SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Created as a novel way to honor the unsung heroes of Thoroughbred racing, the Claiming Crown will begin its second decade of existence when it is renewed Saturday at Canterbury Park.

The usual melting pot of across-the-continent shippers will once again characterize the Claiming Crown, for which entries were drawn Wednesday. A total of 62 runners were entered in the $600,000 seven-race series, with the $100,000 Claiming Crown Emerald being easily the deepest and the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel the richest.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The last time Thorn Song raced in California he was trained by Dale Romans and shipped in from Kentucky to score a convincing win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on Memorial Day.

Not even two months later, Thorn Song is back in California under vastly different circumstances. Owner Zayat Stables and Romans have parted, and Thorn Song has been sent to trainer Mike Mitchell. Mitchell starts Thorn Song for the first time in Saturday's $350,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar, and the trainer plans to make some minor changes.

MIAMI - Remember "Multiplicity," the movie where Michael Keaton's character is able to clone himself so he can be in more than one place at the same time?

Trainer David Fawkes will need a little Multiplicity of his own if his plans come to fruition for his two top 3-year-olds, Big Drama and Duke of Mischief, both of whom will be running at nearly the same time at two different places on the afternoon of Aug. 1. Big Drama is scheduled to start at Mountaineer in the West Virginia Derby, while Duke of Mischief is likely headed for the Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tasty Temptation, who had been under consideration for Saturday's Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont, instead will start here in the Wonder Where.

Coming off a fourth-place finish in the June 21 Queen's Plate, Tasty Temptation will be making her local turf debut in Saturday's $250,000 Wonder Where, a 1 1/4-mile turf race that is the final leg of the triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Atomic Rain, winner of the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park, has been purchased by Godolphin Racing.

Previously trained by Kelly Breen, Atomic Rain was on target for Monmouth's Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 2.

Now his status for the Haskell is uncertain.

"We have purchased Atomic Rain to race in Dubai this winter, but we will make a decision shortly with regard to his more immediate future," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager.

Indiana Downs averaged $983,848 in daily handle on its live races at the meet that ended July 15, up 4.1 percent over the 2008 meet, when it averaged $945,023 a day.

The gross handle was up by a higher percentage, but Indiana Downs conducted a 62-day meet this year, up from 54 last year. There is a possibility that the number of days may be increased next season, according to the track's racing secretary, Butch Cook.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The pace and the depth of the Grade 1, $350,000 Eddie Read Handicap on Saturday at Del Mar got a whole lot stronger Tuesday morning when trainer Craig Dollase said he had decided to go ahead and run the speedy Monterey Jazz just three weeks after his front-running win in the American Handicap at Hollywood Park.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine's two series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds will be winding up over the next two weekends, with the Wonder Where scheduled for Saturday and the Breeders' on Aug. 2.

Trainer Barbara Minshall thinks she is in with a chance in both races. She plans to send out Dance for Us in the Wonder Where and Parabola in the Breeders'.

The Wonder Where, a 1 1/4-mile turf race, concludes the triple tiara for fillies, which began with the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks and continued with the 1 1/16-mile Bison City.

Stormin Maggy and Vito Filitto emerged as 2-year-olds to follow in this region last week. Stormin Maggy won at Lone Star Park and Vito Filitto at Louisiana Downs.

Stormin Maggy, a half-sister to champion Afleet Alex, took a maiden special weight at Lone Star by 6 1/2 lengths. She raced with the pace early in the 5 1/2-furlong race last Friday night, dropped back, then came on again when seemingly beaten at the quarter pole. It was the second career start for Stormin Maggy, a daughter of Storm Cat.

MIAMI - For a handicapper, there's nothing more frustrating than a race not playing out as expected. So can you imagine how a trainer feels when the same thing happens in a race worth $1 million, like Sunday's Delaware Handicap.

You could still hear the frustration in trainer Marty Wolfson's voice as he recounted the Delaware Handicap and the second-place finish of his steadily improving Icon Project, who was beaten a length by the somewhat unexpected front-running winner Swift Temper.