The New York Racing Association on Friday announced two purse incentives designed to increase field size for the upcoming Saratoga meet.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Finding the fastest horse in Sunday’s fourth race at Churchill Downs, a $68,200 third-level allowance at a mile on turf, isn’t difficult. It is 6-5 morning line favorite Persuading, a filly who has run Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or higher in four grass races this year.

None of her opponents has run such a high number, with Sweetest Song having come closest, running a pair of 88 Beyer Figures on turf this spring.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bob Tiller felt the full glare of the Queen’s Plate spotlight as the trainer of Win City, the enormously popular gelding who finished a close second as the odds-on favorite in the 2001 running of Canada’s most famous horse race.

But Tiller has been heading into this year’s $1 million Queen’s Plate with a much lower profile as the trainer of Oh Canada, who figures to be the fifth choice at probable double-digit odds in the field of 17.

FORT ERIE, Ontario – Apprentice Betty Jo Williams has been working hard since deciding two weeks ago to make Fort Erie her home base, and her efforts are paying off.

Williams won five races last week, boosting her win percentage to a meet-leading 24 percent and moving to sixth in the rider standings with nine wins.

Williams realizes she is a late-comer to the meet and has a challenge ahead. “I am very pleased with how it has been going of late,” said Williams, “and I just hope that my luck continues.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Sid Attard will take two shots at Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Highlander Stakes, when he runs Signature Red and Jungle Wave in the six-furlong turf sprint on the Queen’s Plate undercard at Woodbine.

Signature Red captured last year’s Highlander after pressing the pace, registering a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in his first stakes triumph. He is winless since then, but has hit the board in each of his four most recent outings, all on Polytrack.

Most recently, Signature Red was a non-threatening third in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes.

AUBURN, Wash. – Class Included, easy winner of the Seattle Handicap in her last start, headlines a small field of 3-year-old fillies in the $50,000 Irish Day Handicap on Sunday at Emerald Downs.

Only four were entered to oppose the probable odds-on favorite, and only one, Elusive Noise, has the credentials to pull off an upset. The one-mile Irish Day is the seventh race on a 10-race program that also includes the Pepsi Cola Handicap for 3-year-old colts and geldings. First post is 2 p.m. Pacific.

AUBURN, Wash. – Showme Yourfriends won the Auburn Handicap at 50-1. He’ll be a far shorter price Sunday in the $50,000 Pepsi Cola Handicap at Emerald Downs. The one-mile Pepsi Cola is the first two-turn stakes race for 3-year-olds at the meeting, and the result could help clarify the divisional pecking order in advance of the Emerald Derby in August.

The Pepsi Cola is the ninth of 10 races on a card that also includes the Irish Day Handicap for 3-year-old fillies. First post is 2 p.m. Pacific.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Funny Face looks like the one to catch in a $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings. Run at 6 1/2 furlongs, the race drew six horses, and if Funny Face comes close to repeating his last race he will be tough to beat. Post time for the first of eight races is 1:50 p.m.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield will be in the spotlight Sunday as the trainer of Queen’s Plate favorite Check Your Soul.

But Attfield also will have a keen interest in the Grade 3, $150,000 Singspiel Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf race in which he will send out the formidable pair of Musketier and Simmard.

Attfield has won three of the six runnings of the Singspiel – with Pellegrino in 2007, Musketier in 2009, and Spice Route last year.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – History could be made Sunday at Woodbine in the 152nd running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate when Roger Attfield goes for a record ninth Plate victory by a trainer with the fast-improving Check Your Soul. Also, Jockey Eurico Da Silva will seek an unprecedented third straight win in the storied race aboard Bowman’s Causeway, who should be a good value play in 1 1/4-mile and a quarter event.