The American Oaks at Hollywood Park on Sunday holds the double distinction of being the first international race of the year in America as well as one of the better betting contests held anywhere in the world this year. Although a purse cut of $300,000 to $700,000 during these difficult times has led in part to an absence of Japanese invaders, England, Ireland, and New Zealand will be represented.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The decision by the New York Racing Association to move the Man o' War from the fall to the summer continues to pay dividends.

Last year, the race attracted three Breeders' Cup winners, including 2007 Classic winner Curlin, who finished second in the Man o' War in between Breeders' Cup Turf winners Red Rocks and Better Talk Now. Curlin would eventually go on to be voted Horse of the Year.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - On the banks of the Guadalquivir River outside Seville, Spain, some 25,000 inhabitants of a village called Lebrija grow beets, cotton, and wheat.

On the suburban prairie around Arlington Park, one of those Lebrijans quietly has risen to seventh in the Arlington jockey standings.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Alexis Barba may hold her breath while the field is loading for Sunday's fifth race at Hollywood Park.

Her 2-year-old Make Music for Me has worked well in recent weeks, and could win his debut in the $55,000 maiden race over five furlongs for 2-year-olds. One of Barba's concerns is how Make Music for Me behaves in the gate.

"That could be a worrisome thing," she said.

Otherwise, the colt shows promise. His workouts in the last six weeks have been quick, including five furlongs in a bullet 59 seconds June 24.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Although the featured Ontario Damsel came up light, a pair of potential 3-year-old heavyweights have surfaced in an interesting spot on Sunday's program at Woodbine.

Monty's Best and Bearcatt, both trained by Reade Baker, will face fellow 3-year-old Kennisis Ridge and four older rivals in a second-level optional $62,500 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - American Border held off Quiet Meadow by a head Friday to win the $70,000 Miss Liberty Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf before 10,656 at Monmouth Park.

It was a paceless race on the course rated good after an early-afternoon rain shower. Royalties dawdled along on the lead through fractions of 26.02, 52.73 and 1:17.31 with American Border closely tracking. American Border ($16.20) took a narrow lead in midstretch and 5-year-old had enough left to defeat Quiet Meadow.

Better Talk Now, the multiple Grade 1 winning 10-year-old gelding, will scratch out of Saturday's Grade 1 United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park after injuring a splint bone in a hind leg, trainer Graham Motion said.

"I don't know that it's that serious, it's just enough to stop him from running tomorrow," Motion said Friday afternoon. "I don't want to run him if he's not 100 percent."

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Top level sprints in the Ark-La-Tex region are hard to come by in the thick of the summer months, so when a rare third-level optional claiming affair was offered for Sunday, several barns jumped at the opportunity.

The race was going to mark the long-awaited return of Foreign Production, winner of the Old Hickory Stakes over open company at Fair Grounds last November, but those plans have been put on hold by trainer James Hodges after his 3-year-old Louisiana-bred spiked a fever.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Summer Bird was bright and alert Friday morning at Monmouth Park at the conclusion of his two-day trip from Louisiana.

The same couldn't be said for Tim Ice, the trainer of the Belmont Stakes winner, who admitted to being bushed after the journey.

"I'm tired," Ice said. "The trip killed me this time but he shipped great. He's full of himself. Overall, the weather was perfect for the trip. We ran into a little rain last night but it was cooling. We didn't have to travel in 90 to 100 degree heat."

Shane Sellers made a triumphant return from retirement Thursday night at Evangeline Downs, booting home his only mount on the program. Riding for former riding contemporary Mark Guidry, Sellers settled off the pace aboard Ide Ball ($9.20), and they rallied smartly on the outside to win going away by almost thee lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for $25,000 Louisiana-bred claimers.