FORT ERIE, Ontario - Nick Gonzalez, the leading trainer at Fort Erie, was going for his ninth win in a row when his first-time starter Early Spring entered the gate last Tuesday.

A victory would tie the Fort Erie record set by Alex Bankuti in 1984.

But for Gonzalez it was not to be. Early Spring, a 2-year-old filly, veered in at the break, never got untracked, and finished sixth.

"We had a great run at it," said Gonzalez, "and my crew gave it their all. They were right into the day-to-day scoreboard and put forth every effort as the win streak gained momentum.

COLUMBUS, Neb. - Maiden winners Brand Forty Four and Five Oclock Shadow face a field comprised mostly of first-time starters in the $15,000 Columbus Futurity on Sunday. The six-furlong futurity is for 2-year-old Nebraska-breds.

Apprentice Michael Straight underwent what his twin brother and fellow rider termed "successful" surgery Thursday evening, some 24 hours after being critically injured in a one-horse spill at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill.

A record 3,600 applications for 2,000 available stalls were received by Turf Paradise as the Phoenix track gets ready to open its 54th meet. The 156-day stand begins Oct. 2 and runs through May 2, 2010.

There will be 30 new trainers with stalls this meet, hailing from places such as Kentucky, Iowa, and Michigan, the track said.

Turf Paradise and other racetracks in Arizona have been pushing to get slot machines, and the track's owner, Jerry Simms, said the number of stall applications may be a reflection of horsemen anticipating future purse boosts from slots money.

Monmouth Park will integrate six steeplechase races into its 10-race program on Sept. 26, a card that includes two $200,000 divisions of the NATC Futurity on the flat.

The $70,000 Metcalf Memorial Novice Stakes at 2 1/4 miles over National Fences will be the richest of the steeplechase races, preps for the Oct. 17 meet at Far Hills, N.J.

While many tracks, most notably Saratoga, offer a jump race on their program, this marks the first time a steeplechase card will be blended with flat racing at a parimutuel track, according to the National Steeplechase Association.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Cross Every Bridge has done just that with noteworthy success thus far in his career.

But tempering that statement is the fact that the career of Cross Every Bridge, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Mark Frostad, has spanned just two starts and his foundations will be seriously tested in Saturday's $200,000 Play the King.

The Grade 2 Play the King, a seven-furlong turf race that is the major local prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 20, will mark the stakes debut for Cross Every Bridge.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Stop us if you've heard this one before. A 3-year-old owned by Robert LaPenta, trained by Nick Zito, and ridden by Alan Garcia is a longshot in a Grade 1, $1 million race. He uses his speed to establish a clear lead, is never challenged, and rolls to a 5 1/4-length victory.

One year after Da' Tara went gate to wire to upset the Belmont Stakes at 38-1, LaPenta, Zito, and Garcia are back in Saturday's $1 million Travers with the speedy Our Edge, who will attempt to duplicate Da' Tara's improbable feat at long odds.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Saturday's Iowa Classic Night, the highlight of the Prairie Meadows mixed meet, features 12 Iowa-bred stakes, seven for Thoroughbreds and five for Quarter Horses, worth a combined $800,000.

DEL MAR, Calif. -

Humberto Ascanio, assistant trainer to Bobby Frankel, said that Midships spiked a 102-degree fever and had a presence of mucus on Thursday when entries were taken.

"I can't run him with a temperature," Ascanio said.

Midships was scheduled to undergo a blood test on Thursday to determine how to treat his illness, Ascanio said. It is likely that the 4-year-old will not start again until the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, which begins on Sept. 30.

You can't knock a guy for going into the family business after trying his hand at law enforcement. It just isn't often that riding horses at Suffolk Downs is the safer of two career options.

Apprentice jockey Robert Serrano says following in his family's footsteps has him much more at ease than a career catching crooks.

"This is my dream," said the 28-year-old native of Valley Stream, N.Y. "I know it's ironic to choose this path, but just a short time made me realize I couldn't live the life of a cop."