DEL MAR, Calif. – Simon Callaghan was 26 years old when he decided he needed a career change.

By the end of the English flat racing season in 2009, Callaghan had spent two seasons at Rathmoy Stables in Newmarket, which he had taken over from his retired father, Neville. For a relatively small stable, the results were decent – 33 wins in 2008, 34 in 2009 – but left Callaghan wanting more.

He announced in fall 2009 that he was headed to California.

“I was determined to do well,” he recalled last weekend.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Cherokee Notion looks like the one to beat in an allowance race for 3-year-olds and up who haven’t won $30,000 since April 16. There is a claiming option in the 1 1/16-mile race that will serve as Thursday’s feature, but the only horse running for a claiming price in the eight-horse field is Finally Kruisin, who is eligible to be claimed for $45,000.

First post for a rare Thursday card is 7:15 p.m.

MIAMI – The nation’s sprint division is up for grabs at the moment. With Euroears’s big win over Smiling Tiger in the Bing Crosby and Sean Avery’s upset of Trappe Shot in the Vanderbilt, confusion reigns atop the leader board.

Meanwhile, Big Drama, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner and Eclipse Award champion, has been out of mind and pretty much out of sight.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Rahy’s Attorney, a very game second in last Saturday’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga, was injured during the running and has been retired.

Under regular rider Emma-Jayne Wlson, Rahy’s Attorney led through every step of the 1 1/2-mile turf race before being overtaken by Winchester in the final yards.

Wilson pulled up Rahy’s Attorney on the backstretch, and the horse was vanned off.

“Emma thought something was not right,” said Ian Black, who has trained the 7-year-old gelding throughout his career. “But he cooled out okay.”

Rise and shine, it’s trial time!

Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico has a special post of 9 a.m. Mountain on Thursday to accommodate 26 trial races for the Grade 1, $2.4 million All American Futurity for Quarter Horses. There are 252 runners vying for one of 10 spots in the finale, which will be held on Labor Day, Sept. 5.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Ontrack handle is up significantly, while all-sources handle is down a fraction on this year's Saratoga meet compared with the same time last year.

Through the first 22 days of the 40-day meet, ontrack handle is $66,610,255, for a daily average of $3,027,739 and up 7.9 percent from $61,705,156 wagered last year. All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races from both ontrack and simulcast outlets nationwide, is $291,181,532, averaging $13,235,524 daily and down less than 1 percent from $293,259,011 in 2010.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Union Rags, coming off a late-rallying debut win at Delaware Park in mid-July, shook off three early-pace rivals off one by one and drew off to win Monday’s Grade 2 Three Chimneys Saratoga Special despite racing greenly in the stretch.

Union Rags broke alertly from the rail and was part of a four-way scramble for the lead with Stat, Indian Evening, and Trinniberg through a first quarter in 21.78 seconds.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Drill, the winner of a maiden race on Saturday in his second start, is likely to return for the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, and could provide Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with his 10th winner in the Grade 1 race.

Saturday, Drill fought between horses through 6 1/2 furlongs, took a three-length lead in the stretch and held off a late run from Seal the Deal to win by a neck. Baffert said on Sunday that he would have preferred that Drill had raced from off the pace, but that little option was available when Drill drew the rail.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Celestial Kitten had a hectic few weeks in mid-July, shipping from New York to California after a private purchase and finishing third in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap. Her preparation for Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Oaks has been much quieter.

“She was bought the week before, and shipped out,” trainer Ben Cecil said of last month’s activities. “I thought she ran well, all things considered.

Cecil does not plan a workout for Celestial Kitten this week, preferring to gallop the filly into the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, run over 1 1/8 miles on turf

DEL MAR, Calif. - The list of candidates for the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 28 grew over the weekend to include a Canadian stakes winner and a horse claimed for $40,000 on Saturday.