ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The playbill for last Saturday’s $168,000 Bold Venture featured Hollywood Hit, who had established himself as Woodbine’s top sprinter, and Fatal Bullet, who was seeking to reassert his championship credentials of 2008. But the script apparently didn’t get approval from Smokey Fire, who upstaged the leading lights in his first start since November.

Under regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson, Smokey Fire was last early in the field of four as Hollywood Hit set a demanding pace while pressured by Fatal Bullet.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A field of eight, headed by Queen’s Plate winner Big Red Mike, was the prospect for Fort Erie’s Prince of Wales Stakes as of Monday morning.

The $500,000 Prince of Wales, a 1 3/16-mile race over Fort Erie’s dirt surface, is the second leg of the Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Big Red Mike won the first leg, the $1 million Queen’s Plate, over 1 1/4 miles on Polytrack here July 4.

The post position draw will be take place on Wednesday in Fort Erie’s Prince of Wales dining room.

Trainer Steve Sherman had to study the Del Mar condition book to find a race for his talented 3-year-old sprinter Goggles McCoy.

But after Ultra Blend’s solid victory in the California State Fair Sprint on Saturday, he may have to check out Del Mar races for fillies and mares as well.

“I’d like to keep her up here,” Sherman said, but it’s a long time until the Harvest Stakes, a $50,000 six-furlong stakes for fillies and mares on Oct. 10 at Fresno.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Richard Tedesco ought to arrive at work on a white pony wearing a white cowboy hat. He’s the good guy, sent to clean up the wayward town.

Tedesco, a track superintendent with more than 40 years of experience, rode to the rescue at Santa Anita, where he was asked to get that track’s Pro-Ride surface, which would not drain, to drain. Through much trial and very little error, he salvaged the main winter meet, further enhancing the trust trainers have bestowed upon him since he worked at Hollywood Park decades ago.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – All-sources handle fell approximately 10 percent at the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting that ended on Sunday compared with the 2009 meeting.

According to limited data released by the racetrack, handle on-track, at simulcast locations throughout the state and nation, and account wagering platforms combined to average $9,474,780, a decline of 10.3 percent from the 2009 total of $10,561,323.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Having conquered stakes races at Arlington Park and Hollywood Park last weekend, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer a rrived here at Del Mar on Monday morning to work a number of his top horses, with designs on stakes races both near and far in the days and weeks ahead.

Most notable among his contingent was Blind Luck, who only nine days earlier had won the Delaware Oaks, adding to a sparkling r é sum é topped by the Kentucky Oaks. She went an easy half-mile in 49.20 seconds on the main Polytrack surface.

DEL MAR, Calif. – For all of Bob Baffert’s accomplishments, and there have been many, nothing quite defines his essence as a trainer more than his remarkable record with 2-year-olds at Del Mar, where he has won the Del Mar Futurity nine times in the past 14 years, including the past two years with subsequent Eclipse Award winners Lookin At Lucky and Midshipman.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The breezy Del Mar atmosphere always feels fresh when California racing goes south for summer.

“We’re spoiled by the whole Del Mar experience,” trainer John Sadler admitted. “The restaurants, the beach, the weather, the environment – it’s just a fun meet that everybody looks forward to.”

It is easy for him to say. After all, Sadler ran away with the Del Mar training title the last two summers, and when the 2010 meet begins Wednesday with the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds, Sadler will unveil a potential freak.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In her final workout for Saturday’s Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park, Rachel Alexandra breezed a half-mile in 49.60 seconds Monday morning on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga.

With assistant trainer Scott Blasi alongside on his gray pony, Rachel Alexandra came onto the track beneath Shaun Bridgmohan shortly before 6 a.m. The 2009 Horse of the Year was clearly feeling energized by the relative coolness compared to recent mornings and was a study in controlled aggression as she galloped toward the half-mile pole.

AUBURN, Wash. - Harbor the Gold, a rising star in Northwest breeding circles, was represented by two juvenile stakes winners Sunday at Emerald Downs. Couldabenthewhisky captured the $30,000 Strong Ruler Stakes for colts and geldings, and first-time starter Carrabelle Harbor prevailed in the $30,000 Knights Choice Stakes for fillies.