LEXINGTON, Ky. - The strategy could not have been any simpler. Dale Romans instructed jockey Robby Albarado to grab the lead aboard Thorn Song and keep going as far as he could, a plan that worked brilliantly Saturday in the 23rd running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Thorn Song, a 5-year-old gray horse by Unbridled's Song, shook off a midstretch bid from War Monger and finished clear of a belated run from Shakis to capture the Shadwell Mile by 1 1/4 lengths as the lukewarm favorite. He returned $8.40 after finishing in 1:34.97 over a firm turf.

ELMONT, N.Y. - One day after Mani Bhavan finished last as the favorite in the Alcibiades at Keeneland, her stablemate, Sky Diva, rolled to a 3 3/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette at Belmont Park.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The calculated plan that Paul Reddam engineered this week paid immediate dividends Saturday when his new purchase, Square Eddie, ran off and hid from 10 other 2-year-olds in the $500,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, stamping himself as a major contender for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Square Eddie, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, cruised to a 4 3/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity, which carries a Win and You're In berth for the BC Juvenile. The winner returned $20.20.

PHOENIX - Emerald invader Malia Sofia really took to her new surroundings and posted a 22-1 upset in Saturday's $50,000 Sun Devil Stakes at Turf Paradise.

Owned by Dan Agnew and trained by Carol Hubbard, Malia Sofia sat midpack in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, stayed wide and finished gamely to get up by a nose to beat 9-5 favorite Briecat.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Under a confident ride by Dave Wilson, heavily favored P. S. Good N Ready easily won the $107,150 Sadie Diamond Futurity for 2-year-old fillies at Hastings on Saturday.

Breaking sharply, P. S. Good N Ready stalked an honest pace set by Seashell and then moved to the lead when they straightened out for the stretch run. She drew off to win by four lengths over Seashell, who held on well to finish a clear second over Tick Me Off.

Ikigai kept his local mark unblemished but had to work hard to outlast Dukes Flying Tiger by a diminishing head in the $55,000 The Kaiser Stakes at Calder. The Kaiser was originally scheduled to be run on the turf but was moved to a sloppy main track due to early morning downpours.

Legal Consent, ridden confidently by Dennis Carr, looped six wide around the leaders turning for home and powered to a three-length win in the $318,525 New York Breeders' Futurity for 2-year-olds at Finger Lakes. It was the richest race ever run at the Farmington, N.Y. track.

Legal Consent's entrymate Dagnabit vied for the early lead, led by a length or two in midstretch, and barely held second, a neck ahead of fast-closing Mother Russia.

Peppers Pride now stands alone in the record books.

She set a modern North American mark for consecutive wins Saturday at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., when she won her 17th straight race in a $35,000 optional claimer. Peppers Pride had previously shared the modern Thoroughbred record for consecutive wins with Cigar, Citation, Hallowed Dreams, and Mister Frisky.

Say this for Cuba: He does not require a lot of rest.

Fourteen days after facing Commentator in the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs, Cuba was back in the starting gate for the Maryland Million Classic at Laurel Park on Saturday.

Little rest, no problem. Cuba sat just outside pacesetter Diamond David for most of the 1 3/16-mile, $300,000 race, swung to the lead on the turn, and won going away by four lengths.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Bobby Frankel told anyone who would listen how good he thought Vineyard Haven is. It's unlikely there are any doubters remaining.

After putting away a pace challenge from longshot A.P. Cardinal, Vineyard Haven, under Edgar Prado, galloped to a 5 3/4-length victory over a deep field in the Grade 1, $400,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. Munnings finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of 3-1 favorite Cribnote.