ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Eye of the Leopard, last year’s Queen’s Plate winner, returns to the local scene Wednesday night at Woodbine in the featured sixth race, a third-level allowance with an $80,000-claiming option.

Eye of the Leopard, a Sam-Son Farm homebred by A.P. Indy, blossomed in the spring of 2009, when he won the Plate Trial Stakes just three weeks after his maiden triumph. He subsequently captured the $1 million Plate in a three-way photo, over Mr. Foricos Two U and Woodbine Oaks winner Milwaukee Appeal.

Jockey Michael Martinez, injured in a spill Sunday at Golden Gate Fields, was upgraded from "critical and unstable" to "critical but stable" condition Monday afternoon after doctors at Highland Hospital in Oakland, Calif., were able to slow bleeding in his head and into his lungs.

Martinez, 24, underwent nearly 11 hours of emergency surgery Sunday night after his spinal cord was completely cut in the spill.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear’s Future, who displayed plenty of promise when romping to victory in his seven-furlong debut, passed his first acid test with an authoritative score here in Sunday’s $153,300 Swynford at the same distance.

And, if all proceeds according to plan, Bear’s Future’s future could include an appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Usual Q. T., who was slated to arrive from California on Tuesday, heads a strong contingent of prospective California shippers for this year’s Woodbine Mile.

The field for Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile was firming up as of Monday morning, with 13 candidates having an eye on the turf prize for 3-year-olds and upwards.

The Usual Q.T. put together a six-race win streak on California’s turf courses last year and has captured an open allowance and the 1 1/8-mile Eddie Read on the grass this season.

POMONA, Calif. – Bettors looking for a sure thing Wednesday at Fairplex Park will appreciate trainer Mike Harrington’s analysis.

Harrington starts likely favorite Swiss Tart and longshot Edgewick Road in the $50,000 C.B. Afflerbaugh Stakes for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. Harrington likes the chalk.

Swiss Tart “should be 4-5, and I expect him to run that way,” Harrington said.

Swiss Tart ran the best race of his eight-start career nine days ago on Sept. 6, finishing second in the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes. It was his fourth start of the seven-week Del Mar meet.

Mr. Shadar heads the list of 75 horses nominated to the Fall Classic on Saturday. The Fall Classic features seven stakes races for Alberta-breds worth a total of $350,000.

COLUMBUS, Neb. - Husker Ridge rallied to the leaders going to the far turn and drew off to score by four lengths in the $15,500 Columbus Futurity for 2-year-old Nebraska-breds as Columbus closed out its meet Sunday afternoon.

Husker Ridge, under leading rider Luis Ranilla, was making her third start in the field of five maiden runners and won under a hand ride. Trained by Dean Bliss, Husker Ridge earned $9,300 for her maiden win and returned $5.20 as the 8-5 favorite. Husker Ridge covered the distance in 1:17.60 over a fast track.

The move from synthetics to dirt was a boon for Southern California shipper River Echo, who pulled a 19-1 upset Sunday in the $100,000 Premiere Cup Handicap at Zia Park. The six-furlong race opened the stakes schedule at the Hobbs, N.M., track, which runs a mixed meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.

AUBURN, Wash. – Noosa Beach capped a record-setting meeting with an easy victory Sunday in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, one of six stakes for statebreds on Washington Cup Day at Emerald Downs.

The 4-year-old by Harbor the Gold won for the sixth time in seven starts in 2010, and set an Emerald Downs record with his fifth stakes victory; he had been one of 10 horses to record four stakes win in a season at the suburban Seattle track, which opened in 1996.

Outoftheclouds got up in the last jump to edge longshot Peach Blossom by a neck in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Hastings on Sunday.

Trained by Mel Snow, Outoftheclouds ($3.60)had one horse beat after a half-mile in 46.09 seconds in the 6 ½-furlong sprint that was contested over a sloppy track. He was still fifth in the six-horse field at the top of the stretch but jockey Dave Wilson had him moving strongly on the outside of horses. El Aguila Real, who had dueled with Peach Blossom the whole way, held on to finish third.