ELMONT, N.Y. - With no clear-cut favorite and interest high from the connections of several 3-year-olds, this year's running of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on Memorial Day could draw as many as 15 horses when entries are taken on Friday.

MIAMI - It's a Bird is listed as the 122-pound highweight for Monday's $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap at Calder, but it will be Finallymadeit who is likely to be the starting highweight under 121 pounds in the Grade 3 event.

It's a Bird, one of three horses trainer Marty Wolfson nominated to the Memorial Day, will pass the race in quest of a more lucrative payday the same afternoon in the Grade 3 Lone Star Handicap.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It's on.

The first showdown between Zenyatta, the undefeated champion older female of 2008, and her stablemate Life Is Sweet, the impressive winner of three major stakes for older females at Santa Anita earlier this year, is set for Saturday's $150,000 Milady Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Both were entered on Wednesday and trainer John Shirreffs confirmed they are intended starters.

"Zenyatta needs to start," he said. "She needs to get going. Life Is Sweet is doing so well that we need to run her."

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The payoff for resisting the Triple Crown's siren call could start coming Saturday for the connections of Giant Oak.

Despite turning in his top performance at 3 by finishing second in the Illinois Derby on April 4 at Hawthorne, Giant Oak was not sent to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, and instead went to Arlington Park. The plan was a run at the Mid-America Triple, Arlington's three-race turf series - and that plan swings into action Saturday.

Marquis Downs will welcome back live racing on Friday with an eight-race card which attracted a total of 66 horses.

I thought for a first card it was very good; the winter here s been terrible, said Rick Fior, racing manager for the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan oval.

We already have about 300 sets of papers in the office and I think by mid-June we ll be close to 350 to 400 horses to run two days a week.

Ruidoso Downs will jump into its mixed meet on Friday with 17 trial races for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity for Quarter Horses. The stakes is one of three major 2-year-old races at the meet, along with the $625,000 Rainbow and $2 million All American Futurity. The rich series has long made the 62-year-old track a mecca for top Quarter Horses as well as a summer tradition in the mountain-top town of Ruidoso Downs, N.M.

"When you mention horse racing here, people's eyes light up," said Ann McGovern, president and general manager of Ruidoso Downs.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The training track turf course was open for business for the first time this season on Wednesday morning and trainer Roger Attfield, as usual, was one of the best customers. Attfield, whose barn is located adjacent to the dirt and turf training tracks here, sent out eight horses over the seven-furlong grass strip, including three who should be seeing stakes action here this weekend.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Song of Navarone will be looking to win his fifth straight race Monday at Lone Star Park, but whether he runs in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap or the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup had yet to be decided as of Wednesday.

"We've got our options open," said Henry Dominguez, who trains Star of Navarone. "We're going to try and make the best decision we possibly can."

Smokin Again was one of the best 2-year-olds to come out of the Louisiana Downs meet a year ago, and last Saturday she picked up right where she left off with a clear allowance win over fillies and mares in a turf route. The performance has set her up for a return to local stakes competition.

Charles Hukill, who trains Smokin Again, said she is now being pointed for the $50,000 Top Corsage at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass on June 13. The race is designed as a stepping-stone to the $75,000 River Cities on the Super Derby Day card Sept. 19.

AUBURN, Wash. - Gordy Jarnig bought his first racehorse in 1972; his friend Eric Schweiger has been in the game almost as long. They've shared countless laughs and won a few races since joining forces about 10 years ago, but they've never had a runner as good as the one they have now.

Her name is Reba Is Tops, a 5-year-old Washington-bred mare with a quick turn of foot and a strong affinity for the turf. In her latest race, last Friday, Reba Is Tops sped to a track-record victory on the grass in the $62,460 Lawndale Stakes at Hollywood Park.