LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When Sara Louise defeated Rachel Alexandra by nearly four lengths last fall in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs, it might not have been too far-fetched to say a superstar was emerging.

But you would have been going farther out on the limb to predict that it would be the runner-up in that Nov. 1 race - and not the winner - who would proceed to set the racing world on its ear by winning her next six races, including a record romp in the Kentucky Oaks and a thrilling triumph as the favorite over male rivals in the Preakness.

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Rui Pimentel finished last year's Fort Erie meet with 80 wins, five behind leading rider Chad Beckon. This year he is a strong candidate to take the title.

With Beckon now riding at Woodbine, Pimentel has 13 wins in the first eight days of the season. Sunny Sing is next with nine wins, and Kris Robinson and Melanie Pinto are tied with eight heading into the fourth weekend of the meeting.

MIAMI - Argentine sensation Lady Sprinter created a bit of a stir when she showed up at Santa Anita last fall to take on the best filly and mare sprinters in this country in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Lady Sprinter came to the U.S. having won eight of her first nine starts, including a couple of Group 1 races in Argentina. She then raised a few eyebrows when working a blistering five furlongs in 45.32 seconds between races at Santa Anita early Breeders' Cup week.

Golden Gate Fields will not race Thursday, May 30, Wednesday, June 3, or Wednesday, June 10 in order to coincide with the racing schedule in Southern California, which has been shortened to four days a week at the request of Hollywood Park.

Golden Gate also announced it would change its time for first post back to 12:45 p.m. beginning on Monday, Memorial Day.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Eric Coatrieux, operating in the relative anonymity of the training and stabling facility at nearby Chiefswood Farm, has been bringing along a couple of hopefuls for the $1 million Queen's Plate and a candidate for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.

Coatrieux, who sent out Niigon to win the Queen's Plate for Robert and Mark Krembil's Chiefswood outfit in 2004, is pointing the recent graduate Thor's Piper and the maiden Yorkville for the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds here June 21.

ELMONT, N.Y. - While the jockey status of Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Mine that Bird remained in limbo, some other key jockey assignments for the Belmont Stakes were firmed up Friday morning, as John Velazquez will ride Dunkirk and Garrett Gomez has taken the call on Chocolate Candy.

A communications failure at the main wagering hub for Penn National Race Course forced the wagering on the track's second race Wednesday to be refunded in its entirety, according to a Thursday release from the racetrack. About $150,000 was refunded to bettors on site and offtrack.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Some horseplayers start getting concerned when a horse doesn't have a workout for several weeks after a race.

But when asked why the Churchill Downs clockers had not put their watches on Einstein lately, trainer Helen Pitts basically said, "No worries."

Einstein, the top older male in Daily Racing Form's Watchmaker Watch, will work each of the next three Sundays in preparation for the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 13.

"He'll breeze a half-mile Sunday, five-eighths the next Sunday, and a half the next Sunday," said Pitts.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Monday's Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap lost one potential starter when trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said Thursday that This Ones for Phil would not make the race due to a cough.

"Our horse stopped coughing today," Dutrow said Thursday. "He's been coughing for nearly two weeks."

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Anyone making a $2 win bet on the nine horses trainer Craig MacPherson ran over the three days of racing last weekend at Hastings would have grossed $40.70, for a net profit of $22.70. MacPherson won five races and moved up to third in the trainer standings with eight wins at the meet. Troy Taylor and Dino Condilenios are tied for the lead with nine wins apiece.