ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Take the Points first showed talent on dirt, and he ran creditably over the synthetic surface at Santa Anita earlier this year, but Take the Points has taken best to turf. After a third in the Virginia Derby last month, Take the Points outfought Irish shipper Black Bear Island in a sustained stretch duel to win the at steamy Arlington Park on Saturday.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Muscle Hill, as expected, dominated the $1.5 million Hambletonian for 3-year-old trotters Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The colt lost his first race last season by a neck and hasn't tasted defeat since. The Hambletonian extended the winning streak to 13, including all five this year, and he won in record time. Muscle Hill trotted the mile in 1:50.20, erasing the Hambletonian mark of 1:51.20 set by Glidemaster in 2006.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It appears that a return trip to Saratoga is doing two-time Eclipse Award winner Indian Blessing a world of good.

On Saturday, Indian Blessing, the defending champion filly and mare sprinter, worked four furlongs in 48.88 seconds over the Oklahoma training track, getting her last quarter in 23.80 seconds under exercise rider Simon Harris. Indian Blessing, who was the 2007 2-year-old filly champion, is preparing for a start in the Grade 1 Ballerina here on Aug. 29.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The magnificent win by Mi Sueno in Friday's $150,000 Sorrento Stakes has left trainer Eric Guillot planning to run her in a string of Grade 1 races in Southern California for 2-year-olds over the next three months.

There is a recent precedent. Last year, Stardom Bound ran in the Sorrento and followed with wins in the Del Mar Debutante, Oak Leaf Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She was named champion 2-year-old filly of 2008.

A huge wager in the place pool on Saturday's First Episode Stakes at Suffolk Downs made for eye-popping returns when 2-5 favorite Ask Queenie finished third, six lengths behind winner Southoftheborder.

Ask Queenie was going for her 19th career victory in a Massachusetts-bred stakes but could not sustain her rally in the mile and 70-yard race. She then lost the photo finish for second by a head to pacesetting Lily's Goldmine.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Mi Sueno, second in two high-class maiden races at Hollywood Park earlier this summer, erased those disappointments with an easy win in Friday's $150,000 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.

Ridden by Michael Baze, Mi Sueno ($18.60) won by 6 1/2 lengths over 3-5 favorite Necessary Evil, rallying from the back of the field. Well Deserved, who set an early pace of 22.19 and 45.07 seconds, faded in the final furlong but held third in the field of eight 2-year-old fillies.

Mi Sueno was timed in 1:16.40.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he won the prestigious Grade 1 Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap on dirt in the spring, the 6-year-old gelding Bribon is only worth as much as he can make on the racetrack.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sterwins, a closing second when he cut back in distance for the seven-furlong Ontario Jockey Club, looms the one to beat as he moves back out to 1 1/8 miles on the turf for Sunday's With Approval.

"He ran well last time," said Malcolm Pierce, who trains the homebred Sterwins for Eugene and Laura Melnyk. "He came flying late."

The $100,000 With Approval, an overnight stakes for Ontario-foaled 3-year-olds and upward, attracted a solid field of seven that also includes Ice Bear, who won the race last year when it was taken off the turf.

Superior Storm, the reigning Louisiana-bred horse of the year, will be freshened after her blood work was off following her head win in last weekend's $100,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff.

Superior Storm tied up a week before the Louisiana Downs race and missed a scheduled work. But when her enzyme count came back to normal a few days prior to the Distaff, she was a go for the race. This past week, however, more blood work was done and Superior Storm's enzyme count came back quite high, said her trainer, Rick Jackson. An elevated count can cause an animal's muscles to tie up.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Is another Linda Rice superfecta in the offing in Sunday's $70,000 Finney Stakes at Saratoga?

On Aug. 18, 2008, Rice sent out the first four finishers in the Mechanicville Stakes for New York-breds at Saratoga. Sunday, Rice has four of the 12 horses entered in the $70,000 Finney Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf stakes for fillies and mares.

"Oh boy, that crazy Linda Rice, she's got four in that darn race," Rice said, knowing the nature of a reporter's visit Friday morning.