AUBURN, Wash. – Most of the horses in Sunday’s $250,000 Longacres Mile have established form, and then there’s Burj Dubai. A million-dollar yearling with a fancy pedigree and undeniable talent – and only three career starts – he’s the X factor in Emerald Downs’s Grade 3 main event.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After competing in the Grade 1 United Nations in his last start, Straight Story found a return to New York-bred company to his liking, taking over at the three-eighths pole under Javier Castellano and persevering on to a one-length victory in Thursday’s $100,000 West Point Handicap Stakes at Saratoga.

Pocket Cowboys, who raced in third position most of the trip, rallied for second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of a late-running Icabad Crane. It was a neck back to Banrock, who was thwarted in his bid for a third straight West Point victory.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Nick Canani, second-leading trainer at Arlington Park with 45 wins this meet, and a private trainer for leading Chicago owner Frank Calabrese, has been hit with five more positive tests for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug etodolac.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The California Horse Racing Board denied a request Thursday from the Oak Tree Racing Association to conduct an autumn meeting at Santa Anita after representatives of the Thoroughbred Owners of California and California Thoroughbred Trainers told the racing board that their organizations wanted the meeting moved to Hollywood Park because of concerns about the safety of the Santa Anita Pro-Ride synthetic track.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Turns out, there is more to the millionaire California Flag than a speed-crazy turf sprinter. He can come from off the pace, too, even though that style of racing left trainer Brian Koriner spooked as Wednesday’s $102,175 Green Flash Handicap unfolded.

Instead of leading throughout, as he did in the 2009 Green Flash and the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, California Flag was fourth early and closed 3 1/2 lengths in the final three furlongs to win the five-furlong Green Flash by a nose over Quick Enough and My Summer Slew, who finished in a dead heat.

Trainer Tim Hamm holds a very strong hand when he will saddle six of the nine Ohio-bred 2-year-old fillies in the $50,000, six-furlong Miss Ohio Stakes at Thistledown. Four of the Hamm-trained fillies will be coupled in the wagering.
Hamm saddles the lone winner in the race, Startin Something, who won the Tah Dah Stakes at River Downs on July 24. Prior to that, she was fourth against males in the Hoover Stakes there on July 10.

The millionaire Heros Reward, a multple graded stakes winner, makes a rare appearance against restricted company in the $50,000 Mister Diz Stakes at Laurel Park.

Now 8, Heros Reward has won three stakes at the Grade 3 and Grade 2 level during a career in which he has won 11 of 30 starts on turf and $1.1 million overall. As recently as July 4, Heros Reward missed by a neck in the Grade 2 Highlander at Woodbine. Last time out, in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National, Heros Reward failed to show his customary early speed and finished 10th of 11.

EDMONTON, Alberta – Speed, and which horse will be able to carry it going around four turns, seems to be the theme for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park. The 1 3/8-mile feature attracted 10 horses and headlines a strong 13-race card that includes the $75,000 Speed to Spare for 3-year-olds and up and the $75,000 City of Edmonton Distaff for fillies and mares. Post time for the derby is 3:45 p.m. Mountain.

Bingosablumin gets the benefit of not having to face stablemate Bach’s Homebrew for a change when he heads a field of six 3-year-olds going a mile and 70 yards in the $10,000 Van Berg Derby at Columbus.
Bingosablumin has been running with his stablemate Bach’s Homebrew in his last four starts and has been second or third to that rival each time. On Saturday, Bingosablumin will be on his own and searching for his second win for trainer Larry Staroscik. Bach’s Homebrew, meanwhile, will likely be waiting for next weekend’s $15,000 Breeders’ Special.

Dr. W and Be Bullish, both claimed by high-percentage trainers for $50,000 or more at Saratoga late last month, could hold the keys to the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial Handicap at Finger Lakes.

Dr. W, who has won each of the last three times he has faced New York-breds, and Be Bullish, who was narrowly beaten by Dr. W twice earlier this year, both look like serious contenders in the Reed, a six-furlong sprint restricted to statebreds.