ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Windward Islands won his return from a 14-month layoff July 24 in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes. The penalty he’ll pay for that surprising score is high weight of 123 pounds in Sunday’s Grade  2, $250,000 Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine.

The 6-year-old Windward Islands has been hindered by minor problems throughout his career, according to trainer Mark Frostad. Over a yielding course in the nine-furlong Nijinsky, he rallied from fourth to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths over favored Grand Adventure.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Queen Martha, a game runner-up to defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Lady’s Secret Stakes, will make a third straight start at Monmouth Park on Aug. 29 in the Grade 2, $300,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes for fillies and mares.

In her first start on dirt, Queen Martha set the pace in the Lady’s Secret and continued strongly to the wire, beaten only three lengths.

A lightly raced 4-year-old trained by Patrick Biancone, Queen Martha will remain on the main track for the foreseeable future.

DEL MAR, Calif.-Awesome Gem can no longer be taken for granted in major stakes.

After winning the biggest race of his career in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup last weekend, Awesome Gem is scheduled to start in the $1 million Pacific Classic for the fourth consecutive year next Saturday, trying to improve on a second in 2007 and seventh-place finishes in 2008 and 2009.

Considering Awesome Gem’s recent form, trainer Craig Dollase thinks the summer of milestones can continue in the Pacific Classic. “He’s coming off a freshening and he has a new lease on life,” Dollase said.

There’s a stakes rush Sunday at Arapahoe Park.

Shippers from California, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and New Mexico have descended on the Aurora, Colo., track for its season-ending Gold Rush Futurity. The purse for the six-furlong race for 2-year-olds was boosted from $40,000 to $100,000 last month, helping it draw a diverse field of 12.

The Gold Rush is the lone Thoroughbred stakes on a five-stakes program that also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Mile High Futurity for Quarter Horses.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Sunday is redemption day for Free Flying Soul, who must win the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar to reclaim her ranking as top female sprinter in California.

Five entered the 6 1/2-furlong race, including Sweet August Moon, who upset Free Flying Soul at Hollywood Park, Alpha Kitten, who missed the A Gleam with a fever but worked well recently, and outsiders Silver Swallow and Taste’s Sis.

Free Flying Soul finished second July 17 in the A Gleam at Hollywood, but she ran a winning race.

MIAMI – A year ago, trainer Marty Wolfson sent Icon Project up from her Calder base to dominate Saratoga’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign by 13 lengths. Wolfson will try to do it again next Sunday with Miss Singhsix, who ships up from Calder to face two of the queens of the division, Rachel Alexandra and Life At Ten, in defense of Wolfson’s Personal Ensign title.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ice Box has shown enough in his last two workouts to convince his trainer, Nick Zito, to give the Kentucky Derby runner-up another shot at the big-time in next Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes.

A plan to consolidate the Texas racing calendar in 2011 took another step forward this week when the state’s tracks submitted their dates requests to the Texas Racing Commission. Their proposals are expected to be considered at a meeting Sept. 14.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – A pair of $100,000 sprints headline the Sunday card at Monmouth Park: the Colts Neck Handicap for New Jersey-breds and the Trenton Stakes for fillies and mares.

Unbeaten in two starts in 2010, Evenings End tries to stretch that streak in the Colt’s Neck from the rail against six rivals.

There have been ups and downs for Evenings End along the way, from a foot injury at 2 to an ongoing problem with failing to sweat properly.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – It’s Dashel vs. Dee’s Rose, round 2, in the featured seventh race at Arlington Park on Sunday, with Dee’s Rose trying to catch a break after two unlucky experiences. The two are rematched in a third-level optional $62,500 claimer scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.