OCEANPORT, N.J. - It will be one Hirsch or the other as the final prep race for Presious Passion before the Breeders' Cup Turf.

The winner of the last two runnings of Monmouth's Grade 1 United Nations Stakes, Presious Passion will make his next appearance in either the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Oct. 3 or in the Clement Hirsch Turf Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 11.

Weather will play a large role in determining which Grade 1 stakes trainer Mary Hartmann selects. Brazen speed is Presious Passion's game, and he needs a firm course to be effective.

The owner of Beulah Park near Columbus, Ohio, has asked a U.S. District Court to nullify an agreement allowing Penn National Gaming Inc. to exercise an option to buy all or part of the track if slot machines were allowed there.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Grade 3, $275,000 British Columbia Derby is the premier race at Hastings, and it usually draws the best field of the year. This year is no exception, with horses shipping in from New Jersey and Washington. It looks like a field of 10 or 11 horses will contest the derby, which runs next Sunday.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Win Willy lost his comeback race Thursday at Arlington, but his trainer, Mac Robertson, did not, and even Win Willy's defeat should serve the talented 3-year-old well.

Making his first start since the Arkansas Derby, and first since being diagnosed with an ankle injury days before he was to have run in the Kentucky Derby, Win Willy came back in an Arlington sprint allowance Thursday. He made a nice wide rally as the favorite to finish a close third in a race won by another Mac Robertson-trained horse, 9-1 King A.J.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - The jockey colony at Fort Erie has been buzzing of late with leading rider Rui Pimentel sidelined.

Pimentel, who is far ahead in the standings with 81 wins, was injured two weeks ago during a post parade incident. Off his mounts since then, Pimentel was expected back this weekend and was named on horses Saturday at Woodbine.

Apprentice rider and Fort Erie native Brian Cheyne joined the jockey fraternity last weekend at the Fort, rode his first two career races on Sunday, and then on Monday won with his second mount of the day.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When Malcolm Pierce returned home this spring with Sterwins following a campaign at Fair Grounds and Keeneland, the Woodbine Mile was not on his agenda.

But come Sunday, Sterwins will be among the 10 starters in the Grade 1, $1 million turf race for 3-year-olds and up and has to be accorded a fighting chance.

"He's done well," Pierce said. "He's done everything we've asked him. He hasn't had a bad race here all year."

POMONA, Calif. - Lingering purse overpayment from the 2008 Los Angeles County Fair race meet, along with modest handle in 2009, have forced officials to slash purses for three big closing-weekend stakes.

Purses for the Pomona Derby and Las Madrinas Handicap on Sept. 26 have been trimmed to $50,000. Both races were $100,000 races in 2008. The purse for the Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Sept. 27 was cut to $100,000, down from $125,000.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - There are lots of stakes opportunities out there for an older horse like Star Guitar, who in his last two starts has paired up triple-digit Beyer Figures while winning the $150,000 Evangeline Mile at Evangeline Downs and the $100,000 Louisiana Cup Classic at Louisiana Downs.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Midshipman, last year's champion juvenile colt, made a triumphant return to the races - and successful debut on regular dirt - winning a at Belmont Park by 3 1/4 lengths over the speedy Just Ben.

In his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 25 over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface, Midshipman won despite drifting out significantly in the stretch under Richard Migliore.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The pedigree of Worstcasescenario does not suggest that sprinting on dirt would be what she does best. But in two dirt sprints, Worstcasescenario has been second to no one, winning a maiden race at Belmont and last month's Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga by a combined 10 lengths.

Saturday, she'll remain sprinting on dirt when she runs in the Grade 2, $250,000 Matron Stakes going seven furlongs at Belmont Park.