northern California fairs are coming off a banner 2011, with Stockton, Pleasanton, and the California State Fair in Sacramento all surpassing their 2010 handles despite running fewer days.

The 2012 summer season begins Thursday with a new schedule that starts with the Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton, an improved purse package that surpasses Golden Gate Fields at most levels, and a varied and comprehensive stakes schedule.

“We’re adapting to changing times,” said Chris Korby, executive director of the California Authority of Racing Fairs.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sue Leslie has been a regular presence in the news this year as the president of the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association, a role in which she is spearheading the battle on behalf of the province’s beleaguered racing industry.

So, it was a nice change of pace last Saturday at Woodbine when Leslie found herself in the spotlight as the trainer of Moment of Majesty, winner of the $100,400 Zadracarta.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The brothers Griffith were united in the stakes winner's circle here last Saturday as trainer Ricky and jockey Chris collaborated with the 2-year-old colt Ray's Away in the $156,000 Victoria.

Ricky Griffith, a former jockey, is in his fourth year of training after a lengthy stint as an assistant to Mark Casse and is the private trainer for the Debmar Stable of Glenn Harvey and Steve Duffield. The Victoria was his first stakes win.

A trio of horses pointing to the Grade 2 Suburban here July 7 put in workouts Monday morning.

Stay Thirsty, last year’s Travers winner, went four furlongs in 47.85 seconds over Belmont’s main track in company with Dominus, who was credited with the same time. Dominus won last year’s Grade 2 Dwyer at Belmont, but has not run since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga last August. Formerly with Steve Asmussen, Dominus is now with Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Stay Thirsty.