ELMONT, N.Y. - The purse structure for open company races for the upcoming Saratoga meet will mirror that of last year, while those for New York-breds will be slightly less than 2009, New York Racing Association officials said this week. The 40-day Saratoga meet opens July 23.

While the purses for New York-bred races will be down from last year's Saratoga meet, they will be up $4,000 when compared with the current Belmont spring/summer meet. A maiden New York-bred race that was $44,000 last year - and $36,000 at Belmont - will be $40,000 this summer at the Spa.

Hotep, who is by A.P. Indy out of the Smart Strike mare Eye of the Sphynx, is a full brother to Eye of the Leopard, who is winless in four starts since the Plate. Owned by Sam-Son Farm, Eye of the Leopard now is with trainer Neil Howard at Churchill Downs.

In his first start for Howard, Eye of the Leopard finished sixth at Churchill Downs in the Kelly's Landing Stakes over seven furlongs on June 25.

The connections of Mr. Foricos Two U, who was beaten a neck as the runner-up to Eye of the Leopard in last year's Queen's Plate, are back this year with the maiden Vicar Street.

Rocco d'Alimonte, who owns Vicar Street in partnership with Frank Annechinni, likes his chances based on the horse's previous encounters with the likes of Mobilizer and Queen's Plate favorite Hotep. Trainer Catherine Day Phillips does not disagree.

"I think he has a big, long, long stride," said Day Phillips. "He'll gallop forever."

No fewer than four of the 13 Queen's Plate entrants will be making equipment changes.

Mobilizer, Giant's Tomb, and Who We Gunna Call will be adding blinkers, while Ghost Fleet will be racing without blinkers after racing with them in his two previous starts this year.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Mobilizer will be one of the favorites in the Queen's Plate after finishing second, beaten a half-length, under his regular rider Jono Jones in the Plate Trial. Attfield equipped Mobilizer with blinkers for his major Queen's Plate prep here June 25.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - With Queen Elizabeth II in attendance, the filly Moment of Majesty would be an appropriate winner of Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate.

But, Moment of Majesty was not even confirmed as a Queen's Plate starter until late Wednesday afternoon after trainer and part-owner Sue Leslie did some serious soul searching and decided to ante up the supplementary entry fee of $25,000 on Thursday morning.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Jockey Glenn Corbett will make the trip up I-35 from Prairie Meadows to ride McKenna's Justice in the $35,000 Dean Kutz Stakes at Canterbury Park. A son of Medaglia d'Oro trained by David Wolochuk, McKenna's Justice was third last time out in the $60,000 Prairie Mile.

The Kutz is a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, and is the co-feature on a Sunday card that also includes the $35,000 Northbound Pride Stakes, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trainer Charlton Baker will send out a potent pair of fillies that are difficult to separate in Sunday's $50,000 Niagara Stakes at Finger Lakes. Fortunately for bettors, Sweet Hot Toddy and Helyna's My Mom will run coupled in the six-furlong sprint for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Daryl Wells, Fort Erie's longtime track announcer and director of communications and off-track operations, has retired from his post effective June 30.

Wells, 50, had been with Fort Erie since 1976, beginning as the announcer for Quarter Horse racing under the auspices of the Ontario Jockey Club.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Owner and breeder Bruno Schickedanz will no longer be allowed to enter or stable horses at Woodbine, the track's executive vice president of racing, Jamie Martin, said Friday.

The decision follows an incident this past Tuesday in which the Schickedanz-owned Wake At Noon shipped in to breeze over the training track and was euthanized after suffering a catastrophic breakdown.

Notoriously, $16.40, upset Shifty Time in the $50,000 Chariot Chaser Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park on Thursday.

Under a well timed ride by Tony Maragh, Notoriously stalked the early pace set by Vying Ty Grr and That Voodoo Youdo, took the lead on the stretch turn and then held off a determined bid by Shifty Time to win by a length. That Voodoo Youdo held on to finish third.

Notoriously is trained by Rod Cone and owned by Darrell Landry.

Final time for the six furlongs was 1:12.80.