ELMONT, N.Y. - Though Grand Couturier has failed to finish in the money in three starts this year, trainer Robert Ribaudo has not lost faith in his multiple Grade 1-winning 6-year-old. In hopes of boosting Grand Couturier's confidence, Ribaudo plans to run him in Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont.

Racing officials here decided to postpone the Bowling Green from Friday to Sunday due to the potential of an inch or more of rain forecasted to fall in the tri-state area Friday. The Bowling Green is scheduled for 1 3/8 miles.

In keeping with industry-wide trends, Evangeline Downs concluded its 2009 meeting last Monday with declines in both total handle and average daily handle.

According to figures from the Audit Division of the Louisiana State Racing Commission, total all-sources handle for the 89-day meeting was $136,840,512, a decrease of just over 6 percent from last year's 84 days of racing.

Daily handle for this year's meeting averaged $1.54 million per night, a decline of 11.3 percent from 2008. Racing was canceled after just two races on April 18 this year because of inclement weather.

ELMONT, N.Y. - As many graded stakes as Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Stable won at Saratoga, arguably the most impressive horse the outfit ran during the meet was Girolamo, who came off a 10-month layoff to win an allowance race by four lengths.

Sunday, Girolamo returns in another allowance race, facing mostly older horses in a one-mile race that could be a stepping-stone for him to the Grade 2 Jerome on Oct. 11. This $48,000 allowance race became an alternative for Girolamo when the $65,000 Prenup Stakes, a race restricted to 3-year-olds, didn't have enough entries to fill.

Buff Bradley has been a staunch supporter of Kentucky racing ever since he resigned as the late Clarence Picou's assistant to open his own public stable in 1993. In the years to follow, not only have the vast majority of Bradley's starters come at Kentucky tracks, but he has served on various horsemen's boards and given generously of his time in supporting industry causes.

MIAMI - Duke of Mischief has returned to his Calder base none the worse for wear from his unlucky trip in Monday's $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, according to trainer David Fawkes.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Leif Nordahl, president of the British Columbia division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, is hopeful but realistic about what to expect at the 2009 yearling and mixed sale that will be held at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley on Tuesday.

A total of 156 yearlings have been cataloged, down from 173 last year. In 2008, the average price for a yearling was $11,148. The top-priced yearling, a colt by Black Minnaloushe out of Sinibion, was purchased by Glen Todd for $57,000 out of last year's sale.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Jockey Krista Carignan has been around horses ever since she can remember, from riding bareback as a youngster to walking and grooming Thoroughbreds as a 13-year-old. By age 16, she was galloping horses and readying for her current role.

The field for next Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs is just starting to take shape, with seven horses considered probable as of Friday morning. Those track officials expect are Regal Ransom, Massone, Blame, Uno Mas, Electric Alphabet, and Red Lead, while trainer Graham Motion said Sumo is likely to join the fray.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Yummy With Butter will be looking to shake a stakes jinx in Sunday's $125,000 Overskate, a seven-furlong race for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up.

A 5-year-old gelding owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Mark Fournier, Yummy With Butter has started in stakes races eight times, recording a pair of seconds and five thirds.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Monmouth Park canceled its Friday card as high wind and heavy rain buffeted the Jersey Shore.

It was clear the card was in jeopardy early in the morning as a strong nor'easter blew threw the backstretch and the National Weather Service posted a tornado warning for central New Jersey.

The start of the first race was delayed 20 minutes to 1:10 p.m. in an effort to salvage the nine-race card. The first-race horses reported to the saddling paddock but the riders never emerged from the jockeys' room. The cancellation became official at approximately 1 p.m.