AUBURN, Wash. – Most of the familiar faces, human and equine, will be present Friday when Emerald Downs begins its 16th season.

Tim McCanna will send out five starters as he gears up to defend his training title.

Those directly behind McCanna in the 2010 standings – Vann Belvoir, Jim Penney, Frank Lucarelli, Doris Harwood and Howard Belvoir – combined to enter 15 horses for Friday’s eight-race card.

Gallyn Mitchell, Emerald’s all-time leading jockey in both wins (1,252) and career earnings ($12.7 million) has five mounts on opening night.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Rafael Bejarano rode Malibu Pier to a victory in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita last month but will ride the runner-up from that race, Turning Top, in Saturday’s $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap.

Bejarano’s decision stunned Carla Gaines, who trains Malibu Pier for Spendthrift Farm.

“No one gives my horse any credit,” she said Wednesday. Regarding Bejarano, she said, “He’s pretty much my stable jockey.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It was minutes after Wilkinson finished a fast-closing second last October in his career debut in a maiden race at Keeneland, and trainer Neil Howard was upbeat despite the colt getting beat in a close photo.

“He’s a nice horse,” said Howard. “He’s classy, real smart. I think he’s got a future.”

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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – At this time last year, Qualia had won three of four career starts and looked poised to win a graded stakes race. Fast forward a year and Qualia has won just one more race and remains in search of that elusive stakes victory, something she will attempt to remedy in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Havre de Grace does not enjoy the kind of rock-star status that Belle Watling has in her native Chile. Nor is she a Grade 1 winner like Miss Match or Switch. Havre de Grace, in fact, is one of the least decorated of the five fillies and mares who will meet Friday at Oaklawn in the Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap.

But make no mistake – she is the one to beat.

Those that didn’t hear Cody Autrey had returned to train at Lone Star Park need only look at Friday’s card there for a reminder. He has five horses entered in four of the nine races, including favored Stand in the featured fifth race, a $25,000 second-level allowance scheduled for 7 1/2 furlongs on grass.

His entries are all among the favorites. Unexpected Valor is the 5-2 morning-line choice in the opener; the Midwest Thoroughbreds-owned entry of Dublin Da’bet and Galactic are 4-5 in race 2; Stand is 8-5; and Carson’s Honor is the 7-2 second choice in the eighth race.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Biofuel, who was Canada’s Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, had her first major exercise of the season here Monday.

Working on the dirt training track, Biofuel went in 59.40 seconds breezing and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80.

“She’s come to hand very, very quickly,” said Reade Baker, who trains the homebred Biofuel for Brereton C. Jones.

“She did the same thing last year. She gets going in leaps and bounds, once she gets there.”

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For a first-level optional $40,000 claimer for older horses this late into the meet, Friday’s $66,900 feature at Gulfstream Park has come up pretty salty, attracting a field that includes Grade 2 winner How’s Your Halo, the lightly raced but speedy Savemyspotimbeting, and the undefeated Won Fast Bullet.

And then there is Sean Avery who hasn’t started since finishing sixth, beaten less than three lengths by Cherokee Country, in the 2009 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Rosehill Dew makes her American debut in a $56,000 allowance race at Santa Anita on Friday with ample promise from her recent training and the company she kept last year.

A 3-year-old French import, Rosehill Dew impressed trainer Ron McAnally last fall when she finished a game second in an allowance race in France to Golden Lilac, trained by prominent trainer Andre Fabre. Shortly after that race, Rosehill Dew was acquired by McAnally’s wife, Debbie.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park will disperse any carryover of the popular 10-cent Rainbow 6 pool on Saturday, April 23, rather than on April 24, closing day of the 2011 meet, the track announced Wednesday.

The 10-cent Rainbow 6, which had a carryover of $1.17 million entering Thursday’s card, requires the bettor to have the only winning ticket on a given program to collect the jackpot. The jackpot has been paid out four times this season, but not since Feb. 16, when the present pool began to grow. The largest payment to date was $221,000 on Jan. 27.