PHOENIX – Turf Paradise unveiled its $2.1 million stakes schedule for the upcoming 2008-2009 meet, including two stakes renamed in honor of two members of its family who died recently.

Among the 41 stakes are races renamed in honor of track announcer Luke Kruytbosch and longtime track photographer Jack Coady Sr.

The $50,000 Luke Kruytbosch (formerly the Saguaro), will be run opening day, Oct. 3. It is for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Kruytbosch, 47, was Turf Paradise’s announcer since 1993. He died July 14.

AUBURN, Wash. – After a weekend of stakes-studded racing, Emerald Downs will shift gears abruptly on Thursday with an eight-race card headed by a field of seven 3-year-old fillies, each a nonwinner of two races eligible to be claimed for $7,500, going 5 1/2 furlongs.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - The seven-race Minnesota Festival of Champions card on Sunday at Canterbury Park featured several memorable upsets before by a crowd of 8,382 fans.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shortly before sunrise Monday morning, Curlin gave this sleepy town a wake-up call with a strong seven-furlong workout in what was his first-ever breeze over Saratoga's main track.

Curlin, the defending Horse of the Year, worked seven furlongs in 1:24.84 under regular exercise rider Carlos Rosas as he prepares for the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes here Aug. 30. Curlin worked in company with stablemate Hawaii Calls, breaking off about a half-length in front of that horse while on the inside.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - You Will Love Me was one of the Cinderella stories of the 2007 Woodbine meeting, winning three stakes races and banking $337,880 for her owner and breeder, Bill Jones.

Trained by Earl Barnett and ridden by Eurico Rosa da Silva, You Will Love Me competed in Ontario-sired and Ontario-foaled company and compiled a record of 4-2-2 from 8 starts in that 3-year-old campaign.

This year, it appeared that the clock may have struck midnight after You Will Love Me finished no better than fifth in her first three appearances.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Tuning up for a trip to California, Arlington-based Lewis Michael turned in his second straight bullet breeze, zipping five furlongs in 59.40 seconds Monday morning, the fastest of 40 works at the distance.

"He started out the first quarter in 24 and went the last quarter in 23," said trainer Wayne Catalano. "He's awesome right now."

Thoroughbreds return to the California State Fair in Sacramento for the first time since 2004 on Wednesday. The meet runs through Sept. 1.

For the past three years, Cal Expo has run harness horses at the State Fair meeting in hopes of creating a larger fan base for the harness meet that runs 11 months a year there. Harness racing will return again on Sept. 12, but director of racing Dave Elliott said Cal Expo officials wanted to make the State Fair a part of the Northern California fair circuit again.

"We're excited," Elliott said.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic is the highlight of Sunday's stakes-filled card at Del Mar, but the the horse who had the track buzzing on Monday morning was 2007 sprint champion Midnight Lute, who could make his long-awaited return on the undercard in the Grade 2, $300,000 Pat O'Brien Handicap.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When it comes to Saratoga, frustration has replaced exhilaration for Bill Mott.

A year after he set a personal-best with 27 victories to capture his eighth Saratoga trainer's title, Mott has won with just 2 of his 45 starters through the first four weeks of the meet.

Mott, 55, said he has felt frustrated "particularly because I have a few horses that ran some winning races and got beat. You got to ride it out. I've been through it before; I haven't been through it here very often. Usually things kind of come together up here."

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Hystericalady will return for an encore on the Jersey Shore. She headlines the Grade 2, $300,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park, a race she won last year by a convincing 6 1/4 lengths.

That was one of two sparkling efforts here last season by the 5-year-old mare. Hystericalady returned in the fall for the Breeders' Cup, finishing second by a neck to Ginger Punch in the Distaff, one of the epic battles of that championship weekend.