VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Going into the $50,000 John Longden 6000 last Monday, trainer Troy Taylor said St Liams Halo was the best horses in his strong stable. After the impressive way St. Liams Halo won the race, a lot of people are viewing him as the best horse at Hastings.

His margin of one length over Almost Time in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint is a bit deceiving. He looked like the winner every step of the way and according to his rider, Mario Gutierrez, there was plenty in reserve.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When a 3-year-old colt named Perregaux returns to action Friday evening at Churchill Downs following a layoff of five months, it will be with the good faith of his trainer behind him.

“We stopped on him last fall after we discovered a tiny, tiny chip in an ankle and had it taken out,” explained Neil Howard, who will send out Perregaux in the 10th-race feature on an 11-race twilight program. “We maybe could’ve gone on with him, but he’s too good a horse. In fact, I think he might be one of the nicest grass horses I’ve ever had. He’s a pretty decent colt.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Conservative and Coffee Break, two Gulfstream winter-raced runners, will add some intrigue to Friday’s fourth race, a $40,000 conditioned claimer scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The new post time for Fridays at Woodbine is 2 p.m.

Conservative is a Phipps Stable-owned 5-year-old trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who is winless with four starters at Woodbine. His most successful local runner was Vacation, who finished third in a pair of Grade 3 stakes here in 2009.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear It’s Time made an auspicious return to action here Monday, romping to a 5 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes.

And while it may be a stretch, in both the literal and figurative sense, trainer Reade Baker has broached the possibility of Bear It’s Time returning on less than two weeks’ rest for the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks.

If anybody is due some racing luck these days, it is jockey Jeff Burningham.

A string of serious injuries – two broken pelvises and a broken back since 2007 – have kept Burningham, 38, out of the saddle frequently the last couple of seasons. With a clean bill of health and the right outcome of a few photo finishes this season, however, Burningham is back firmly in the top five of the Louisiana Downs rider standings.

In a scenario that will likely repeat itself throughout the year at Northlands Park, trainers Robertino Diodoro, Greg Tracy and Jim Meyaard appear to have the major players in Friday’s feature. The six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses running for a top claiming price of $22,000 and goes as the seventh race.

Millwright, trained by Tracy, could have the advantage due to his ability to stalk the pace. He won two of his six starts at Northlands last year, and in his first race in 2011 he finished third in a tough field of $25,000 claimers at Hastings.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Lasting Spice will try to make amends when she takes on a sharp Dashing Daisy in the feature at Hastings Friday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares running for a top claiming price of $25,000 drew eight horses and goes as race 7 on the eight-race card, which begins at 7 p.m. Pacific.

Before heading out on the road to tackle much tougher company, the millionaire sprinter Fabulous Strike will get one more tune-up on his home track.

The 8-year-old Fabulous Strike will make the second start of his comeback following 15 months on the sidelines in the six-furlong Changing Times, the last of three $75,000 stakes on Friday night’s card at Penn National Race Course.

Awesome Gem, who parlayed a runner-up finish in last year’s Lone Star Park Handicap to victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup, has both of those races on his agenda again this summer, said his trainer, Craig Dollase.

The first part of the double comes Monday. Awesome Gem is headed to Texas for this year’s Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap, the richest of six stakes to be run on the annual Million Day program. The horse’s plans were firmed up Tuesday after he breezed five furlongs in a smart 1:00.80 at Churchill Downs.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A familiar dilemma recurs Thursday at Hollywood Park, where the right horse will race the wrong distance in the race 7 feature.

Veteran sprinter Subpoena the Dress stretches to a distance of ground for the first time in her career in a turf route for California-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

“It’s my only concern, the route of ground,” trainer A.C. Avila admits.