ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It's fair to say that the current Woodbine meeting has had more than its share of ups and downs for trainer Alec Fehr.

Fehr, 41, began the season with seemingly solid Queen's Plate prospects in Niagara Thunder and Sebastian's Song, both owned by Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc.

But Niagara Thunder was sidelined by an ankle injury, and Sebastian's Song, while he did make the Queen's Plate, failed to stay the trip.

Then, this past summer, Fehr and Centennial Farms went their separate ways.

Illinois-based trainer Chris Block has in recent years made a habit of transferring turf horses to Fair Grounds-based trainers for the winter. Block basically remains year-round in Chicago, and come November, he has freely sent south grass horses in his care not in need of a winter freshening.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The finish of the Grade 1 Matriarch on Sunday at Hollywood Park was not exactly what trainer Bobby Frankel hoped for - veteran mare Precious Kitten and upstart 3-year-old filly Visit finishing two-three behind the sensational Cocoa Beach.

But the race did clear up one uncertainty. Despite the retirement of Precious Kitten, Frankel will be rock solid in the 2009 female turf division.

"Visit ran great - I'm expecting a lot from her next year," Frankel said.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Reade Baker took home the Sovereign Award as Canada's outstanding trainer in 2005, and has been a finalist in his category in the two succeeding seasons.

This year, Baker has campaigned two probable Sovereign Award winners in older mare Bear Now and sprinter Fatal Bullet, who also is considered a top contender for Horse of the Year honors.

But, Baker himself could be on the outside looking in when the three nominees for each category are announced on Friday.

Trainer Steve Klesaris was hoping for a middle-of-the-road post with Livin Lovin for Friday night's Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess, and he got his wish on Tuesday when she drew gate 4 in a field of 10.

The one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies will share a card with the Grade 3, $750,000 Delta Jackpot. It, too, will have a full field of 10, with Terrain made the 5-2 morning-line favorite on Tuesday.

No doubt, not all talented 3-year-olds are created equal. Mambo in Seattle, a little slow to get started in 2008, had an excellent late spring and summer, almost winning the Travers Stakes in August. But last Saturday at Fair Grounds, it was late-season 3-year-old Secret Getaway who burst onto the scene, capturing the Tenacious Stakes by almost three lengths, with Mambo in Seattle third.

MIAMI - There's nothing unusual about trainer Greg Gilchrist shipping one of his stakes stars cross-country from his Northern California base for a graded stakes at Calder. Except this time, instead of bringing in another of his seemingly endless stream of speedballs, Gilchrist has arrived in south Florida with a 4-year-old turf specialist named Wild Promises who promises to be among the key contenders in Saturday's Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap.

Terrain has been dancing all around the big one, from finishing a close fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to playing runner-up in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in his Grade 1 debut Oct. 4. But to strengthen his credentials heading into his 3-year-old season, he needs a breakthrough win and his opportunity comes Friday night in the Grade 3, $750,000 Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs.

"I would love to see it for a lot of different reasons," said Al Stall Jr., who trains Terrain.

A major technical snafu led to Churchill Downs canceling its online handicapping contest known as the "Biggest Vegas Qualifier Ever" in progress on Saturday.

More than 500 online players paid $250 apiece to enter the 15-race contest conducted through the Churchill-owned twinspires.com, but many were unable to make their selections in a timely fashion because of a computer-software glitch, according to Churchill officials.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mark Johnson has a job in England as a simulcast host that requires him to fill airtime, which helps partly to explain why Churchill Downs was inundated with sound during the last four days of the fall meet.