ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - So much for Julien Leparoux's Beverly D. bafflement.

The top four finishers from the Colonial Cup will be joined by a host of talented new shooters when the showcase race at Colonial Downs, the $750,000 Virginia Derby, is run Saturday in New Kent, Va.

Battle of Hastings, winner of the June 20 Colonial Cup, was assigned post 9 in a field of 10 3-year-olds entered Monday in the 12th running of the Virginia Derby, a Grade 2 race set for 1 1/4 miles over the spacious Colonial turf course. Tyler Baze has a return call for trainer Jeff Mullins.

Debbie Winick is a racing lifer, but she embarks on a new career in Wednesday's fourth race at Pleasanton when she sends out her homebred It'sthewinetalking as her first official starter as a trainer.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Points of Grace finished fourth in the Grade 2 Nassau here Mayo30 after jockey Patrick Husbands took her back to avoid running head-to-head on the lead with stablemate Remarkable Remy.

"She probably should have been second," said Malcolm Pierce, who trains both Points of Grace and Remarkable Remy for Live Oak Plantation.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Less than 24 hours after Rail Trip's victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup, trainer Patrick Biancone congratulated winning trainer Ron Ellis in the Hollywood Park paddock before Sunday's first race.

Rail Trip won his first graded stakes in the Gold Cup, ending a two-race losing streak. During those losses, Rail Trip finished second to the Biancone-trained Ball Four in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap in May and outfinished Ball Four when second to Informed in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes on June 13.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse wasn't really tempted to try the Queen's Plate with Gallant after the colt won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race here July 12.

"We thought if we had a shot with those horses it would be in the Prince of Wales, coming in with a fresh horse," said Casse. "We needed some of the other horses to not run their best races and ours to run his best race for us to win.

"The other thing was this horse is really bred for the dirt, and some of the others maybe not."

Churchill Downs Inc. on Monday named Kevin Flanery, its senior vice president of national public affairs and communications, as the president of its Louisville track.

Flanery will take over a position last held by Steve Sexton, who in January was moved to a new subsidiary at Churchill's parent company. Flanery will report to Bill Carstanjen, who is the chief operating officer of Churchill Downs Inc.

AUBURN, Wash. - Knight Raider rolled to a record-tying 13-length victory in the $31,500 Knights Choice Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Sunday at Emerald Downs. The 3-5 favorite in the field of eight, she ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.20 and paid $3.40.

Trust N Seven will try a new surface and attempt two turns for the first time in the $70,000 Indiana First Lady on Monday evening at Indiana Downs. Trainer Mike Lauer doesn't think either the mile or the switch to turf will be a problem for Trust N Seven.

"Her dam placed in a Grade 3 turf race at Arlington going long," Lauer said of Seventies, whom he sent out to finish third in the 1994 Modesty Handicap. "That is all I have to go on, but it seems she should handle the grass. I am sure the distance won't be a problem."

LINCOLN, Neb. - Lou Lou Larue remained the only 2-year-old stakes winner in Nebraska as the David Anderson-trained filly overcame a rough start to lead from start to finish in the $31,150 Capitol City Futurity on the closing-day card at Lincoln State Fair on Sunday afternoon.